Highly-neutralized acid polymers and their use in golf balls

• US 7,402,629 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Murali
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTTNER, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US11/216,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20060063893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 525/128
• 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 37/0036 Melt flow rate [MFR]
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0047 Density; Specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0048 Melt flow rate [MFR]
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0056 Hollow; Gas-filled
• 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 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0091 Density distribution amongst the different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0097 Layers interlocking by means of protrusions or inserts, lattices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 : Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 : containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 : Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 : Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 : Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf ball having at least one layer, such as a center, a cover layer, or an intermediate layer, which is formed from a polymer composition comprising at least 25 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of an acid polymer having acid groups, wherein at least 90% of the acid groups are neutralized. The polymer composition also comprises at least 10 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of a non-fatty acid melt flow modifier selected from polyesters, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyethers, thermoplastic polyureas, and combinations thereof. The polymer composition is substantially free of fatty acids and their salts and has a melt flow index of from 0.5 g/10 min to 10.0 g/10 min.

Claims

1. A golf ball having a cover layer, wherein the cover layer is formed from a polymer composition comprising:

at least 25 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of an acid polymer having acid groups, wherein 100% of the acid groups are neutralized; and

at least 10 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of a non-fatty acid melt flow modifier selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyethers, thermoplastic polyureas, and combinations thereof;

wherein the polymer composition is substantially free of fatty acids and their salts and has a melt flow index of from 0.5 g/10 min to 10.0 g/10 min.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier has a melt flow index of from 10 g/10 min to 1,000 g/10 min and a weight average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 100,000.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is an inner cover layer having a thickness of from 0.010 in to 0.060 in.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer has a material hardness of from 30 Shore D to 80 Shore D.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition consists essentially of:

from 25 wt % to 90 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of the acid polymer;

from 10 wt % to 75 wt %, based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition, of the non-fatty acid melt flow modifier; and

from 0 wt % to 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymer composition, of an inorganic additive.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition has a flexural modulus of from 10,000 psi to 125,000 psi.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition has a notched izod impact strength of at least 2 ft·

lb/in.