All rubber golf ball with hoop-stress layer

Abstract

The invention includes a golf ball having a core, a hoop-stress layer of high tensile elastic modulus material wrapped or wound about the core, at least one outermost layer of a thermoset material having a thickness of greater than about 0.065 inches. A binding material can be used in conjunction with the hoop-stress layer to facilitate positioning of the hoop-stress layer around the core for easier manufacturing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A golf ball having three or more concentrically disposed layers, which comprises: 
 a core of at least one layer comprising at least one resilient elastomeric material;    a hoop-stress layer comprising at least one hoop-stress material having a tensile elastic modulus of at least about 10,000 kpsi wound or wrapped about the core; and    an outermost thermoset material of at least one layer disposed about the hoop-stress layer and having a thickness of greater than about 0.065 inches and a dimpled outer surface.    
     
     
         2  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises polybutadiene.  
     
     
         3  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hoop-stress material comprises a wire, thread, or filament.  
     
     
         4  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hoop-stress material is comprises a continuous strand of diameter ranging from about 0.004 to 0.04 inches.  
     
     
         5  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hoop-stress material comprises glass, aromatic polyamids, carbon, metals, shape memory alloys, natural fibers, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         6  The golf ball of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one hoop-stress material is wound or wrapped in a criss-cross, basket weave, or open pattern about the core.  
     
     
         7  The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one hoop-stress material comprises a plurality of braided elements.  
     
     
         8  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hoop-stress material has a tensile elastic modulus of at least about 20,000 kpsi.  
     
     
         9  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material is formed from a material comprising at least one of polybutadiene, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, isoprene, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material comprises urethane.  
     
     
         11  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material has a thickness of greater than about 0.065 inches.  
     
     
         12  The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material has a thickness of greater than about 0.08 inches.  
     
     
         13  The golf ball of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material has a thickness of greater than about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         14  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material has a hardness of about 10 to 90 Shore D.  
     
     
         15  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material comprises an abrasion resistant material.  
     
     
         16  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the golf ball further comprises a second resilient elastomeric material of at least one layer disposed between the hoop-stress layer and the outermost thermoset material.  
     
     
         17  The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first resilient elastomeric material and the outermost thermoset material each comprise polybutadiene.  
     
     
         18  The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the polybutadiene is the same.  
     
     
         19  A golf ball of four or more concentrically disposed layers, which comprises: 
 a core of at least one layer comprising a resilient elastomeric material;  
 a hoop-stress layer comprising at least one wound material, having a tensile elastic modulus of at least about 10,000 kpsi, disposed about the core, wherein the at least one wound material forming the hoop-stress layer has a first cross-sectional area and is coated with a binding material layer to create a second cross-sectional area greater than the first; and  
 an outermost thermoset material of at least one layer, having a dimpled outer surface, disposed about the binding material layer.  
 
     
     
         20  The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one wound material has tensile elastic modulus of at least about 20,000 kpsi.  
     
     
         21  The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one wound material is a continuous strand of diameter ranging from about 0.004 to about 0.04 inches.  
     
     
         22  The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the second cross-sectional area is at least about 5 percent larger than the first cross-sectional area.  
     
     
         23  The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the binding material comprises at least one of thermoplastic polyvinyl butyral, thermoplastic epoxy, thermoplastic polyester phenolic, thermoplastic polyamide, thermosetting adhesive epoxy, thermoplastic polyamideimide, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         24  The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material comprises at least one of polybutadiene, natural rubber, and styrene butadiene rubber, isoprene, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         25  The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one layer of an outermost thermoset material has a thickness of greater than about 0.08 inches.