IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,654,917

Granted Patent B2

US 7,654,917 · App. 12/125,331 · Granted Feb 2, 2010

Golf balls having a low modulus HNP layer and a high modulus HNP layer

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 7,654,917
App. No.: 12/125,331
Filed: May 22, 2008
Granted: Feb 2, 2010
Kind: B2
Examiner: GORDEN, RAEANN
Art Unit: 3711
USPC: 473/376

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover. The multi-layer core consists of a small, hard center enclosed by a soft intermediate core layer and an outer core layer. The multi-layer core includes at least one layer formed from a low modulus HNP composition and at least one layer formed from a high modulus HNP composition.

Claims (52)

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi;

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C; and

(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a high modulus HNP composition, the high modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi;

wherein the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the low modulus HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the high modulus HNP composition.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from a rubber composition.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from an HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.

6. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a high modulus HNP composition, the high modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi;

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C; and

(c) an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi;

7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from a rubber composition.

8. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from an HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi.

9. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

10. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.

11. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(b) an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of less than 80 Shore C and formed from a low modulus HNP composition, the low modulus HNP composition comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi; and

12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the outer core layer is formed from a rubber composition.

13. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the outer core layer is formed from an HNP composition.

14. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

15. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.

16. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core has an overall diameter of from 1.40 inches to 1.62 inches and consists of:

(a) a center having a diameter of from 0.125 inches to 0.750 inches and a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater;

17. The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein the center is formed from a rubber composition.

18. The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein the center is formed from an HNP composition.

19. The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.020 inches to 0.080 inches; and

an outer cover layer having a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.015 inches to 0.055 inches.

20. The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein the cover consists of:

an inner cover layer formed from a partially or fully neutralized polymer composition and having a surface hardness of 65 Shore D or greater and a thickness of from 0.030 inches to 0.040 inches; and

an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition and having a surface hardness of 50 Shore D or less and a thickness of from 0.025 inches to 0.035 inches.