Golf ball having at least one radar detectable mark

Abstract

Various golf ball configurations are disclosed herein that include radar reflective features. The radar reflective features can be formed as inks, resins, electrically conductive metals, polymers, carbons, or other substances that can be deposited or disposed on various portions of a golf ball. The radar reflective features can be formed from a variety of materials, as further disclosed herein. The radar reflective material or radar detectable material can be composed of a base resin including a heat distortion temperature (HDT) increasing additive and an electrically conductive material. The HDT increasing additive can be configured to render the radar detectable mark sufficiently durable to withstand high temperature formation processes and techniques required to form a golf ball layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a golf ball with a radar detectable mark configured to enable detection of launch conditions and spin parameters of the golf ball via a radar tracking system, wherein the golf ball includes at least a core and a cover, the method comprising:
 (i) forming at least one radar detectable mark on an outer surface of a layer of a golf ball sub-assembly, wherein the at least one radar detectable mark is formed from a base resin including a heat distortion temperature (HDT) increasing additive, and an electrically conductive material; and   (ii) forming a cover layer around the golf ball sub-assembly via molding, wherein the cover layer is formed from a thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the HDT increasing additive is comprised of at least one of: isocyanates, blocked isocyanates, aliphatic isocyanates, aromatic isocyanates, peroxides, amines, silanes, amino silanes, amino sulfurs, aziridine, aziridines, or polyaziridine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base resin is comprised of at least 0.1% of the HDT increasing additive. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base resin is comprised of no greater than 20.0% of the HDT increasing additive. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one radar detectable mark is formed on the core. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the golf ball further comprises at least one intermediate layer between the core and cover layer, and the at least one radar detectable mark is formed on the at least one intermediate layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one radar detectable mark is undeformed during step (ii). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is comprised of ionomer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is comprised of thermoplastic urethane. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming a golf ball with a radar detectable mark configured to enable detection of launch conditions and spin parameters of the golf ball via a radar tracking system, the method comprising:
 (i) forming at least one radar detectable mark on an outer surface of a layer of a golf ball sub-assembly, wherein the at least one radar detectable mark is formed from a base resin including a heat distortion temperature (HDT) increasing additive, and an electrically conductive material; and   (ii) forming a cover layer around the golf ball sub-assembly via a molding process requiring a predefined molding temperature range, wherein the cover is formed from a thermoplastic material;   wherein the HDT increasing additive is configured to increase the heat distortion temperature of the base resin above the predefined molding temperature range such that the at least one radar detectable mark is undeformed during step (ii).   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the HDT increasing additive is comprised of at least one of: isocyanates, blocked isocyanates, aliphatic isocyanates, aromatic isocyanates, peroxides, amines, silanes, amino silanes, amino sulfurs, aziridine or aziridines, or polyaziridine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the base resin is comprised of at least 0.1% of the HDT increasing additive. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the base resin is comprised of no greater than 20.0% of the HDT increasing additive. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material is comprised of ionomer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material is comprised of thermoplastic urethane. 
     
     
         16 . A golf ball having at least one radar detectable mark that is radar reflective and is configured to enable detection of launch conditions and spin parameters of the golf ball via a radar tracking system,
 wherein the golf ball comprises at least: a core and a cover layer, and the at least one radar detectable mark is disposed on an outer surface of a layer positioned adjacent to the cover layer;   wherein the at least one radar detectable mark is formed from a radar detectable material comprising a base resin including a heat distortion temperature (HDT) increasing additive, and an electrically conductive material.   
     
     
         17 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the HDT increasing additive is comprised of at least one of: isocyanates, blocked isocyanates, aliphatic isocyanates, aromatic isocyanates, peroxides, amines, silanes, amino silanes, amino sulfurs, aziridine or aziridines, or polyaziridine. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the base resin is comprised of at least 0.1% of the HDT increasing additive. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the base resin is comprised of no greater than 20.0% of the HDT increasing additive. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the golf ball is a two-piece golf ball, and the at least one radar detectable mark is formed on the core. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the golf ball further comprises at least one intermediate layer between the core and cover layer, and the at least one radar detectable mark is formed on the at least one intermediate layer. 
     
     
         22 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the cover layer is formed from a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         23 . The golf ball according to  claim 22 , wherein the thermoplastic material is comprised of ionomer. 
     
     
         24 . The golf ball according to  claim 22 , wherein the thermoplastic material is comprised of thermoplastic urethane. 
     
     
         25 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the cover layer is formed from at least one of: a thermosetting polyurethane, a thermosetting polyurea, a thermosetting hybrid of polyurethane and polyurea, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic polyurea, or a thermoplastic hybrid of polyurethane and polyurea. 
     
     
         26 . The golf ball according to  claim 16 , wherein the cover layer is formed from cast polyurethane.