Golf ball cores comprising a halogenated organosulfur compound

• US 7,030,192 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bulpett, David A., Goguen, Douglas S., Rajagopalan, Murali, Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/867,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 525/261
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0061 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution

Abstract

A golf ball comprising a core having a diameter of between about 1.54 inches and about 1.57 inches, a compression of between about 70 and 80, and comprising a polybutadiene rubber composition comprising a magnesium salt of pentachlorothiophenol; a cover having a thickness of about 0.04 inches or less and comprising a castable polyurethane or polyurea composition; and an inner cover layer disposed between the core and the outer cover layer, the inner cover layer having a thickness of about 0.04 inches or less and selected from the group consisting of ionomers, vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins, thermoplastics, polyphenylene oxide resins, thermoplastic polyesters, thermoplastic rubbers, partially-neutralized polymers, highly-neutralized polymers, and fully-neutralized polymers.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core having a diameter of between about 1.54 inches and about 1.57 inches, a compression of between about 70 and 80, and comprising a polybutadiene rubber composition comprising a magnesium salt of pentachlorothiophenol;

a cover having a thickness of about 0.04 inches or less and comprising a castable polyurethane or polyurea composition; and

an inner cover layer disposed between the core and the outer cover layer, the inner cover layer having a thickness of about 0.04 inches or less and selected from the group consisting of ionomers, vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins, thermoplastics, polyphenylene oxide resins, thermoplastic polyesters, thermoplastic rubbers, partially-neutralized polymers, highly-neutralized polymers, and fully-neutralized polymers.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a solid, liquid, or gel-filled center and an outer core layer.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate layer comprising an ionomeric material, vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins, thermoplastics, polyphenylene oxide resins, thermoplastic polyesters, thermoplastic rubbers, partially-neutralized polymers, highly-neutralized polymers, or fully-neutralized polymers.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the magnesium salt of pentachlorothiophenol is present in an amount from about 0.1 pph to about 0.75 pph.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.800.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball further comprises a water vapor barrier layer having a water vapor transmission rate of about 0.45 grams·

mm/m²·

day or less.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polybutadiene composition further comprises between about 15 pph and about 35 pph of a salt of an α

,β

-unsaturated carboxylic acid, between about 0.1 pph and about 1.2 pph of an organic peroxide, and a filler.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane or polyurea comprises a prepolymer formed of a polyisocyanate and a polyol, and a curing agent.

9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the prepolymer and curing agent are saturated.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane or polyurea comprises at least one of a UV absorber, a hindered amine light stabilizer, or an optical brightener.

11. A golf ball comprising:

a core having a diameter of about 1.50 inches or greater and a compression of between about 40 and about 80, the core consisting of;

a center; and

an outer core layer,

wherein at least one of the core or the outer core layer comprises a polybutadiene rubber composition comprising a magnesium salt of pentachlorothiophenol;

an outer cover having a thickness of less than about 0.04 inches and comprising a castable polyurethane or polyurea composition; and

an inner cover layer disposed between the core and the outer cover layer, the inner cover layer having a thickness of about 0.04 inches or less and comprising an ionomeric material, vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins, thermoplastics, polyphenylene oxide resins, thermoplastic polyesters, thermoplastic rubbers, partially-neutralized polymers, highly-neutralized polymers, or fully-neutralized polymers.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the core has an outer diameter of between about 1.54 inches and about 1.61 inches.

13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the outer core layer further comprises ionomers, vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins, thermoplastics, polyphenylene oxide resins, thermoplastic polyesters, thermoplastic rubbers, crosslinked polybutadiene rubber, partially-neutralized polymers, highly-neutralized polymers, or fully-neutralized polymers.

14. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.800.

15. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the core has a compression of between about 55 and about 70, and the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.800.

16. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the polybutadiene composition further comprises between about 15 pph and about 35 pph of a salt of an α

,β

-unsaturated carboxylic acid, between about 0.1 pph and about 0.75 pph of an organic peroxide, and a filler.

17. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the polyurethane or polyurea composition comprises a prepolymer formed of a polyisocyanate and a polyol, and a curing agent.

18. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein at least one of the prepolymer and curing agent are saturated.

19. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polyurethane or polyurea composition comprises at least one of a UV absorber, a hindered amine light stabilizer, or an optical brightener.

20. A golf consisting of:

a core having a diameter of about 1.50 inches or greater, a compression of about 80 or less, and comprises a polybutadiene rubber composition comprising a magnesium salt of a halogenated thiophenol; and

at least one cover layer comprising ionomers, vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins, thermoplastics, polyphenylene oxide resins, thermoplastic polyesters, thermoplastic rubbers, partially-neutralized polymers, highly-neutralized polymers, fully-neutralized polymers, polyurethanes, or polyureas, and having a thickness of about 0.05 inches or less.

21. The golf ball of claim 20, wherein the halogenated thiophenol is selected from the group consisting of pentafluorothiophenol;

2-fluorothiophenol;

3-fluorothiophenol;

4-fluorothiophenol;

2,3-fluorothiophenol;

2,4-fluorothiophenol;

3,4-fluorothiophenol;

3,5-fluorothiophenol 2,3,4-fluorothiophenol;

3,4,5-fluorothiophenol;

2,3,4,5-tetrafluorothiophenol;

2,3,5,6-tetrafluorothiophenol;

4-chlorotetrafluorothiophenol;

pentachlorothiophenol;

2-chlorothiophenol;

3-chlorothiophenol;

4-chlorothiophenol;

2,3-chlorothiophenol;

2,4-chlorothiophenol;

3,4-chlorothiophenol;

3,5-chlorothiophenol;

2,3,4-chlorothiophenol;

3,4,5-chlorothiophenol;

2,3,4,5-tetrachlorothiophenol;

2,3,5,6-tetrachlorothiophenol;

pentabromothiophenol;

2-bromothiophenol;

3-bromothiophenol;

4-bromothiophenol;

2,3-bromothiophenol;

2,4-bromothiophenol;

3,4-bromothiophenol;

3,5-bromothiophenol;

2,3,4-bromothiophenol;

3,4,5-bromothiophenol;

2,3,4,5-tetrabromothiophenol;

2,3,5,6-tetrabromothiophenol;

pentaiodothiophenol;

2-iodothiophenol;

3-iodothiophenol;

4-iodothiophenol;

2,3-iodothiophenol;

2,4-iodothiophenol;

3,4-iodothiophenol;

3,5-iodothiophenol;

2,3,4-iodothiophenol;

3,4,5-iodothiophenol;

2,3,4,5-tetraiodothiophenol; and

2,3,5,6-tetraiodothiophenol.