Golf ball cover with segmented polyurethane

• US 6,809,152 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US10/274,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 528/28, 528/70, 528/76, 473/354, 473/365, 473/374, 473/378, 525/127, 525/129, 525/130, 525/261
• US Class Current: 525/130
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• 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: C08G 18/6685 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 cover and a core, and at least one intermediate layer interposed between the cover and the core, wherein the cover is formed from a blend comprising of a segmented polyurethane elastomer copolymers of polyether (or ester)-ester and polyether (or ester)-amide.

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;

the cover of at least one layer comprises a blend of segmented polycarbonate-urethane copolymer with at least one of a thermoset polymer or a thermoplastic polymer selected from a group consisting of highly neutralized acid polymers, polyphenylene oxide, polysulfones, polyvinylidene fluoride, and epoxy resins;

the segmented polycarbonate-urethane copolymer having a surface-active oligomer bonded to the base polymer during synthesis; and

the core of at least one layer is a polybutadiene comprising at least about 2.2 pph of a halogenated organosulfur compound or the salt thereof.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the ball further comprises at least one intermediate layer disposed between the cover and the core.

3. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the intermediate layers comprises a tensioned elastomeric material.

4. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the intermediate layers comprises a thermoplastic material having a flexural modulus of at least 50,000 psi.

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

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

7. A golf ball comprising:

a core of at least one layer;

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

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

the cover of at least one layer or the at least one intermediate layer comprising a blend of segmented polycarbonate-urethane copolymer with at least one of a thermoset polymer or a thermoplastic polymer selected from a group consisting of highly neutralized acid polymers, polyphenylene oxide, polysulfones, polyvinylidene fluoride, and epoxy resins;

a surface-active oligomer bonded to the polycarbonate-urethane copolymer during synthesis, and

the core of at least one layer is a polybutadiene comprising at least about 2.2 pph of a halogenated organosulfur compound or the salt thereof.

8. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the segmented polycarbonate-urethane copolymer comprises as the reaction product of a hydroxyl terminated polycarbonate, an aromatic diisocyanate, and a low molecular weight diamine.

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

10. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the thickness of the at least one intermediate layer is about 0.02 to about 0.08 inches.

11. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the core has a diameter of at least about 1.55 inches.

12. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein the core comprises a center that is solid, hollow, fluid filled, or gel-filled.

13. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a thermoplastic material having a flexural modulus of at least 50,000 psi.

14. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the cover layer has a thickness of from about 0.01 to 0.12 inches.

15. The golf ball according to claim 7, wherein the golf ball has a compression of less than about 120.