Seamless Graphics on Golf Balls via Overlapping Pad Print Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pad printing techniques for golf balls often result in visually noticeable seams and 'white space' areas lacking graphical images, making it difficult to create seamless and continuous graphics across the spherical surface.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves designing and printing graphics using multiple overlapping pad printed areas, where each area partially overlaps others, with specific ink densities and colors, to create a seamless and continuous image across the golf ball's surface, utilizing a pad transfer printing method with inked images lifted from engraved plates and transferred using resilient ink transfer pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional pad printing techniques are used to print graphics on a golf ball, then the printing process is simple and quick, but the resulting graphic has visible seams and white space areas that break continuity
Solution Approach 1:
The graphic is divided into multiple image areas (first image area, second image area, third image area) that are printed separately using multiple pad printing operations. Each image area is designed to overlap with adjacent areas, allowing the segmented printing process to produce a continuous seamless graphic when the areas are combined on the spherical surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from attempting to print the entire graphic in a single two-dimensional plane to using multiple image areas distributed across the three-dimensional spherical surface. By accounting for the curvature and spatial relationships on the ball's surface, the patent achieves continuous graphics that respect the spherical geometry.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple pad printed areas with overlaps are used to create seamless graphics, then graphic continuity is achieved, but the printing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The image areas are pre-designed with specific overlap regions defined before the printing process. The first image area includes a first overlap area, the second image area includes a second overlap area, and so on. This preliminary design of overlap regions simplifies the manufacturing process by providing clear guidelines for alignment and printing parameters, making the complex multi-step process more manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies particular parameters for the image areas including surface area proportions (each occupying at least 20% of total surface area), overlap area proportions (at least 5% of the respective image area), and ink density variations. These parameter specifications standardize the printing process, making it easier to execute consistently across multiple balls despite the inherent complexity of multi-area printing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the creation of unique, seamless graphics that span the entirety of a golf ball's surface without noticeable seams, achieving a visually continuous and aesthetically pleasing design.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a pad transfer printing method with inked images lifted from engraved plates and transferred using resilient ink transfer pads
Data Source
AI summary
Pad printed golf balls comprising a plurality of partially overlapping pad printed areas. The pad printed areas can comprise a surface area occupying at least 20% of a total surface area of the golf ball and a pad printed image occupying a portion of the surface area. Two or more of the pad printed areas can partially overlap in an overlap area where a portion of both a first pad printed image and second pad printed image are located. In some embodiments, an overlap area can have an overlap surface area greater than or equal to 5% of the surface area for a pad printed area.