Methods for making golf balls

Abstract

A method of molding a layer of a reaction injection molding material about a golf ball component is disclosed. The method comprises holding a bottom portion of the component horizontally in a retaining cavity of retaining member to expose a top portion of the component; positioning the exposed top portion of the component in a top mold cavity of a top mold portion; molding a top portion of the layer from the material over the top portion of the component; disengaging the retaining member from the component to expose the bottom portion thereof; holding the molded top portion of the layer by the top mold portion; positioning the exposed bottom portion of the component in a bottom mold cavity of a bottom mold portion; molding a bottom portion of the layer from the material over the bottom portion of the component; and removing the golf ball product with the molded layer from the first and second molded portions.

1 . A method of molding a layer formed of at least one flowable reactive material having a gel time of 10 seconds or less about a golf ball product, comprising: 
 holding a first portion of the golf ball product in a retaining cavity of a retaining member to expose a second portion of the golf ball product;    positioning the exposed second portion of the golf ball product in a first mold cavity of a first mold portion;    injecting the reactive material at a mating surface between the retaining member and the first mold portion into the first mold cavity to mold a first portion of the layer over the second portion of the golf ball product;    disengaging the retaining member from the golf ball product to expose the first portion thereof while holding the molded first portion of the layer by the first mold portion;    positioning the exposed first portion of the golf ball product in a second mold cavity of a second mold portion;    injecting the reactive material at a mating surface between the first and second mold portions into the second mold cavity to mold a second portion of the layer over the first portion of the golf ball product; and    removing the golf ball product with the molded layer from the first and second molded portions.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the holding the golf ball product in the retaining cavity comprises snuggly fitting the golf ball product in the retaining cavity that is substantially hemispherical and has a radius substantially equal to that of the golf ball product.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the holding the golf ball product in the retaining cavity comprises snuggly fitting the golf ball product in the retaining cavity that is substantially hemispherical and free of openings.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member comprises at least one through opening in communication with the retaining cavity for air or inert gas to flow into or out of the retaining cavity.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a negative or positive pressure is applied to the retaining cavity via the at least one through opening during the step of holding the golf ball product in the retaining cavity or the step of disengaging the retaining member from the golf ball product, respectively.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disengaging the retaining member from the golf ball product comprises: 
 extending one or more retractable elements into the retaining cavity; and    expelling the golf ball product out of the retaining member.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning the second portion of the golf ball product in the first mold cavity comprises: 
 mating the first mold portion with the retaining member at a mating surface;    extending one or more supporting members through the first mold portion into the first mold cavity to engage with the second portion of the golf ball product; and    holding the golf ball product with the supporting members and the retaining member.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mold portion comprises at least one through opening in communication with the first mold cavity for air or inert gas to flow into or out of the first mold cavity.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a negative or positive pressure is applied to the first mold cavity via the at least one through opening during the step of holding the molded first portion of the layer or the step of removing the molded layer from the mold portions, respectively.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning the first portion of the golf ball product in the second mold cavity comprises: 
 mating the first mold portion with the second mold portion at a mating surface;    extending one or more supporting members through the second mold portion into the second mold cavity to engage with the first portion of the golf ball product; and    holding the golf ball product with the supporting members and the first mold portion.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second mold portion comprises at least one through opening in communication with the second mold cavity for air or inert gas to flow into or out of the second mold cavity.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a negative or positive pressure is applied to the second mold cavity via the at least one through opening during the step of holding the molded second portion of the layer or the step of removing the molded layer from the mold portions, respectively.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is stationary, or mobile but independent of the second mold portion.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the retaining member, the first mold portion, and the second mold portion is detachably affixed to at least one of the first and second mold platens.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layer is an outer cover layer, an inner cover layer, an intermediate layer, a dimpled layer, a lattice network layer, or a discontinuous layer comprising a plurality of discrete elements.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layer has a thickness of 0.03 inches or less.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming the layer comprises overlapping the first and second molded portions at one or more locations by a width of 0.005 inches or greater.  
   
   
       18 . A method of molding a layer formed of at least one reaction injection molding material about each golf ball product in an A×B array of golf ball products where A and B are independent integers of at least 2, comprising: 
 holding a first portion of each golf ball product in an retaining cavity of an A×B array of retaining member to expose a second portion of each golf ball product;    positioning the exposed second portion of each golf ball product in a first mold cavity of an A×B array of first mold portions;    molding a first portion of the layer from a reaction injection molding material over the second portion of each golf ball product;    disengaging the retaining member array from the golf ball product array to expose the first portion of each golf ball product while holding the molded first portions of the layers by the first mold portion array;    positioning the exposed first portion of each golf ball product in a second mold cavity of an A×B array of second mold portions;    molding a second portion of the layer from the reaction injection molding material over the first portion of each golf ball product; and    removing the golf ball product with the molded layer from the first and second molded portions.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the retaining member array and the second mold portion array are detachably affixed to a common mold platen and interleave with each other.  
   
   
       20 . A method of molding a layer formed of at least one reaction injection molding material about a golf ball product, comprising: 
 holding a bottom portion of the golf ball product horizontally in a retaining cavity of retaining member to expose a top portion of the golf ball product;    positioning the exposed top portion of the golf ball product in a top mold cavity of a top mold portion;    injecting the reaction injection molding material at a mating surface between the retaining member and the top mold portion into the top mold cavity to mold a top portion of the layer over the top portion of the golf ball product;    disengaging the retaining member from the golf ball product to expose the bottom portion thereof while holding the molded top portion of the layer by the top mold portion;    positioning the exposed bottom portion of the golf ball product in a bottom mold cavity of a bottom mold portion;    injecting the reaction injection molding material at a mating surface between the top and bottom mold portions into the bottom mold cavity to mold a bottom portion of the layer over the bottom portion of the golf ball product; and    removing the golf ball product with the molded layer from the first and second molded portions.