Golf ball

• US 7,285,059 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., DeSimas, Antonio U., Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDEN, RAEANN
• Application Number:
  US11/416,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20060199668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 473/376, 473/373, 473/374, 473/367, 473/368
• US Class Current: 473/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 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 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• 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 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/04 Rigid cores
• 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 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/006 Using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/027 having an axis of symmetry B29C43/102 takes precedence
• 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 49/02 : Combined blow-moulding and manufacture of the preform or the parison
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/20 : of articles having inserts or reinforcements ; Handling of inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/14 : using multilayered preforms or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 : Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/22 : using layers or sheathings having a shape adapted to the shape of the article B29C63/26 and B29C63/38 take precedence
• 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 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/52 : Sports equipment ; Games; Articles for amusement; Toys B29L2031/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 : Balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 : Football balls
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 : Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/536 : Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 : Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/105 : Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2375/00 : Polyureas; Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/16 : comprising polydienes homopolymers or poly-halodienes homopolymers B32B25/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 : as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 : using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 : comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 : comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/022 : Mechanical properties

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a multi-layered core golf ball that comprises a thermoplastic inner casing layer molded between two core layers to create a faster golf ball with less spin, by designing a ball that has more of the stored energy of the core released at impact. One inner casing layer and/or an outer core layer is comprised of a partially or fully neutralized ionomer.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a thermoplastic inner core having a specific gravity of less than 1.05 g/cc with a compression of greater than 70;

an thermoplastic inner casing layer disposed around the inner core, the inner casing layer having a flexural modulus greater than 30,000 psi, a Shore C hardness greater than 80, and a thickness less than about 0.060 inch;

an outer core layer encompassing the inner casing layer, the outer core layer having a flexural modulus of less than 30 kpsi, a Shore C hardness less than 80, a specific gravity of less than 1.05 g/cc, and a thickness less than about 0.050 inch;

an outer casing layer having a flex modulus greater than 60 kpsi, a thickness less than about 0.030 inch, and a specific gravity greater than 1.25 g/cc; and

an outer cover having a hardness of less than 65 Shore D, and a thickness less than 0.040 inch.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the outer casing layer is greater than 2.0 g/cc.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the inner core is formed from a fully neutralized ionomer.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the inner core is formed from an ionomer resin with a fully neutralized acid moiety.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the inner casing is formed from a fully neutralized ionomer.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the inner casing layer is formed from an ionomer resin with a fully neutralized acid moiety.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the inner casing has a thickness of less than 0.030 inch.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the inner casing has a thickness of less than 0.025 inch.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the outer core layer is formed from a thermoplastic material.

10. The golf ball according to claim 9, wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of less than 0.040 inch.

11. The golf ball according to claim 9, wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of less than 0.030 inch.

12. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the outer casing layer is formed from a thermoplastic polymer comprising a filler having a specific gravity greater than the thermoplastic polymer.

13. The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the outer casing layer has a thickness of less than 0.020 inch and a specific gravity greater than 2.25 g/cc.

14. The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the outer casing layer has a thickness of less than 0.010 inch and a specific gravity greater than 3.2 g/cc.

15. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the outer cover comprises polyurethane or polyurea.

16. A golf ball comprising:

a thermoplastic inner core having a specific gravity of less than 1.2 g/cc with a compression of less than 70;

a thermoplastic inner casing disposed around the inner core, the inner casing having a flexural modulus greater than 30,000 psi, and a thickness of less than 0.10 inch;

an outer core layer having a specific gravity of less than 1.10 g/cc, a thickness of less than about 0.15 inch, and a Shore D hardness of at least 30; and

an outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of less than 65, and a thickness of less than 0.04 inch.

17. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the outer core layer is formed from a composition comprising a thermoplastic material.

18. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the inner core has a specific gravity of less than 1.05 g/cc.

19. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of less than 0.10 inch.

20. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the outer core layer has a Shore D hardness of greater than 40.

21. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the inner core is formed from a fully neutralized ionomer.

22. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the inner core is formed from an ionomer resin with a fully neutralized acid moiety.

23. The golf ball according to claim 17, wherein the outer core layer is formed from a fully neutralized ionomer.

24. The golf ball according to claim 23, wherein the outer core layer is formed from an ionomer resin with a fully neutralized acid moiety.

25. A golf ball according to claim 24, wherein the inner casing layer is formed from an ionomer resin having a fully neutralized acid moiety.