Golf ball cover containing a blend of ionomer and plastomer, and method of making same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a golf ball having a core and a cover comprising a blend of ionomer and plastomers. The golf ball has an impact resistance and cut resistance comparable to a ball having a non-plastomer cover and containing higher quantities of ionomer.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A golf ball having a core and a cover wherein said cover comprises an at least partially miscible blend of at least one ionomer resin and at least one metallocene catalyzed polyolefin resin.  
     
     
         2 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the ionomer resin comprises ethylene and methacrylic or acrylic acid.  
     
     
         3 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the ionomer resin is a terpolymer.  
     
     
         4 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the metallocene catalyzed polyolefin resin comprises a copolymer of ethylene and at least one olefin comonomer selected from the group consisting of propylene, butene, hexene, octene, pentene and norbornene.  
     
     
         5 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises from about 90-10 percent ionomer resin and from about 10-90 percent metallocene catalyzed polyolefin resin.  
     
     
         6 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises from about 80-50 percent ionomer resin and from about 20-50 percent metallocene catalyzed polyolefin resin.  
     
     
         7 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf ball has a diameter of from about 1.68 to about 1.75 inches.  
     
     
         8 . A golf ball having a core and a cover wherein said cover comprises from about 90 to 10 percent of at least one ionomer resin selected from the group consisting of ethylene-methacrylic acid and ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers neutralized by mono, di or tri-valent metallic derivatives; and from about 10 to 90 percent of at least one non-ionic metallocene catalyzed copolymer of an olefin with a lower alkyl substituent having from about 1 to about 18 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         9 . A golf ball according to  claim 8  wherein the cover comprises from about 80-50 percent ionomer resin and from about 20-50 percent non-ionic metallocene catalyzed copolymer.  
     
     
         10 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core according to  claim 8 , wherein the golf ball has a diameter of from about 1.68 to about 1.75 inches.  
     
     
         11 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core wherein the cover comprises an at least partially miscible blend of at least one ionomer and at least one metallocene catalyzed polymer having the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein 
 R 1  is hydrogen;  
 R 2  is hydrogen or lower alkyl selected from the group consisting of CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , C 4 H 9 , and C 5 H 11 ;  
 R 3  is hydrogen or lower alkyl selected from the group consisting of CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , C 4 H 9 , and C 5 H 11 ;  
 R 4  is selected from the group consisting of CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , C 4 H 9 , C 5 H 11 , C 6 H 13 , C 7 H 15 , C 8 H 17 , C 9 H 19 , C 10 H 21 , and phenyl, in which from 0 to 5 H within R 4  can be replaced by substituents selected from the group consisting of COOH, SO 3 H, NH 2 , F, Cl, Br, I, OH, SH, silicone, lower alkyl esters and lower alkyl ethers, with the proviso that R 3  and R 4  can be combined to form a bicyclic ring;  
 R 5  is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C 1 -C 5 , carbocycilc, aromatic or heterocyclic;  
 R 6  is hydrogen, lower alkyl including C 1 -C 5  carbocyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic; and  
 wherein x ranges from 99 to 50 weight per cent of the polymer, y ranges from 1 to 50 weight per cent of the polymer and z ranges from 0 to 49 weight per cent of the polymer.  
 
     
     
         12 . A golf ball comprising a core and a cover according to  claim 11  wherein R 2  is hydrogen.  
     
     
         13 . A golf ball composing a cover and a core according to  claim 11  wherein the golf ball core has a diameter of about 1.58 inches.  
     
     
         14 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core according to  claim 11  wherein the golf ball has a diameter from about 1.68 to about 1.80 inches.  
     
     
         15 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core according to  claim 11  wherein the golf ball has a diameter of from about 1.710 to about 1.730 inches.  
     
     
         16 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core according to  claim 11  wherein the core is a single piece of material.  
     
     
         17 . A golf ball comprising a cover and a core according to  claim 11  wherein the core is a solid or liquid center at least partially covered with a wound thread.  
     
     
         18 . A golf ball having a core and a cover, said cover comprising a blend of two or more ionomer resins with one or more non-ionic copolymers and an olefin with attached lower alkyl groups having from about 1 to about 18 carbon atoms said olefin comonomer produced using a metallocene catalyst.  
     
     
         19 . A golf ball according to  claim 18  having multiple cover or core layers.  
     
     
         20 . A golf ball having a core and a cover wherein said cover comprises one or more ionomer resins having a flexural modulus of from about 50 psi to about 150,000 psi and a non-ionic metallocene catalyzed copolymer of an olefin having a flexural modulus of from about 500 psi to 200,000 psi.  
     
     
         21 . A golf ball having a core and a cover wherein said cover comprises an at least partially miscible blend of at least one ionomer resin and at least one polyolefin resin, wherein the polyolefin resin is formed with a metallocene catalyst.  
     
     
         22 . A golf ball having a core and a cover wherein said cover comprises from about 99 to 1 phr of at least one ionomer resin chosen from the group consisting of ethylene-methacrylic acid and ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers neutralized by mono, di or tri-valent metallic derivatives; and from about 1 to 99 phr of at least one non-ionic metallocene catalyzed copolymer of an olefin with a lower alkyl substituent having from about 1 to about 18 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         23 . A golf ball having improved spin comprising a core and a cover wherein said cover comprises from about 95 to 5 phr of at least one ionomer resin chosen from the group consisting of ethylene-methacrylic acid and ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers neutralized by mono, di or tri-valent metallic derivatives; and from about 5 to 95 phr of at least one non-ionic metallocene catalyzed copolymer of an olefin with a lower alkyl substituent having from about 1 to about 18 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         24 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the cover comprises from about 95-30 percent ionomer and from about 5-70 percent metallocene catalyzed copolymer.  
     
     
         25 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the cover comprises from about 95-50 percent ionomer and from about 5-50 percent metallocene catalyzed copolymer.  
     
     
         26 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the olefin has a flexural modulus between about 500 psi and about 150,000 psi.  
     
     
         27 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the olefinic polymer is a copolymer in which the monomers are selected from the group consisting of butene, hexene, and octene.  
     
     
         28 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the olefinic polymer is a copolymer of butene, hexene, or norbornene.  
     
     
         29 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the olefinic polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and butene.  
     
     
         30 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the olefinic polymer is a copolymer of butene and hexene.  
     
     
         31 . A golf ball according to  claim 22  wherein the olefinic polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and octene.  
     
     
         32 . A golf ball according to  claim 23  wherein the olefinic polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and norbornene.  
     
     
         33 . A golf ball according to  claim 23  wherein the olefinic polymer is a polymer of ethylene and propylene and diene monomer.  
     
     
         34 . The golf ball according to  claim 11  wherein the ionomer comprises ethylene and methacrylic or acrylic acid.  
     
     
         35 . The golf ball according to  claim 34  wherein the ionomer is a terpolymer.  
     
     
         36 . The golf ball according to  claim 18  wherein the ionomers comprise ethylene and methacrylic or acrylic acid.  
     
     
         37 . The golf ball according to  claim 36  wherein the ionomer is a terpolymer.  
     
     
         38 . The golf ball according to  claim 21  wherein the ionomer comprises ethylene and methacrylic or acrylic acid.  
     
     
         39 . The golf ball according to  claim 38  wherein the ionomer is a terpolymer.