Dimple patterns for golf balls

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface that significantly improves aerodynamic symmetry and minimizes parting line visibility by arranging the dimples in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while eliminating great circles due to parting lines.

1 . A golf ball having dimples based on a polyhedron pattern, wherein the dimples are arranged in irregular domains comprised of non-linear segments, wherein the irregular domains are tessellated over a surface of the golf ball. 
     
     
         2 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the irregular domains are defined by the combination of at least two control points selected from control points consisting of a center of the polyhedron face or a vertex of a polyhedron face or a midpoint of an edge of a polyhedron face. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the tessellated irregular domains are defined by a center of a first polyhedron face connected with at least one non-linear lines to at least one vertex point and coextensive at an edge with a second polyhedron face. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the tessellated irregular domains are defined by a non-linear line from a midpoint of a first edge of a face of the polyhedron to a midpoint of a second edge adjacent to the first edge. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the tessellated irregular domains are defined by a non-linear line from a first vertex of a face of the polyhedron to a second vertex connected to the first vertex by an edge of the face. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the tessellated irregular domains are defined by a non-linear line from a first vertex of a face of the polyhedron to a midpoint of a first edge of the face, wherein the face comprises a plurality of edges, each edge comprising a midpoint. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the tessellated irregular domains are defined by a non-linear line from a center of a face of the polyhedron to a midpoint of a first edge of the face, and from the center of the face to a midpoint on a second edge of the face, wherein the first edge and second edge connect at a vertex of the face.