Multi-layer golf ball having velocity gradient from slower center to faster cover

• US 7,331,878 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bulpett, David A., Sullivan, Michael J., Aoyama, Steven, Boehm, Herbert C., Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDEN, RAEANN
• Application Number:
  US11/061,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 473/376, 473/373, 473/374
• US Class Current: 473/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2037/085 liquid, jellylike
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• 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 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 70/70 Completely encapsulating inserts B29C70/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/256 Sheets, plates, blanks or films
• 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: C08L 23/08 Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 : Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/14 : Macromolecular compounds according to C08L59/00 - C08L87/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/24 : Graft or block copolymers according to groups C08L51/00, C08L53/00 or C08L55/02; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/02 : of vinyl-aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/02 : Polyureas
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 : Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 9/00 : Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons

Abstract

The present invention is directed to multi-layer golf balls having a center, a cover layer, and at least one intermediate layer between the core and the cover layer. The center, the at least one intermediate layer and the cover are constructed to have different initial velocities and COR such that the gradients of initial velocities and COR progress from a slower center to a faster cover.

Claims

1. A multi-layer golf ball comprising a center, a cover layer, and at least two intermediate layers between the center and the cover layer, wherein

each subassembly of the golf ball has a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.003,

wherein the subassembly comprises at least the center, and

wherein the center has a coefficient of restitution value of less than 0.800.

2. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein each subassembly has a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.005.

3. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein each subassembly as a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.010.

4. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layers comprises eight layers or less.

5. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has a coefficient of restitution value of less than 0.780.

6. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the subassembly represented by the center and the first intermediate layer has a combined coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.780.

7. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the subassembly represented by the center and the first intermediate layer has a combined coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.790.

8. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the subassembly represented by the center, the first intermediate layer, and the second intermediate layer has a combined coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.790.

9. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 5, wherein the subassembly represented by the center, the first intermediate layer, and the second intermediate layer has a combined coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.800.

10. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a combined coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.800.

11. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a combined coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.805.

12. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polybutadiene, a polyurethane, a polyurca, a highly neutralized polymer, a silicone, a polyolefin, a polyamide, a polyester, a polyether amide, a polyester amide, and a blend thereof.

13. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layers comprise a member selected from the group consisting of a polybutadiene, a polyurethane, a polyurea, a highly neutralized polymer, a silicone, a polyolefin, a polyamide, a polyester, a polyether amide, a polyester amide, and a blend thereof.

14. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer comprises a highly neutralized polymer formed from a reaction between acid groups on the polymer, a suitable source of cation, and an organic acid or the corresponding salt, and

the amount of the suitable cation is sufficient to neutralize the acid groups by least 80%.

15. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 14, wherein the amount of the suitable cation is sufficient to neutralize the acid groups by least 90%.

16. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 14, wherein the amount of the suitable cation is sufficient to neutralize the acid groups by about 100%,

wherein the suitable source of cation is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, sodium, zinc, lithium, potassium and calcium, and

wherein the organic acid or the corresponding salt is selected from the group consisting of oleic acid, salt of oleic acid, stearic acid, salt of stearic acid, behenic acid, salt of behenie acid and combination thereof.

17. The multi-layer golf bail of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is a product of a reaction mixture comprising a polybutadiene, a cis-to-trans catalyst, a free radical source, a crosslinking agent, and a filler.

18. A multi-layer golf ball comprising a center, a cover layer, and at least two intermediate layers between the center and the cover layer, wherein

each subassembly of the golf ball has a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.003,

wherein the subassembly comprises at least the center, and

wherein the change in coefficient of restitution from one subassembly to the next larger assembly per the thickness of the next larger subassembly is less than 0.00010 per thousandth of an inch.

19. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 18, wherein said change in coefficient of restitution is less than about 0.00020 per thousandth of an inch.

20. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 18, wherein said change in coefficient of restitution is less than about 0.00030 per thousandth of an inch.

21. A multi-layer golf ball comprising a center, a cover layer, and an intermediate layer between the core and the cover layer, wherein

each subassembly of the golf ball has a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.015,

wherein the subassembly comprises at least the center,

and wherein the change in coefficient of restitution from one subassembly to the next larger assembly per the thickness of the next larger subassembly is less than 0.00020 per thousandth of an inch.

22. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 21, wherein each subassembly has a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.018.

23. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 22, wherein each subassembly as a combined coefficient of restitution value that is less than the combined coefficient of restitution of said subassembly plus the next outer layer by a value of at least 0.020.

24. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 21, wherein said change in coefficient of restitution is less than about 0.00030 per thousandth of an inch.

25. The multi-layer golf ball of claim 21, wherein said change in coefficient of restitution is less than about 0.00040 per thousandth of an inch.