Golf ball compositions

• US 6,391,966 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Murali
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/500,516
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 525/72, 525/74, 525/196, 525/201, 525/221, 521/134, 473/355, 473/365, 473/371, 473/372, 473/373, 473/378, 473/385
• US Class Current: 525/74
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/04 Rigid cores
• 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: C08F 210/00 Copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 222/06 Maleic anhydride
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 255/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to polymers of hydrocarbons as defined in group C08F10/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/00 Chemical modification by after-treatment graft polymers, block polymers, crosslinking with unsaturated monomers or with polymers C08F251/00 - C08F299/00; of conjugated diene rubbers C08C
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/44 Preparation of metal salts or ammonium salts
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0815 Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/26 modified by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2314/06 Metallocene or single site catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• 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: C08L 51/06 grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 : using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf ball and a to a process for forming a golf ball having least one layer, where the layer is formed of a saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, having from about 1 to about 99 parts of at least one saponified polymer and from about 99 to 1 parts of at least one metallocene catalyzed polymer, based on 100 parts by weight of the saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend. The layer may be foamed or unfoamed, and may form at least a portion of any of the cover, the core, or a mantle layer situated between the cover and the core.

Claims

1. A golf ball having least one layer, the layer formed of a saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, comprising from about 1 to about 99 parts of at least one saponified polymer and from about 99 to 1 parts of at least one metallocene catalyzed polymer, based on 100 parts by weight of the saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, wherein the saponified polymer is prepared by a process which comprises:

forming a polymer comprising a first olefinic monomeric component having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and a second monomeric component comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid based acrylate class ester having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;

applying a sufficient amount of heat to the polymer to convert the polymer to a substantially molten state;

forming a mixture by adding an inorganic metal base to the molten polymer, such that the viscosity of the mixture remains substantially unchanged from the viscosity of the molten polymer;

and saponifying the mixture to form a saponified polymer,

wherein a sufficient amount of the inorganic metal base is added to the molten polymer in forming the mixture to obtain a degree of saponification of the polymer ranging between about 1 and 50 percent.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, further comprising a cover, wherein the layer forms at least a portion of the cover.

3. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein the layer has a foamed structure.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1, comprising a core, wherein the layer forms at least a portion of the core.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1, further comprising a wound core.

6. The golf ball according to claim 5, wherein the layer has a foamed structure.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1, further comprising a cover and a core and a mantle situated between the cover and the core.

8. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the core is a wound core.

9. The golf ball according to claim 8, wherein the layer forms at least a portion of the mantle.

10. The golf ball according to claim 9, wherein the layer has a foamed structure.

11. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the metallocene catalyzed polymer is chosen from the group consisting of olefinic homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene with propylene, butene, hexene, octene, and norbornene, and olefinic homopolymers and copolymers of propylene with butene, hexene, octene, and norbornene.

12. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the metallocene catalyzed polymer is of the formula:

wherein

R₁ is hydrogen;

R₂ is hydrogen or lower alkyl selected from the group consisting of CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C₄H₉, and C₅H₁₁;

R₃ is hydrogen or lower alkyl selected from the group consisting of CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇ C₄H₉ and C₅H₁₁;

R₄ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C₄H₉ C₅H₁₁, C₆H₁₃, C₇H₁₅, C₈H₁₇, C₉H₁₉, C₁₀H₂₁, and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₄ can be replaced substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₂, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicon, lower alkyl esters and lower alkyl ethers, with the proviso that R₃ and R₄ can be combined to form a bicyclic ring;

R₅ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₆ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic; and

wherein x ranges from 99 to 50 weight per cent of the polymer, y ranges from 1 to 50 weight percent of the polymer and z ranges from 0 to 49 weight percent of the polymer.

13. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the saponified polymer comprises a first olefinic, monomeric component having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and a second monomeric component comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid based acrylate class ester having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms and at least one ester group, wherein at least a portion of the ester groups have been saponified with an inorganic metal base.

14. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the metal base comprises at least one metallic cation, selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium, magnesium, calcium, barium, manganese, copper, zinc, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, zirconium, platinum, rubidium, and strontium, and at least one anion, selected from the group consisting of hydroxide, alkoxide, acetate, carbonate, bicarbonate, oxide, formate, and nitrate.

15. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the first monomeric component comprises an α

-olefin monomer having a terminal point of unsaturation.

16. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the first monomeric component has the formula:

wherein;

R₇ is hydrogen or an alkyl group; and

R₈ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic.

17. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the first monomeric component is ethylene.

18. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the first monomeric component comprises from about 1 to about 99 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

19. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the first monomeric component comprises from about 10 to about 95 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

20. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the first monomeric component comprises from about 10 to about 70 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

21. The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the second monomeric component is an unsaturated acrylate class ester having the formula:

wherein;

R₉ is hydrogen or an alkyl

 

group;

R₁₀ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₁₁ is selected from the group consisting of C_nH_2n+1, for n=1 to 18 and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₁₀ can be replaced by substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₃, succinic anhydride and their salts, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, epoxy, silicone, lower alkyl esters, lower alkyl ethers, and aromatic or heterocyclic rings with the proviso that R₁₀ and R₁₁ can be combined to form a bicyclic ring.

22. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein he second monomeric component comprises from about 99 to bout 1 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

23. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein he second monomeric component comprises from about 90 to about 5 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

24. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein the second monomeric component comprises from about 90 to about 30 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

25. The golf ball according to claim 12, further comprising a third monomeric component selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, an anhydride monomer, an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, an olefin having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and a vinyl ester or a vinyl ether of an alkyl acid having from 4 to 21 carbon atoms.

26. The golf ball according to claim 25, wherein the third monomeric component is at least one of the monomers selected from the group consisting of:

wherein;

R₁₂ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₁₃ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₁₄ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₁₅ is hydrogen, or lower alkyl;

R₁₆ is hydrogen, or is selected from the group consisting of C_nH_2n+1, for n=1 to 18 and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₁₆ can be replaced by substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₃, and their salts, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicon, lower alkyl esters, lower alkyl ethers and aromatic or heterocyclic rings with the proviso that R₁₅ and R₁₆ can be combined to form a bicyclic ring;

R₁₇ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₁₈ is hydrogen or lower alkyl;

R₁₉ is hydrogen, or is selected from the group consisting of C_nH_2n+1, for n=1 to 18 and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₁₉ can be replaced by substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₃, and their salts, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicon, lower alkyl esters, lower alkyl ethers and aromatic or heterocyclic rings with the proviso that R₁₈ and R₁₉ can be combined to form a bicyclic ring.

27. The golf ball according to claim 25, wherein the third monomeric component comprises from about 0 to 49 percent by weight of the total polymer weight.

28. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the monomeric components of the polymer are present in a random, alternating, block or graft arrangement.

29. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the polymer is of a form selected from the group consisting of isotactic, syndiotactic, and atactic polymers and combinations thereof.

30. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein a grafting agent has been added to at least one of the saponified polymer or the metallocene catalyzed polymer to form a grafted polymer.

31. The golf ball according to claim 30, wherein the grafting agent comprises an anhydride having the formula:

wherein;

R₂₀ and R₂₁ are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, linear or branched chain alkyl and substituted or unsubstituted carboxylic groups.

32. The golf ball according to claim 30, wherein the grafting agent is added in an amount of between about 1-50 percent by weight of the polymer.

33. The golf ball according to claim 30, wherein the grafting agent is added in an amount of between about 1-25 percent by weight of the polymer.

34. The golf ball according to claim 30, wherein the grafting agent is added in an amount of between about 1-15 percent by weight of the polymer.

35. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the forming a polymer further comprises a third monomeric component, selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, an anhydride monomer, an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, an olefin having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, and a vinyl ester or a vinyl ether of an alkyl acid having from 4 to 21 carbon atoms.

36. A golf ball comprising a cover and a core and a mantle situated between the cover and the core, wherein at least one of the cover, the core, and the mantle comprises at least one layer, the layer formed of a saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, comprising from about 1 to about 99 parts of at least one saponified polymer and from about 99 to 1 parts of at least one metallocene catalyzed polymer, based on 100 parts of the saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, wherein the saponified polymer is prepared by a process which comprises:

forming a polymer comprising a first olefinic monomeric component having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and a second monomeric component comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid based acrylate class ester having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;

applying a sufficient amount of heat to the polymer to convert the polymer to a substantially molten state;

forming a mixture by adding an inorganic metal base to the molten polymer, such that the viscosity of the mixture remains substantially unchanged from the viscosity of the molten polymer;

and saponifying the mixture to form a saponified polymer,

wherein a sufficient amount of the inorganic metal base is added to the molten polymer in forming the mixture to obtain a degree of saponification of the polymer ranging between about 1 and 50 percent.

37. The golf ball according to claim 36, wherein the core is a wound core.

38. The golf ball according to claim 37, wherein the layer has a foamed structure.

39. The golf ball according to claim 37, wherein the metallocene catalyzed polymer is chosen from the group consisting of copolymers of ethylene with propylene, butene, hexene, octene, and norbornene, and homopolymers and copolymers of propylene with butene, hexene, octene, and norbornene.

40. The golf ball according to claim 37, wherein the metallocene catalyzed polymer is of the formula:

wherein

R₁ is hydrogen;

R₂ is hydrogen or lower alkyl selected from the group consisting of CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C₄H₉, and C₅H₁₁;

R₃ is hydrogen or lower alkyl selected from the group consisting of CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C₄H₉, and C₅H₁₁;

R₄ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C₄H₉, C₅H₁₁, C₆H₁₃, C₇H₁₅, C₈H₁₇, C₉H₁₉, C₁₀H₂₁, and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₄ can be substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₂, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicon, lower alkyl esters and lower alkyl ethers, with the proviso that R₃ and R₄ can be combined to form a bicyclic ring;

R₅ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₆ is hydrogen, lower alkyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic; and

wherein x ranges from 99 to 50 weight per cent of the polymer, y ranges from 1 to 50 weight percent of the polymer and z ranges from 0 to 49 weight per cent of the polymer.

41. The golf ball according to claim 37, wherein the saponified polymer comprises a first olefinic, monomeric component having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and a second monomeric component comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid based acrylate class ester having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms and at least one ester group, wherein at least a portion of the ester groups have been saponified with an inorganic metal base.

42. A golf ball having least one cover layer, the cover layer formed of a saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, comprising from about 1 to about 99 parts of at least one saponified polymer and from about 99 to 1 parts of at least one metallocene catalyzed polymer, based on 100 parts by weight of the saponified polymer/metallocene polymer blend.