Method for forming golf ball with polyurethane

• US 7,041,245 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2000
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wu, Shenshen, Snell, Dean A., Calabria, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Edmund H.
• Application Number:
  US09/482,338
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 264/135, 264/248, 264/254, 264/275, 264/279.1
• US Class Current: 264/135
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• 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: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/304 centering cores
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/36 continuously movable in one direction, e.g. in a closed circuit B29C49/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/021 by casting in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/14 Dipping a core B29C41/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/14 in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/70 Completely encapsulating inserts B29C70/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00663 Production of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls

Abstract

A method of making a golf ball having a core and polyurethane including the following steps. A first portion of polyurethane is placed in a first cavity, and the first portion of polyurethane is allowed to partially cure to a selected state of gel. The core is positioned within the cavity while the core is vertically and laterally centered within the cavity. A second portion of polyurethane is placed in a second cavity at a time subsequent to placing the first portion of polyurethane in the first cavity. The second portion of polyurethane is allowed to partially cure, and the first and second cavities are mated together to cure the polyurethane around the core.

Claims

1. A method of making a golf ball having a core and outer cover and using first and second mold halves, comprising the steps of:

a) placing a first portion of polyurethane in a first cavity of the first mold half;

b) allowing said first portion of polyurethane to partially cure to a selected state of gel in said first cavity;

c) positioning said core within said first cavity while vertically and laterally centering said core within said first cavity to mold said first portion of said polyurethane at said selected state of gel around said core;

d) placing a second portion of polyurethane in a second cavity of the second mold half at a time subsequent to the placing of said first portion of polyurethane in said first cavity of said first mold half;

e) allowing said second portion of polyurethane to partially cure to the same selected state of gel as the first portion was when the core was moved into said first cavity of said first mold half;

f) mating said first mold half, having the core and first portion of polyurethane against said second mold half when said second portion of said polyurethane in said second cavity of the second mold half is at the same selected state of gel as the first portion was when the core was moved into said first cavity of said first mold half; and

g) curing the polyurethane in the mated mold halves.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of encapsulating the core with coating prior to placing the core in the first cavity.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of encapsulating the core is comprised of dipping the core in a thermosetting latex bath.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising inserting an alignment pin into an alignment aperture of the first mold half when the core is moved into the first cavity of the first mold half so the core is centered in the first mold cavity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising limiting movement of the core by stopping vertical movement at a predetermined height with a stop member.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) aligning the first mold half with an alignment rail to position the first mold half in a first direction; and

b) aligning the first mold half with a second member to position the first mold half in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising preheating the mold halves to 140°

–

180°

F.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising mixing a prepolymer and a curative to form the polyurethane.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising preheating the prepolymer and curative to 140°

–

160°

F.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the prepolymer and curative are mixed for about 4–

7 seconds.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the first portion of polyurethane to partially cure to a selected state of gel comprises allowing the polyurethane to reside in the first cavity of the first mold half for about 50 to 80 seconds.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming a core comprises molding a solid core.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming a layer over the core, wherein the layer comprises a thermoset material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the layer comprises a latex.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of preheating the first and second mold halves to 140°

–

180°

F.

12. A method of making a golf ball having a core and using first and second mold members, comprising the steps of:

a) placing a first portion of polyurethane in a first cavity of the first mold member;

b) curing the first portion in the first cavity for a selected amount of time to a selected state of gel;

c) positioning said core within said first cavity while vertically and laterally cent said core within said first cavity to mold said first portion of said polyurethane at said selected state of gel around said core;

d) placing a second portion of polyurethane in a second cavity of the second mold member at a time subsequent to the placing of said first portion of polyurethane in said first cavity of said first mold member;

e) curing the second portion in said second cavity for said selected amount of time to said selected state of gel;

f) mating said first mold member, having the core and first portion of polyurethane against said second mold member when said second portion of said polyurethane in said second cavity of the second mold member is at the same selected state of gel as the first portion was when the core was moved into said first cavity of said first mold member; and

g) curing the polyurethane in the mated mold members.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of curing the first portion of polyurethane for a selected amount of time is about 50 to 80 seconds.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of forming a core comprises molding a solid core.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of forming a layer over the core, wherein the layer comprises a thermoset material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the layer comprises a latex.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of preheating the first and second mold members to 140°

–

180°

F.