Golf ball with multiple cover layers

• US 7,427,243 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldarola; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong; Tom
• Application Number:
  US10/167,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20030232666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 473/378, 473/370, 473/376, 473/377, 73/9, 738/59, 738/60, 738/28, 738/19, 204/164
• US Class Current: 473/378
• 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 37/0037 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023

Abstract

A golf ball having a core and two or more cover layers, wherein the multiple cover layers are formed from materials that are substantially the same composition with the same Shore hardness, but are modified in some way to alter the processing or performance characteristics of the golf ball, or the layers have the same Shore hardness and at least one cover layer is formed of a polymer blend including a polyurethane composition, and at least one cover layer is formed of a different polymer blend.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

a cover disposed about the core, consisting essentially of;

an inner cover layer formed from a first composition having a first hardness and a first coefficient of friction; and

an outer cover layer disposed about and adjacent to the inner cover layer and formed from a second composition having a second hardness and a second coefficient of friction, wherein the second hardness differs from the first hardness by about 5 points or less, and wherein the second coefficient of friction is greater than the first coefficient of friction.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first coefficient of friction differs from the second coefficient of friction by about 0.1 or greater.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first coefficient of friction differs from the second coefficient of friction by about 0.15 or greater.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first coefficient of friction differs from the second coefficient of friction by about 0.2 or greater.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first composition is different than the second composition.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the first composition comprises a metallocene-catalyzed polymer, a partially neutralized ionomer, a fully neutralized ionomer, or thermoplastic polyester and the second composition comprises a polyurethane, polyurea, silicone, or epoxy.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first and second compositions are substantially similar.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the second composition comprises a filler selected from the group consisting of precipitated hydrated silica, clay, talc, asbestos, glass fibers, aramid fibers, mica, calcium metasilicate, barium sulfate, zinc sulfide, lithopone, silicates, silicon carbide, diatomaceous earth, polyvinyl chloride, carbonates, metals, metal alloys, metal oxides, particulate carbonaceous materials, micro balloons, fly ash, and combinations thereof.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the second hardness differs from the first hardness by about 3 points or less.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first and second hardnesses are from about 25 to about 75 Shore D.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a wound layer comprising at least one tensioned material disposed between the core and the cover.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the inner cover layer has a thickness of about 0.005 inches to about 0.2 inches and the outer cover layer has a thickness of about 0.01 inches to about 0.25 inches.

13. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

a cover disposed about the core, consisting essentially of;

an inner cover layer formed from a first composition having a first hardness and a first flexural modulus; and

an outer cover layer disposed about and adjacent to the inner cover layer and formed from a second composition having a second hardness and a second flexural modulus, wherein the second hardness differs from the first hardness by about 5 points or less,

wherein the first and second flexural moduli substantially similar at ambient temperature, and wherein the second flexural modulus differs from the first flexural modulus at temperatures above or below ambient.

14. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the first and second flexural moduli are from about 2,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the first and second flexural moduli are from about 5,000 psi to about 80,000 psi.

16. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the first and second flexural moduli differ from each other by about 500 psi or greater.

17. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the first and second moduli differ from each other by about 5,000 psi or less.

18. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

a cover disposed about the core, consisting essentially of;

an inner cover layer formed from a first composition having a first hardness, wherein the inner cover layer has a first contact angle; and

an outer cover layer disposed about and adjacent to the inner cover layer and formed from a second composition having a second hardness, wherein the outer cover layer has and a second contact angle different from the first contact angle, and wherein the second hardness differs from the first hardness by about 5 points or less.

19. The golf ball of claim 18, wherein the first and second contact angles differ from each other by about 1°

or greater.

20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the first and second contact angles differ from each other by about 3°

or greater.

21. The golf ball of claim 20, wherein the first and second contact angles differ from each other by about 5°

or greater.

22. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

a cover disposed about the core, consisting essentially of;

an inner cover layer formed from a first composition having a first hardness, a first thickness of about 0.01 to about 0.25 inches, and a first coefficient of friction; and

an outer cover layer disposed about and adjacent to the inner cover and formed from a second composition having a second hardness, a second thickness, and a second coefficient of friction, wherein the second hardness differs from the first hardness by about 3 points or less, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness and from about 0.005 inches to about 0.1 inches, and wherein the second coefficient of friction is greater than the first coefficient of friction.

23. The golf ball of claim 22, wherein the first composition has a first flexural modulus, wherein the second composition has a second composition has a second flexural modulus, wherein the first and second moduli are substantially similar at ambient temperature, and wherein the second flexural modulus differs from the first flexural modulus at temperatures above or below ambient.

24. The golf ball of claim 22, wherein the inner cover layer has first contact angle, and wherein the outer cover layer has a second contact angle different from the first contact angle.

25. The golf ball of claim 24, wherein the first and second contact angles differ from each other by about 3°

or greater.