Low spin golf ball utilizing perimeter weighting

• US 7,041,011 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Nesbitt, R. Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIMIEW, RAEANN
• Application Number:
  US10/712,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20040106476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 473/378, 473/377, 473/368, 473/367
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/02 Marking of balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3688 Balls, ball substitutes, or attachments on balls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/025 Copolymer of an unspecified olefin with a monomer other than an olefin
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a soft core and a hard cover to produce a resulting golf ball having a reduced spin rate. In this regard, a core is provided and metal particles, or other heavy weight filler materials, are included in the cover compositions. This results in a golf ball exhibiting enhanced perimeter weighting. Preferably, the particles are included in a relatively thick inner cover layer (or mantle) of a solid, three-piece multi-layered golf ball. In another preferred version, one or more patterns of weighting material are incorporated in the ball, and most preferably along the outer periphery of the ball so that the pattern is visible along the ball'"'"'s exterior. The size and weight of the core is reduced in order to produce an overall golf ball which meets, or is less than, the 1.62 ounce maximum weight limitation specified by the United States Golf Association. It has been found that the present invention produces a golf ball with an increased moment of inertia and/or a greater radius of gyration and thus generates lower spin. The golf ball of the present invention may also utilize an enlarged diameter which serves to further reduce spin rate. The resulting golf ball exhibits properties of reduced spin without sacrificing durability, playability and resilience.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core having a Riehle compression of at least 75; and

a layer disposed about said core, said layer having a Shore D hardness of at least about 65, said layer including at least one region of weighting material, and at least one other region of layer material less dense than said weighting material.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said weighting material comprises at least one of metal, metal powders, carbonaceous materials, glass, high strength polyamide fibers, and combinations thereof.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said core has a Riehle compression of from about 75 to about 115.

4. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein said metal powders are selected from the group consisting of bismuth powder, boron powder, brass powder, bronze powder, cobalt powder, copper powder, inconel metal powder, iron metal powder, molybdenum powder, nickel powder, stainless steel powder, titanium metal powder, zirconium oxide powder, aluminum flakes, aluminum tadpoles, and combinations thereof.

5. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein said carbonaceous materials are selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbon black, cotton flock, leather fiber, and combinations thereof.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said weighting material ranges in size from about 10 mesh to about 325 mesh.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said weighting material comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, iron oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide, magnesium oxide, xirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said weighting material comprises a metal stearate selected from the group consisting of zinc stearate, calcium stearate, barium stearate, lithium stearate, magnesium stearate, and combinations thereof.

9. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, tungsten, aluminum, bismuth, nickel, molybdenum, iron, copper, brass, boron, bronze, cobalt, beryllium, zinc, tin and combinations thereof.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the amount of said weighting material in said layer disposed about said core ranges from about 1 to about 100 parts per 100 parts of material forming said layer disposed about said core.

11. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said layer disposed about said core is comprised of at least one high acid ionomer resin comprising a copolymer of about 17% to about 25% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and an alpha olefin of which about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal cation.

12. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said golf ball has a diameter of about 1.680 to 1.800 inches.

16. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein said core has a Riehle compression of 80 to 90, and a diameter of about 1.540 to about 1.545 inches.

17. The golf ball of claim 12 wherein said golf ball has a diameter of about 1.70 to about 1.80 inches.

13. A multi-layer golf ball having an increased moment of inertia, said golf ball comprising:

a core having a Riehle compression of from about 75 to about 115;

an inner layer disposed about said core;

an outer layer disposed about said inner layer, said outer layer having a Shore D hardness of at least about 65;

an effective amount of a weighting material disposed in at least one of said inner layer and said outer layer; and

at least one discrete region of a weighting material disposed in said outer layer,

wherein said at least one discrete region of weighting material is in the form of a perimeter weighting pattern selected from the group consisting of a visible star-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a visible contour-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a visible pentagon-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a visible radiused pentagon-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a visible single stripe-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a double stripe-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a multi-stripe-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a stripe and dimple-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, a ring-shaped perimeter weighting pattern, and a spiral-shaped perimeter weighting pattern.

14. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein said core has a Riehle compression of 80 to 90, and a diameter of about 1.540 to about 1.545 inches.

15. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein said golf ball has a diameter of about 1.70 to about 1.80 inches.

18. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein the amount of said weighting material in said layer disposed about said core ranges from about 1 to about 100 parts per 100 parts of material forming said layer disposed about said core.

19. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein said layer disposed about said core is comprised of at least one high acid ionomer resin comprising a copolymer of about 17% to about 25% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and an alpha olefin of which about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal cation.

20. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein said weighting material comprises at least one of metal, metal powders, carbonaceous materials, glass, high strength polyamide fibers, and combinations thereof.