Multilayer golf ball

• US 5,688,191 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rajagopsian, Murali, Cavallaro, Christopher, Boehm, Herbert C., Harris, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NAKARANI, DHIRAJLAL S
• Application Number:
  US08/482,522
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 428/423.1, 428/424.4, 428/424.7, 428/428.3, 428/480, 428/500, 428/501, 428/520, 428/522, 428/524, 273/58 A, 273/62, 273/220, 273/222, 273/233, 273/234, 273/DIG. 20, 273/DIG. 22, 473/371, 473/374, 473/376, 473/377, 473/378, 473/473
• US Class Current: 473/373
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/003 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• 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: B29C 2043/3644 Vacuum bags; Details thereof, e.g. fixing or clamping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/305 Making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/256 Sheets, plates, blanks or films
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/20 Weighted balls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/22 Ionomer

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a multi-layer golf ball which comprises a core with one or more layers; at least one cover layer; and one or more mantle layers disposed between the core and cover layer, wherein the mantle layer comprises dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer, functionalized styrene-butadiene elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, metallocene polymer or blends thereof and thermoset materials.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

(a) a core;

(b) a cover layer; and

(c) a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover;

wherein the cover layer consists essentially of one or more ionomer resins, said resin comprising a copolymer of 16 to 35% by weight of an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and 65 to 84% by weight of ethylene, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and

wherein the mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, said thermoplastic material consisting essentially of polyetherester block copolymer.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the mantle layer is from about .025 inches to about .125 inches.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the core is about 1.30 inches to about 1.45 inches.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the mantle layer has a Bayshore resilience of about 35 to about 70, and the core has a Bayshore resilience of about 40 to about 60.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the mantle has a flex modulus of about 500 psi to about 50,000 psi.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the mantle has a tensile modulus of about 500 psi to about 50,000 psi.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the mantle layer has a Shore D hardness of less than about 60.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the overall diameter of the finished ball is about 1.68 inches to about 1.80 inches.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the metal ion is lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, barium, lead, tin, zinc, or aluminum.

10. The golf ball of claim 9 wherein the metal ion is lithium, sodium, magnesium or zinc.