Golf balls having improved adhesion between layers

• US 6,342,019 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Snell, Dean A., Morgan, William E., Dalton, Jeffrey L., Cavallaro, Christopher, Boehm, Herbert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US09/393,654
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 473/614, 473/373, 473/374, 473/361, 473/377, 473/378, 473/370
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• 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 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/166 Roughened surface bonds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/424 Moulding surfaces provided with means for marking or patterning for injection moulding B29C45/372
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1657 using means for adhering or bonding the layers or parts to each other mechanical anchoring B29C37/0082
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 Football balls

Abstract

The present invention relates to golf balls having improved adhesion between adjacent layers, as well as methods for making golf balls having such improved adhesion. In particular, the golf balls of the present invention comprise a cover, a core and optionally one or more intermediate layers disposed between the cover and the core, wherein the outer surface of the core, an intermediate layer(s) or both the core and the intermediate layers has a finely textured surface profile integrally molded in the outer surface thereof. The finely textured surface profile comprises a plurality of peaks having a maximum depth of about 2 mils to about 15 mils.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a cover and a core, wherein said core has a first finely textured surface profile integrally formed in its outermost surface, said surface profile comprising a plurality of peaks wherein said peaks have a maximum height of about 2 mils to about 15 mils, and wherein a solid layer is molded onto said core.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the maximum height of the peaks of said surface profile is about 3 mils to about 7 mils.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein all of the peaks of said surface profile have the same maximum height.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the peaks of said surface profile have a height less than said maximum height.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein said surface profile comprises a random pattern of peaks having an irregular shape.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein said surface profile comprises a repeating pattern of peaks having a regular shape.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein said solid layer is an intermediate layer.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein said intermediate layer has a second finely textured surface profile integrally molded in its outermost surface, said second surface profile comprising a plurality of peaks in said outermost surface, said peaks having a maximum height of about 2 mils to about 15 mils.

9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the maximum height of the peaks of said second surface profile is about 3 to about 7 mils.

10. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein all of the peaks of said second surface profile have the same maximum height.

11. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein a plurality of the peaks of said second surface profile have a height less than said maximum height.

12. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein said first surface profile and said second surface profile are substantially the same.

13. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein said second surface profile comprises a random pattern of peaks having an irregular shape.

14. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein said second surface profile comprises a repeating pattern of peaks having a regular shape.

15. A golf ball having improved interfacial adhesion comprising a cover, a core and at least one intermediate layer, wherein said intermediate layer has a finely textured surface profile integrally molded in its outermost surface, wherein said finely textured surface profile comprises a random pattern of a plurality of irregularly shaped peaks extending from said outermost surface, said peaks having a maximum height of about 2.5 to about 4.5 mils and a peak density of about 60 percent, and wherein a solid layer is molded onto said intermediate layer.

16. A golf ball comprising:

a first solid layer having a first finely textured surface profile integrally formed in its outermost surface, said first surface profile comprising a plurality of peaks wherein said peaks have a maximum height of about 2 mils to about 7 mils;

a second solid layer formed onto said first solid layer.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein said second solid layer has a second finely textured surface profile integrally molded in its outermost surface, said second surface profile comprising a plurality of peaks in said outermost surface, said peaks having a maximum height of about 2 mils to about 15 mils, and wherein a third solid layer is formed thereon.

18. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein said first surface profile comprises a random pattern of peaks having an irregular shape.

19. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein said first surface profile comprises a repeating pattern of peaks having a regular shape.