Claims
- 1. A molding apparatus comprising:
a first mold having a generally flat first mating surface and a first hemispherical molding surface, said first mold defining at least one passage extending between said first molding surface and the exterior of said first mold; a second mold having a generally flat second mating surface and a second hemispherical molding surface, said second mold defining at least one passage extending between said second molding surface and the exterior of said second mold, wherein upon placing said apparatus in a molding configuration, said first and second mating surfaces generally contact one another, said first and second molding surfaces form a generally spherical molding chamber, and said at least one passage defined in each of said first and second molds are aligned with one another; and a mandrel having (i) a spherical portion sized to fit within said spherical molding chamber formed by said apparatus when said apparatus is placed in a molding configuration, (ii) at least one member extending from said spherical portion and sized to fit within said at least one passage defined in each of said first and second molds.
- 2. The molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mandrel further has a circumferential raised region extending around said spherical portion.
- 3. The molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first hemispherical molding surface and said second hemispherical molding surface include at least one protrusion adapted to form a deep dimple along an outer surface of a golf ball formed from said molding apparatus.
- 4. The molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first hemispherical molding surface and said second hemispherical molding surface include a plurality of protrusions that serve to (i) support said mandrel when said mandrel is disposed within said molding chamber, and (ii) form a corresponding number of deep dimples in a golf ball formed from said molding apparatus.
- 5. The golf ball produced at least in part by the molding apparatus of claim 1.
- 6. The golf ball produced at least in part by the molding apparatus of claim 3.
- 7. The golf ball produced at least in part by the molding apparatus of claim 4.
- 8. A process for forming portions of a golf ball cover, said process comprising:
providing a molding assembly including (i) a first mold defining a first hemispherical molding surface and at least one passage extending between said first molding surface and an exterior of said first mold, said first mold also defining a first mating surface, (ii) a second mold defining a second hemispherical molding surface and at least one passage extending between said second molding surface and an exterior of said second mold, said second mold also defining a second mating surface, and (iii) a mandrel having a generally spherical portion sized to fit within said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces and create a void between an outer surface of said spherical portion and said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces, and a member extending from said spherical portion; positioning said mandrel between said first mold and said second mold such that said spherical portion of said mandrel is generally disposed in said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces; providing a flowable molding material; introducing said material into a void defined between said outer surface of said spherical portion and said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces; and forming said portions of a golf ball cover from said material.
- 9. The process of claim 8, wherein said forming step produces two shells of cover layer.
- 10. The process of claim 8, further comprising:
removing said mandrel from between said first mold and said second mold, whereby said formed portions of said golf ball cover are disposed in said first and second molds.
- 11. The process of claim 10, further comprising:
positioning a golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly between said first and second molding surfaces such that said golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly contacts said formed portions of said golf ball cover.
- 12. The process of claim 11, wherein said mandrel further includes a circumferential and outwardly extending belt, and whereby said mandrel is positioned between said first and second molds such that said belt extends along a circular interface between (i) a first circular edge extending between said first molding surface and said first mating surface, and (ii) a second circular edge extending between said second molding surface and said second mating surface, such that a circumferential void is produced after removing said mandrel, said process comprising a step of:
introducing a second flowable molding material into said circumferential void, thereby bonding said formed portions of said golf ball cover to one another.
- 13. The process of claim 8, wherein said first hemispherical molding surface and said second hemispherical molding surface include at least one protrusion adapted to form a deep dimple within said golf ball cover.
- 14. The golf ball produced by the process of claim 8.
- 15. The golf ball produced by the process of claim 9.
- 16. The golf ball produced by the process of claim 13.
- 17. A process for forming a golf ball, said process comprising:
providing a molding assembly including (i) a first mold defining a first hemispherical molding surface and a first mating surface, (ii) a second mold defining a second hemispherical molding surface and a second mating surface, and (iii) a mandrel having a generally spherical portion sized to fit within said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces and create a void between an outer surface of said spherical portion and said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces, positioning said mandrel between said first mold and said second mold such that said spherical portion of said mandrel is generally disposed in said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces; providing a flowable molding material; introducing said material into said void defined between said outer surface of said spherical portion and said first and second hemispherical molding surfaces; forming said portions of a golf ball cover from said material; removing said mandrel from between said first and second molds; positioning a golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly between said first and second molding surfaces such that said golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly contacts said formed portions of said golf ball cover; molding said golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly to said formed portions of said golf ball cover to thereby form said golf ball.
- 18. The process of claim 17, wherein said flowable molding material is a two component reactive mixture.
- 19. The process of claim 17, wherein said step of introducing said molding material is performed by introducing a polyol component to said void and concurrently introducing a polyisocyanate component to said void.
- 20. The process of claim 17, wherein said first hemispherical molding surface and said second hemispherical molding surface include at least one protrusion adapted to form a deep dimple along an outer surface of said golf ball.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority upon U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/337,123, filed Dec. 4, 2001; U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/356,400, filed Feb. 11, 2002; and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. ______, filed Oct. 30, 2002.
Provisional Applications (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60337123 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
|
60356400 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
|
60422425 |
Oct 2002 |
US |