Golf ball having a radar detectable mark

Abstract

A golf ball has a golf ball subassembly having one or more subassembly layers, the one or more subassembly layers including at least one marked layer. The golf ball also has a cover layer surrounding the golf ball subassembly. The golf ball further has a marking pattern disposed on the at least one marked layer. The marking pattern has a first portion including a first material configured to be detected by a first detector type and a second portion including a second material configured to be detected by a second detector type.

1 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a golf ball subassembly comprising one or more subassembly layers, the one or more subassembly layers comprising at least one marked layer;   a cover layer surrounding the golf ball subassembly; and   a marking pattern disposed on the at least one marked layer,   wherein the marking pattern comprises a first portion comprising a first material configured to be detected by a first detector type and a second portion comprising a second material configured to be detected by a second detector type,   wherein marking pattern comprises at least one ink composition, and the first material and the second material are ingredient components of the at least one ink composition, and   wherein the marking pattern is not visible to an observer because the marking pattern is covered by at least the cover layer of the golf ball.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is a conductive material and the first detector type is a radar detector. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the second material is a radiopaque material and the second detector type is an x-ray detector. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein the radiopaque material is selected from the group consisting of iodine, barium, barium sulfate, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, bismuth, bismuth oxide, bismuth trioxide, bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate, zirconium, zirconium oxide, or gold. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the second material is a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material and the second detector type is an induction sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 5 , wherein magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material is selected form the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, neodymium, and molybdenum. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the marking pattern comprises at least one continuous mark comprising the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion and the second portion overlap such that an entirety of the at least one continuous mark is detectable by the first detector type and the second detector type. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion is an entirety of the at least one continuous mark and the second portion is a subsection of the entirety of the at least one continuous mark. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the marking pattern comprises a first mark comprising the first portion and a separate second mark comprising the second portion. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more subassembly layers comprises a core layer and a casing layer surrounding the core layer, wherein the at least one marked layer comprises the casing layer, and wherein the marking pattern is printed on to the casing layer. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more subassembly layers comprises a core layer, wherein the at least one marked layer comprises the core layer, and wherein the marking pattern is printed on to the core layer. 
     
     
         13 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a golf ball subassembly comprising one or more subassembly layers, the one or more subassembly layers comprising at least one marked layer;   a cover layer surrounding the golf ball subassembly; and   a marking pattern comprising an ink composition printed on the at least one marked layer, the ink composition comprising a base resin,   wherein the marking pattern comprises:
 a first portion comprising a conductive first material detectable by radar; and 
 a second portion comprising a second material detectable by a type of detector other than radar, and 
   wherein the marking pattern is not visible to an observer because the marking pattern is covered by at least the cover layer of the golf ball.   
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the second material is at least one of magnetic, ferromagnetic, or radiopaque and is detectable by at least one of an induction sensor or x-ray device. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are combined into at least one continuous mark having a width between 0.5 and 5 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one continuous mark comprises the conductive first material and the second material, and wherein the second material is selected from the group consisting of iodine, barium, barium sulfate, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, bismuth, bismuth oxide, bismuth trioxide, bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate, zirconium, zirconium oxide, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, neodymium, and molybdenum. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are separated and each comprise a rectangular stripe segment having an average width between 0.5 and 5 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the second portion has an average width greater than an average width of the first portion. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the first portion has a surface coverage that is 5× greater than a surface coverage of the second portion. 
     
     
         20 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a golf ball subassembly comprising one or more subassembly layers, the one or more subassembly layers comprising at least one marked layer;   a cover layer surrounding the golf ball subassembly; and   a marking pattern comprising at least one ink composition printed on the at least one marked layer, the ink composition comprising a base resin,   wherein the marking pattern comprises:
 a first portion comprising a conductive material; and 
 a second portion comprising a material selected from the group consisting iodine, barium, barium sulfate, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, bismuth, bismuth oxide, bismuth trioxide, bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate, zirconium, zirconium oxide, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, neodymium, and molybdenum, 
   wherein the first portion comprises at least two rectangular stripe segments connected at opposing ends, and   wherein the marking pattern is not visible to an observer because the marking pattern is covered by at least the cover layer of the golf ball.