US 12,472,405 B2
High-speed golf ball handling and management system
Edmund T. Maher, Fairhaven, MA (US); and Jedediah H. James, Dighton, MA (US)
Assigned to Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed by Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/552,624.
Prior Publication US 2023/0191207 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. A63B 45/02 (2006.01); A63B 37/00 (2006.01); A63B 47/00 (2006.01)
CPC A63B 45/02 (2013.01) [A63B 37/0022 (2013.01); A63B 47/008 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A golf ball printing system, comprising:
a plurality of stations comprising an orienting station, a printing station, and an offloading station;
a plurality of station tracks comprising an orienting station track, a printing station track, and an offloading station track;
a primary track connecting each of the plurality of station tracks, wherein the primary track and each of the plurality of station tracks are each a separate continuous loop, and wherein each station track does not physically contact the primary track;
a plurality of shuttles configured to traverse the primary track and the plurality of station tracks, wherein each of the plurality of shuttles is configured to move along the primary track and leave the primary track to transfer to and move along one or more of the plurality of station tracks and subsequently leave the respective station track and transfer back to the primary track;
a control system configured to control the movement of the plurality of shuttles to print a marking on a golf ball on each of the plurality of shuttles at the printing station,
wherein the control system is configured to process a golf ball on the golf ball printing system, including:
orienting a golf ball on a shuttle on the orienting station track at the orienting station;
transferring the shuttle from the orienting station track to the primary track;
transferring the shuttle from the primary track to the printing station track;
printing a marking on the golf ball on the printing station track at the printing station;
transferring the golf ball from the printing station track back to the primary track;
transferring the shuttle from the primary track to the offloading station track; and
offloading the golf ball from the shuttle at the offloading station.