Solid golf ball

• US 6,583,229 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yokota, Masatoshi, Maruoka, Kiyoto, Yamaguchi, Tetsuo, Sakagami, Seigou, Mano, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/863,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 525/245, 525/261, 525/274, 524/170, 524/392, 524/357, 473/371, 473/372, 473/373, 473/374, 473/377
• US Class Current: 525/261
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• 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 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/06 Elastic cores

Abstract

The present invention provides a solid golf ball having exceptional rebound characteristics and flight performance, as well as good shot feel. The present invention relates to a solid golf ball comprising at least one layer of a core, and at least one layer of a cover formed on the core, wherein at least one of the layers of the core is formed by vulcanizing and press-molding a rubber composition comprising a base rubber, co-crosslinking agent, organic peroxide, filler and specific organic sulfur compound which contains substituent groups having a substituent constant of not less than 1.42.

Claims

1. A solid golf ball comprising at least one core layer, and at least one cover layer formed on the at least one core layer, wherein said at least one core layer is formed by vulcanizing and press-molding a rubber composition comprising (a) a base rubber, (b) a co-crosslinking agent, (c) an organic peroxide, (d) a filler material, and (e) at least one organic sulfur compound selected from the group consisting of

(i) a compound represented by the following Formula (1):

 

wherein R₁ to R₅ are independently a hydrogen or a substituent group, and at least one of R₁ to R₅ is a substituent group,

(ii) a compound represented by the following Formula (2)

 

wherein R₆ to R₁₅ are independently a hydrogen or a substituent group, at least one of R₆ to R₁₀ and at least one of R₁₁ to R₁₅ are substituent groups, and n is an integer of not less than 1, and

(iii) a compound represented by the following Formula (3)

 

wherein R₁₆ to R₂₅ are independently a hydrogen or a substituent group, at least one of R₁₆ to R₂₀ and at least one of R₂₁ to R₂₅ are substituent groups, and M represents a bivalent metal atom;

and wherein at least one structure represented by the following Formula (4) in the compounds represented by formula (1) to (3);

has a substituent constant of not less than 1.50 wherein R₂₆ to R₃₀ correspond to either R₁ to R₅ in Formula (1), R₆ to R₁₀ in Formula (2), R₁₁ to R₁₅ in Formula (2), R₁₆ to R₂₀ in Formula (3), or R₂₁ to R₂₅ in Formula (3).

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the rubber composition for the core comprises 0.05 to 3 parts by weight of the organic sulfur compound, 15 to 45 parts by weight of the co-crosslinking agent, 0.2 to 5 parts by weight of the organic peroxide and 2 to 30 parts by weight of the filler, based on 100 parts by weight of the base rubber.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the base rubber is polybutadiene rubber containing a cis-1,4-bond of not less than 40%.

4. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein the base rubber is polybutadiene rubber containing a cis-1,4-bond of not less than 40%.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the compound represented by formula (1) is selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-triacetylbenzenethiol 2,3,5,6-tetraacetylbenzenethiol pentaacetylbenzenethiol 2,4,6-tri (methane sulfonyl)benzenethiol 2,3,5,6-tetra(methane sulfonyl)benzenethiol and penta(methane sulfonyl)benzene thiol.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the compound represented by formula (2) is selected from the group consisting of bis (2,4,6-triacetylphenyl)disulfide bis (2,3,5,6-tetraacetylphenyl) disulfide and bis (pentaacetyl phenyl) disulfide.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the compound represented by formula (3) is selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-tri (methane sulfonyl)benzenethiol zinc salt, 2,3,5,-tetra(methane sulfonyl)benzene thiol zinc salt, and penta(methane sulfonyl)benzenethiol zinc salt.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the structure defined by formula (4) is a derivative of a compound selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-triacetylbenzene, 2,3,5,6-tetraacetylbenzene, pentaacetylbenzene, 2,4,6-tri (methane sulfonyl)benzene, 2,3,5,6-tetra(methane sulfonyl) benzenethiol, and penta (methane sulfonyl) benzene.