Golf balls having core structures with iron-containing centers

• US 10,543,400 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Binette, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US16/207,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20190099641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 473373, 473374
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0044 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0054 Substantially rigid, e.g. metal
• 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 37/0075 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 37/0091 Density distribution amongst the different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0097 Layers interlocking by means of protrusions or inserts, lattices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 222/02 Acids; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof , e.g. maleic acid or itaconic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 279/02 on to polymers of conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/0856 : Iron
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/08 : Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/10 : Metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/04 : grafted on to rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 9/00 : Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons

Abstract

Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core and cover are provided. The ball contains a small, heavy inner core and surrounding outer core layer. The inner core preferably contains metal powder such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, nickel, iron, tin, and bronze particles dispersed in a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric matrix. For example, a polybutadiene rubber matrix may be used. In one preferred embodiment, the inner core contains elemental iron powder. Preferably, the particles have a weight average size in the range of about 10 μm to about 450 μm. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the inner core has a structure with projecting members. For example, the outer surface may contain multiple projecting ribs with gaps located between the ribs. The ball includes a cover surrounding the core structure. The cover may be multi-layered.

Claims

1. A multi-layered golf ball, comprising:

i) an inner core comprising a metal powder dispersed in a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric matrix, the metal powder comprising particles having a weight average size in the range of about 10 μ

m to about 450 μ

m, the inner core having a center and outer surface, and a diameter in the range of about 0.100 to about 1.100 inches;

ii) an outer core layer comprising a thermoset or thermoplastic material, the outer core layer being disposed about the inner core and having a thickness in the range of about 0.200 to about 0.800 inches, wherein the inner core has a specific gravity (SG_inner) and a center hardness (H_{inner core center}), and the outer core has a specific gravity (SG_outer) and an outer surface hardness ((H_{outer surface of OC}), the SG_{inner being} greater than the SG_outer, and the H_{inner core center} being in the range of about 10 to about 80 Shore C and the H_{outer surface of OC} being in the range of about 65 to about 96 Shore C to provide a positive hardness gradient across the core assembly; and

iii) a cover having at least one layer disposed about the multi-layered core.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the metal powder is selected from the group consisting of copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, magnesium, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, iron, lead, tin, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, and oxides and alloys and combinations thereof.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the metal powder is selected from the group consisting of austenitic stainless steels, ferritic stainless steels, and martensitic stainless steels, and alloys thereof.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the metal powder comprises particles having a weight average size in the range of about 10 μ

m to about 100 μ

m.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the metal powder is elemental iron.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the inner core has projecting members on the outer surface.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the projecting members are spaced apart from each other and gaps are located between the projections.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the projecting members are shaped and positioned so that the inner core has a substantially spherical shape.

9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the outer core layer is disposed about the inner core such that the material of the outer core layer fills the gaps between the projecting members.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner core comprises metal powder dispersed in a thermoset polymeric matrix, the thermoset polymer being selected from selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubber, polyalkenamers, butyl rubber, halobutyl rubber, polystyrene elastomers, copolymers of isobutylene and p-alkylstyrene, halogenated copolymers of isobutylene and p-alkylstyrene, copolymers of butadiene with acrylonitrile, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, and mixtures thereof.

11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the thermoset polymer is polybutadiene rubber.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner core comprises metal powder dispersed in a thermoplastic polymeric matrix, the thermoplastic polymer being selected from selected from the group consisting of partially-neutralized ionomers;

highly-neutralized ionomers;

polyesters;

polyamides;

polyamide-ethers, polyimide-esters;

polyurethanes, polyureas;

fluoropolymers;

polystyrenes;

polypropylenes;

polyethylenes;

polyvinyl chlorides;

polyvinyl acetates;

polycarbonates;

polyvinyl alcohols;

polyester-ethers;

polyethers;

polyimides, polyetherketones, polyamideimides; and

mixtures thereof.

13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is an O/X/Y-type copolymer, wherein O is α

-olefin, X is a C₃-C₈ α

,β

-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid present in an amount of 10 to 20 wt %, based on total weight of the copolymer, and Y is an acrylate selected from alkyl acrylates and aryl acrylates present in an amount of 0 to 50 wt %, based on total weight of the copolymer, wherein greater than 70% of the acid groups present in the composition are neutralized with a metal ion.