Golf ball which includes fast-chemical-reaction-produced component and method of making same

• US 20060009310A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Tzivanis, Michael J., Kennedy, Thomas J. III, Melanson, David M., Keller, Viktor, Nealon, John L., Simonds, Vincent J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,160,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/371
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00376 Transparency or semitransparency
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/02 Marking of balls
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3206 aliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3814 Polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4854 Polyethers containing oxyalkylene groups having four carbon atoms in the alkylene group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6685 with compounds of group C08G18/3225 or polyamines of C08G18/38
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2120/00 Compositions for reaction injection moulding processes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a golf ball having a cover composed of a transparent reaction injection molded polyurethane material. The cover is transparent to visible light and allows for viewing of a core or boundary layer. The core or boundary layer may have a visually appealing color. Further, an indicia may be printed on a surface of the core or boundary layer, and the indicia is visible through the cover material.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover disposed about said core;

wherein the cover comprises a fast reacting aliphatic-based polyurethane and/or polyurea material, wherein said fast reacting aliphatic-based polyurethane and/or polyurea material has a reaction time of less than two minutes at processing conditions, and

wherein the cover material is transparent to visible light.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the aliphatic-based polyurethane and/or polyurea material comprises the reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate prepolymer, an aliphatic polyol and a catalyst.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the reaction time is less than fifteen seconds at processing conditions.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the diisocyanate prepolymer is selected from the group consisting of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI);

methylene dicyclohexyl diisocyanate (H₁₂MDI);

isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI);

tetramethylene diisocyanate;

octamethylene diisocyanate;

decamethylene diisocyanate;

dodecamethylene diisocyanate;

tetradecamethylene diisocyanate;

lysine diisocyanate (LDI);

tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate;

trimethylhexane diisocyanate (TMDI);

tetrarnethylhexane diisocyanate;

1,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane;

1,3-diisocyanatocyclohexane;

1,2-diisocyanatocyclohexane;

4,4-di(isocyanatocyclohexyl)methane;

1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-(isocyanatomethyl) cyclohexane-(isophorone diisocyanate);

2,4-diisocyanator-1-methylcyclohexane;

2,6-diisocyanato-1-methylcyclohexane;

1,5-naphthalenediisocyanate (NDI); and

combinations and derivatives thereof.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the diisocyanate is H₁₂MDI.

6. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction material formed from reactants comprising 1,6, hexamethylene-diisocyanate and a polytetramethylene ether glycol;

wherein the cover has a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.044 inch and wherein the cover material is transparent to visible light.

7. The golf ball according to claim 6 further comprising at least one boundary layer disposed between the core and the cover, and wherein the boundary layer is composed of a blend of ionomers.

8. The golf ball according to claim 6 wherein the core is a solid core composed of a polybutadiene based mixture.

9. The golf ball according to claim 6 wherein the core is formed to have a color selected from the group consisting of blue, red, white, green, yellow, orange, black, brown, pink, grey and purple, and wherein the color of the core is visible through the cover.

10. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture;

a boundary layer formed over the core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a diisocyanate and a polyol blend, wherein the fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material has a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.044 inch, and is transparent to visible light.

11. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a polytetramethylene ether glycol terminated 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer and a curative;

wherein the cover has an aerodynamic surface geometry thereon, and wherein the cover is transparent to visible light.

12. The golf ball according to claim 11 further comprising at least one boundary layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the boundary layer is composed of a blend of ionomers.

13. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture, the core having a diameter ranging from 1.35 inches to 1.64 inches and having a PGA compression ranging from 40 to 100;

a boundary layer formed over the core, the boundary layer composed of a blend of ionomer materials, the boundary layer having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.075 inch, the blend of ionomer materials having a Shore D hardness ranging from 50 to 75 as measured according to ASTM-D2240; and

a cover formed over the boundary layer, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a polytetramethylene ether glycol terminated 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer and a polyol, wherein the aliphatic polyurethane material has a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.044 inch, an aerodynamic surface geometry thereon, and wherein the cover material is transparent to visible light.

14. The golf ball according to claim 13 wherein the boundary layer further comprises titanium dioxide and optical brighteners to provide a white appearance which is visible through the cover material.

15. The golf ball according to claim 13 further comprising an indicia disposed on a surface of the boundary layer and visible through the cover material.

16. The golf ball according to claim 14 further comprising a clear coating disposed on a surface of the cover.

17. The golf ball according to claim 14 wherein the boundary layer is formed to have a color selected from the group consisting of blue, red, white, green, yellow, orange, black, brown, pink, grey and purple, and wherein the color of the boundary layer is visible through the cover.

18. The golf ball according to claim 14 wherein the cover has a thickness less than 0.025 inch.

19. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture;

a boundary layer formed over the core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising 1,6, hexamethylene-diisocyanate and a polytetramethylene ether glycol;

wherein the cover material is transparent to visible light.