IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,766,591
Granted Patent B1
US 11,766,591 · App. 17/974,750 · Granted Sep 26, 2023

Golf ball core hardness gradient manipulation using hardness agent and water releasing agent

Inventors: Michael Michalewich (Norton, MA); Erin McDermott (Providence, RI); Manjari Kuntimaddi (Raynham, MA); Doug Goguen (Lakeville, MA); Dennis Britton (North Dartmouth, MA)
Assignee: Acushnet Company
A63B37/0063A63B37/0027A63B37/0076A63B37/00621A63B37/00622C08K3/30C08K5/32C08K2003/3045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,766,591
App. No.
17/974,750
Filed
Oct 27, 2022
Granted
Sep 26, 2023
Kind
B1
Art Unit
3711
USPC
473/351
Abstract

Compositions including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent and golf ball cores made from such compositions having a tailored hardness gradient are disclosed. The type and concentration of the components in the composition, including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent, affect the hardness, hardness gradient, and compression of cores made from the composition and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having desirable performance characteristics.

Claims (190)

1. A golf ball, comprising:

a rubber layer comprising:

a rubber formulation comprising a base rubber, a hardening agent, and a water releasing agent,

wherein the hardening agent comprises a benzoic compound comprising a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and sulfhydryl functional groups, and

wherein the water releasing agent is a metal salt hydrate; and

a cover layer disposed about the rubber layer.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the hardening agent is present in an amount of about 0.05 and about 1.0 parts per hundred rubber.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the hardening agent comprises nitrophenol.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the water releasing agent is present in an amount of about 0.5 and about 5.0 parts per hundred rubber.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the rubber layer further comprises a geometric center having a hardness H C , a geometric surface having a hardness H S , and a hardness gradient H Gr equal to the difference in the geometric center hardness and the surface hardness, wherein the hardness gradient is between 2 Shore C and 42 Shore C.

6. The golf ball of claim 5 , wherein H C is in the range of about 50 Shore C to about 85 Shore C, H S is in the range of about 65 Shore C to about 95 Shore C, and H S is greater than H C .

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the rubber formulation further comprises a co-agent, a filler, and an initiator.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the rubber formulation further comprises a radical scavenger.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the base rubber is polybutadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, or a blend thereof.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, and hybrids, copolymers, and blends thereof.

11. A golf ball, comprising:

a core comprising:

a rubber formulation comprising a base rubber, a hardening agent having a hardening agent concentration HA S and a hardening agent isomer number HA LN , and a water releasing agent having a water releasing agent concentration, WRA C ;

a geometric center hardness H C ;

a surface hardness H S ; and

a hardness gradient H Gr equal to the difference between H C and H S ,

wherein the hardening agent comprises a benzoic compound comprising a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and sulfhydryl functional groups,

wherein the water releasing agent comprises a metal salt hydrate,

wherein H Gr is equal to or greater than 2 Shore C, and

WRA

C

*

HA

C

*

HA

LN

1

-

1

H

Gr

≥

0.2

;

and

a cover layer disposed about the core.

12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein

0.2

<

WRA

C

*

HA

C

*

HA

LN

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

12.

13. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein

0.2

<

WRA

C

*

HA

C

*

HA

LN

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

6.

14. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein

0.3

<

WRA

C

*

HA

C

*

HA

LN

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

9.

15. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein

0.4

<

WRA

C

*

HA

C

*

HA

LN

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

12.

16. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the hardening agent comprises nitrophenol.

17. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the water releasing agent is calcium sulfate dihydrate.

18. A golf ball, comprising:

a core comprising:

a rubber formulation comprising a base rubber, a hardening agent having a hardening agent concentration HA S and a hardening agent isomer number HA LN , and a water releasing agent having a water releasing agent concentration WRA C and a number of waters of hydration, WRA WOH ;

a geometric center hardness H C ;

a surface hardness H S ; and

a hardness gradient H Gr equal to the difference between H C and H S ,

wherein the hardening agent comprises a benzoic compound comprising a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and sulfhydryl functional groups,

wherein the water releasing agent comprises a metal salt hydrate,

wherein H Gr is equal to or greater than 10 Shore C, and

0.1

<

WRA

C

*

WRA

WOH

*

HA

LN

*

HA

C

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

70

;

and

a cover layer disposed about the core.

19. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein

0.2

<

WRA

C

*

WRA

WOH

*

HA

LN

*

HA

C

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

50.

20. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein

0.4

<

WRA

C

*

WRA

WOH

*

HA

LN

*

HA

C

1

-

1

H

Gr

<

35.