Acushnet Company

United States Golf Associates

Douglas C Winfield

William Gobush

Diane I Pelletier

Charles A Days

Steven Aoyama

Edmund A Hebert

James Alan Silveira

Kevin M Harris

Laurent C Bissonnette

Roman D Halko

Alexander J Smits

Emanuel Vieira

Frank W Thomas

Burton B Lieberman

Steven J Quintavalla

The present invention is directed to a launch monitor system that measures flight characteristics of an object moving in a predetermined field-of-view. The system includes a support structure, a lighting unit, a camera unit disposed on the support structure, and a calibration assembly. The calibration assembly includes a calibration fixture and at least one telescoping member. A first end of the telescoping member is coupled to the support structure and a second end is contactable with or coupled to the fixture. In an extended position of the telescoping member, the calibration fixture is in the field-of-view of the camera unit. In a retracted position, the calibration fixture out of the field-of-view. The calibration fixture further includes contrasting markings. In another embodiment, the system includes a frame and the launch monitor is pivotally suspended from the frame so that it self-levels. The present invention further includes a method of calibrating a launch monitor having a calibration fixture.

Launch monitor system with a calibration fixture and a method for use thereof

A launch monitor system including a support structure, a first light-reflecting element disposed on this support structure, a lighting unit and an camera unit. A computer receives signals generated by light patterns received by the camera unit and computes a variety of flight characteristics for the object. The system may be moved back and forth to vary the field-of-view of the camera unit. The system also computes and displays object trajectories from the computed flight characteristics which account for the characteristics of the object and the atmospheric conditions.

Method and apparatus to determine golf ball trajectory and flight

The present invention is directed to a launch monitor system that measures club motion data and ball motion data. The system includes a club monitor and a ball monitor. The club monitor obtains images of the club before impact with the ball, and the ball monitor takes images of the ball after impact during a single swing. The present invention further includes a method of monitoring a club and ball in a single swing.

Launch monitor system and a method for use thereof

Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by a plurality of connected polygon regions. A method of packing dimples using the connected polygons is also disclosed. For each disclosed dimple pattern, connected polygons extend from a pole of the golf ball towards the parting line. Dimples are positioned on the golf ball surface according to the pattern of connected polygons and then the remaining space of the golf ball is filled with dimples. This results in a golf ball having a dimple pattern that has some uniformity but also some variance.

Dimple patterns on golf balls

Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by the science of phyllotaxis. A method of packing dimples using phyllotaxis is disclosed. Phyllotactic patterns are used to determine placement of dimples on a golf ball. Preferably, a computer modeling program is used to place the dimples on the golf balls. Either two-dimensional modeling or three-dimensional modeling programs are usable. Preferably, careful consideration is given to the placement of the dimples, including a minimum distance criteria so that no two dimples will intersect. This criterion ensures that the dimples will be packed as closely as possible.

Phyllotaxis-based dimple patterns

Apparatus to determine golf ball trajectory and flight

Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by polyhedrons and intersecting great circles that connect points on the polyhedral segments. A method of packing dimples according to positions of the polyhedron and the intersecting great circles is also disclosed. For each disclosed dimple pattern, dimples of varying size are positioned along the edges of a polyhedron and then dimples of varying size are positioned where great circles that connect points on the edges of the polyhedral segments intersect. Any remaining space on the golf ball surface is filled with dimples. This results in a golf ball having a dimple pattern that has some uniformity but also some variance.

Dimple pattern on golf balls

An apparatus and method for quantifying the stiffness of a golf ball or golf ball core under normal use conditions while also measuring the contact time, wherein an air cannon, or the like, is used to shoot an object horizontally against a block while the inbound and outbound velocities of the object are measured by two light gates separated by a given distance and the contact time is measured by optical sensors located at the block, and wherein the measured times and calculated velocities are then used to calculate the coefficient of restitution and contact time of the object.

Apparatus and method for measurement of coefficient of restitution and contact time

Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by a pentagonal hexecontahedron. A method of packing dimples according to a pentagonal hexecontahedron is also disclosed. For each disclosed dimple pattern, a pentagonal hexecontahedron extend from a pole of the golf ball and dimples are positioned on the golf ball surface according to a pentagonal hexecontahedron.

Pentagonal hexecontahedron dimple pattern on golf balls

A method of automatically calculating the spatial relationship of a plurality of diffuse dots on a ball, comprising the automated steps of obtaining at least two ball images of the ball at two or more discrete times; calculating a first gray level of the image; smoothing and binarizing the image; locating and determining the number of ball images in the image; locating and determining the number of diffuse dots on each ball image; confirming that the calculated number of dots equals a predetermined number of dots on each ball image; and calculating movement characteristics of the ball.

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Mattapoisett, MA, United States of America

Douglas C Winfield