Perimeter weighted golf ball

• US 7,232,384 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Voorheis, Peter R., Sullivan, Michael J, Ladd, Derek A
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/658,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20040048691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 473351-378
• US Class Current: 473/373
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• 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 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0054 Substantially rigid, e.g. metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/06 Elastic cores

Abstract

A perimeter weighted golf ball with a low compression core is provided. The core preferably comprises a diene polymer that has low cross-link density or not cross-linked with a reactive co-agent. This core has low compression and low specific gravity. The low specific gravity core is encased within a thin dense layer positioned outside of the centroid radius to provide the ball with a high moment of inertia. The same core can be encased within a plurality of intermediate layers having either increasing hardness or decreasing hardness to provide selective golf balls for either low swing speed players or advanced players. Alternatively, a thin layer of diene polymer highly cross-linked with reactive a co-agent may be incorporated into the ball to increase the hardness of the ball.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising an elastomeric composition comprised of a diene polymer, a reactive co-agent present by about 0 phr by weight of the elastomeric composition, and a cross-linking agent;

an intermediate layer encasing the core, the intermediate layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer;

a cover encasing the intermediate layer; and

a thin dense layer between the intermediate layer and the cover, the thin dense layer being positioned at a radial distance outside a centroid radius of the golf ball, and having a thickness from about 0.25 mm to about 0.5 mm,

wherein the thin dense layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyureas, epoxies and silicones.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thin dense layer does not appreciably affect the overall ball properties of feel, compression and cover hardness.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thin dense layer has a specific gravity of greater than about 1.2 g/cm³.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thin dense layer has a specific gravity of greater than about 1.5 g/cm³.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thin dense layer has a specific gravity of greater than 2.0 glcm³.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thin dense layer is formed by a process selected from the group consisting of compression or injection molding, reaction injection molding, casting, spraying, dipping and powder coating.

7. A golf ball having a diameter of about 1.68 inches comprising:

a core comprising an elastorneric composition, comprising a diene rubber, a reactive co-agent present by less than about5 phr by weight of the elastomeric composition, and a cross-linking agent, and having an Atti compression of 10–

60 and a specific gravity of less than 1.05;

an intermediate layer encasing the core, the intermediate layer comprising a highly neutralized polymer;

a cover encasing the intermediate layer; and

a thin dense layer between the intermediate layer and the cover, the thin dense layer being positioned at a radial distance outside a centroid radius of the golf ball, and having a thickness from about 0.25 mm to about 0.5 mm,

wherein the thin dense layer has a specific gravity of greater than 2.0 g/cm³.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the reactive co-agent is present by about 0 phr.

9. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the reactive co-agent comprises a metal salt of diacrylate, dimethacrylate, or monomethacrylate, or a non-metallic oligomer.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the metal is selected from zinc, magnesium, calcium, barium, tin, aluminum, lithium, sodium, potassium, iron, zirconium, and bismuth.

11. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the thin dense layer does not appreciably affect the overall ball properties of feel, compression and cover hardness.

12. The golf bail of claim 7, wherein the thin dense layer is formed by a process selected from the group consisting of compression or injection molding, reaction injection molding, casting, spraying, dipping and powder coating.