Golf ball with vapor barrier layer and method of making same

• US 6,632,147 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morgan, Megan, Morgan, William E., Halko, Roman D., Lutz, Mitchell E., Cavallaro, Christopher, Hogge, Matthew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US09/973,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 473/351-377
• US Class Current: 473/374
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0022 Coatings, e.g. paint films; Markings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0091 Density distribution amongst the different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0093 Moisture vapour transmission rate [MVTR]
• 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: C08L 81/04 Polysulfides

Abstract

A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover and, additionally, a primary ingredient of the intermediate layer is made from a material including polybutadiene, natural rubber, butyl-based rubber, acrylics, trans-polyisoprene, neoprene, chlorinated polyethylene, balata, multi-layer thermoplastic films, blends of ionomers, polyvinyl alcohol copolymer and polyamides, and dispersions of acid salts of polyetheramines.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover having a thickness of from about 0.010 inches to about 0.080 inches wherein the intermediate layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover and wherein a primary ingredient of the intermediate layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene, natural rubber, butyl-based rubber, acrylics, trans-polyisoprene, neoprene, chlorinated polyethylene, and balata.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises thermoplastic or thermosetting polyurethanes, and ionomers.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an outer diameter of from about 1.50 inches to at least about 1.58 inches.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the moisture barrier layer has a thickness of less tan about 0.030 inches.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises two or more layers.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a center and an outer core layer, the outer core layer being adjacent the moisture barrier.

7. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover and wherein the intermediate layer is made from a multi-layer thermoplastic film comprising a base layer and a coating layer, wherein the base layer is selected from a group consisting of polyethylene teraphthalate, polybutylene teraphthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycyclohexanedimethylene teraphthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate bibenzoate.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the coating layer of the thermoplastic film is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene chloride, ethylene vinyl alcohol, modified polyester, silicon oxide, and one or more copolyesters prepared from dicarboxylic acids and diols or its derivatives.

9. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the multi-layer thermoplastic film further comprises a thermoplastic resin composition comprising ethylene vinyl alcohol, ionomer and a polyamide.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the thermoplastic resin composition comprises about 25% or more of an ionomer, about 25% or more of a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer and about 1-50% polyamide.

11. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the cover comprises thermoplastic or thermosetting polyurethanes, or ionomers.

12. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the cover has a thickness of from about 0.010 inches to about 0.080 inches.

13. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the core has an outer diameter of from about 130 inches to at least about 1.58 inches.

14. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the moisture barrier layer has a thickness of less than about 0.030 inches.

15. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the core comprises two or more layers.

16. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the core comprises a center and an outer core layer, the outer core layer being adjacent the moisture barrier.

17. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover wherein the intermediate layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover and wherein the intermediate layer comprises hydrophobic micro particles that create a tortuous path across the intermediate layer.

18. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover and wherein the intermediate layer comprises micro particles selected from the group consisting of nano particles, ceramic particles and flaked metals.

19. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover and wherein the intermediate layer comprises a rubber-based primary ingredient, a cross-linking agent, a free radical source and fillers.

20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the rubber-based primary ingredient is polybutadiene.

21. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the rubber-based primary ingredient is natural rubber.

22. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the rubber-based primary ingredient is butyl-based rubber.

23. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the cross-linking agent is a metal acrylate or methacrylate.

24. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the free radical source is a peroxide.

25. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the fillers are high specific gravity fillers.

26. The golf ball of claim 25, wherein the high specific gravity fillers are metal-based fillers.

27. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the intermediate layer comprises about 100 parts polybutadiene, about 5-10 parts metal acrylate or methacrylate, about 2 parts peroxide, about 5 parts zinc oxide, and about X parts metal powder fillers, wherein X is a number.

28. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the cover comprises thermoplastic or thermosetting polyurethanes, or ionomers.

29. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the cover has a thickness of from about 0.010 inches to about 0.080 inches.

30. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the core has an outer diameter of from about 1.50 inches to at least about 1.58 inches.

31. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the moisture barrier layer has a thickness of less than about 0.030 inches.

32. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the core comprises two or more layers.

33. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the core comprises a center and an outer core layer, the outer core layer being adjacent the moisture barrier.