Golf balls having a foam center

• US 9,381,403 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Binette, Mark L., Aoyama, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US14/467,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20150141166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 473/373, 473/374, 473/376
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2037/065 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0044 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0058 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0063 Hardness gradient
• 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 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0091 Density distribution amongst the different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0092 Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/06 Elastic cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29

Abstract

Large diameter golf balls having a foam core are provided.

Claims

1. A golf ball having a diameter of 1.70 inches or greater and comprising:

an inner core layer having a diameter of 1.60 inches or greater and formed from a foamed polyurethane composition, the inner core layer having an outer surface hardness (H_{inner core surface}) and a center hardness (H_{inner core center}), the H_{inner core surface} being greater than the H_{inner core center} to provide a positive hardness gradient; and

a cover layer formed from a composition comprising;

an acid copolymer of ethylene and an α

,β

-unsaturated carboxylic acid, optionally including a softening monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylates and methacrylates;

an organic acid or salt thereof;

a cation source present in an amount sufficient to neutralize greater than 80% of all acid groups present in the composition; and

optionally a non-acid polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyethers, polyurethanes, metallocene-catalyzed polymers, single-site catalyst polymerized polymers, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, styrenic block copolymer rubbers, alkyl acrylate rubbers, and functionalized derivatives thereof.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a diameter of 1.80 inches or greater.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a diameter of 2.00 inches or greater.

4. A golf ball having a diameter of greater than 1.70 inches and comprising:

an inner core layer having a diameter of 1.30 inches or greater and formed from a foamed polyurethane composition, the inner core layer having an outer surface hardness (H_{inner core surface}) and a center hardness (H_{inner core center}), the H_{inner core surface} being greater than the H_{inner core center} to provide a positive hardness gradient; and

an outer core layer having a thickness of 0.20 inches or greater and formed from a thermoset composition, the outer core layer having an outer surface hardness (H_{outer surface of OC}) and an inner surface hardness (H_{inner surface of OC}), the H_{outer surface of OC} being greater than the H_{inner surface of OC} to provide a positive hardness gradient; and

a cover layer.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the golf ball has a diameter of 1.80 inches or greater.