Golf balls having two core layers formed from HNP compositions

• US 7,775,908 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): GORDEN, RAEANN
• Application Number:
  US12/125,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 473/373, 473/374, 473/377
• US Class Current: 473/373
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 37/0043 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 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005

Abstract

The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a dual-layer core and a cover. The core consists of a layer formed from a relatively soft HNP composition and a layer formed from a relatively hard HNP composition. The relatively soft HNP composition has a material hardness of 55 Shore D or less and comprises a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer. The relatively hard HNP composition has a material hardness of 45 Shore D or greater and comprises a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer. The cover preferably consists of a single cover layer.

Claims

1. A golf ball consisting of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.750 inches to 1.250 inches and formed from a first HNP composition, the first HNP composition having a material hardness of 55 Shore D or less and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer;

(b) an outer core layer having a thickness of from 0.150 inches to 0.400 inches and formed from a second HNP composition, the second HNP composition having a material hardness of 45 Shore D or greater and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer; and

(c) a cover layer having a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.075 inches and a surface hardness of 64 Shore D or less;

wherein the material hardness of the first HNP composition is less than the material hardness of the second HNP composition.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has a diameter of from 0.900 inches to 1.100 inches.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of from 0.250 inches to 0.350 inches.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the cover layer is 62 Shore D or less.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the cover layer is 58 Shore D or less.

6. A golf ball consisting of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.750 inches to 1.250 inches and formed from a first HNP composition, the first HNP composition having a material hardness of 45 Shore D or greater and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer;

(b) an outer core layer having a thickness of from 0.150 inches to 0.400 inches and formed from a second HNP composition, the second HNP composition having a material hardness of 55 Shore D or less and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer; and

(c) a cover layer having a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.075 inches and a surface hardness of 55 Shore D or greater;

wherein the material hardness of the second HNP composition is less than the material hardness of the first HNP composition.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the center has a diameter of from 0.900 inches to 1.100 inches.

8. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of from 0.250 inches to 0.350 inches.

9. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the surface hardness of the cover layer is 62 Shore D or greater.

10. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the surface hardness of the cover layer is 64 Shore D or greater.