Non-circular dimples formed via an orbital pantograph cutter
AssigneeSpalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsR. Dennis Nesbitt, Mark L. Binette
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming non-circular dimples in a spherical surface is characterized by the use of a pantograph to repeatedly translate a master dimple configuration into the spherical surface. A drill bit is drilled into a portion of the spherical surface to a first depth. The drill bit is displaced relative to the surface by the pantograph along a given path without altering the axial orientation of the bit in order to form a non-circular dimple in the surface. The bit is removed from the surface and the process is repeated across other portions of the surface to form identical dimples therein.
Claims10
A method of forming non-circular dimples in a spherical surface, comprising the steps of
- (a) drilling into a portion of the surface along a radius thereof to a first depth with a drill bit;
- (b) laterally displacing the drill bit relative to the surface along a given path defined by a pantograph without altering the axial orientation of the drill bit, thereby forming a non-circular dimple in the surface;
- (c) removing the drill bit from the surface;
- (d) rotating the surface to arrange a different portion of the surface beneath the drill bit;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (a), (b), (c), and (d) to form a plurality of non-circular dimples in the surface, each of said dimples having the identical configuration.
A method of forming non-circular dimples in a spherical surface, comprising the steps of
- (a) drilling into a first portion of the surface along a radius thereof to a first depth with a drill bit;
- (b) laterally displacing the drill bit relative to the surface along a first given path defined by a pantograph without altering the axial orientation of the drill bit, thereby forming a first non-circular dimple in the surface;
- (c) removing the drill bit from the surface;
- (d) rotating the surface to arrange a second portion of the surface beneath the drill bit;
- (e) drilling into a second portion of the surface along a radius thereof to a second depth with a drill bit;
- (f) laterally displacing the drill bit relative to the surface along at least a second given path defined by a pantograph without altering the axial orientation of the drill bit, thereby forming at least a second non-circular dimple in the surface;
- and
- (g) repeating steps (a)-(f) to form at least a plurality of first and second non-circular dimples in the surface, said first dimples having a first identical configuration, respectively, and said second dimples having a second identical configuration different from said first identical configuration.
A method of forming non-circular dimples in a spherical surface, comprising the steps of
- (a) drilling into a portion of the surface along a radius thereof to a first depth with a drill bit;
- (b) laterally displacing the drill bit relative to the surface along a first path defined by a pantograph without altering the axial orientation of the drill bit, thereby forming a non-circular dimple in the surface;
- (c) removing the drill bit from the surface;
- (d) rotating the surface to arrange a second portion of the surface beneath the drill bit;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (a), (b), (c), and (d) to form additional non-circular dimples, said laterally displacing step for each additional dimple being along a path different from said first path, whereby each additional dimple has a different configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.