Rubber Compositions Comprising High Levels of Oily Substance and the Use Thereof in Golf Balls

Abstract

The present invention is directed to golf balls having at least one layer formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and from 5 to 100 parts of an oily substance, by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber. The rubber composition may be present in any one or more of a core layer, a cover layer, or an intermediate layer.

1 . A solid golf ball comprising: 
 a core having a diameter of 1.4 inches or less and formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and from 5 to 100 parts of an oily substance, by weight per 1 00 parts of the base rubber, and    a cover having an overall thickness of 0.05 inches or greater.    
   
   
       2 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core has a diameter of from 0.8 inches to 1.4 inches.  
   
   
       3 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core has a compression of 50 or less.  
   
   
       4 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the base rubber is selected from polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, and combinations of two or more thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber composition comprises from 20 to 90 parts of the oily substance, by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber.  
   
   
       6 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the oily substance is selected from aromatic oils, naphthenic oils, paraffinic oils, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the oily substance is paraffinic oil.  
   
   
       8 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a layer having a thickness of 0.1 inches or greater.  
   
   
       9 . The solid golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the cover is formed from a highly resilient material selected from partially- and fully-neutralized acid copolymers and blends thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The solid golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber composition comprises 2.2 parts or greater of a cis-to-trans catalyst, by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber.  
   
   
       11 . The solid golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the cis-to-trans catalyst is selected from a halogenated organosulfur, an organic disulfide, and an inorganic disulfide.  
   
   
       12 . A solid golf ball consisting essentially of: 
 a solid core having an overall diameter of 1.4 inches or less and formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and from 5 to 100 parts of an oily substance, by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber, and    a cover having an overall thickness of 0.05 inches or greater.    
   
   
       13 . The solid golf ball of  claim 12 , wherein the cover is formed from a highly resilient material selected from partially- and fully-neutralized acid copolymers and blends thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The solid golf ball of  claim 12 , wherein the cover has an overall thickness of 0.1 inches or greater.  
   
   
       15 . The solid golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the cover is formed from a highly resilient material selected from partially- and fully-neutralized acid copolymers and blends thereof.  
   
   
       16 . A solid golf ball comprising: 
 a solid inner core having a diameter of from 1.00 inches to 1.40 inches and formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and from 5 to 100 parts of an oily substance, by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber;    a solid outer core having a thickness of from 0.03 inches to 0.35 inches; and    a cover having an overall thickness of 0.05 inches or greater.    
   
   
       17 . The solid golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the cover is formed from a highly resilient material selected from partially- and fully-neutralized acid copolymers and blends thereof  
   
   
       18 . The solid golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the cover has an overall thickness of 0.1 inches or greater.  
   
   
       19 . The solid golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the cover is formed from a highly resilient material selected from partially- and fully-neutralized acid copolymers and blends thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The solid golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the inner core and the outer core have a combined overall diameter of 1.56 inches.