Reaction injection molding assembly for manufacturing a golf ball component
First Claim
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1. A reaction injection molding assembly adapted for molding a golf ball, the assembly comprising:
- an inlet;
a flow channel providing communication between the inlet and a diverging fan gate; and
a diverging fan gate in communication with a molding chamber and disposed upstream thereof, the fan gate defining a cross-sectional area and a flow length;
wherein the cross-sectional area of the fan gate is substantially constant across the flow length of the fan gate.
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Abstract
A molding assembly and related process are described that eliminate or significantly reduce cosmetic defects otherwise occurring in golf balls. The assembly includes molds with particular runner configurations, gate configurations, and venting characteristics. The assemblies and processes described herein are particularly well suited for reaction injection molding of golf balls.
105 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A reaction injection molding assembly adapted for molding a golf ball, the assembly comprising:
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an inlet;
a flow channel providing communication between the inlet and a diverging fan gate; and
a diverging fan gate in communication with a molding chamber and disposed upstream thereof, the fan gate defining a cross-sectional area and a flow length;
wherein the cross-sectional area of the fan gate is substantially constant across the flow length of the fan gate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A reaction injection molding assembly adapted for molding golf balls, the assembly comprising:
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an inlet for receiving flowing molding material;
a first molding chamber sized to receive a first golf ball precursor product;
a second molding chamber sized to receive a second golf ball precursor product; and
a plurality of flow channels providing flow communication between the inlet and both of the first molding chamber and the second molding chamber, the plurality of flow channels comprising a primary runner having a first cross-sectional area, and a plurality of secondary runners downstream of the primary runner, the plurality of secondary runners comprising a first secondary runner having a second cross-sectional area and a second secondary runner having a third cross-sectional area;
wherein the first cross-sectional area of the primary runner equals, or at least is substantially equal to, the sum of the second cross-sectional area of the first secondary runner and the third cross-sectional area of the second secondary runner. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for producing a golf ball by reaction injection molding, the process comprising:
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providing a molding member comprising, an inlet, a molding chamber sized to receive a golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly, a diverging fan gate in communication with the molding chamber and disposed upstream thereof, the fan gate defining a cross-sectional area and a flow length, and a flow channel providing communication between the inlet and the fan gate;
wherein the cross-sectional area of the fan gate is constant or at least substantially so, across the flow length of the fan gate;
positioning a golf ball core or intermediate golf ball assembly in the molding chamber; and
introducing flowable molding reactants into the molding chamber that undergo reaction to thereby form the golf ball.
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Specification