Compositions for golf equipment

• US 20050272530A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wu, Shenshen
• Granted Patent: US 7,253,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/351
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0039 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• 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 18/3206 aliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/44 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/5021 having nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6594 with compounds of C08G18/3225 or C08G18/3271 or polyamines of C08G18/38
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/69 Polymers of conjugated dienes hydrogenated polymers of conjugated dienes C08G18/6208
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/758 containing two or more cycloaliphatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 175/12 from compounds containing nitrogen and active hydrogen, the nitrogen atom not being part of an isocyanate group

Abstract

Golf balls comprising thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, or millable elastomer compositions are presently disclosed. These elastomer compositions comprise reaction products of polyisocyanates and telechelic polymers having isocyanate-reactive end-groups such as hydroxyl groups and/or amine groups. These elastomer compositions can be used in any one or more portions of the golf balls, such as inner center, core, inner core layer, intermediate core layer, outer core layer, intermediate layer, cover, inner cover layer, intermediate cover layer, and/or outer cover layer.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a layer that comprises a material having a rebound height percentage 60% or greater and being formed from a composition comprising at least one resilient polyamine polydiene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000-20,000 and an amine functionality of 1.6-10.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene comprises at least one diene monomer chosen from 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, and mixtures thereof.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene has a 1,4-addition of 30-70%.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene has a 1,2-addition of at least 40%.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene is at least 90% hydrogenated.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene is liquid at ambient temperature.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the number average molecular weight is 3,000-6,000.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene comprises a diamino polybutadiene that is at least 99% hydrogenated, having a number average molecular weight of 3,300, an amine functionality of 1.92, and a 1,2-addition content of 54%.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene is a diamino polyisoprene having a 1,4-addition of at least 80%.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene is chosen from polyamine poly(alkylene-diene)s.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the polyamine polydiene further comprises oxyethylene moieties at each terminal.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the terminal oxyethylene moieties are present in an amount of 5-30% by weight of the polyamine polydiene.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer is an inner core layer, an intermediate core layer, an outer core layer, an intermediate layer, a cover, an inner cover layer, an intermediate cover layer, an outer cover layer, a discontinuous layer, a wound layer, a foamed layer, a lattice network layer, a web or net, an adhesion or coupling layer, a barrier layer, a layer of uniformed or non-uniformed thickness, a layer having a plurality of discrete elements, or a layer filled with liquid, gel, powder, and/or gas.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the layer has a thickness of 0.125 inches or less and a Shore D hardness of 20 or greater and 80 or less.

15. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the material is thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, and/or millable.

16. A golf ball comprising a layer that comprises a material having a rebound height percentage 60% or greater and being formed from a composition comprising at least one resilient polyol polydiene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000-20,000 and a hydroxyl functionality of 1.6-10.

17. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polyol polydiene comprises at least one diene monomer chosen from 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, and mixtures thereof.

18. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polyol polydiene has a 1,2-addition of at least 40%.

19. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polyol polydiene is at least 90% hydrogenated.

20. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polyol polydiene is liquid at ambient temperature.

21. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the number average molecular weight is 3,000-6,000.

22. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein the polyol polydiene further comprises oxyethylene moieties at each terminal.