Golf balls with silicone-urea copolymers

• US 6,776,729 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Murali, Harris, Kevin M
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Margaret G.
• Application Number:
  US10/274,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 528/28, 473/378, 473/374
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• 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 37/0069 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3225 Polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/44 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4854 Polyethers containing oxyalkylene groups having four carbon atoms in the alkylene group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/61 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/758 containing two or more cycloaliphatic rings

Abstract

A golf ball comprising a cover and a core, and optionally at least one intermediate layer interposed between the cover and the core, wherein the cover, the intermediate layer or both are formed from a blend comprising a silicon-urea copolymer.

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;

at least one of the cover or the core is comprised of a silicone-urea copolymer; and

the silicone-urea copolymer comprises a polycarbonate soft segment with a silicone moiety.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer has an ultimate elongation of at least 40%.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer has a tensile strength of at least 300 psi.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer has an initial modulus less than 10,000 psi.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer has an initial modulus of between 10,000 and 80,000 psi.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer has a Shore D hardness from about 30 to 65.

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

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

9. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the core has a diameter from about 1.0 to about 1.62 inches.

10. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic silicon-urea copolymer 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, polyisporene, 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 and its hydrogenated derivatives, dynamically vulcanized ethylene-propylene rubber, polyvinylidenefluoride, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymer, epoxy resins, polystyrenes, acrylics, polybutadienes and polyester.

11. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer includes a surface modifying additive.

12. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the silicone-urea has a silicone content in an amount between about 0.1 percent to 60 percent of copolymer by weight.

13. The golf ball according to claim 12, in which the silicone content is present in an amount between about 1 percent to 20 percent.

14. The golf ball according to claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic silicon-urea copolymer 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, polyisoprene, 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, polyvinylidenefluride, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymer, epoxy resins, polystyrenes, acrylics, polybutadienes and polyesters.

15. A golf ball comprising:

a core of at least one layer;

a cover of at least one layer disposed concentrically about the core;

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

at least one of the core, or the cover or the at least one intermediate layer is comprised of a silicone-urea copolymer; and

the silicone-urea copolymer comprises a polycarbonate soft segment with a silicone moiety.

16. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the silicone-urea copolymer includes a surface modifying additive.

17. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the silicone-urea has a silicone content in an amount between about 0.1 percent to 60 percent of the copolymer by weight.

18. The golf ball according to claim 17, wherein the silicone content is present in an amount between about 1 percent to 20 percent.

19. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is comprised of a tensioned elastomeric material.

20. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.02 inches to about 0.125 inches.

21. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of the at least one intermediate layer is about 0.02 inches to about 0.08 inches.

22. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the core has a diameter of at least about 1.55 inches.

23. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the silicone-polyurea composition comprises a UV absorber.

24. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the silicone-polyurea composition comprises a hindered amine light stabilizer.

25. The golf ball according to claim 15, wherein the silicone-polyurea composition comprises an optical brightener.

26. The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the intermediate layer is comprised of the silicone-urea copolymer and the cover is comprised of a thermoset material.

27. The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the intermediate layer is comprised of the silicone-urea copolymer and the cover is comprised of a thermoplastic material.

28. A golf ball comprising:

a core of at least one layer;

a cover of at least one layer disposed concentrically about the core;

at least one of the cover or the core is comprised of a silicone-urea copolymer; and

the silicone-urea copolymer comprises a polyester soft segment with a silicone moiety.

29. A golf ball comprising:

a core of at least one layer;

a cover of at least one layer disposed concentrically about the core;

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

at least one of the core, or the cover or the at least one intermediate layer is comprised of a silicone-urea copolymer; and

the silicone-urea copolymer comprises a polyester soft segment with a silicone moiety.