For golf balls with non-ionomer casing layer

• US 7,247,676 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jones, Douglas E., Morgan, William E., Sullivan, Michael J., Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner; David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/958,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 525/99
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2037/087 Wound cores or layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0035 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0061 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/02 Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing during moulding, e.g. in a mouldcold vulcanisation B29C35/18 ; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/00 Shaping by casting, i.e. introducing the moulding material into a mould or between confining surfaces without significant moulding pressure; Apparatus therefor B29C41/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/00 Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor injection blow-moulding B29C49/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3225 Polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 175/04 Polyurethanes

Abstract

This invention is related to multi-layer golf balls having an inner cover layer comprising a blend of styrene-block copolymer and trans-polyisoprene, an outer cover layer comprising a polyurethane, a polyurea or a mixture thereof, and a core comprising of thermosetting or thermoplastic materials.

Claims

1. A multi-layer golf ball comprising at least an inner cover layer, an outer cover layer and a core, wherein

the inner cover layer is a non-ionomeric material comprising a blend of a styrene-block copolymer, and a trans-polyisoprene, and

the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.805.

2. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the coefficient of restitution of the core is greater than 0.815.

3. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein said blend ranges from a ratio of 1 part of styrene-block copolymer to 99 parts of trans-polyisoprene, to a ratio of 50 parts of styrene-block copolymer to 50 parts of trans-polyisoprene.

4. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 3, wherein the blend in the inner cover layer is in a ratio of 25 parts of styrene-block copolymer to 75 parts of trans-polyisoprene.

5. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the styrene-block copolymer is a member selected from the group consisting of styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isobutylene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-methacrylate-butadiene, styrene-acrylonitrile, styrene-acrylonitrile-butadiene, styrene-ethylene-propylene-acrylonitrile, styrene-maleic anhydride, and blends thereof.

6. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the styrene-block copolymer is styrene-butadiene-styrene.

7. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a specific gravity greater than 1.0.

8. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 7, wherein the blend in the inner cover layer has a specific gravity greater than 3.0.

9. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a flexural modulus greater than 50,000 psi.

10. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 9, wherein the blend in the inner cover layer has a flexural modulus greater than 60,000 psi.

11. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a hardness greater than Shore D 60.

12. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein

the outer cover layer comprises a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a mixture thereof, and

the outer cover layer has a hardness of Shore D 65 or less.

13. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 12, wherein the polyurethane and the polyurea are prepared from a polyisocyanate, which is a member chosen from the group consisting of 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate;

polymeric 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate;

carbodiimide-modified liquid 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate;

4,4′

-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate;

p-phenylene diisocyanate;

toluene diisocyanate;

3,3′

-dimethyl-4,4′

-biphenylene diisocyanate;

isophoronediisocyanate;

hexamethylene diisocyanate;

naphthalene diisocyanate;

xylene diisocyanate;

p-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate;

m-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate;

ethylene diisocyanate;

propylene-1,2-diisocyanate;

tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate;

cyclohexyl diisocyanate;

1,6-hexamethylene-diisocyanate;

dodecane-1,12-diisocyanate;

cyclobutane-1,3-diisocyanate;

cyclohexane-1,3-diisocyanate;

cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate;

1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethylcyclohexane;

methyl cyclohexylene diisocyanate;

triisocyanate of hexamethylene diisocyanate;

triisocyanate of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexane diisocyanate;

tetracene diisocyanate;

napthalene diisocyanate;

anthracene diisocyanate; and

mixtures thereof.

14. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the polyurethane is prepared from a polyol, which is a member chosen from the group consisting of ethylene glycol;

diethylene glycol;

polyethylene glycol;

propylene glycol;

polypropylene glycol;

lower molecular weight polytetramethylene ether glycol;

1,3-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy) benzene;

1,3-bis-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy] benzene;

1,3-bis-{2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy] ethoxy} benzene;

1,4-butanediol;

1,5-pentanediol;

1,6-hexanediol;

resorcinol-di-(β

-hydroxyethyl) ether;

hydroquinone-di-(β

-hydroxyethyl) ether; and

mixtures thereof.

15. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the polyurea is prepared from a polyamine, which is a member chosen from the group consisting of 3,5-dimethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine;

3,5-diethyltoluene-2,4-diamine, 3,5-diethyltoluene-2,6-diamine;

4,4′

-bis-(sec-butylamino)-diphenylmethane;

1,4-bis-(sec-butylamino)-benzene, 4,4′

-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline);

4,4′

-methylene-bis-(3-chloro-2,6-diethylaniline);

polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate;

N,N′

-dialkyldiamino diphenyl methane;

p,p′

-methylene dianiline;

m-phenylenediamine;

4,4′

-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline);

4,4′

-methylene-bis-(2,6-diethylaniline);

4,4′

-diamino-3,3′

-diethyl-5,5′

-dimethyl diphenylmethane;

2,2′

,3,3′

-tetrachloro diamino diphenylmethane;

4,4′

-methylene-bis-(3-chloro-2,6-diethylaniline);

trimethylene glycol di-p-aminobenzoate; and

mixtures thereof.

16. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises thermosetting polymer.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the thermosetting material comprises a polybutadiene, a cis-to-trans catalyst, a free radical source, a crosslinking agent, and a filler.

18. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polybutadiene comprises cis-polybutadiene, trans-polybutadiene, vinyl-polybutadiene, or mixture thereof.

19. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the cis-to-trans catalyst comprises a organosulfur compound, a metal-containing organosulfur compound, a substituted aromatic organic compound that does not contain sulfur or metal, an unsubstituted aromatic organic compound that does not contain sulfur or metal, an inorganic sulfide compound, an aromatic organometallic compound, a Group VIA element, or mixtures thereof.

20. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 17, wherein the crosslinking agent is a member selected from the group consisting zinc acrylate, zinc diacrylate, zinc methacrylate, zinc dimethacrylate, and mixtures thereof.

21. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 17, wherein the filler is a member selected from the group consisting of precipitated hydrated silica, clay, talc, asbestos, glass fibers, aramid fibers, mica, calcium metasilicate, barium sulfate, zinc sulfide, lithopone, silicates, silicon carbide, diatomaceous earth, polyvinyl chloride, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, titanium, tungsten, aluminum, bismuth, nickel, molybdenum, iron, lead, copper, boron, cobalt, beryllium, zinc, tin, steel, brass, bronze, boron carbide whiskers, tungsten carbide whiskers, zinc oxide, iron oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, graphite, carbon black, cotton flock, natural bitumen, cellulose flock, leather fiber, glass, ceramic, fly ash, and combinations thereof.

22. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

23. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 22, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a highly neutralized polymer formed from a reaction between a polymer containing acid groups, a suitable cation source, and an organic acid or salt thereof, wherein the suitable cation source is present in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acid groups by 80% or greater.

24. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 23, wherein the suitable cation source is present in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acid groups by 90% or greater.

25. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 23, wherein the suitable cation source is present in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acid groups by 100%.

26. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 23, wherein the highly neutralized polymer further comprises ionomeric copolymers, ionomeric terpolymers, ionomer precursors, thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, non-grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, single-site polymers, high-crystalline acid polymers and ionomers thereof, cationic ionomers, and mixtures thereof.

27. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 23, wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic organic acid, aromatic organic acid, saturated mono-functional organic acid, saturated di-functional organic acid, saturated multi-functional organic acid, unsaturated mono-functional organic acid, unsaturated di-functional organic acid, unsaturated multi-functional organic acid, and multi-unsaturated mono-functional organic acid.

28. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 23, wherein the salt of the organic acid comprises barium, lithium, sodium, zinc, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, potassium, strontium, titanium, tungsten, magnesium, cesium, iron, nickel, silver, aluminum, tin, or calcium, salts of fatty acids comprising caprioic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, erucic acid, oleic acid, linoelic acid, or dimerized derivatives thereof.