Multi-color golf ball

Abstract

A golf ball having a single pass image printed on the outer surface having at least one core and a cover layer formed from a cast polyurethane or polyurea. The cover layer defines a first surface area portion of a first color and a second surface area portion of a single pass printed image. The single pass printed image is printed using a UV curable ink and at least one UV pinning operation to pre-cure the UV curable ink before a final UV curing operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball comprising:
 at least one core;   and a cover layer formed from a cast polyurethane or polyurea, wherein the cover layer defines a first surface area portion of a first color and a second surface area portion of a single pass printed image, and a seam upon which the single pass printed image is placed, wherein the single pass printed image is printed using a UV curable ink and at least one UV pinning operation to pre-cure the UV curable ink before a final UV curing operation.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a throw distance utilized to print the single pass printed image is between 0 and 10 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein an energy density of a UV pinning lamp in the UV pinning operation is between 50 mJ/cm 2  to 200 mJ/cm 2  and at least one final UV curing lamp used in the final UV curing operation is between 1 J/cm 2  and 5 J/cm 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a resolution of the single pass printed image is between 100 dpi and 1400 dpi. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a print swathe of the single pass printed image is between 1 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a dispense rate or the velocity of the ink droplet to print the single pass printed image is between 2 m/s and 10 m/s. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of a single UV curable ink droplet is between 6 to 160 picoliters when printing the single pass printed image. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the single pass printed image has an upper zone of distortion. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the single pass printed image has a lower zone of distortion. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the single pass printed image was printed while the ball was rotating at a rotation rate of between 1 rpm and 400 rpm. 
     
     
         11 . A golf ball comprising:
 at least one core;   and a cover layer formed from a cast polyurethane or polyurea, wherein the cover layer defines a first surface area portion of a first color and a second surface area portion of at least one single pass printed image, and a first location upon which the at least one single pass printed image is placed, wherein the at least one single pass printed image is either rotationally or linearly printed using a UV curable ink and at least one UV pinning operation to pre-cure the UV curable ink before a final UV curing operation;   wherein a throw distance utilized to print the at least one single pass printed image on the cover layer is between 0 and 10 mm;   wherein an energy density of a UV pinning lamp in the UV pinning operation is between 50 mJ/cm 2  to 200 mJ/cm 2  and at least one final UV curing lamp used in the final UV curing operation is between 1 J/cm 2  and 5 J/cm 2 ;   wherein a resolution of the at least one single pass printed image is between 100 dpi and 1400 dpi and a volume of a single ink droplet is between 6 to 160 picoliters when printing the at least one single pass printed image.   
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image has an upper zone of distortion. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image has a lower zone of distortion. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image was printed while the ball was rotating at a rotation rate of between 1 rpm and 400 rpm. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein a print swathe of the at least one single pass printed image is between 1 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image was printed with a ratio of the printer resolution divided by a linear direction speed of between 10 dpi/(inches/sec) and 100 dpi/(inches/sec). 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image was printed with a ratio of the printer resolution divided by a linear direction speed of between 20 dip/(inches/sec) and 50 dpi/(inches/sec). 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image is two images located in two distinct areas on the cover layer of the golf ball. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one single pass printed image is located in a region of a seam of the golf ball. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing comprising:
 providing at least one golf ball core;   providing a cover layer formed from a cast polyurethane or polyurea, wherein the cover layer defines a first surface area portion of a first color and a second surface area portion having at least one single pass printed image;   providing a first location on the cover layer upon which the at least one single pass printed image is placed, wherein the at least one single pass printed image is either rotationally or linearly printed using a UV curable ink;   providing at least one UV pinning operation to pre-cure the UV curable ink;   providing a final UV curing operation to cure the UV curable ink;   providing a throw distance utilized to print the at least one single pass printed image on the cover layer is between 0 and 10 mm;   providing an energy density of a UV pinning lamp in the at least one UV pinning operation is between 50 mJ/cm 2  to 200 mJ/cm 2  and at least one final UV curing lamp used in the final UV curing operation is between 1 J/cm 2  and 5 J/cm 2 ; and   wherein a resolution of the at least one single pass printed image is between 100 dpi and 1400 dpi and a volume of a single ink droplet is between 6 to 160 picoliters when printing the at least one single pass printed image.   
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 single pass printing at least one image onto a first location on a golf ball cover layer, wherein the at least one single pass printed image is either rotationally or linearly printed using a UV curable ink, wherein a throw distance of between 0 and 10 mm is utilized for the single pass printing of the at least one image, a resolution of the at least one single pass printed image is between 100 dpi and 1400 dpi and a volume of a single UV curable ink droplet is between 6 to 160 picoliters when printing the at least one single pass printed image;   subjecting the UV curable ink to a UV pinning lamp having an energy density of between 50 mJ/cm 2  to 200 mJ/cm 2 , thereby pre-curing the UV curable ink; and   subjecting the pre-cured UV curable ink to a final UV curing lamp having an energy density of between 1 J/cm 2  and 5 J/cm 2 , thereby completing curing the pre-cured UV curable ink.