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Golf balls having metal-containing plasticized thermoplastic inner cores and thermoplastic outer cores

  • US 10,150,010 B2
  • Filed: 12/22/2016
  • Issued: 12/11/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A golf ball, comprising:

  • i) an inner core layer comprising a first thermoplastic composition, the inner core having an outer surface hardness (Hinner core surface) and a center hardness (Hinner core center), the Hinner core surface being greater than the Hinner core center to provide a positive hardness gradient, the first thermoplastic composition comprising;

    a) an acid copolymer of ethylene and an α



    -unsaturated carboxylic acid, optionally including a softening monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylates and methacrylates;

    b) a plasticizer;

    c) a cation source present in an amount sufficient to neutralize from about 0 to about 100% of all acid groups present in the composition; and

    d) a metal material wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises about 1 to about 60% by weight metal material; and

    ii) an outer core layer comprising a second thermoplastic composition, the outer core layer being disposed about the inner core layer and having an outer surface hardness (Houter surface of OC) and a midpoint hardness (Hmidpoint of OC), the Houter surface of OC being greater than the Hmidpoint of OC to provide a positive hardness gradient,wherein the center hardness of the inner core (Hinner core center) is in the range of about 10 Shore C to about 70 Shore C and the outer surface hardness of the outer core layer (Houter surface of OC) is in the range of about 20 Shore C to about 95 Shore C to provide a positive hardness gradient across the core assembly; and

    iii) a cover having at least one layer disposed about the outer core layer.

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