MULTI-LAYER GOLF BALL

• US 20080058123A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: MELANSON, DAVID, BINETTE, MARK, SIMONDS, VINCENT, TZIVANIS, MICHAEL, KENNEDY, THOMAS
• Granted Patent: US 7,520,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/373
• 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;

a mantle comprising a highly neutralized ionomer and a fatty acid, the mantle having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85; and

and a cover composed of a high flexural modulus ionomer material;

wherein the golf ball has a diameter of at least 1.68 inches.

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 golf ball 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 highly neutralized ionomer of the mantle is neutralized to about 90% or more.

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

9. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid is stearic acid, oleic acid, a metal stearate, or a metal oleate.

10. 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 HPF material, the mantle having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85; and

and a cover composed of an ionomer material.

11. 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 a fatty acid, the mantle having a Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 85; and

and a cover composed of an ionomer material.

12. 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;

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

and a cover composed of an ionomer material.