Multi-layer cover polyurethane golf ball

• US 6,685,579 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US09/853,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 473/351-377
• US Class Current: 473/357
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0021 Occupation ratio, i.e. percentage surface occupied by dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• 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 37/0035 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0056 Hollow; Gas-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0066 Density; Specific gravity
• 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 37/00921 whereby hardness of the cover is higher than hardness of the intermediate layers
• 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

A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises: an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core; an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and wherein the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises:

a) an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core;

b) an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and

c) an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and

wherein

d) the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and

e) the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches; and

wherein the core comprises a center and at least one outer core layer comprising a tensioned elastomeric material.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the second thickness is no greater than about 0.035 inches.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the second thickness is no greater than about 0.025 inches.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.105 inches.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.090 inches.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the reactive liquid material is a castable liquid reactive thermoset material or a reaction injection molding material.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the a castable liquid reactive thermoset material comprises polyurethane, polyurea, polyurethane ionomer, epoxy, or a mixture thereof.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer has a hardness of no less than about 55 Shore D.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer has a hardness of no greater than about 55 Shore D.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer and intermediate cover layer comprise a thermoplastic material.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises ionomers, polyolefins, metallocenes, polyesters, polyamides, thermoplastic elastomers, copolyether-amides, copolyether-esters, or mixtures thereof.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer has a specific gravity of between about 0.8 g/cc to about 1.4 g/cc.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the first hardness is at least about 60 Shore D and the third hardness is less than the first hardness.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is less than about 55 Shore D and the third hardness is greater than about 55 Shore D.

16. The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is less than about 55 Shore D and the third hardness is less than about 55 Shore D.

17. The golf bail of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is greater than about 55 Shore D and the third hardness is greater than about 55 Shore D.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is greater than about 55 Shore D and the third hardness is less than about 55 Shore D.

19. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is less about 55 Shore D and less than the first or third hardness.

20. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less than the second or third hardness.

21. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an outer diameter of about 1.40 inches to about 1.60 inches.

22. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less than about 60 Shore D and less than the second hardness.

23. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is less than the third hardness.

24. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the second hardness is greater than the third hardness.

25. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less than about 45 Shore D.

26. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the first hardness is greater than about 70 Shore D.

27. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a first hardness, the intermediate cover layer has a second hardness, and the outer cover layer has a third hardness, and wherein the third hardness is less than about 45 Shore D, and the second hardness is less than the first hardness and greater than the third hardness.

28. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises:

a) an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core;

b) an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and

c) an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and

wherein

d) the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and

e) the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches; and

wherein the core comprises a liquid-filled, hollow, foam, gel-filled, or gas-filled center; and

at least one outer core layer.

29. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises:

a) an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core;

b) an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and

c) an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and

wherein

d) the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and

e) the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches; and

wherein at least one of the intermediate or inner cover layers comprises a reaction injection molded material.

30. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises:

a) an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core;

b) an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and

c) an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and

wherein

d) the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and

e) the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches; and

wherein the core comprises an inner core layer having a first specific gravity and an outer core layer having a second specific gravity, wherein the first specific gravity is less than the second specific gravity.

31. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises:

a) an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core;

b) an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and

c) an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and

wherein

d) the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and

e) the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater than about 0.125 inches; and

wherein the core comprises an inner core layer having a first specific gravity and an outer core layer having a second specific gravity, wherein the first specific gravity is greater than the second specific gravity.

32. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed adjacent the core, wherein the cover comprises:

a) an inner cover layer having a first thickness and being disposed directly about the core;

b) an outer cover layer having a second thickness no greater than about 0.050 inches; and

c) an intermediate cover layer having a third thickness and being disposed between the inner and outer cover layers; and

wherein

d) the outer cover layer comprises a composition formed of a reactive liquid material; and

e) the combination of the first, second, and third thickness is no greater tan about 0.125 inches; and

wherein the core comprises polybutadiene rubber, high-Mooney viscosity polybutadiene rubber, polybutadiene rubber having a trans- isomer content of greater than about 30%, and mixtures thereof.