Dimple patterns for golf balls

Abstract

Golf balls having dimple patterns arranged in dipyramid layouts are disclosed. The patterns may be arranged in triangular dipyramid, quadrilateral dipyramid, pentagonal dipyramid, or hexagonal dipyramid layouts. The dipyramid patterns have six, eight, ten, or twelve substantially identical dimple sections, where each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle. The dimples in each of the identical dimple sections have at least two different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter and a maximum dimple diameter. The resulting dimple patterns have a surface coverage of about 70 percent or less. The reduced surface coverage helps to reduce the flight of the golf balls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface divided into first and second hemispheres, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a dipyramid pattern comprising three substantially identical dimple sections in each of the first and second hemispheres,   wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise at least two different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter and a maximum dimple diameter,   wherein each substantially identical dimple section comprises at least one shared dimple located on at least one vertex of the dimple section and the at least one shared dimple has the minimum dimple diameter, and   wherein the dimples cover about 70 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the dipyramid pattern results in one dimple free great circle on the golf ball. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the minimum dimple diameter ranges from about 0.030 inches to about 0.090 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the minimum dimple diameter ranges from about 0.050 inches to about 0.090 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise substantially identical edge angles. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein each substantially identical dimple section further comprises at least one shared dimple having a centroid that intersects a side edge of the dimple section. 
     
     
         7 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface divided into first and second hemispheres, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a triangular dipyramid pattern comprising three substantially identical dimple sections in each of the first and second hemispheres,   wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise at least three different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least one additional dimple diameter, wherein each of the at least three different dimple diameters range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.200 inches,   wherein each substantially identical dimple section comprises at least one shared dimple located on at least one vertex of the dimple section and the at least one shared dimple has the minimum dimple diameter, and   wherein the dimples cover about 70 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface.   
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the triangular dipyramid pattern has mirror symmetry about a central plane of each substantially identical dimple section. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one shared dimple is located on a single vertex of the dimple section. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the triangular dipyramid pattern results in one dimple free great circle on the golf ball. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the dimples cover about 50 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the minimum dimple diameter is less than about 0.090 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein each substantially identical dimple section further comprises at least one shared dimple having a centroid that intersects a side edge of the dimple section. 
     
     
         14 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface divided into first and second hemispheres, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a triangular dipyramid pattern comprising three substantially identical dimple sections in each of the first and second hemispheres, wherein each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle,   wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise five or more different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least three additional dimple diameters, wherein each of the five or more different dimple diameters differ from the other dimple diameters by more than 0.005 inches,   wherein each substantially identical dimple section comprises at least one shared dimple located on at least one vertex of the dimple section and the at least one shared dimple has the minimum dimple diameter, and   wherein the dimples cover about 70 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface.   
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the maximum difference in diameter between any two dimples within each dimple section is about 0.080 inches or less. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the triangular dipyramid pattern has mirror symmetry about a central plane of each substantially identical dimple section. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the minimum dimple diameter ranges from about 0.030 inches to about 0.090 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise substantially identical edge angles. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the triangular dipyramid pattern results in one dimple free great circle on the golf ball. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the dimples cover about 50 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface.