Golf ball

• US 7,320,648 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Thomas J. III, Binette, Mark L., Simonds, Vincent J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDEN, RAEANN
• Application Number:
  US11/275,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 473/354, 473/376
• US Class Current: 473/354
• 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 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0046 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0061 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0066 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2120/00 Compositions for reaction injection moulding processes

Abstract

A golfball comprising a liquid core and a reaction-injection-molded (RIM) cover material is disclosed. The liquid core comprises a core shell defining a hollow region, the hollow region containing a fluid. The reaction-injection-molded material may be a reaction-injection-molded polyurethane, a reaction-injection-molded polyurea, a reaction-injection-molded polyurethane/polyurea blend, or mixtures thereof. A golfball with a liquid core and RIM cover exhibits variable spin characteristics and a larger spin decay.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a liquid core comprising a substantially spherical shell defining a hollow interior region and a liquid disposed within the hollow interior of the shell, the liquid comprising glycerine, where the shell can be one or more layers, the shell having at least one layer having a thickness ranging from 0.120 inch to 0.250 inch and comprising a blend of a high acid ionomer and a low acid ionomer wherein the high acid ionomer has an acid content greater than 16 weight percent acid and the low acid ionomer has an acid content of 16 weight percent or less, the core having a diameter ranging from 1.40 inches to 1.60 inches; and

a cover layer disposed about the core, the cover layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of reaction-injection-molded polyurethane, reaction-injection-molded polyurethane/polyurea, reaction-injection-molded polyurea, and combinations thereof, wherein the cover layer has a thickness of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.100 inch and a flex modulus of 40 to 90 Kpsi.