Golf ball compositions containing oxa esters

• US 6,844,384 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Murali, Harris, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/067,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 524/308, 524/317, 524/320, 473/373, 473/374, 473/378, 473/385
• US Class Current: 524/308
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0054 Substantially rigid, e.g. metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0069 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• 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 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• 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: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/09 Carboxylic acids; Metal salts thereof; Anhydrides thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/11 of acyclic polycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0869 Acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/02 Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof

Abstract

A golf ball and process for forming a golf ball having at least one layer, where the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising a thermoplastic component having a flexural modulus of about 60,000 psi or greater and at least one oxa ester, oxa acid, or a combination thereof. The thermoplastic component may be a high acid acid ionomer or a saponified ionomer.

Claims

1. A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising:

at least one ionomer comprising at least one α

-olefin and at least one α

, β

-unsaturated carboxylic acid, wherein at least a portion of the acid groups are neutralized with at least one metal atom; and

at least one oxa ester.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ionomer comprises about 16 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the at least one α

, β

-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has an Atti compression of at least 50 and a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.7.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer has a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, and a specific gravity of at least about 0.7.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer further comprises at least one density adjusting filler.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the density adjusting filler is a metallic powder, a metallic oxide derivative, or a combination thereof.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the density adjusting filler comprises titanium, tungsten, tin, copper, or a combination thereof.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball comprises a cover formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, a urethane ionomer, a urethane epoxy, or a combination thereof.

9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the cover is formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, or a combination thereof.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the cover has a hardness of about 40 Shore D to about 70 Shore D and a flexural modulus of about 10,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.

11. A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising:

at least one acid-containing copolymer ionomer component comprising E/X/Y copolymers, wherein E is ethylene, X is a softening comonomer, and Y is acrylic or methacrylic acid, and

at least one oxa ester.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the layer is disposed between a core and a cover.

13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the layer has a thickness of about 0.02 inches or greater.

14. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, or a combination thereof.

15. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the cover has a hardness of about 40 Shore D to about 70 Shore D and a flexural modulus of about 10,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.

16. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the layer further comprises at least one density adjusting filler.

17. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the core comprises polybutadiene.

18. A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising:

at least one saponified ionomer; and

at least one oxa ester.

19. The golf ball of claim 18, wherein the layer is disposed between a core and a cover.

20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, or a combination thereof.

21. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the core comprises cis-polybutadiene.

22. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the layer has a hardness of about 20 Shore D to about 70 Shore D.