Golf ball comprising silicone materials

• US 6,634,963 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Top-Flite Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Binette, Mark L., Nesbitt, R. Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US09/702,344
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 473/373, 473/374, 473/376, 473/378, 473/370, 473/371, 473/367, 473/368, 473/369
• US Class Current: 473/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0034 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/025 Copolymer of an unspecified olefin with a monomer other than an olefin
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a soft core and a hard cover to produce a golf ball having a reduced spin rate. The present invention is also directed to an improved golf ball comprising at least one interior layer and/or a core comprising a silicone material. It is preferred to also utilize a multi-layer cover in conjunction with the silicone materials. The golf ball of the present invention may also utilize an enlarged diameter which serves to further reduce spin rate. The resulting golf ball exhibits properties of reduced spin without sacrificing durability, playability and resilience.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

an interior layer disposed about said core; and

a cover layer disposed about said interior layer;

wherein said interior layer comprises a silicone polymer having a formula (R_nSiO<sub>(4−

n)/2</sub>)_m, wherein n ranges from 1 to 3, m is at least 2, and R is selected from the group consisting of methyl, fluoroalkyl, phenyl, vinyl, hydrogen, chlorine, alkoxy, acyloxy, alkylamino, and combinations thereof.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said silicone polymer is at least one of a silicone homopolymer, a silicone random copolymer, a silicone block copolymer, and combinations thereof.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein said silicone polymer is a silicone homopolymer which is polydimethylsiloxane.

4. The golf ball of claim 3 wherein said polydimethylsiloxane is a trimethylsiloxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said interior layer comprises a silicone elastomer.

6. The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said silicone elastomer results from crosslinking said silicone polymer.

7. The golf ball of claim 6 wherein said interior layer further comprises a finely divided reinforcing material.

8. The golf ball of claim 7 wherein said finely divided reinforcing material is silica.

9. The golf ball of claim 8 wherein said silica is in the form of fumed silica.

10. The golf ball of claim 8 wherein said silica is in the form of particles and has a specific surface area of from about 20 to about 400 m²/g.

11. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said interior layer comprises a room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone elastomer.

12. The golf ball of claim 11 wherein said RTV silicone elastomer exhibits a viscosity, prior to curing, of from about 100 to about 1,000,000 mm²/s at 25°

C.

13. The golf ball of claim 11 wherein said interior layer comprises a silica filler material.

14. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said interior layer comprises a heat curing silicone rubber.

15. The golf ball of claim 14 wherein said interior layer further comprises a filler.

16. The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of silica, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, and iron oxide.

36. The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of silica, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, iron oxide and combinations thereof.

17. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

an interior layer disposed about said core; and

a cover layer disposed about said interior layer;

wherein said interior layer comprises a silicone resin formed from a chlorosilane selected from the group consisting of monomethylchlorosilane, dimethylchlorosilane, diphenylchlorosi lane, methylchlorosilane, phenylchlorosilane, monovinylchlorosilane, methylvinylchlorosilane, and combinations thereof.

18. The golf ball of claim 17 wherein said silicone resin, upon curing, exhibits a Shore A hardness of about 40.

19. The golf ball of claim 17 wherein said silicone resin, upon curing, exhibits a tensile strength of about 800 psi.

20. The golf ball of claim 17 wherein said silicone resin, upon curing, exhibits a specific gravity of about 1.11.

21. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover layer disposed about said core;

wherein

said core comprises a silicone polymer having a formula (R_nSiO<sub>(4−

n)/2</sub>)_m, wherein n ranges from 1 to 3, m is at least 2, and R is selected from the group consisting of methyl, fluoroalkyl, phenyl, vinyl, hydrogen, chlorine, alkoxy, acyloxy, alkylamino, and combinations thereof.

22. The golf ball of claim 21 wherein said silicone polymer is at least one of a silicone homopolymer, a silicone random copolymer, a silicone block copolymer, and combinations thereof.

23. The golf ball of claim 22 wherein said silicone polymer is said silicone homopolymer which is polydimethylsiloxane.

24. The golf ball of claim 23 wherein said polydimethylsiloxane is a trimethylsiloxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.

25. The golf ball of claim 21 wherein said core comprises a silicone elastomer.

26. The golf bail of claim 25 wherein said silicone elastomer results from crosslinking said silicone polymer.

27. The golf ball of claim 26 wherein said core further comprises a finely divided reinforcing material.

28. The golf ball of claim 27 wherein said finely divided reinforcing material is silica.

29. The golf ball of claim 28 wherein said silica is in the form of fumed silica.

30. The golf ball of claim 28 wherein said silica has a specific surface area of from about 20 to about 400 m²/g.

31. The golf ball of claim 21 wherein said core comprises a room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone elastomer.

32. The golf ball of claim 31 wherein said RTV silicone elastomer exhibits a viscosity, prior to curing, of from about 100 to about 1,000,000 mm²/s at 25°

C.

33. The golf ball of claim 31 wherein said core comprises a silica filler material.

34. The golf ball of claim 21 wherein said core comprises a heat curing silicone rubber.

35. The golf ball of claim 34 wherein said interior layer further comprises a filler.

37. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

an interior layer disposed about said core; and

a cover layer disposed about said interior layer;

wherein said core comprises a silicone resin formed from a chlorosilane selected from the group consisting of monomethylchlorosilane, dimethylchlorosilane, diphenylchlorosilane, methylchlorosilane, phenylchlorosilane, monovinylchlorosilane, methylvinylchlorosilane, and combinations thereof.

38. The golf ball of claim 37 wherein said silicone resin, upon cunng, exhibits a Shore A hardness of about 40.

39. The golf ball of claim 37 wherein said silicone resin, upon curing, exhibits a tensile strength of about 800 psi.

40. The golf ball of claim 37 wherein said silicone resin, upon curing, exhibits a specific gravity of about 1.11.