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Golf ball with moisture exposure indicatorRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, BallGolf ball with moisture exposure indicator description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060194647, Golf ball with moisture exposure indicator. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/104,869 filed on Apr. 12, 2005, which was a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/669,103, filed on Sep. 23, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,076, which was a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/998,098 filed on Nov. 30, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,382, which was a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/465,277, filed on Dec. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,160, which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/327,590 filed on Jun. 8, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,037 which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/146,476 filed Sep. 3, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,544 which was a continuation of Ser. No. 08/943,584 filed on Oct. 3, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,891. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] As indicated in the September, 1996 issue of "Golf Digest", hitting golf balls into the water occurs with a great degree of frequency. As a result, an entire industry has developed in the recovery of golf balls which are then resold despite the fact that the ball has spent a fair amount of time in the water. While the golf ball cover seems to be fairly impervious, the question has become as to the effect of the immersion of the ball over a number of days at the bottom of a pond laying in the mud. [0003] As will be appreciated, golf balls come in two varieties, a three-piece ball and a two-piece ball. According to the above article, when such balls were tested using a robotic hitting machine and a standard length metal driver with a 9.53 degree loft and an extra stiff shaft, with a club head speed 93.7 miles per hour and a launch angle of 9.0 degrees and with a spin rate of 2,800 rpm, the result for a three-piece ball was a difference in carry of 6 yards after an eight day immersion, a 12 yard loss after three months and a 15 yard loss after six months. [0004] For a two-piece ball, the amount of carry was 6 yards shorter and after having been immersed for eight days was a total of 9.1 yards shorter. While for two-piece balls being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, it also shows down the coefficient of restitution or the ability of the ball to regain its roundness after impact. The above factors make the ball fly shorter. Three-piece balls have been found to get softer in terms of compression, but they also fly shorter according to the above-mentioned article. [0005] Whatever the results of the immersion of a golf ball in a pond, the characteristics of the ball in flight are altered by the immersion. The problem therefore becomes one of being able to determine when a golf ball has been immersed so that it may be reflected in favor of a new golf ball. [0006] Note that golf ball construction is shown in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,609,953; 5,586,950; 5,538,794; 5,496,035; 5,480,155; 5,415,937; 5,314,187; 5,096,201; 5,006,297; 5,002,281; 4,690,981; 4,984,803; 4,979,746; 4,955,966; 4,931,376; 4,919,434; 4,911,451;.4,884,814; 4,863,167; 4,848,770; 4,792,141; 4,715,607; 4,714,253; 4,688,801; 4,683,257; 4,625,964; 4,483,537; 4,436,276; 4,431,193; 4,266,772; 4,065,537; 3,704,209; 3,572,722; 3,264,272. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0007] In order to alleviate the problem of having to deal with balls which may have been immersed and recovered, in the subject invention a golf ball is provided which changes color, has imprinted writing which disappears or has some other indicia which changes after immersion to indicate that the ball has been immersed. [0008] In the present invention, in one embodiment, imprints on the ball are made with water-activated ink which vanishes when it is exposed to water for long periods of time. In another embodiment, imprints on the ball are made with water-activated transparent ink which appears when it is exposed to water for long periods of time. The invention is thus used as an indicator of balls previously exposed to water to for one to several days in the bottom of a lake, pond, pool or other body of water. Such an indicator is used to alert golfers to potential changes in ball properties due to long water exposure times. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] These and other features of the subject invention will be better understood when taken in conjunction with the Detailed Description the Drawings of which; [0010] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a golfer hitting a golf ball into a water hazard; [0011] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the ball of FIG. 1 after immersion in water, showing a visual indicator that the ball has been immersed in water for an extended period of time; [0012] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a two piece ball which provides a visual indicator of elongated water immersion in which the ball includes a solid rubber core and a hard molded shell of an ionomer or ionomer blend such as Surlyn or a similar appropriate polymer resin, with the ball being provided with a conformal overcoat polymer dispersion containing encapsulated dye particles that goes over the shell or mantle of the ball, and with this overcoat then being covered with a final gloss coat containing no dye particles to maintain high gloss finish and provide an additional diffusion barrier on the ball to prevent dye release in humid or moist environments; [0013] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a three piece ball which provides a visual indication of elongated water immersion in which the ball includes a solid, liquid or gel, a wound rubber band or molded rubber outer core and a shell of a glossy rubbery material such as balata rubber, polybutadiene blends or low shore hardness ionomer and an additional overcoat layer of polymer/encapsulated dye underneath the gloss final coat; [0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram depicting diffusion of water into the ball when it is immersed in a body of water for long time periods; [0015] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of an encapsulated dye particle; [0016] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of another type two piece of golf ball; [0017] FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of dye pellets used in the subject system; [0018] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a golf ball with a water activated vanishing ink; and [0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a golf ball with a water activated ink which appears when the ball is immersed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Continue reading about Golf ball with moisture exposure indicator... Full patent description for Golf ball with moisture exposure indicator Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf ball with moisture exposure indicator patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Golf ball with moisture exposure indicator or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Hollow golf club head Next Patent Application: Golf ball Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf ball with moisture exposure indicator patent info. 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