Golf equipment formed from amine-adduct modified polyurea compositions

• US 7,825,208 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ricci, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTTNER, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US11/373,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 528/28
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0023 Covers
• 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: C08G 18/0895 Manufacture of polymers by continuous processes C08G18/0838 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3206 aliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3234 cycloaliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/324 containing only one aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4277 Caprolactone and/or substituted caprolactone
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/44 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4854 Polyethers containing oxyalkylene groups having four carbon atoms in the alkylene group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/61 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/798 containing urethdione groups

Abstract

Golf equipment having at least one portion formed from amine-adduct modified polyurea compositions, including epoxy-silicone modified polyurea compositions, epoxy modified polyurea compositions, silicone modified polyurea compositions, and polyurea compositions including polyamine/carbonyl adducts and/or amine-modified adducts having backbones based on polyfunctional acrylates or methacrylates or caprolactone monomers or oligomers.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least a portion of the golf ball is formed from a composition comprising:

a prepolymer comprising an isocyanate and at least one of an amine-terminated component or a hydroxy-terminated component; and

a curing agent comprising an adduct formed from the reaction product of an amine and a silicone having at least one end group comprising oxirane functionality.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the silicone has oxirane functional end groups.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the composition has a gel time of about 45 seconds or greater.

4. The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the composition has a gel time of about 60 seconds or greater.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the portion is the cover of the golf ball.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer, and wherein the outer cover layer comprises the composition.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the inner cover layer comprises thermoplastic or thermoset material.

8. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the inner cover layer comprises a highly neutralized polymer.

9. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the cover is formed from a composition comprising:

a prepolymer comprising urea or urethane linkages and having terminal ends comprising hydroxy groups or amine groups; and

a curing agent comprising an adduct comprising a reaction product formed from an amine and a compound comprising a silicone backbone with oxirane functionality.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the silicone backbone comprises dimethyl siloxane, 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)tetramethyl-di-siloxane, 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyldimethylsilyl)benzene, or mixtures thereof and.

11. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the prepolymer consists of urea linkages.

12. A method of forming a golf ball comprising a core and a cover, comprising the following steps:

providing a core;

providing a precursor formed from a silicone with at least one oxirane functional endcap;

forming an amine adduct by reacting an amine-terminated compound with the precursor, wherein the amine adduct comprises the precursor as the backbone;

forming a prepolymer comprising;

an isocyanate-containing component; and

a hydroxy-terminated component, an amine-terminated component, or a combination thereof;

reacting the amine adduct with the prepolymer to form a material; and

forming the cover from the material.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a precursor comprises reacting a silicone compound with an oxirane functional resin.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the silicone compound is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl siloxane, 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)tetramethyl-di-siloxane, 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyldimethylsilyl)benzene, and mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the oxirane functional resin is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, cresyl diglycidyl ether, ethylhexyl glycidyl ether, and mixtures thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of forming a layer disposed about the core, and wherein the step of forming the cover from the material further comprises forming the cover about the layer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of forming the layer comprises providing a thermoplastic material and forming the layer from the thermoplastic material.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a highly neutralized polymer.