Golf balls having a low modulus HNP layer and a high modulus HNP layer

• US 7,654,917 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jones, Douglas E., Sullivan, Michael J., Hebert, Edmund A., Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trimiew; Raeann
• Application Number:
  US12/125,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 473/376, 473/373, 473/374
• US Class Current: 473/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00621 Centre hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00622 Surface hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00922 whereby hardness of the cover is lower than hardness of the intermediate layers

Abstract

The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover. The multi-layer core consists of a small, hard center enclosed by a soft intermediate core layer and an outer core layer. The multi-layer core includes at least one layer formed from a low modulus HNP composition and at least one layer formed from a high modulus HNP composition.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi;

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C; and

(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a high modulus HNP composition, the high modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi;

wherein the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the low modulus HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the high modulus HNP composition.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from a rubber composition.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from an HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.

6. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a high modulus HNP composition, the high modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi;

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C; and

(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi;

wherein the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the low modulus HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the high modulus HNP composition.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from a rubber composition.

8. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from an HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi.

9. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

10. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.

11. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a high modulus HNP composition, the high modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi;

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi; and

(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater;

wherein the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the low modulus HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the high modulus HNP composition.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the outer core layer is formed from a rubber composition.

13. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the outer core layer is formed from an HNP composition.

14. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

15. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.

16. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater;

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi; and

(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a high modulus HNP composition, the high modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi;

wherein the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the low modulus HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the high modulus HNP composition.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the center is formed from a rubber composition.

18. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the center is formed from an HNP composition.

19. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

20. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.