Compositions for golf equipment

• US 7,253,242 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wu, Shenshen
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner; David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/996,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20050272530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 526/335
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• 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 18/3206 aliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/44 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/5021 having nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6594 with compounds of C08G18/3225 or C08G18/3271 or polyamines of C08G18/38
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/69 Polymers of conjugated dienes hydrogenated polymers of conjugated dienes C08G18/6208
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/758 containing two or more cycloaliphatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 175/12 from compounds containing nitrogen and active hydrogen, the nitrogen atom not being part of an isocyanate group

Abstract

Golf balls comprising thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, or millable materials are presently disclosed. The materials have a rebound height percentage of greater than 60% and are formed from compositions comprising at least one resilient polyamine polydiene and/or polyol polydiene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000-20,000 and an amine or hydroxyl functionality of 1.6-10. The materials also have a 1,4-addition of 30-70% and/or a 1,2-addition of at least 40%. These materials can be used in any one or more portions of the golf balls, such as inner center, core, inner core layer, intermediate core layer, outer core layer, intermediate layer, cover, inner cover layer, intermediate cover layer, and/or outer cover layer.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a layer that comprises a material having a rebound height percentage 60% or greater and being formed from a composition comprising at least one resilient polyamine polydiene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000-20,000, an amine functionality of 1.6-10, and a 1,2-addition of at least 40%.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the number average molecular weight is 3,000-6,000.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene comprises a diamino polybutadiene that is at least 99% hydrogenated, having a number average molecular weight of 3,300, an amine functionality of 1.92, and a 1.2-addition content of 54%.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer is an inner core layer, an intermediate core layer, an outer core layer, an intermediate layer, a cover, an inner cover layer, an intermediate cover layer, an outer cover layer, a discontinuous layer, a wound layer, a foamed layer, a lattice network layer, a web or net, an adhesion or coupling layer, a barrier layer, a layer of uniformed or non-uniformed thickness, a layer having a plurality of discrete elements, or a layer filled with liquid, gel, powder, and/or gas.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer has a thickness of 0.125 inches or less and a Shore D hardness of 20 or greater and 80 or less.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the material is thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, and/or millable.

7. A golf ball comprising a layer that comprises a material having a rebound height percentage 60% or areater and being formed from a composition comprising at least one resilient polyamine polydiene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000-20,000 and an amine functionality of 1.6-10, and wherein the polyamine polydiene is a diamino polyisoprene having a 1,4-addition of at least 80%.

8. A golf ball comprising a layer that comprises a material having a rebound height percentage 60% or greater and being formed from a composition comprising at least one resilient polyamine polydiene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000-20,000 and an amine functionality of 1.6-10, and wherein the polyamine polydiene is chosen from polyamine poly(alkylene-diene)s.