Golf ball comprising water resistant polyurethane elastomers and methods of making the same

• US 6,435,986 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wu, Shenshen, Bulpett, David A., Lutz, Mitchell E., Rajagopalan, Murali, Harris, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunter, Jr., Alvin A.
• Application Number:
  US09/453,701
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 473/356, 473/361, 473/364, 473/370, 473/371, 473/373, 473/374, 473/376
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/60 Apparatus used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0027 Polyurea
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0056 Hollow; Gas-filled
• 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 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023

Abstract

The invention provides a golf ball having a cover, intermediate layers and/or a core comprising in whole or in part of water resistant polyurethane elastomers. The polyurethane elastomers may be blended with conventional materials employed to form golf balls, covers and intermediate layers.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising at least one cover layer wherein at least one said cover layer is formed from a composition comprising at least one water resistant polyurethane elastomer, said cover layer having a thickness of from about 0.02 inch to about 0.35 inch, a hardness of at least about 40 Shore D, a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi and at least about 60 percent dimple coverage, said golf ball having an Atti compression of from about 55 to about 120.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer has a thickness of from about 0.02 inch to about 0.125 inch.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball further comprises at least one intermediate layer interposed between an innermost cover layer and an outermost core layer, wherein said intermediate layer is formed from a composition which comprises at least one water resistant polyurethane elastomer, said intermediate layer having a thickness of at least about 0.02 inch, a hardness of at least about 40 Shore A, a specific gravity of at least about 0.7 and a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi.

4. The golf ball of claim 3 wherein the golf ball is a wound ball which further comprises a layer of tensioned elastomer material disposed between the cover and the core.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein said water resistant polyurethane elastomer is a reaction product of at least one poly-isocyanate, at least one curing agent and at least one polyol, wherein said polyol is based on a hydrophobic backbone.

6. The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said diisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of toluene diisocyanate;

4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate;

polymeric 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate;

carbodiimide-modified 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate;

3,3′

-dimethyldiphenyl-4,4′

diisocyanate;

naphthalene diisocyanate;

para-phenylene diisocyanate;

xylene diisocyanate;

para-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate;

meta-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate;

ethylene diisocyanate;

propylene-1,2-diisocyanate;

tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate;

cyclohexyl diisocyanate;

1,6-hexamethylene-diisocyanate;

dodecane-1,12-diisocyanate;

cyclobutane-1,3-diisocyanate;

cyclohexane-1,3-diisocyanate;

cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate;

1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethylcyclohexane;

isophorone diisocyanate;

methyl cyclohexylene diisocyanate;

triisocyanate of 1,6-hexamethylene-diisocyanate;

triisocyanate of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexane diisocyanate;

triisocyanate of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexane diisocyanate;

4,4′

-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate;

trimethyl-hexamethylene diisocyanate and mixtures thereof.

7. The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said polyol is selected from the group consisting of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon polyols;

hydroxy-terminated liquid isoprene rubber;

hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene polyol;

polytetramethylene ether glycol;

poly(oxypropylene) glycol;

polyethylene adipate glycol;

polyethylene propylene adipate glycol;

polybutylene adipate glycol;

diethylene glycol initiated polycaprolactone;

1,4-butanediol initiated polycaprolactone;

1,6-hexanediol initiated polycaprolactone;

trimethylol propane initiated polycaprolactone;

neopentyl glycol initiated polycaprolactone;

polytetramethylene ether glycol initiated polycaprolactone and mixtures thereof.

8. The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said curing agent is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-butanediol;

1,3-butanediol;

2,3-butanediol;

2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediol;

propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol;

polypropylene glycol;

ethylene glycol;

diethylene glycol;

polyethylene glycol;

resorcinol-di(beta-hydroxyethyl) ether and its derivatives;

hydroquinone-di(beta-hydroxyethyl) ether and its derivatives;

2-propanol-1,1′

-phenylaminobis;

tetrahydroxypropylene ethylene diamine;

trimethylolpropane;

4,4′

-methylenebis(2-chloroaniline);

3,5-dimethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine;

3,5-dimethylthio-2,6-toluenediamine;

4,4′

-methylenebis(2-ethylaniline);

4,4′

-bis-(sec-butylamino)-diphenylmethane;

1,3-bis-(2-hydroxyethoxy)benzene;

1,3-bis-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy]benzene;

1 ,3-bis- {2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy]ethoxy}benzene;

1,4-bis-(sec-butylamino) benzene;

1,2-bis-(sec-butylamino)benzene;

3,5-diethyltoluene-2,4-diamine;

3,5-diethyltoluene-2,6-diamine;

tetra-(2-hydroxypropyl)-ethylenediamine;

N,N′

-dialkyldiamino diphenyl methane;

trimethyleneglycol-di-p-aminobenzoate;

polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate;

4,4′

-methylene-bis-(3-chloro-2,6-diethylaniline);

isomers and mixtures of cyclohexyldimethylol;

isomers and mixtures of cyclohexane bis(methylamine);

polytetramethylene ether glycol;

2-methylpentamethylene-diamine;

isomers and mixtures of diaminocyclohexane;

triisopropanolamine;

diethylene triamine;

triethylene tetramine;

tetraethylene pentamine;

propylene diamine;

1,3-diaminopropane;

dimethylamino propylamine;

diethylamino propylamine;

imido-bis-propylamine;

monoethanolamine;

diethanolamine;

triethanolamine;

monoisopropanolamine;

diisopropanolamine and mixtures thereof.

9. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the golf ball gains less than about 0.02g in 4 weeks at 100% relative humidity and 72°

F.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises at least one additional component.

11. The golf ball of claims 10, wherein the additional component is a compound selected from the group consisting of ionic polyurethanes, epoxy resins, polyureas or siloxanes and blends thereof.

12. The golf ball of claim 10 wherein the composition comprises about 10 to about 90 weight percent of at least one water resistant polyurethane elastomer.

13. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the golf ball further comprises at least one intermediate layer interposed between an innermost cover layer and an outermost core layer, wherein said intermediate layer is formed from a composition which comprises at least one polyurethane containing a hydrophobic backbone.

14. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein the innermost core layer is formed from a composition which comprises at least one water resistant polyurethane elastomer.

15. The golf ball of claim 14 wherein the outermost core layer is formed from a composition which comprises at one water resistant polyurethane elastomer.

16. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein the outermost core layer is formed from a composition which comprises at least one water resistant polyurethane elastomer.

17. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the polyurethane containing a hydrophobic backbone is foamed.

18. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the golf ball is a solid ball which further comprises a multi-layer center.

19. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the golf ball is a wound ball which further comprises a fluid filled, solid or hollow center.