US2012309562A1PendingUtilityA1

Multi-layered cores for golf balls containing ionomer and non-ionomer layers

46
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 3, 2011Filed: Jun 3, 2011Published: Dec 6, 2012
Est. expiryJun 3, 2031(~4.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael J. SullivanMark Binette
A63B 37/00621A63B 37/00622A63B 37/00922A63B 37/0003A63B 37/0064A63B 37/0039A63B 37/0033A63B 37/0031A63B 37/0075A63B 37/0051A63B 37/0043A63B 37/0087A63B 37/0059A63B 37/0063C08L 23/0876A63B 37/0065A63B 37/0045A63B 37/0076A63B 37/0058A63B 37/0069A63B 37/0049
46
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core of at least one layer and cover of at least one layer are provided. At least one of the core layers comprises a thermoplastic ionomer composition and at least one of the core layers comprises a thermoplastic non-ionomer composition. Preferably, the ionomer composition is a highly neutralized ethylene acid copolymer. Preferably, the non-ionomer composition is a thermoplastic elastomer selected from polyester-polyether block copolymers, polyether-amide block copolymers, and blends thereof. The resulting ball has high resiliency and rebounding properties.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a) an inner core layer formed from a non-ionomer composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of: polyester-polyether block copolymers, polyether-amide block copolymers, and blends thereof;   b) an outer core layer formed from an ionomer composition comprising an ethylene acid copolymer and containing acid groups such that greater than 70% of the acid groups are neutralized; and   c) a cover having at least one layer.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the non-ionomer composition is relatively flexible having a flex modulus of 1,000 to 50,000 psi and the ionomer composition is relatively stiff having a flex modulus of 20,000 psi to 150,000 psi, the flex modulus of the non-ionomer composition being less than the flex modulus of the ionomer composition. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the modulus of the non-ionomer elastomer composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the ionomer composition. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the non-ionomer composition is relatively stiff having a flex modulus of 20,000 psi to 150,000 psi and the ionomer composition is relatively flexible having a flex modulus of 1,000 to 50,000 psi, the flex modulus of the non-ionomer composition being greater than the flex modulus of the ionomer composition. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 4 , wherein the modulus of the non-ionomer composition is at least 10% greater than the modulus of the ionomer composition. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the center of the inner core and surface of the outer core layer each has a hardness, and the surface hardness of the outer core layer is greater than the center hardness of the inner core. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is about 25 Shore D units or greater and the surface hardness of the outer core is about 45 Shore D units or greater. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is in the range of about 25 to about 82 Shore D units and the surface hardness of the outer core is in the range of about 30 to about 87 Shore C units. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the center of the inner core and surface of the outer core layer each has a hardness, and the center hardness of the inner core is greater than the surface hardness of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is a single layer having a thickness of about 0.015 to about 0.090 inches and is formed from a thermoplastic or thermoset material. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises two or more layers and has an overall thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.110 inches and wherein each cover layer is formed from a thermoplastic or thermoset material. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises an inner cover layer and outer cover layer, the outer cover having a Shore D hardness of less than 65, the hardness of the outer cover being less than the hardness of the inner cover. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is formed from a composition comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene acid copolymer ionomers; polyesters; polyamides; polyamide-ethers, polyamide-esters; polyurethanes, polyureas; fluoropolymers; polystyrenes; polypropylenes and polyethylenes; polyvinyl chlorides; polyvinyl acetates; polycarbonates; polyvinyl alcohols; polyethers; polyimides, polyetherketones, polyamideimides; and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner core has a diameter in the range of about 0.050 to about 1.40 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the outer core layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.020 to about 0.560 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the dual-core core has an overall compression in the range of about 50 to about 130. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the dual-core has an overall compression in the range of about 70 to about 110. 
     
     
         18 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a) an inner core layer formed from an ionomer composition comprising an ethylene acid copolymer and containing acid groups such that greater than 70% of the acid groups are neutralized;   b) an outer core layer formed from a non-ionomer composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyester-polyether block copolymers, polyether-amide block copolymers, and blends thereof; and   c) a cover having at least one layer.   
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the ionomer composition is relatively stiff having a flex modulus of 20,000 psi to 150,000 psi and the non-ionomer composition is relatively flexible having s a flex modulus of 1,000 to 50,000 psi. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the modulus of the ionomer composition is at least 10% greater than the modulus of the non-ionomer composition. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the ionomer composition is relatively flexible having a flex modulus of 1,000 to 50,000 psi and the non-ionomer composition is relatively stiff having a flex modulus of 20,000 to 150,000 psi. 
     
     
         22 . The golf ball of  claim 21 , wherein the modulus of the ionomer composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the non-ionomer composition. 
     
     
         23 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the center of the inner core and surface of the outer core layer each has a hardness, and the surface hardness of the outer core layer is greater than the center hardness of the inner core. 
     
     
         24 . The golf ball of  claim 23 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is about 20 Shore D units or greater and the surface hardness of the outer core is about 25 Shore D units or greater. 
     
     
         25 . The golf ball of  claim 23 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is in the range of about 20 to about 82 Shore D units and the surface hardness of the outer core is in the range of about 25 to about 87 Shore C units. 
     
     
         26 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the center of the inner core and surface of the outer core layer each has a hardness, and the center hardness of the inner core is greater than the surface hardness of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         27 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the cover is a single layer having a thickness of about 0.015 to about 0.090 inches and is formed from a thermoplastic or thermoset material. 
     
     
         28 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the cover comprises two or more layers and has an overall thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.110 inches and wherein each cover layer is formed from a thermoplastic or thermoset material. 
     
     
         29 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the dual-core core has an overall compression in the range of about 50 to about 130. 
     
     
         30 . The golf ball of  claim 29 , wherein the dual-core has an overall compression in the range of about 70 to about 110.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2012309562A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.