Compositions containing transparent polyamides for use in making golf balls

• US 9,339,695 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Bulpett, David A., Blink, Robert, Binette, Mark L., Comeau, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTTNER, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US14/309,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20140302947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0044 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0046 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0049 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0061 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00621 Centre hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00622 Surface hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0063 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0069 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• 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: A63B 37/0078 : Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 : Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0092 : Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0095 : Scuff resistance
• 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: C08G 69/40 : Polyamides containing oxygen in the form of ether groups C08G69/12, C08G69/32 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 : Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/435 : Sulfonamides
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/5435 : containing oxygen in a ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 : containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/025 : containing two or more polymers of the same hierarchy C08L, and differing only in parameters such as density, comonomer content, molecular weight, structure
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/06 : grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 77/00 : Compositions of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain of polyhydrazides C08L79/06; of polyamideimides or polyamide acids C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers

Abstract

Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of a polyamide composition containing a transparent polyamide polymer are provided. The transparent polyamide may be blended with other transparent or non-transparent polyamides. Thermoplastic polyamide elastomers such as polyether-amide block copolymers may be used. In one version, the composition comprises a blend of transparent polyamide, acid anhydride-modified polyolefin, and plasticizer. The golf ball includes a core having at least one layer and a cover having at least one layer. The polyamide composition may be used to form any core, cover, or other layer in the golf ball. In one version, the polyamide composition is used to form the inner cover layer.

Claims

1. A golf ball, comprising:

a) dual core comprising an inner and outer core layer, the inner core having an outer surface and geometric center and the outer core layer having an outer surface and inner surface;

the inner core comprising a rubber composition and the outer core layer comprising a polyamide composition, and the polyamide composition comprising a blend of transparent and non-transparent polyamides, wherein the blend contains about 40% by weight transparent polyamide polymer, and the composition has a transparency of less than fifty (50) percent per ASTM D1003 test procedures using an illuminate C light source,

wherein the center of the inner core and surface of the outer core layer each has a hardness, and the surface hardness of the outer core layer is greater than the center hardness of the inner core; and

b) a cover having at least one layer disposed about the core.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamide composition comprises a transparent polyamide having an amorphous, quasi-amorphous, semicrystalline, or microcrystalline structure.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamide composition comprises a transparent polyether-amide block copolymer.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the transparent polyamide has a glass transition temperature in the range of about 75°

to about 160°

C.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the transparent polyamide has a glass transition temperature in the range of about 80°

to about 95°

C.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the transparent polyamide has a Charpy notched impact-resistance of at least about 15 kJ/m² at 23°

C.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the transparent polyamide has a Charpy notched impact-resistance of at least about 50 kJ/m² at 23°

C.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the transparent polyamide has a ratio of Charpy notched impact-resistance measured at 23°

C. to Charpy notched impact-resistance measured at −

30°

C. of at least about 2.0.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the transparent polyamide has a ratio of Charpy notched impact-resistance measured at 23°

C. to Charpy notched impact-resistance measured at −

30°

C. of at least about 4.0.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the transparent polyamide has a transparency of at least about 85%.

11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the transparent polyamide has a transparency of at least about 90%.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamide composition further comprises about 1 to about 60% by weight of an acid anhydride-modified polyolefin.

13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the acid anhydride-modified polyolefin is an ethylene-based copolymer and the acid anhydride used to modify the ethylene-based copolymer is selected from the group consisting of maleic, fumaric, nadic, itaconic, and clorendic acid anhydrides, and substituted derivatives thereof.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a plasticizer.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of N-butylbenzenesulfonamlde (BBSA);

N-ethylbenzenesulfonamide (EBSA);

N-propylbenzenesulfonamide (PBSA);

N-butyl-N-dodecylbenzenesulfonamide (BDBSA);

N,N-dimethylbenzenesulfonamide (DMBSA);

p-methylbenzenesulfonamide;

o,p-toluene sulfonamide;

p-toluene sulfonamide;

2-ethylhexyl-4-hydroxybenzoate;

hexadecyl-4-hydroxybenzoate;

1-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate;

dioctyl phthalate;

diisodecyl phthalate;

di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate; and

tri-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, an alkyl or aryl fatty acid ester.

16. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center hardness of the inner core is about 15 Shore D or greater and the surface hardness of the outer core is about 40 Shore D or greater, the surface hardness of the outer core layer being greater than the center hardness of the inner core.

17. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover is a single layer having a thickness of about 0.015 to about 0.090 inches and is formed from a thermoplastic or thermoset material.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises two or more layers and has an overall thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.160 inches and wherein each cover layer is formed from a thermoplastic or thermoset material.