Compositions for use in golf balls

• US 7,358,308 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bulpett, David A., Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner; David J.
• Application Number:
  US11/173,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20050245652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 525/245
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/005 Cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0058 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0061 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0069 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/14 Peroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/36 Sulfur-, selenium-, or tellurium-containing compounds C08K5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/37 Thiols
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 9/00 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons

Abstract

A golf ball comprising a core, an outer cover layer, and, optionally, an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the outer cover layer is presently disclosed. At least one layer of the golf ball is formed from a composition comprising a base polymer, a crosslink initiator, and at least one additive having a structure of:

• • where at least one of R₁ to R₅ is selected from perhaloalkyls, (per)haloaryls, (per)haloaralkyls, (per)haloalkaryls, and (per)halocycloalkyls; the remainder of R₁ to R₅ are the same or different organic substituents or hydrogen; n is an integer of 1 or greater; and Z is selected from metal cations, organometallic cations, and non-metal cations, and, when n is 1, Z may also be selected from hydrogen and halogens;
    or a structure of:

• • where at least one of R₁ to R₅ and at least one of R₆ to R₁₀ is selected from perhaloalkyls, (per)haloaryls, (per)haloaralkyls, (per)haloalkaryls, and (per)halocycloalkyls; the remainder of R₁ to R₁₀ are the same or different organic substituents or hydrogen; and n is an integer of 1 or greater.

The outer cover layer may comprise a polyurethane or polyurea composition. At least one portion of the golf ball comprises a composition that enhances physical properties and/or performance characteristics (e.g., coefficient of restitution) of the golf ball. Preferably, the coefficient of restitution of the core is 0.8 or greater.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core and at least one layer disposed about the core, wherein the core or the layer is formed from a composition comprising a base polymer, a crosslink initiator, and at least one additive having a structure of

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein at least one of R₁, R₃, and R₅ is a perhaloalkyl substituent having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the perhaloalkyl substituent is selected from the group consisting of trichloromethyl, tribromomethyl, and triiodomethyl.

4. A golf ball comprising a core and at least one layer disposed about the core, wherein the core or the layer is formed from a composition comprising a base polymer, a crosslink initiator, and at least one additive having a structure of

5. A golf ball comprising at least one layer formed from a composition comprising a base polymer, a crosslink initiator, and at least one additive, wherein the additive has a structure selected from:

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the additive has a structure of

7. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the additive has a structure of