US 2011/0269.576A1 Felker Et Al
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US 20110269.576A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0269.576A1 Felker et al. (43) Pub. Date: Nov. 3, 2011 (54) NONCONFORMING ANTI-SILCE BALL Publication Classification (51) Int. Cl. (75) Inventors: David C. Felker, Escondido, CA A63B 37/4 (2006.01) (US); Douglas C. Winfield, Madison, AL (US) (52) U.S. Cl. ........................................................ 473/383 (57) ABSTRACT (73) Assignee: AERO-X GOLF INC., Escondido, A non-conforming golfball has a plurality of dimples formed CA (US) on the outer surface of the ball in a predetermined dimple pattern, the outer Surface comprising one or more first areas (21) Appl. No.: 13/097,002 which include a plurality of first dimples which together have a first dimple Volume and at least one second area having a dimple volume less that the first dimple volume, the first and (22) Filed: Apr. 28, 2011 second areas being configured to establish a preferred spin axis. The second area may be aband around the equator which Related U.S. Application Data has a lower dimple volume or no dimples, with the polar (60) Provisional application No. 61/328,927, filed on Apr. regions have a higher Volume of dimples, creating a preferred 28, 2010. spin axis through the poles. Patent Application Publication Nov. 3, 2011 Sheet 1 of 14 US 2011/0269.576 A1 . Patent Application Publication Nov. 3, 2011 Sheet 2 of 14 US 2011/0269.576 A1 Patent Application Publication Nov. 3, 2011 Sheet 3 of 14 US 2011/0269.576 A1 Fi. fit is Patent Application Publication Nov. 3, 2011 Sheet 4 of 14 US 2011/0269.576 A1 Patent Application Publication Nov. 3, 2011 Sheet 5 of 14 US 2011/0269.576 A1 is x is cated disapie chard dept si x Sisita it is cist ties: is a defit of cave is oved above tispie \ is volume of truncated dimpie Wii ve as voitine of spherica simple V+V -vis a volume of cover removed to greate spherica diripie Viva e volute of cover emoved to create truncated disapie, F. 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Patent Application Publication Nov. 3, 2011 Sheet 14 of 14 US 2011/0269.576 A1 --~~~~~~~~~~(~~~~~~------------- **** ****---- + …-…?********----._. ------~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~** --~~~~;~~~~…..... is is US 2011/0269.576 A1 Nov. 3, 2011 NONCONFORMING ANTI-SILCE BALL often the case with recreational golfers who impart a slice or a hook spin on the golf ball when striking the ball. RELATED APPLICATIONS INFORMATION 0008. In order to overcome the drawbacks of a hook or a slice, some golf ball manufacturers have modified the con 0001. This application claims the benefit under S 119(e) of struction of a golfball in ways that tend to lower the spin rate. U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/328,927 filed Apr. Some of these modifications include utilizing hard two-piece 28, 2010 and entitled “Nonconforming Anti-Slice Ball.” covers and using higher moment of inertia golf balls. Other which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if manufacturers have resorted to modifying the ball surface to set forth in full. decrease the lift characteristics on the ball. These modifica tions include varying the dimple patterns in order to affect the BACKGROUND lift and drag on the golf ball. 0009. Some prior golfballs have been designed with non 0002 1. Field of the Invention conforming or non-symmetrical dimple patterns in an effort 0003. The embodiments described herein relate generally to offset the effect of imperfect hits, so that the unskilled to golf balls and are specifically concerned with golf ball golfer can hit a ball more consistently in a straighter path. dimple patterns to create desired flight characteristics. Although such balls are not legal in professional golf, they are 0004 2. Related Art very helpful for the recreational golfer in making the game 0005 Golf ball dimple pattern design has long been con more fun. One such ball is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819, sidered a critical factor in ball flight distance. A golf ball's 190 of Nepela et al. This ball is also known as a PolaraTM golf Velocity, launch angle, and spin rate is determined by the ball, and has regions with different numbers of dimples or no impact between the golf club and the golf ball, but the ball's dimples. A circumferential band extending around the spheri trajectory after impact is controlled by gravity and aerody cal ball has a plurality of dimples, while polar areas on oppo namics of the ball. Dimples on a golfball affect both drag and site sides of the band have few or no dimples. For this asym lift, which in turn determine how far the ball flies. metric golf ball, the measured lift and drag coefficients are 0006. The aerodynamic forces acting on a golfball during strongly influenced by the orientation of the golf ball on the flight may be determined according to well-understood laws tee before it is struck. This is evidenced by the fact that the of physics. Scientists have created mathematical models so as trajectory of the golf ball is strongly influenced by how the to understand these laws and predict the flight of a golf ball. golfball is oriented on the tee. For this ball to work properly, Using these models along with several readily determined it must be placed on the tee with the poles of the ball oriented values such as the golf ball's weight, diameter and lift and such that they are in the plane that is pointed in the intended drag coefficients, scientists have been able to resolve these direction of flight. In this orientation, the ball produces the aerodynamic forces into the orthogonal components of lift lowest lift force and thus is less susceptible to hooking and and drag. The lift coefficient relates to the aerodynamic force slicing. component acting perpendicular to the path of the golf ball 0010. Other golfballs have been constructed of a single or during flight while the drag coefficient relates to the aerody multi-layer core, either Solid or wound, that is tightly Sur namic force component acting parallel to the flight path. The rounded by a single or multilayer cover formed from poly lift and drag coefficients vary by golf ball design and are meric materials, such as polyurethane, balata rubber, iono generally a function of the speed and spin rate of the golfball mers or a combination. Although some of these golfballs do and for the most part do not depend on the orientation of the reduce some hook and slice dispersion, this type of ball con golfball on the tee for a spherically symmetrical or “conform struction has the disadvantage of adding cost to the golfball ing golf ball. manufacturing process. 0007. The maximum height a golf ball achieves during SUMMARY flight is directly related to the lift generated by the ball, while the direction that the golfball takes, specifically how straight 0011 Certain embodiments as disclosed herein provide a golf ball flies, is related to several factors, some of which for a golf ball having a dimple pattern which results in include spin and spin axis orientation of the golf ball in reduced hook and slice dispersion. relation to the golf ball's direction of flight. Further, the spin 0012. In one aspect, a golf ball is designed with a dimple and spin axis are important in specifying the direction and pattern which has reduced or no dimple Volume in a selected magnitude of the lift force vector. The lift force vector is a circumferential band around the ball and more dimple vol major factor in controlling the golfball flight path in the X, y ume in other regions of the ball. This causes the ball to have and Z directions. Additionally, the total lift force a golf ball a “preferred spin axis because of the weight differences generates during flight depends on several factors, including caused by locating different volume dimples in different areas spin rate, velocity of the ball relative to the surrounding air across the ball. This in turn reduces the tendency for disper and the surface characteristics of the golfball. However, with sion of the ball to the left or right (hooking and slicing) during respect to Surface characteristics, not all the regions on the flight. In one example, the circumferential band of lower Surface of a spinning golfball contribute equally to the gen dimple Volume is around the equator with more dimple Vol eration of the total lift force. As an example, if the surface of ume in the polar regions.