# US 8,771,104 B2 · Golf ball

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- Number: US 8,771,104 B2
- Document ID: US8771104B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/114,740
- Filed: 2011-05-24
- Published: 2012-11-29
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-24
- Assignees: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Katsunori Sato; Takuma Nakagawa
- Inventors: Katsunori Sato; Takuma Nakagawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771104B2

## CPC

- A63B 37/00065: {located around the pole or the equator}
- A63B 37/0009: {Polygonal}
- A63B 37/0019: {Specified dimple depth}
- A63B 37/00215: {Volume ratio}
- A63B 37/0024: {Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane}
- A63B 37/0039: {characterised by the material}
- A63B 37/0051: {Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details}
- A63B 37/0076: {Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers}
- A63B 37/0003: {Golf balls}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

The invention provides a golf ball having, on a surface thereof, a plurality of circular dimples, a plurality of non-circular dimples, and a land area which is a non-dimple region composed of a plurality of arcuate first lands, each formed along an edge of one of the circular dimples, and a plurality of second lands, each arranged so as to bridge between two neighboring circular dimples and having a shape that is recessed at a center portion thereof. The non-circular dimples have an edge shape defined by a plurality of the first lands in combination with a plurality of the second lands. In this golf ball, by fashioning the lands on the ball surface into a unique shape, the surface area of the lands is minimized and the dimple surface coverage is made even larger, increasing the aerodynamic performance and thus enabling the ball to travel even farther.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A golf ball comprising, on a surface thereof, a plurality of circular dimples, a plurality of non-circular dimples, and a land area which is a non-dimple region composed of a plurality of arcuate first lands, each formed along an edge of one of the circular dimples, and a plurality of second lands, each arranged so as to bridge between two neighboring circular dimples and having a shape that is recessed at a center portion thereof, wherein the non circular dimples have an edge shape defined by a plurality of the first lands in combination with a plurality of the second lands,
wherein the shape of the non-circular dimples is configured such that when a virtual triangle is drawn such that each of the vertexes of the virtual triangle are placed inside each of mutually neighboring three circular dimples respectively, of the circular dimple edge within around the vertexes of the virtual triangle define the first land, together with an arc of the non-circular dimple formed opposite the edge of the circular dimple, and rectilinear or curve lines which connect an edge of one arc with an edge of another arc define a second land between adjacent non-circular dimples and are formed so as to bulge outwardly beyond the middle point of each side of the virtual triangle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first lands and the second lands have a width of from 0.05 to 1.0 mm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the land area has an outer surface which forms an outermost periphery of the ball.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1 wherein, at an outer peripheral edge of the non-circular dimples, junctions between the first lands and the second lands are curved, as seen from above, at a given radius of curvature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the junctions is from 0.5 to 10 mm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ratio Vr of the sum of all dimple spaces on the ball enclosed by an outer periphery Y of the ball and dimple depressions to the volume of an imaginary sphere were the ball surface assumed to have no dimples thereon is from 1.3 to 1.7.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the dimples have a depth of from 0.05 to 0.4 mm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the second lands have a symmetrical shape.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein opposing sides of each of the second lands are defined by a non-circular dimple.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein each of the second lands taper linearly from a portion adjacent one of the circular dimples to the center portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein each edge of the second lands extend between the two neighboring circular dimples comprise a plurality of nonparallel linear portions.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the shape of the non-circular dimples is rendered into an outwardly bulging shape around the second lands.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the proportion of the non-circular dimples to the total number of dimples is from 50 to 75%.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the shape of the second lands narrows gradually from the end sides thereof toward the center and the shape become narrow so that the width at the center portion approaches substantially zero.