Golf balls incorporating thermoplastic blends(s) of ionomer(s), thermoplastic polymer(s), PGM reactive crosslinker(s), and catalyst(s)

• US 10,427,004 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Michael J., Comeau, Brian, Michalewich, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Application Number:
  US16/186,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20190143180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• 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 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 290/067 Polyurethanes; Polyureas
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/222 metal compounds not provided for in groups C08G18/225 - C08G18/26
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/24 of tin
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3865 containing groups having one sulfur atom between two carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/42 Polycondensates having carboxylic or carbonic ester groups in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/44 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/48 Polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4854 Polyethers containing oxyalkylene groups having four carbon atoms in the alkylene group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/73 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/755 and at least one isocyanate or isothiocyanate group linked to a secondary carbon atom of the cycloaliphatic ring, e.g. isophorone diisocyanate
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/758 containing two or more cycloaliphatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7614 containing only one aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7621 being toluene diisocyanate including isomer mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7642 : containing at least two isocyanate or isothiocyanate groups linked to the aromatic ring by means of an aliphatic group having a primary carbon atom next to the isocyanate or isothiocyanate groups, e.g. xylylene diisocyanate or homologues substituted on the aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7664 : containing alkylene polyphenyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7671 : containing only one alkylene bisphenyl group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7678 : containing condensed aromatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/792 : formed by oligomerisation of aliphatic and/or cycloaliphatic isocyanates or isothiocyanates
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/00 : Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/08 : Copolymers of ethene C08L23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0846 : Copolymers of ethene with unsaturated hydrocarbons containing other atoms than carbon or hydrogen atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0869 : Acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0876 : Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0884 : Epoxide containing esters
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/02 : Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/068 : containing glycidyl groups
• 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 67/00 : Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/00 : Compositions of polyureas or polyurethanes; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 : Polyurethanes

Abstract

Golf ball comprising thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s); (iii) reactive crosslinker(s) consisting of maleic group-modified polymer(s), and/or glycidyl (meth)acrylate-modified polymer(s) (“PGM”); and (iv) catalyst(s); ionomer present in amount of about 45 wt % or greater, and PGM present in amount of from about 2 wt % to about 35 wt %. Thermoplastic polymer may be present in amount of from about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or from about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or from about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. Amount of ionomer may be greater than amount of thermoplastic polymer. Thermoplastic polymer may be a polyurethane present in amount of greater than 20 wt % and up to about 40 wt %; and the PGM is present in amount of from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %. In some embodiments, PGM is present in an amount of from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a core and at least one layer comprising a thermoplastic blend of (i) at least one ionomer;

(ii) at least one thermoplastic polyurethane;

(iii) at least one reactive crosslinker consisting of maleic group-modified polymer(s), glycidyl (meth)acrylate-modified polymer(s), or combinations thereof (“

PGM”

); and

(iv) at least one catalyst;

wherein the ionomer is present in an amount of about 45 wt % or greater and the PGM is present in an amount of from about 2 wt % to about 35 wt %.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is present in an amount of from about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is present in an amount of from about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %.

4. The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is present in an amount of from about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %.

5. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the ionomer is present in an amount greater than the amount of thermoplastic polyurethane.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ionomer is present in an amount of from about 45 wt % to about 70 wt %.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is present in an amount greater than 20 wt % and up to about 40 wt %;

and the PGM is present in an amount of from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the PGM is present in the thermoplastic blend in an amount of from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one catalyst is selected from the group consisting of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), triphenylphosphino imidazole catalysts, chromium III complexes, oxo-centered trinuclear Cr III complexes, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, liquid epoxy catalysts, and combinations thereof.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein at least one catalyst is a tertiary amine.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one catalyst is included in the thermoplastic blend in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 parts based on 100 parts of PGM.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one catalyst is included in the thermoplastic blend in an amount of from about 1.0 to 5.0 parts based on 100 parts of PGM.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a material hardness of from about 20 Shore D to about 65 Shore D.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic blend has a material hardness that is different than the material hardness of the thermoplastic polymer.

15. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic blend has a material hardness greater than about 20 Shore D and up to about 70 Shore D.

16. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer is a cover layer that surrounds the core and has a hardness H that differs from a hardness H_(ii) of (ii) by at least about 5 Shore D hardness points;

wherein (ii) has a hardness of from about 20 Shore D to about 70 Shore D.

17. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer is an inner cover layer that surrounds the core and is surrounded by an outer cover layer and has a hardness H that differs from a hardness H_(ii) of (ii) by at least about 5 Shore D hardness points;

wherein (ii) has a hardness of from about 20 Shore D to about 70 Shore D.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer consists of the thermoplastic blend.