Golf ball with thermoplastic polyurethane thread

Abstract

A golf ball with a wound layer composed of thermoplastic elastomer thread is disclosed herein. The golf ball has a core, an optional boundary layer, a wound layer and a cover. The core is preferably composed of polybutadiene material. The optional boundary layer is preferably composed of a blend of ionomers. The cover is preferably composed of a thermosetting polyurethane material.

I claim as my invention:  
     
         1 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a core;    a wound layer covering the core, the wound layer composed of a thermoplastic elastomer thread, the thermoplastic elastomer thread having a flat cross section with a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm and a width ranging from 30 mm to 100 mm; and    a cover encompassing the wound layer, the cover composed of a cast thermosetting polyurethane material.    
     
     
         2 . The golf ball according to  claim 1  wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane thread is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane from reactants comprising a para-phenylene diisocyanate prepolymer.  
     
     
         3 . The golf ball according to  claim 1  wherein the wound layer has a thickness in the range of 0.050 inch to 0.250 inch.  
     
     
         4 . The golf ball according to  claim 1  wherein the wound layer has a thickness of between 0.080 inch and 0.100 inch.  
     
     
         5 . The golf ball according to  claim 1  wherein the cover has a thickness of 0.03 inch to 0.05 inch.  
     
     
         6 . The golf ball according to  claim 1  wherein the core has a diameter between 1.30 inches and 1.55 inches.  
     
     
         7 . The golf ball according to  claim 1  wherein the core comprises a polybutadiene material and has a PGA compression of at least 55.  
     
     
         8 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a solid core comprising a polybutadiene material, having a PGA compression of at least 55, and a diameter in the range of 1.35 inches to 1.58 inches;    a boundary layer covering the solid core, the boundary layer comprising a blend of ionomer materials, having a Shore D hardness between 40 and 85 and a thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.090 inch;    a wound layer covering the boundary layer, the wound layer having a thickness of 0.050 inch to 0.250 inch, the wound layer composed of a thermoplastic elastomer thread, the thermoplastic elastomer thread having a flat cross section with a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm and a width ranging from 30 mm to 100 mm; and    a cover encompassing the wound layer, the cover having a thickness in the range of 0.020 inch to 0.050 inch, the cover composed of a cast thermosetting polyurethane.    
     
     
         9 . The golf ball according to  claim 8  further comprising a latex coating over the wound layer.  
     
     
         10 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a solid core comprising a polybutadiene material, having a PGA compression of at least 55, and a diameter in the range of 1.35 inches to 1.58 inches;    a boundary layer covering the solid core, the boundary layer comprising a blend of ionomer materials, having a Shore D hardness between 40 and 85 and a thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.090 inch;    a wound layer covering the boundary layer, the wound layer having a thickness of 0.050 inch to 0.250 inch, the wound layer consisting essentially of a thermoplastic elastomer thread; and    a cover encompassing the wound layer, the cover having a thickness in the range of 0.020 inch to 0.050 inch, the cover composed of a cast thermosetting polyurethane material.