Golf ball with foam core and filled cover

• US 6,688,991 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ladd, Derek A., Sullivan, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/282,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 473/351-378
• US Class Current: 473/377
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0035 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0066 Density; Specific gravity
• 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 37/0091 Density distribution amongst the different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005

Abstract

A long distance, low initial spin golf ball is disclosed. The golf ball includes a high moment of inertia core assembly, which may comprise a low specific gravity core and an optional intermediate layer. This sub-assembly is encased within a high specific gravity cover with Shore D hardness in the range of about 40 to about 80. The core is preferably made from a highly neutralized thermoplastic polymer with its specific gravity reduced, and the cover preferably has high specific gravity fillers dispersed therein. The cover is preferably made from thermoset polyurethane or polyurea.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the ball has a moment of inertia greater than about 0.46 oz·

inch² and wherein the core has a diameter greater than 1.50 inches and comprises a highly neutralized thermoplastic polymer having a specific gravity of less than 1.05 and the cover having a specific gravity of greater than about 1.05, wherein the highly neutralized thermoplastic polymer has its specific gravity reduced, and the cover comprises a polymer with its specific gravity increased.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a polymer selected from a group consisting of polyurethane, ionomer, polyurea, partially or fully neutralized ionomer, metallocene catalyzed polymers, polyesters, polyamides, thermoplastic elastomers, copolyether esters and copolyether-amides.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the cover has a hardness in the range of about 40 to about 80 on the Shore D scale.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the highly neutralized thermoplastic comprises (a) an ethylene, C_3-8 alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer, (b) a high molecular weight, monomeric organic acid or salt thereof and (c) a cation source.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the highly neutralized thermoplastic further comprises (d) a thermoplastic elastomer polymer selected from copolyetheresters, copolyetheramides, block styrene polydiene thermoplastic elastomers, elastomeric polyolefins, and thermoplastic polyurethanes.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the highly neutralized polymer comprises a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising (a) aliphatic, mono-functional organic acid(s) having fewer than 36 atoms and (b) an ethylene, C_3-8 alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer(s) and ionomer(s) thereof.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the highly neutralized polymer comprises (a) a salt of a high molecular weight organic acid and (b) an acid containing copolymer ionomer.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the highly neutralized polymer further comprises (c) a thermoplastic polymer selected from co-polyesteresters, copolyetheramides, block styrene polydiene thermoplastic elastomers, elastomeric polyolefins, and thermoplastic polyurethanes.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the core is from about 1.50 inches to about 1.66 inches.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the highly neutralized polymer is reduced by the incorporating low specific gravity fillers into the polymer.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the highly neutralized polymer is reduced by foaming.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the cover is increased by incorporating high specific gravity fillers therein.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the core is less than 1.0.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the cover is between about 1.05 and about 10.0.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the moment of inertia of the golf ball is greater than about 0.575 oz·

in².

16. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the cover is greater than about 2.0.

17. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the moment of inertia of the golf ball is greater than 0.50 oz·

in².

18. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the ball has a moment of inertia greater than about 0.46 oz·

inch² and wherein the core has a diameter greater than 1.50 inches and comprises a thermoplastic polymer having a specific gravity of less than 1.05 and the cover having a specific gravity of greater than about 1.05, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has its specific gravity reduced and comprises (a) an ethylene, C_3-8 alpha, beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer, (b) a high molecular weight, monomeric organic acid or salt thereof, (c) a cation source, and (d) a thermoplastic elastomer polymer selected from copolyetheresters, copolyetheramides, block styrene polydiene thermoplastic elastomers, elastomeric polyolefins, and thermoplastic polyurethanes, and the cover comprises a polymer with its specific gravity increased.