US 11,745,225 B1
System for identifying a golf ball having a radar detectable mark
Leonidas Amarant, Middletown, RI (US); Martin Gray, Taunton, MA (US); Ken Rebello, Acushnet, MA (US); Kevin Carando, Mattapoisett, MA (US); David Coelho, Mattapoisett, MA (US); and Vincent J. Simonds, Brimfield, MA (US)
Assigned to Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed by Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/496,823.
Int. Cl. B07C 5/344 (2006.01); A63B 47/00 (2006.01); C09D 11/52 (2014.01); G01S 13/88 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 5/344 (2013.01) [A63B 47/008 (2013.01); C09D 11/52 (2013.01); G01S 13/88 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A golf ball sorting system, comprising:
a ball feeder configured to receive a plurality of golf balls;
a movement mechanism configured to move each of the plurality of golf balls one at a time at least at a predetermined minimum speed;
a detector comprising a control unit and a detecting unit, wherein the control unit is configured to receive detection data from the detecting unit, and wherein the detector is configured to:
inspect each of the plurality of golf balls moved by the movement mechanism,
detect whether each of the plurality of golf balls comprise an electrically-conductive mark applied to a layer thereof, wherein the electrically-conductive mark is not visible to an observer because the electrically-conductive mark is covered by at least one other layer of the golf ball, and
output a detection result based on the inspection; and
a sorting system configured to receive the detection result and sort the plurality of golf balls based on the detection result to separate golf balls that include the electrically-conductive mark from golf balls that do not include the electrically-conductive mark.