Patent Publication Number: US-2022212219-A1

Title: Apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having exterior pattern

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 110100150, filed on Jan. 4, 2021. The entire content of the above identified application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Some references, which may include patents, patent applications and various publications, may be cited and discussed in the description of this disclosure. The citation and/or discussion of such references is provided merely to clarify the description of the present disclosure and is not an admission that any such reference is “prior art” to the disclosure described herein. All references cited and discussed in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties and to the same extent as if each reference was individually incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls, and more particularly to an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     With the increase of living standards and the emphasis on outdoor recreational activities, more and more people have taken an interest in golf, including men and women from all walks of life or of all ages. That is to say, golf players of different industries or different ages of men or women can play together for competition and communication. This is the appeal of golf. 
     There are many types and brands of golf balls in the market. Thus, many companies use different colors, patterns or texts to mark golf balls so as to increase their identifiability, thereby attracting consumers&#39; attention, but this has proved difficult to execute. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In response to the above-referenced technical inadequacies, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern. Such never-before-seen golf balls can increase an aesthetics and ornamentality of the golf balls, which allows the golf balls to be more appealing. 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern, which includes a conveying device and a spraying device. The conveying device includes a first conveyor and a plurality of rotatable retainers disposed on the first conveyor. The first conveyor is configured to sequentially convey the rotatable retainers into a first processing area. Each of the rotatable retainers is configured to retain a ball-shaped body, and to rotate the ball-shaped body being in the first processing area at a predetermined speed. The spraying device is disposed at one side of the first processing area and includes a first sprayer and a second sprayer. The first sprayer and the second sprayer are configured to apply a color paint to the ball-shaped body being in the first processing area from each of an upper position and a lower position, respectively, so as to allow the ball-shaped body to have the exterior pattern. 
     One of the beneficial effects of the present disclosure is that, the apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern of the present disclosure can allow the golf balls to have an appealing appearance showing a unique visual effect during its service life, by virtue of “each of the rotatable retainers of the conveying device is configured to retain a ball-shaped body and rotate the ball-shaped body being in the first processing area at a predetermined speed, and the first sprayer and the second sprayer of the spraying device are configured to apply two color paints from an upper position and a lower position to the ball-shaped body being in the first processing area, respectively”. 
     These and other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings and their captions, although variations and modifications therein may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The described embodiments may be better understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a planar view showing a manufacturing process of an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a planar view showing another manufacturing process of the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of part IV of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another partial perspective view of the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing an appearance of the golf ball manufactured by the apparatus of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a structure of the golf ball manufactured by the apparatus of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing another appearance of the golf ball manufactured by the apparatus of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing another structure of the golf ball manufactured by the apparatus of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing still another appearance of the golf ball manufactured by the apparatus of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  is a planar view showing a manufacturing process of an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of part XII of  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 13  is a partial perspective view of the apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third” can be used to describe various components, signals or the like, which are for distinguishing one component/signal from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components, signals or the like. 
     With the popularization of golf in recent years, the sport has attracted more and more players. When using a golf ball that matches a personal preference, a user can engage in practice or competition with a higher level of enjoyment. Therefore, various manufacturers have designed golf balls with myriad appearances, thus inspiring the development of a method of manufacturing a golf ball as provided by the present disclosure 
     First Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , a first embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern, which mainly includes a conveying device  2  and a spraying device  3 . In use, the spraying device  3  can be disposed at one side of a first processing area A 1 , and the conveying device  2  can convey a plurality of ball-shaped bodies  1  into the first processing area A 1 . Accordingly, the spraying device  3  can apply at least one kind of color paint to the ball-shaped bodies  1  by spraying, so as to provide the exterior pattern to each of the ball-shaped bodies  1 . 
     In the present embodiments, the conveying device  2  includes a first conveyor  21  and a plurality of rotatable retainers  22 . The first conveyor  21  is arranged to be parallel to a ground plane, so as to convey the ball-shaped bodies  1  along a predetermined path Z 1 . The rotatable retainers  22  are movably disposed on the first conveyor  21 . In such a structure, the first conveyor  21  is configured to sequentially convey the rotatable retainers  22  into the first processing area A 1 , and each of the rotatable retainers  22  is configured to retain one of the ball-shaped bodies  1 , and to rotate the one of ball-shaped bodies being in the first processing area A 1  at a predetermined speed. 
     In practice, the first conveyor  21  can be a belt conveyor. The rotatable retainer  22  can include a driving assembly  221 , a supporting platform  222  and a first retaining member  223 . The driving assembly  221  can be arranged to move on the first conveyor  21  and along the predetermined path Z 1 . The supporting platform  222  is disposed on the driving assembly  221  and arranged to be parallel to the first conveyor  21 . The first retaining member  223  is disposed on the supporting platform  222 , and it can include at least three pointed bodies  2231  extending from the supporting platform  222 . The first retaining member  223  is configured to retain a ball-shaped body  1  at a predetermined height, such that the ball-shaped body  1  defines a rotation axis A and a horizontal reference plane R, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The rotation axis A passes through a center point CP of the ball-shaped body  1 . The horizontal reference plane R is perpendicular to the rotation axis A, and passes through the center point CP of the ball-shaped body  1 . The above description is only exemplary, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 9 . The ball-shaped body  1  can include a ball core  11 , a ball shell  12  enclosing the ball core  11 , and a base layer  13  coated an outer surface  120  of the ball shell  12 , but it is not limited thereto. The base layer  13  uniformly and entirely covers the outer surface  120  of the ball shell  12 . That is, a thickness of the base layer  13  on one point or area of the outer surface  120  is approximately the same as another thickness of the base layer  13  on another one point or area of the outer surface  120 . The base layer  13  is mainly used to support and highlight an exterior pattern P, and in addition, it can be used to support an identification mark or sign (not shown). 
     In practice, the ball core  11  and the ball shell  12  can be formed from any suitable material. For example, the ball core  11  and the ball shell  12  are each a cured product of an ionomer, a polymer or a rubber component. Furthermore, the ball shell  12  can have a desired number of dimples  121  with a desired shape, so as to reduce a gas drag effect on the golf ball during flight, thereby increasing the flight distance of the golf ball. In certain embodiments, the number of the dimples can be from 200 to 500, and preferably from 250 to 400. The shape of the dimples can be round or polygonal. The base layer  13  can have one or more base color layers such as white color layers. The base layer  12  can also have one or more base color layers and one or more outer color layers. The base color layer(s) and the outer color layer(s) show different colors. The above description is only exemplary, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , which are to be read in conjunction with  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 10 . The spraying device  3  can include a first sprayer  31  and a second sprayer  32 , which are configured to simultaneously apply one kind or two different kinds of color paint(s) from an upper position and a lower position to the ball-shaped bodies  1  being in the first processing area A 1 , respectively. Accordingly, an exterior pattern is formed on the base layer  13  of each of the ball-shaped bodies  1 . The upper position is an upper diagonal position of the ball-shaped bodies  1 , and the lower position is a lower diagonal position of the ball-shaped bodies  1 . When applying the color paint(s), each of the ball-shaped bodies  1  can be driven by a corresponding rotatable retainer  22  to rotate around the rotation axis A, a rotation speed of which can be 300 rpm. In order to improve a uniformity and fineness of the exterior pattern, the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  can be symmetrically arranged at upper and lower sides of the horizontal reference plane R, in which each of the ball-shaped bodies  1  being in the first processing area A 1  is divided into an upper half portion and a lower half portion by the horizontal reference plane R. Furthermore, the first sprayer  31  is inclined downward and the second sprayer  32  is inclined upward. 
     More specifically, when the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  apply one kind of color paint, the resulting exterior pattern can be a non-uniform dot pattern P having pattern dots of a single color, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Furthermore, when the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  sequentially apply two different kinds of color paints, the resulting exterior pattern can have a first non-uniform dot pattern P 1  and a second non-uniform dot pattern P 2 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , i.e., pattern dots of two different colors are present in the resulting exterior pattern. The first non-uniform dot pattern P 1  can be partially overlapped with the second non-uniform dot pattern P 2 . The two different colors can be selected from original colors such as black, red, blue, purple, orange, yellow and green, any light color thereof, and any mixed color thereof. In consideration of an effect of color matching or color contrast, the two different colors can respectively be an advancing color and a receding color. 
     In addition, when the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  respectively apply two different kinds of color paints, the resulting exterior pattern can be a multi-layered pattern P 3 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , which includes an upper-layered pattern area P 31 , a lower-layered pattern area P 32  and a mid-layered pattern area P 33  located between the upper-layered pattern area P 31  and the lower-layered pattern area P 32 . The upper-layered pattern area P 31  has a first color. The lower-layered pattern area P 32  has a second color. The mid-layered pattern area P 33  has a mixed color of the first color and the second color. 
     According to particular requirements, the ball-shaped body  1  can further include an outer cover layer (not shown) for covering the exterior pattern P. The outer cover layer can be formed in a continuous shape and over an outer surface of the base layer  13  entirely. The outer cover layer can include one or more transparent coated layers. Accordingly, a durability of the golf ball can be increased, and the exterior pattern P can remain intact and clear during a service life of the golf ball. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . The spraying device  3  can further a support  33  for disposing the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32 , in which the first sprayer  31  is in a downward inclined state and the second sprayer  32  is in an upward inclined state. Accordingly, the color paint applied from the upper position and by the first sprayer  31  is sprayed onto the base layer  13  along a first spray direction SD 1  that is inclined downward at a predetermined angle θ 1  relative to the horizontal reference plane R. The predetermined angle θ 1  is from 20 degrees to 30 degrees. The color paint applied from the lower position and by the second sprayer  32  is sprayed onto the base layer  13  along a second spray direction SD 2  that is inclined upward at a predetermined angle θ 2  relative to the horizontal reference plane R. The predetermined angle θ 2  is from 20 degrees to 30 degrees. Therefore, the apparatus of the present disclosure has better economic benefits, and the exterior pattern P manufactured by the apparatus can be combined with the golf ball to provide a unique visual effect to people. 
     In practice, the color paints have a viscosity from 18 seconds to 22 seconds that is measured by a No. 4 Zahn cup and at a temperature from 24° C. to 25° C. The first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  are each a pressure feed spray gun (model name: SGD-71/SGD-RA100/SGD-RA-200 available from Taiwan Prona Industries Co., Ltd.). Application conditions of the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  mainly include an atomization pressure of 1-3.5 Kg/cm 2 . Furthermore, the first sprayer  31  has a first spraying head  311 , and the second sprayer  32  has a second spraying head  321 . The first sprayer  31  (or the second sprayer  32 ) can spray the color paint in fine dots, in messy filaments, or in a pear skin texture by using different kinds of the first spraying head  311  (or the second spraying head  321 ). It should be noted that, each of the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  has a self-cleaning function for removing residual color paint after being used for a period of time, thereby achieving a long-term normal and stable operation. 
     Based on the above application conditions, the first sprayer  31  is configured such that the shortest horizontal distance HD 1  between the first spraying head  311  and the center point CP of the ball-shaped body  1  is from 10 cm to 25 cm, preferably from 12 cm to 20 cm, and that the shortest vertical distance VD 1  between the first spraying head  311  and the horizontal reference plane R is from 4 cm to 10 cm, and preferably 6 cm. Similarly, the second sprayer  321  is configured such that the shortest horizontal distance HD 2  between the second spraying head  321  and the center point CP of the ball-shaped body  1  is from 10 cm to 25 cm, preferably from 12 cm to 20 cm, and that the shortest vertical distance VD 2  between the second spraying head  321  and the horizontal reference plane R is from 4 cm to 10 cm, and preferably 6 cm. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 5 . In order to increase flexibility and convenience of operation, each of the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  can be fixedly connected to the support  33  by a position adjusting mechanism  34 , and be adjusted in height (i.e., the shortest horizontal distance between the first or second spraying head and the horizontal reference plane) and spray angle (i.e., the inclination angle of the first or second spray direction) by the position adjusting mechanism  34 . More specifically, the position adjusting mechanism  34  can include a sliding member  341  (e.g., a sliding block), a supporting arm  342  and an angle adjusting assembly  343 . The sliding member  341  is rotatably disposed on the support  33  and can slide along a height direction of the support  33 . The supporting arm  342  is fixedly connected to the sliding member  341 . The angle adjusting assembly  343  is installed at one end of the supporting arm  342  for fixing the first sprayer  31  or the second sprayer  32  and adjusting its angle relative to the horizontal reference plane R. 
     In practice, the angle adjusting assembly  343  can include a pivot  3431 , an adjusting rod  3432 , a fixing seat  3433  and a dial indicator  3434 . The pivot  3431  is fixedly connected to the one end of the supporting arm  342 . The adjusting rod  3432  is pivoted on the pivot  3431 . The fixing seat  3433  is integrated with the adjusting rod  3432 . The dial indicator  3434  is disposed at one side of the fixing seat  3433 . For example, the dial indicator  3434  is disposed around the adjusting rod  3432  and located at the one side of the fixing seat  3433 . 
     In use, the first sprayer  31  or the second sprayer  32  can be immovably fixed to the fixing seat  3433 , and the fixing seat  3433  can be rotated by the adjusting rod  3432  to align an alignment line thereon with a desired angle scale. According, the first sprayer  31  or the second sprayer  32  is in a specific inclined state. In addition, the first sprayer  31  or the second sprayer  32  can be moved to a specific height position by the corresponding sliding member  341 . According to particular requirements (e.g., space constraint requirements), the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  can be staggered in a lateral position by rotating the sliding member(s)  341 . A degree of freedom of movement and rotation of the sliding member(s)  341  can be restricted by fitting and fixing. The above description is only exemplary, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 2 , which is to be read in conjunction with  FIG. 1 . The apparatus of the present disclosure can further include a transferring device  4  and a drying device  5 . The drying device  5  is disposed in a second processing area A 2  that is separated from the first processing area A 1 . In use, the transferring device  4  is configured to transfer the ball-shaped bodies  1  to the drying device  5  for drying the color paint(s) on the respective base layers  13 . 
     In the present embodiment, the transferring device  4  includes a moving module  41  and at least one gripper  42  connected to the moving module  41 . The moving module  41  is configured to reciprocally move between the first processing area A 1  and the second processing area A 2 . The at least one gripper  42  is connected to the moving module  41 , and it is configured to grip at least one of the ball-shaped bodies  1  and to move synchronously with the moving module  41 . The drying device  5  includes a second conveyor  51  and a heater  52 . The second conveyor  51  is configured to convey the ball-shaped bodies  1  to an effective heating range of the heater  52  to be dried. Accordingly, the exterior patterns are firmly adhered to the respective base layers  13 . 
     In practice, the second conveyor  51  can include at least one moving base  511  that has at least one second retaining member  512  disposed thereon. The second retaining member  512  can include at least three pointed bodies  5121  extending from the moving base  511 . In use, the moving base  511  is configured to move the ball-shaped bodies  1  along another predetermined path Z 2 . The at least one second retaining member  512  is configured to receive at least one of the ball-shaped bodies  1  from the at least one gripper  42 , and to retain the at least one of the ball-shaped bodies  1  at a predetermined height, so as to enter the effective heating range of the heater  52 . The above description is only exemplary, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 , which are to be read in conjunction with  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 10 , a second embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern, which mainly includes a conveying device  2  and a spraying device  3  and can further include a transferring device  4  and a drying device  5 . The conveying device  2  is configured to convey one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  into a first processing area A 1  along a predetermined path Z 1 , and to rotate the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  in the first processing area A 1  at a predetermined speed. The spraying device  3  is disposed at one side of the first processing area A 1  to apply at least one kind of color paint to the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  in the first processing area A 1  by spraying. The drying device  5  is disposed in the second processing area A 2  for drying the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1 . The second processing area A 2  is separated from the first processing area A 1 . The transferring device  4  is configured to transport the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  into an effective heating range of a heater  52 . The technical details of the conveying device  2 , the spraying device  3 , the transferring device  4  and the drying device  5  are described in the first embodiment, and will not be reiterated herein. 
     The main difference of the present embodiment from the first embodiment is that the spraying device  3  includes a first sprayer  31 , a second sprayer  32  and a third sprayer  35 , which are configured to apply three color paints of different colors from an upper position, a lower position and a middle position to the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  in the first processing area A 1 , respectively. The upper position is an upper diagonal position of the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1 . The lower position is a lower diagonal position of the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1 . The middle position is located between the upper position and the lower position. Therefore, each of the ball-shaped bodies  1  can have a multi-layered pattern P 3 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , which includes an upper-layered pattern area P 31 , a lower-layered pattern area P 32  and a mid-layered pattern area P 33  located between the upper-layered pattern area P 31  and the lower-layered pattern area P 32 . It should be noted that, the upper-layered pattern area P 31 , the lower-layered pattern area P 32  and the mid-layered pattern area P 33  are different in colors from one another, such that the appearance(s) of the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  can have a fine layer-by-layer effect so as to produce a unique visual effect. 
     More specifically, the spraying device  3  can further include a support  33  for disposing the first sprayer  31 , the second sprayer  32  and the third sprayer  35 , in which the first sprayer  31  is in a downward inclined state and the second sprayer  32  is in an upward inclined state. The third sprayer  35  can be in a slightly downward inclined state, a slightly upward inclined state or a horizontal state, and preferably in a horizontal state. In use, the color paint applied from the upper position and by the first sprayer  31  is sprayed onto the base layer  13  along a first spray direction SD 1  that is inclined downward at a predetermined angle θ 1  relative to the horizontal reference plane R. The predetermined angle  1  is from 20 degrees to 30 degrees. The color paint applied from the lower position and by the second sprayer  32  is sprayed onto the base layer  13  along a second spray direction SD 2  that is inclined upward at a predetermined angle θ 2  relative to the horizontal reference plane R. The predetermined angle θ 2  is from 20 degrees to 30 degrees. The color paint applied from the middle position and by the third sprayer  35  is sprayed onto the base layer  13  along a third spray direction SD 3  that is substantially parallel to the horizontal reference plane R. In order to improve a uniformity and fineness of the exterior pattern, the first sprayer  31  and the second sprayer  32  can be symmetrically arranged at upper and lower sides of a horizontal reference plane R that passes through at least one center point CP of the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1 , and the third sprayer  35  can be disposed at one side of the one or more ball-shaped bodies  1  and corresponds in position to the horizontal reference plane R. Each of the ball-shaped bodies  1  in the first processing area A 1  is divided into an upper half portion and a lower half portion by the horizontal reference plane R. 
     In practice, the color paints have a viscosity from 18 seconds to 22 seconds that is measured by a No. 4 Zahn cup and at a temperature from 24° C. to 25° C. The first sprayer  31 , the second sprayer  32  and the third sprayer  35  are each a pressure feed spray gun (model name: SGD-71/SGD-RA100/SGD-RA-200 available from Taiwan Prona Industries Co., Ltd.). Application conditions of the first sprayer  31 , the second sprayer  32  and the third sprayer  35  mainly include an atomization pressure of 1-3.5 Kg/cm 2 . Furthermore, the first sprayer  31  has a first spraying head  311 , the second sprayer  32  has a second spraying head  321 , and the third sprayer  35  has a third spraying head  351 . The first sprayer  31  (or the second sprayer  32 /the third sprayer  35 ) can spray the color paint in fine dots, in messy filaments, or in a pear skin texture by using different kinds of the first spraying head  311  (or the second spraying head  321 /the third spraying head  351 ). It should be noted that, each of the first sprayer  31 , the second sprayer  32  and the third sprayer  35  has a self-cleaning function for removing residual color paint after being used for a period of time, thereby achieving a long-term normal and stable operation. 
     Based on the above application conditions, the shortest horizontal distance HD 1  between the first spraying head  311  and the center point CP of the ball-shaped body  1  is from 10 cm to 25 cm, preferably from 12 cm to 20 cm, and the shortest vertical distance VD 1  between the first spraying head  311  and the horizontal reference plane R is from 4 cm to 10 cm, and preferably 6 cm. Similarly, the shortest horizontal distance HD 2  between the second spraying head  321  and the center point CP of the ball-shaped body  1  is from 10 cm to 25 cm, preferably from 12 cm to 20 cm, and the shortest vertical distance VD 2  between the second spraying head  321  and the horizontal reference plane R is from 4 cm to 10 cm, and preferably 6 cm. 
     In order to increase flexibility and convenience of operation, each of the first sprayer  31 , the second sprayer  32  and the third sprayer  35  can be fixedly connected to the support  33  by a position adjusting mechanism  34 , and be adjusted in height (i.e., the shortest horizontal distance between the first, second or third spraying head and the horizontal reference plane) and spray angle (i.e., the inclination angle of the first, second or third spray direction) by the position adjusting mechanism  34 . The technical details of the position adjusting mechanism  34  are described in the first embodiment, and will not be reiterated herein. 
     Beneficial Effects of the Embodiments 
     The apparatus for manufacturing golf balls each having an exterior pattern of the present disclosure can allow the golf balls to have an appealing appearance showing a unique visual effect during its service life, by virtue of “each of the rotatable retainers of the conveying device is configured to retain a ball-shaped body, and rotate the ball-shaped body being in the first processing area at a predetermined speed, and the first sprayer and the second sprayer of the spraying device are configured to apply two color paints from an upper position and a lower position to the ball-shaped body being in the first processing area, respectively”. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. 
     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.