Method of producing replaceable mold cavities and mold cavity inserts
AssigneeCallaway Golf Company
InventorAlan C. Bettencourt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A replaceable mold cavity for use in the production of golf balls is disclosed herein. The mold cavity has a plastic insert with an inverse dimple pattern thereon that is formed from a plastic molding material, and a support cup in which the plastic insert is placed for the golf ball molding operation. The plastic insert may have a metal layer thereon that has an identical inverse dimple pattern. The entire replaceable mold cavity may also be composed of a plastic material. The use of plastic molding materials to form the plastic insert, or the entire mold cavity, allows for rapid production of golf balls having different dimple patterns which allows for expedited testing and introduction of new golf balls.
Claims3
A method for producing a replaceable mold cavity insert for a golf ball, the method comprising:
- introducing a plastic molding material into a recess attached to a second plate of a mold, the plastic molding material comprising a phenolic material;
- mating a master with the recess, the master having a predetermined dimple pattern for a golf ball, the master attached to a first plate of the mold;
- and
- compression molding the plastic molding material to form a phenolic insert having an inverse dimple pattern of the golf ball.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.