Compositions for use in golf balls

• US 7,361,711 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• 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., Comeau, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttner; David J.
• Application Number:
  US11/173,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20050245657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 525/261
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/005 Cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• 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 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core
• 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: 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 including a core and at least one layer disposed about the core, wherein the core or the layer is formed from a composition including a base polymer, a crosslink initiator, and an additive, wherein the additive is both an inorganic-sulfur compound and a sulfuric acid amide.

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 an additive, wherein the additive is both an inorganic-sulfur compound and a sulfuric acid amide.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises the composition and the golf ball further comprises an outer cover layer.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the outer cover layer comprises two layers.

4. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein core comprises a thermoplastic material, a thermo set material, or a rubber-based material.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises the composition and the layer is an outer cover layer comprising an ionomer, a polyurethane, or a polyurea.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises the composition and the golf ball further comprises an outer cover layer disposed adjacent the layer.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises the composition and core comprises a rubber-based material comprising a halogenated organosulfur material.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball further comprises an outer cover layer having a thickness of 0.01 inches to 0.05 inches and a Shore D hardness of 40 to 55.

9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the outer cover layer thickness 0.015 inches to 0.35 inches.

10. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein a moisture vapor barrier layer is disposed between the outer cover layer and the layer, the barrier layer having a vapor transmission rate of 0.45 to 0.95 (g-mm)/(m²-day).

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises the composition and core comprises an ethylene-based ionomer comprising acid moieties neutralized with an organic fatty acid salt, and sufficient cation source to bring the neutralization to 100%.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises the composition and the layer comprises an ethylene-based ionomer comprising acid moieties neutralized with an organic fatty acid salt, and sufficient cation source to bring the neutralization to 100%.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises the composition, the layer is an intermediate layer comprising an ethylene-based ionomer comprising acid moieties neutralized with an organic fatty acid salt, and sufficient cation source to bring the neutralization to 100%, and the golf ball further comprises an outer cover layer disposed about the layer comprising an ionomer, a polyurethane, or a polyurea.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an outer diameter of 1.50 inches to 1.62 inches.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the core has an outer diameter of 1.54 inches to 1.59 inches.

16. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein a combination of the core and the layer has a diameter of 1.58 inches to 1.64 inches.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein a combination of the core and the layer has a diameter of 1.59 inches to 1.63 inches.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an Atti compression of 40 to 90.

19. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an Atti compression of 25 or less.