Multi-layer golf ball

• US 10,486,030 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US15/678,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20180008867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 473376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0027 Polyurea
• 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 37/0059 Ionomer
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00621 Centre hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00622 Surface hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0063 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0066 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0092 Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/20 Carboxylic acid amides
• 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 51/06 : grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond

Abstract

Multi-piece golf balls having a multi-layered solid core and multi-layered cover are provided.

Claims

1. A golf ball consisting essentially of:

an inner core layer formed from a thermoset rubber composition and having a center hardness (H_center) of 25 Shore C or greater, and an outer surface hardness (H_center surface) of 40 Shore C or greater;

an outer core layer formed from a highly neutralized polymer composition and having an outer surface hardness (H_{outer core surface}) of 45 Shore C or greater;

an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and having an outer surface hardness (H_{inner cover surface}) of 50 Shore C or greater;

an intermediate cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and having an outer surface hardness (H_{intermediate cover surface}) of 60 Shore C or greater; and

an outer cover layer formed from a composition selected from the group consisting of ionomeric and non-ionomeric E/X- and E/X/Y-type acid copolymers of ethylene (E), a C₃-C₈ α

,β

-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid (X), and an optional softening monomer (Y); and

blends of two or more thereof; and

having an outer surface hardness (H_{outer cover surface});

wherein the golf ball has an overall hardness gradient such that

H_{center surface}<

H_{outer core surface}<

H_{inner cover surface}<

H_{intermediate cover surface}<

H_{outer cover surface}.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner core layer has a diameter of 0.500 inches or greater.