Golf ball layer incorporating inhomogeneous materials

Abstract

A golf ball of the present invention comprises a core of one or more layers and a cover of one or more layers surrounding the core. At least one of the core layers is comprised of a surface region. The surface region is a composite of cured core material and non-reactive particles. The non-reactive particles are comprised of ground cured-rubber or ground thermoplastic polymer.

1 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a core of one or more layers and a cover of one or more layers surrounding the core;   wherein at least one of the core layers comprises a surface region which is a composite of cured core material and non-reactive particles comprised of ground cured-rubber or ground thermoplastic polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core layer comprises an outer core layer having a thickness of 0.03 to 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core layer is a center having a diameter of less than 1.6 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the size of non-reactive particles are less than 0.0083 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the size of non-reactive particles are less than 0.0059 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the size of non-reactive particles are less than 0.0049 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the surface region is less than half the a thickness of the core layer. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the thickness of the surface region is between 5 and 20% of the thickness of the core layer. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the surface region has a thickness of 0.005 to 0.025 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the hardness of the surface region is harder than the hardness of a non-surface region of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the hardness of the surface region is softer than the hardness of the a non-surface region of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein the hardness of the surface region is harder than the hardness of a non-surface region of the center. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein the hardness of the surface region is softer than the hardness of a non-surface region of the center. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a golf ball comprising the steps of:
 forming non-reactive particles of less than 0.0083 inches from a cured rubber composition or thermoplastic polymer having a melt flow rate of less than 10 g/10 min at 190° C./2.16 kg;   forming a prep of a rubber composition comprising polybutadiene, a co-agent in the amount of less than 15 to 45 pph of the polybutadiene, a density adjusting filler in the amount of 0 to 35 pph of the polybutadiene, a peroxide initiator in the amount of 0.05 to 5 pph of the polybutadiene;   coating the prep with the non-reactive particles;   compression molding the prep to form a golf ball core layer; and   forming a cover over the golf ball core layer.   
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core layer having the surface region comprises an inner region radially inward from the surface region in which the inner region is free of the non-reactive particles. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core layer having the surface region is formed by coating a prep with the non-reactive particles and compression molding the prep to form the core layer with the surface and inner regions.