Multi-layer golf ball

• US 10,080,927 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Ladd, Derek A., Hebert, Edmund A., Jones, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US15/790,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20180056139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 473373
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0063 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0069 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0072 with a specified number of layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00776 Slab hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0084 Initial velocity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0092 Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 : Spin rate
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 21/00 : Compositions of unspecified rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 : Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 : Polyurethanes

Abstract

The present invention is directed to multi-layer golf balls including a layer formed from a composition comprising a relatively soft or low modulus HNP, a layer formed from a composition comprising a relatively hard or high modulus HNP, an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition, and an outer cover layer.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

(a) an inner core layer formed from a first composition, the first composition having a Shore D hardness of 35 or greater and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer wherein from 40% to 100% of the acid groups of the acid copolymer are neutralized;

(b) an outer core layer formed from a second composition, the second composition having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less and comprising an ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer wherein 40% to 100% of the acid groups of the acid copolymer are neutralized; and

(c) a cover;

wherein the Shore D hardness of the first composition is greater than the Shore D hardness of the second composition; and

wherein the second composition has a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi, the first composition has a modulus of 150,000 psi or less, and the modulus of the second composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the first composition.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second composition is from 10 to 60.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second composition is from 20 to 55.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the first composition is from 35 to 80.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second composition is at least 3 less than the Shore D hardness of the first composition.