Method of providing a moisture vapor barrier layer to a core of a golf ball

• US 8,066,928 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morgan, William E., Sullivan, Michael J., Cavallaro, Christopher, Harris, Kevin M., Foukes, Richard, Hogge, Matthew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Edmund H.
• Application Number:
  US12/365,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20090169741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/279
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/005 Cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0093 Moisture vapour transmission rate [MVTR]
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/08 Spreading liquid or other fluent material by manipulating the work, e.g. tilting
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 3/05 by applying vibrations thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 3/10 the articles being moved through the liquid or other fluent material conveying articles through baths B65G, e.g. B65G49/02
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 9/14 the auxiliary operation involving heating or cooling

Abstract

A method of forming a water vapor barrier layer to a core of a golf ball is provided. The method includes placing the core of the golf ball into a vapor barrier composition, withdrawing the lifting device, and spinning and optionally oscillating the core within the composition for a time sufficient for the composition to form a layer on the core. The present invention also provides an apparatus that can be used to form a water vapor barrier layer.

Claims

1. A method of forming a layer of a golf ball comprising the steps of:

providing a lifting device adapted to transport a core of the golf ball to a holder and place the core on the holder;

providing a holder that is adapted to receive the core while at least a portion of the holder is not in contact with the composition that forms the layer;

providing a vessel containing the composition that forms the layer;

providing a magnetic producing field device designed for rotating the core and the holder in the composition at a predetermined speed while forming the layer;

transporting the core to the holder and placing the core on the portion of the holder that is not in contact with the composition that forms the layer;

separating the core from the lifting device before immersing the core in the composition;

immersing the core into the composition by lowering the holder into the vessel in a direction orthogonal to a base of the vessel;

activating the magnetic producing field device at a predetermined speed and time thereby rotating the holder and the core in the composition and contacting all surface areas of the core to coat the core;

at least partially removing the holder from the composition by raising the holder in a direction orthogonal to the base of the vessel so that the core coated with composition is no longer in contact with the composition; and

repeating said method on at least a second core using the same holder and lifting device without cleaning the lifting device before repeating the method.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of spinning the coated core to remove excess composition.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of transporting the coated core to a drying station.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of applying heat to the coated core.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of immersing the core further includes applying a force on a single point of the core located on the holder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rotating the core comprises spinning the holder.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of rotating the core further comprises the step of oscillating the core within the composition.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the steps of oscillating and coating the core occur at about the same time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises water vapor barrier property.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding particles to the composition.