Multi-layer golf ball with a thin, castable outer layer

• US 6,677,401 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• 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: Boehm, Herbert C, Dalton, Jeffrey L, Morgan, William E, Jones, Douglas E, Cavallaro, Christopher, Rajagopalan, Murali
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/097,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 525/72, 525/74, 473/373, 473/374
• US Class Current: 525/72
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0027 Polyurea
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0048 Melt flow rate [MFR]
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• 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: B29C 35/02 Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing during moulding, e.g. in a mouldcold vulcanisation B29C35/18 ; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/00 Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor B29C41/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/00 Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor injection blow-moulding B29C49/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls
• 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: C08L 2205/02 containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• 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

A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover layer; wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising an ionomer having at least about 16% acid groups and a grafted-metallocene polymer; and the cover layer comprises a castable reactive liquid material. Optionally, a non-ionomer may be blended with the polymer blend or, in an alternative, the high acid ionomer may be blended solely with the non-ionomer.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover layer;

wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising an ionomer having at least about 16 percent acid groups and a grafted-metallocene polymer; and

the cover layer comprises a castable reactive liquid material.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of less than about 0.05 inches.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of between about 0.02 inches and about 0.04 inches.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover has a Shore D hardness of between about 30 and about 60.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the castable reactive liquid material comprises thermoset or thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyureas, urethane ionomers, urethane epoxies, or a mixture thereof.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has a Shore D hardness of about 65 to about 80.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer blend has a flexural modulus of between about 65,000 psi and about 120,000 psi.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of no greater than about 0.055 inches.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of between about 0.02 inches and about 0.045 inches.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ionomer is a blend of at least two ionomers.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has an outer diameter of between about 1.58 and about 1.64 inches.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has an outer diameter of between about 1.60 inches and about 1.63 inches.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted-metallocene polymer is foamed or unfoamed.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is formed from homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene;

and a second olefin comprising propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, and norbornene.

15. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer has the formula:

wherein

R₁ is hydrogen, branched or straight chain alkyl such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, and octyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₂ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅;

carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic

R₃ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₄ is selected from the group consisting of H, C_nH_2n+1, where n=1 to 18, and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₄ can be replaced by substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₂, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicone, 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 including C₁-C₅, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₆ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic; and

wherein x ranges from 1-99 percent, y ranges from 99-1 percent, and z ranges from 0 to 49 percent.

16. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is functionalized by sulfonation, carboxylation, the addition of an amine or hydroxy group, or a mixture thereof.

17. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is a maleic anhydride grafted metallocene polymer.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is present in an amount from about 5 to about 50 phr of the polymer blend and the ionomer is present in an amount from about 95 to about 50 phr of the polymer blend.

19. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is present in an amount from about 7 to about 16 phr of the polymer blend and the ionomer is present in an amount from about 93 to about 84 phr of the polymer blend.

20. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer blend has a melt flow index of at least about 3.

21. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover layer, wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising an ionomer having at least about 16 percent acid groups, a non-ionomer, and a grafted-metallocene polymer, and the cover layer comprises a castable urethane.

22. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of less than about 0.05 inches.

23. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of between about 0.02 inches and about 0.04 inches.

24. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the outer cover has a Shore D hardness of between about 30 and about 60.

25. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the castable reactive liquid material comprises thermoset or thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyureas, urethane ionomers, urethane epoxies, or mixture thereof.

26. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the intermediate layer has a Shore D hardness of about 65 to about 80.

27. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the polymer blend has a flexural modulus of between about 65,000 psi and about 120,000 psi.

28. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of no greater than about 0.055 inches.

29. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of between about 0.02 inches and about 0.045 inches.

30. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the ionomer is a blend of at least two ionomers.

31. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the intermediate layer has an outer diameter of between about 1.58 and about 1.64 inches.

32. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the intermediate layer has an outer diameter of between about 1.60 inches and about 1.63 inches.

33. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted-metallocene polymer is foamed or unfoamed.

34. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is formed from homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene;

and a second olefin comprising propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, and norbornene.

35. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer has the formula:

wherein

R₁ is hydrogen, branched or straight chain alkyl such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, and octyl, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₂ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅;

carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic

R₃ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₄ is selected from the group consisting of H, C_nH_2n+1, where n=1 to 18, and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R₄ can be replaced by substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO₃H, NH₂, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicone, lower alkyl esters anti lower alkyl ethers, with the proviso that R₃ and R₄ can be combined to form a bicyclic ring;

R₅ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic;

R₆ is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C₁-C₅, carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic; and

wherein x ranges from 1-99 percent y ranges from 99-1 percent, and z ranges from 0 to 49 percent.

36. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is functionalized by sulfonation, carboxylation, the addition of an amine or hydroxy group, or a mixture thereof.

37. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is a maleic anhydride grafted metallocene polymer.

38. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is present in an amount from about 5 to about 50 phr of the polymer blend, the ionomer is present in an amount from about 95 to about 50 phr of the polymer blend, and the non-ionomer is present in an amount from about 1 to about 25 phr of the polymer blend.

39. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the grafted metallocene polymer is present in an amount from about 7 to about 16 phr of the polymer blend, the ionomer is present in an amount from about 93 to about 84 phr of the polymer blend, and the non-ionomer is present in an amount from about 1 to about 10 phr of the polymer blend.

40. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the polymer blend has a melt flow index of at least about 3.

41. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover layer;

wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising at least about 80 weight percent of an ionomer having at least about 16 percent acid groups, a non-ionomer, and a grafted-metallocene polymer; and

the cover layer comprises a castable urethane.

42. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of less than about 0.05 inches.

43. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of between about 0.02 inches and about 0.04 inches.

44. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the outer cover has a Shore D hardness of between about 30 and about 60.

45. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the castable reactive liquid material comprises thermoset or thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyureas, urethane ionomers, urethane epoxies, or a mixture thereof.

46. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the intermediate layer has a Shore D hardness of about 65 to about 80.

47. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of no greater than about 0.055 inches.

48. The of claim 41, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of between about 0.02 inches and about 0.045 inches.

49. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the ionomer is a blend of at least two ionomers.

50. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the intermediate layer has an outer diameter of between about 1.58 and about 1.64 inches.

51. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the intermediate layer has an outer diameter of between about 1.60 inches and about 1.63 inches.