GOLF BALL WITH GROUND DOWN MEDIAL LAYER

• US 20150343269A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Bender, Aaron, Molinari, Arthur Parker, Liu, Chen-Tai, Chen, John C.
• Application Number:
  US14/291,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20150343269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0055 with non-spherical insert(s)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0058 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0059 Ionomer
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/006 Physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core
• 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 37/0092 Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0097 Layers interlocking by means of protrusions or inserts, lattices or the like
• 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: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes

Abstract

A golf ball includes a core, one or more inlaid portions formed into the core, and a second layer disposed radially outward of both the core and the one or more inlaid portions. The core and the one or more inlaid portions cooperate to define a continuous spherical surface, and the core and the second layer cooperate to surround each of the one or more inlaid portions. The one or more inlaid portions are formed by over-molding the core, and then removing the over-molded material back to at least the outer surface of the core.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

one or more inlaid portions formed into the core, wherein the core and the one or more inlaid portions cooperate to define a continuous spherical surface;

a second layer disposed radially outward of both the core and the one or more inlaid portions;

wherein the core and the second layer cooperate to surround each of the one or more inlaid portions.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core, the one or more inlaid portions, and the second layer are each formed from a different material.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the one or more inlaid portions define from about 25% to about 70% of the continuous spherical surface.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the one or more inlaid portions have a hardness value, measured on the Shore D scale, that is less than the hardness value of the core.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core includes a plurality of protrusions and one or more recesses;

and

wherein the one or more inlaid portions are disposed within the one or more recesses such that the one or more inlaid portions and the plurality of protrusions cooperate to define the continuous spherical surface.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the one or more recesses are symmetrically disposed about the core.

7. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein one of the one or more inlaid portions surrounds more than 50 of the plurality of protrusions on the common spherical surface.

8. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein there are more than 50 of at least one of the plurality of protrusions and the one or more recesses.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the second layer contacts the continuous spherical surface across the entire spherical surface.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a cover surrounding the second layer, wherein the cover includes a plurality of dimples formed into a radially outward surface.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core is formed from a thermoplastic polymer that includes an ionomeric material, a highly neutralized ionomer resin, a polyamide resin, a polyester resin, or a polyurethane resin;

wherein the one or more inlaid portions are formed from an ethylene copolymers or an ionomeric material; and

wherein the second layer is formed from a thermoset polymer that includes a polyurethane elastomer, a polyamide elastomer, a polyurea elastomer, a diene-containing polymer, a crosslinked metallocene catalyzed polyolefin, or a silicone.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the one or more inlaid portions have a hardness value, measured on the Shore D scale, that is greater than the hardness value of the core.

13. A method of making a multi-layer golf ball having one or more inlaid portions formed into a material layer, the method comprising:

molding a substantially spherical core from a first material, wherein the core includes a surface that extends to a first, maximal, radial distance and wherein the surface defines a one or more recessed areas that extend to a second, minimal, radial distance;

over-molding the core with a second material such that the second material fills the one or more recessed areas and extends radially outward to a third radial distance that is greater than the first radial distance, wherein the core and the over-molded second material form a first intermediate ball;

removing material from the first intermediate ball to form a second intermediate ball;

wherein the second intermediate ball has a continuous spherical surface at a fourth radial distance;

wherein the first material and the second material cooperate to define the continuous spherical surface;

wherein the fourth radial distance is less than or equal to the first radial distance and greater than the second radial distance; and

over-molding the second intermediate ball with a third material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein removing material from the first intermediate ball occurs through grinding.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second material forms from about 25% to about 70% of the continuous spherical surface.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the difference between the first radial distance and the third radial distance is from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the difference between the second radial distance and the fourth radial distance is from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more recessed areas are symmetrically disposed about the core.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising over-molding the third material with a fourth material to form a cover;

and

wherein the cover includes a plurality of dimples disposed on a radially outer surface.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein each of molding a substantially spherical core and over-molding the core with a second material respectively includes injection molding.