Golf balls having a low modulus HNP layer and a high modulus HNP layer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.60 inches and consists of:
- (a) a center having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.50 inches and a center hardness (H) of from 20 Shore C to 70 Shore C;
(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness (I) of 40 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; and
(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness (S) of from 20 Shore C to 70 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;
wherein H<
I and S<
I, andwherein 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.
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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 center and an outer core layer that are both soft relative to a hard intermediate core layer. The outer core layer is preferably thin relative to the center and the 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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.60 inches and consists of:
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(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.50 inches and a center hardness (H) of from 20 Shore C to 70 Shore C; (b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness (I) of 40 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; and (c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness (S) of from 20 Shore C to 70 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; wherein H<
I and S<
I, andwherein 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.60 inches and consists of:
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(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.50 inches, a center hardness (H) of from 20 Shore C to 70 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; (b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness (I) of 40 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; and (c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness (S) of from 20 Shore C to 70 Shore C; wherein H<
I and S<
I, andwherein 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. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.60 inches and consists of:
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(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.50 inches, a center hardness (H) of from 20 Shore C to 70 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; (b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness (I) of 40 Shore C or greater; and (c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness (S) of from 20 Shore C to 70 Shore C 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 H<
I and S<
I, andwherein 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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.60 inches and consists of:
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(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.50 inches, a center hardness (H) of from 20 Shore C to 70 Shore C, 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 (I) of 40 Shore C or greater; and (c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness (S) of from 20 Shore C to 70 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; wherein H<
I and S<
I, andwherein 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. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification