Patent ID: 8277338
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A method for designing a golf ball including a plurality of circular dimples and a plurality of noncircular dimples in a surface, the method comprising the steps of: arranging the circular dimples; arranging the noncircular dimples between the circular dimples; determining, on a virtual sphere having a diameter corresponding to an external diameter of the golf ball, a shape of a border line of each of the noncircular dimples on the surface, as a boundary line formed by connecting a plurality of border segments each being any one of a line segment and a smoothly curved segment; determining, for the noncircular dimples, a reference point and a reference plane having the reference point, inside the virtual sphere; setting at least five border points respectively at positions on the boundary line excluding connecting points of the border segments; forming at least five curved reference lines, each tangential to the reference plane at the reference point, and each passing the reference point and a corresponding one of the at least five border points; and generating at least five facets each surrounded by corresponding ones of the curved reference lines and the border segments, thereby determining a shape of a bottom surface of the noncircular dimple with a shape of connecting the facets to each other, wherein, at any point on the reference line connecting between the facets adjacent to each other, the facet and the adjacent facet have the same tangential plane.