Method for making multi-layered golf ball

• US 6,096,255 A
• Filed: 11/10/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Brown, Robert A., Cavallaro, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity, Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sands, Rhonda E.
• Application Number:
  US09/188,893
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 473/354, 473/377, 264/322, 264/250, 264/239, 264/248, 156/228, 156/245
• US Class Current: 264/248
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2037/085 liquid, jellylike
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0005 Protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/08 Liquid cores; Plastic cores
• 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: B29C 2043/023 having a plurality of grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/0022 Multi-cavity moulds B29C33/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/027 having an axis of symmetry B29C43/102 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/146 for making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4835 Heat curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12443 having the tongue substantially in the middle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12461 being rounded, i.e. U-shaped or C-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/14 the joint having the same thickness as the thickness of the parts to be joined B29C66/1142 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2009/06 : SB polymers, i.e. butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 : Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/18 : Polymers of hydrocarbons having four or more carbon atoms, e.g. polymers of butylene, e.g. PB, i.e. polybutylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/08 : Copolymers of styrene, e.g. AS or SAN, i.e. acrylonitrile styrene B29K2055/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/08 : Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 : Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 : ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 : Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/12 : PPO, i.e. polyphenylene oxide; PPE, i.e. polyphenylene ether
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/06 : PSU, i.e. polysulfones; PES, i.e. polyethersulfones or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 : Balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 : Football balls

Abstract

The present invention provides a golf ball and a method for making the ball. Two cups are molded from an elastomer separately from a center. In one embodiment of the method, the cups are molded on both sides of a center mold plate with hemispherical protrusions. The protrusions force the elastomer cup material into cavities in outer mold plates on either side of the center mold plate, thus forming cups with cavities. The solid or fluid-filled center is placed within the cup cavities, and the cups are joined, preferably by raising the temperature of the mold above the cure activation temperature of the cup material. In some embodiments of the cups, the cups can be formed with non-planar mating surfaces that mesh with each other. The non-planar mating surfaces preferably have a pattern that is symmetrical about the cavities, such as concentric ridges or a tongue and a groove.

Claims

1. A method of making a ball, comprising:

a) forming centers;

b) providing a bottom mold plate with a plurality of cavities, a top mold plate with a plurality of corresponding cavities and a center mold plate with a plurality of corresponding protrusions;

c) forming a plurality of core hemispherical cups from elastomeric material by;

i) placing the elastomeric material in the cavities of the bottom mold plate and the top mold plate,

ii) locating the center mold plate between the top mold plate and the bottom mold plate; and

iii) compressing the mold plates to form the cups in the bottom and top mold plate cavities, the step of compressing the mold plates further includes elevating the temperature of the elastomeric material to a first temperature less than a cure activation temperature of the material so that the material is pliable;

d) removing the center mold plate from between the top and bottom mold plates;

e) placing the centers in the cups in the top mold plate;

f) locating the bottom mold plate over the top mold plate;

g) joining the cups around the centers to form substantially spherical cores; and

h) molding a cover around the cores.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

coupling the bottom mold plate to the center mold plate and the top mold plate;

folding the center mold plate over the top mold plate; and

folding the top mold plate and the center mold plate over the bottom mold plate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the bottom mold plate further includes providing protrusions on opposite sides of the center mold plate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing the bottom mold plate further includes providing protrusions that are substantially the same size.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the bottom mold plate further includes providing protrusions that are replaceably connected to the center mold plate.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of coupling the bottom mold plate further includes:

a) providing the top mold plate with linking arms with a lateral portion and a vertical portion defining a first vertical slot;

b) providing the bottom and center mold plates with linking arms defining apertures aligned with the slots; and

c) disposing first pins through the slots and associated apertures.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing the top mold plate further includes the vertical portion defining a second vertical slot therein.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of coupling further includes inserting a second pin through the second vertical slot and the associated aperture in the center mold plate to lock the center mold plate to the top mold plate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of joining the cups further includes elevating the temperature of the cups to a second temperature greater than the cure activation temperature.

10. A method of making a ball, comprising:

a) forming an inner sphere by forming an inner layer having a fluid center therein;

b) providing a bottom mold plate with a plurality of cavities, a top mold plate with a plurality of corresponding cavities and a center mold plate with a plurality of corresponding protrusions;

c) forming a plurality of core hemispherical cups from elastomeric material by;

i) placing the elastomeric material in the cavities of the bottom mold plate and the top mold plate;

ii) locating the center mold plate between the top mold plate and the bottom mold plate; and

iii) compressing the mold plates to form the cups in the bottom and top mold plate cavities,

d) removing the center mold plate from between the top and bottom mold plates;

e) placing the inner spheres in the cups in the top mold plate;

f) locating the bottom mold plate over the top mold plate;

g) joining the cups around the inner spheres to form substantially spherical cores; and

h) molding a cover around the cores.