Multi-layer golf ball

• US 9,795,834 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Ladd, Derek A., Hebert, Edmund A., Jones, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US15/361,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20170072269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 473376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• 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 37/0062 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0063 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0069 Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0072 with a specified number of layers
• 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: A63B 37/00776 Slab hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0084 Initial velocity
• 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 37/0096 : Spin rate
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 21/00 : Compositions of unspecified rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 : Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 : Polyurethanes

Abstract

The present invention is directed to multi-layer golf balls including a layer formed from a composition comprising a relatively soft or low modulus HNP, a layer formed from a composition comprising a relatively hard or high modulus HNP, an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition, and an outer cover layer.

Claims

1. A golf ball consisting essentially of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.30 inches, a center hardness of 50 Shore C or greater, and formed from a center composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer wherein at least 80% of the acid groups of the acid copolymer are neutralized;

(b) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 75 Shore C or greater and formed from an outer core layer composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer wherein 40% to 100% of the acid groups present in the outer core layer composition are neutralized;

(c) an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and having a material hardness less than the surface hardness of the outer core layer; and

(d) an outer cover layer;

wherein the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the center composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the outer core layer composition.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the outer core layer is at least 20 Shore C units greater than the center hardness.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer cover layer has a material hardness less than the surface hardness of the outer core layer.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has a center hardness of from 55 Shore C to 70 Shore C.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the outer core layer is 85 Shore C or greater, and the inner cover layer has a material hardness of 90 Shore C or less.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the outer core layer is 90 Shore C or greater, and the inner cover layer has a material hardness of 90 Shore C or less.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an overall dual core compression of from 75 to 90.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core has an overall dual core diameter of from 1.52 inches to 1.59 inches.