Method for applying indicia to a golf ball
AssigneeCallaway Golf Company
InventorsThomas J. Kennedy, III, Robert Phelps, Stephen M. Green
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A golf ball having an indicia produced by ink jet printing is disclosed. An ink composition containing a coloring agent and a resin is dispensed on a transfer medium, using an ink jet printer, to form an indicia. The indicia is transferred from the transfer medium to the dimpled surface of a golf ball. In another form of the invention, an indicia is applied directly to a golf ball, without a transfer medium. In this method, an indicia receiving layer is applied on at least a portion of the golf ball surface, then the indicia is printed directly on the indicia receiving layer using an ink jet printer. The indicia on the golf ball has an impact resistance suitable for use in competitive play.
Claims5
A method of applying at least one indicia to a dimpled surface of a golf ball, the method comprising:
- obtaining an ink composition suitable for use in ink jet printing, the ink composition comprising approximately 50 parts by weight of isopropanol, approximately 2 parts by weight of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and approximately 15 parts by weight of methyl isobutyl ketone;
- forming an indicia receiving layer on at least a portion of the dimpled surface of the golf ball, the indicia receiving layer containing a material which promotes at least one of absorption, adhesion and clarity of the indicia;
- and
- printing an indicia composed of the ink composition on a transfer medium using an ink jet printer and transferring the indicia to the dimpled surface of the indicia receiving layer, the indicia on the dimpled surface of the golf ball having a thickness of less than 100 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.