Multi-layer golf ball

• US 20070105659A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Kennedy, Thomas, Simonds, Vincent, Tzivanis, Michael, Binette, Mark, Melanson, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/371
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0061 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers

Abstract

A golf ball comprises a molded core, one or more ionomer mantles, and a thermoset polyurethane cover. The core is a high cis-polybutadiene crosslinked with zinc diacrylate and may also comprise a halogenated thiophenol and metal thiosulfate. One or more of the ionomer mantles comprises an ionomer neutralized to 80% or greater.

Claims

1. A golf ball, comprising:

a molded core comprising a high cis-polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of from about 20 to about 70 and an Instron compression of greater than 0.0880;

an inner mantle comprising an ionomer neutralized to 80% or more and having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85;

an outer mantle comprising an ionomer having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85;

and a thermoset polyurethane/polyurea cover.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has a COR of from about 0.600 to about 0.850.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the core further comprises a peptizer.

4. The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the core further comprises a metal thiosulfate.

5. The golfball of claim 3, wherein the peptizer is pentachlorothiophenol or a metallic salt thereof.

6. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the metal thiosulfate is disodium hexamethylene thiosulfate dihydrate.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ionomer of the inner mantle is neutralized to about 90% or more.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ionomer of the inner mantle is neutralized to about 100%.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ionomer of the inner mantle is modified with a fatty acid or a salt thereof.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the fatty acid is stearic acid, oleic acid, a metal stearate, or a metal oleate.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the starting material of the inner mantle comprises an ethylene copolymer, an ethylene terpolymer or blends thereof.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the starting material of the inner mantle comprises a copolymer of ethylene and ethylene acrylate.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer mantle has a flex modulus of from about 0.5 to about 310 kpsi.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane/polyurea cover is a cast or reaction-injection-molded cover.

15. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane/polyurea cover has a Shore C hardness of from about 10 to about 95.

16. A golf ball, comprising:

a molded core comprising a high cis-polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of from about 20 to about 70 and an Instron compression of greater than 0.0880;

an inner mantle comprising an ionomer having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85;

an outer mantle comprising an ionomer neutralized to 80% or more and having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85;

and a thermoset polyurethane/polyurea cover.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the core has a COR of from about 0.600 to about 0.850.

18. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the core further comprises a peptizer.

19. The golf ball of claim 20, wherein the metal thiosulfate is disodium hexamethylene thiosulfate dihydrate.

20. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the ionomer of the outer mantle is neutralized to about 90% or more.

21. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the ionomer of the outer mantle is neutralized to about 100%.

22. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the ionomer of the outer mantle is modified with a fatty acid or a salt thereof.

24. A golf ball, comprising:

a molded core comprising a high cis-polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of from about 20 to about 70 and an Instron compression of greater than 0.0880;

a mantle comprising an ionomer neutralized to 80% or more and having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85;

and a thermoset polyurethane/polyurea cover.

23. The golf ball of claim 24, wherein the fatty acid is stearic acid, oleic acid, a metal stearate, or a metal oleate.

25. A golf ball, comprising:

a molded core comprising a high cis-polybutadiene, pentachlorothiophenol or a metallic salt thereof, and an optional disodium hexamethylene thiosulfate dehydrate;

an inner mantle including an ionomer resin comprising a copolymer of ethylene and ethylene acrylate neutralized to 80% or greater;

an ionomer skin having a flex modulus of from about 0.5 to about 310 kpsi;

and a thermoset polyurethane/polyurea cover produced by reaction-injection molding.