Method of making a golf ball with a multi-layer core

• US 7,131,914 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• 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: Dalton, Jeffrey L., Cavallaro, Christopher, Boehm, Herbert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/347,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 473351-378
• US Class Current: 473/376
• 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 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00621 Centre hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0066 Density; Specific gravity
• 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 37/0092 Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 Spin rate
• 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 2043/3644 Vacuum bags; Details thereof, e.g. fixing or clamping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/146 for making multilayered articles
• 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 43/305 Making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/70 : Completely encapsulating inserts B29C70/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0042 : Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/256 : Sheets, plates, blanks or films
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/52 : Sports equipment ; Games; Articles for amusement; Toys B29L2031/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 : Balls

Abstract

A multilayer golf ball including a solid center having a center hardness, a plurality of laminates cut into a plurality of shapes formed around the center to create an inner ball, and a cover formed around the inner ball, wherein the plurality of layers can include at least a first layer having a hardness greater than the center hardness and a second layer having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness, and optionally a third layer disposed between the first and the second layers having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a center having a center hardness;

a cover; and

a laminate disposed between the center and the cover, wherein the laminate comprises;

a plurality of layers comprising a first layer having a first hardness greater than the center hardness and comprising at least one thermoplastic material, a second layer having a second hardness and comprising at least one thermoset material, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers having a third hardness greater than the first hardness.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first layer is adjacent the center and at least one thermoplastic material comprises dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers, functionalized styrene-butadiene elastomers, thermoplastic rubbers, thermoplastic urethanes, metallocene polymers, ionomer resins, or blends thereof.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center is formed of a thermoset rubber.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center hardness is 70 Shore C or less.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the second layer is adjacent the cover.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermoset material comprises polybutadiene.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the third layer comprises a thermoplastic material.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover has a hardness of 60 Shore D or less.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first hardness is from 70 to 75 Shore C, the second hardness is from 75 to 80 Shore C, and the third hardness is from 72 to 77 Shore C.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of a composition comprising at least one castable reactive liquid material.

11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the at least one castable reactive liquid material comprises cast polyurethane.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein each laminate layer is substantially figure 8-shaped.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein each laminate layer has a thickness of 0.1 inches or less.

14. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the thickness is 0.05 inches or less.

15. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material has a flexural modulus of 10,000 psi or less.

16. A golf ball comprising:

a center;

a cover; and

a laminate disposed between the center and the cover, wherein the laminate comprises;

a plurality of layers comprising a first layer having a first hardness of 70 Shore C to 75 Shore C, a second layer having a second hardness of 75 Shore C to 80 Shore C, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers having a third hardness of 72 Shore C to 77 Shore C.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the first layer is adjacent the center and comprises at least one thermoplastic material comprises dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers, functionalized styrene-butadiene elastomers, thermoplastic rubbers, thermoplastic urethanes, metallocene polymers, ionomer resins, or blends thereof.

18. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the center has a center hardness, and wherein the first hardness is greater than the center hardness.

19. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the center has a center hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less than the center hardness.

20. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the second layer is adjacent the cover and comprises at least one thermoset material.

21. The golf ball of claim 20, wherein the at least one thermoset material comprises polybutadiene.

22. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the cover comprises at least one layer formed of a material having a flexural modulus of 50,000 psi or less.

23. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the cover is formed of a composition comprising at least one castable reactive liquid material.

24. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein the at least one castable reactive liquid material comprises cast polyurethane.

25. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein each laminate layer is substantially figure 8-shaped.

26. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the first, second, and third layers each have a thickness of 0.1 inches or less.

27. The golf ball of claim 26, wherein the thickness is 0.05 inches or less.