Golf balls with segmented polyurethane

• US 6,737,498 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Murali, Harris, Kevin M
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/277,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 528/28, 528/76, 528/85, 473/354, 473/374, 473/378
• US Class Current: 528/85
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0034 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• 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: C08G 18/44 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6651 with compounds of group C08G18/3225 or polyamines of C08G18/38
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes

Abstract

A golf ball comprising a core, a cover, and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the intermediate layer includes a segmented polyurethane elastomer copolymers.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core of at least one layer;

a cover of at least one layer disposed concentrically about the core and having a Shore D hardness of between 30 and 65; and

at least one intermediate layer disposed between the cover and the core;

wherein the cover comprises a segmented polyurethane elastomer having a surface modifying end group.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the segmented polyurethane elastomer is formed from the reaction product of a hydroxyl terminated polycarbonate, an aromatic diisocyanate, and a low molecular weight diamine.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the segmented polyurethane elastomer is blended with at least one thermoplastic or thermoset polymer selected from the group consisting of ionomers and their acid polymers including highly neutralized acid polymers, polyurethane, polyolefins, polyacrylates, polyamides, polyphenylene oxide, polyisoprenes, block copoly (ether or ester-amide), block copoly (ether or ester-ester), polysulfones, reaction injection moldable thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, block copolymer of styrene-butadiene with its hydrogenated derivatives, dynamically vulcanized ethylene-propylene rubber, polyvinylidenefluorides, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymer, epoxy resins, polystyrenes, acrylics, polyethylenes, polybutadienes, polyesters, silicone-urethanes and polycarbonate urethane.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.02 to about 0.125 inches.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate layer has a thickness of about 0.02 to about 0.08 inches.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the core has a diameter of at least about 1.55 inches.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises a center that is solid, hollow, fluid filled, or gel-filled.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic material having a flexural modulus of at least about 50,000 psi.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the segmented polyurethane elastomer has a tensile strength of greater than about 10,000 psi.

10. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the segmented polyurethane elastomer has an ultimate elongation of about 400 to about 800 percent.

11. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the segmented polyurethane elastomer has an initial modulus from about 300 psi to about 10,000 psi.

12. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the cover layer has a thickness of from about 0.01 to 0.12 inches.

13. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a compression of less than about 120.

14. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the core has a diameter from about 1.00 to about 1.62 inches.