Method of Restoring Used Golf Ball

Constructions of golf balls have included cores and multiple layers on the cores including a layer for carrying indicia (U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,734). Such multiple layers have also included covers applied in layers (U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,946, U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,193 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,434).

It has also been proposed to place indicia on the core visible through a clear cover stock and clear final coat (U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,386).

Broadly, the present invention comprises a method of restoring a dimpled golf ball after use and the restored ball in which a small portion of the cover of the used ball is removed and a layer of cover material substituted for the removed cover portion.

It is a feature that the amount of removal of the old cover is relatively small but sufficient to remove substantially all of the dimples, as well as dirt, cuts, abrasions and surface coatings.

It is also a feature that indica may be placed on the remaining old cover portion and the new cover layer may be made of transparent or opaque material.

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a used golf ball;

FIG. 1a is a partial sectional view of a ball surface area showing paint, clear coat layers and indicia;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the used ball after removal of a portion of the cover including dimples;

FIG. 3 is the restored ball after application of a layer of material to replace the portion of the cover removed, and

FIG. 4 illustrates the process steps for restoring a used golf ball.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, used golf ball 10 of diameter D comprises a core 12 of diameter d and a cover 14 of thickness t with indicia 15, dimples 16 and a coat of paint 17 consisting of layers 17a, 17b. Ball 10 also has an exterior clear coat 11 (FIG. 1a). Ball 10, due to use, has a blemish 18b, a cut 18c and an area of paint 19 removed from cover 14. Core 12 has a diameter of about 1.600 to about 1.000 inches and cover 14 a thickness of about 0.090 to about 0.040 inch in thickness. The depth of dimples 16 is about 0.005 to about 0.012 inch. The overall diameter of ball 10 is 1.680 inches or larger in accordance with USGA rules.

To refurbish ball 10, approximately 0.015 of an inch or more of the cover is removed by a suitable method which would include, but is not limited to, grinding with a wheel or by tumbling in an abrasive. The removal of this outer portion 21 of cover 14 includes removal of all dimples 16 leaving remaining cover portion 20 (FIG. 2). The partially dashed line 30 in FIG. 2 shows the original used ball circumference C.

The new surface 22 which is smooth or alternatively abraded or textured or treated with an adhesive for promoting adhesion (having an overall diameter D' of 1.675 inches or less) is next printed with new indicia 26 such as a trademark and number. Thereafter there is added a new layer, preferably transparent, having a thickness such that the finished ball diameter is at least 1.680 inches and having new dimples 28. If an opaque layer is added the indicia is placed on the layer rather than surface 22. Layer 23 is preferably composed of two molded hemispheres 23a, 23b compression molded around ball 10. Alternatively, layer 23 can be injection molded on spherical surface 22 or cast on and around new surface 22.

While wound or solid core balls may be produced by the present method, solid core balls are preferred because they have longer life due to the nature of the core which enjoys longer service even in the environment of a golf course where old balls may reside until collected for treatment by the present method.