Method of making a golf ball with a multi-layer core
View Patent ↗A method for making a multilayer golf ball including a solid center having a center hardness, a plurality of laminates cut into a plurality of shapes formed around the center to create an inner ball, and a cover formed around the inner ball, wherein the plurality of layers can include at least a first layer having a hardness greater than the center hardness and a second layer having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness, and optionally a third layer disposed between the first and the second layers having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness.
1. A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of:
forming a laminate;
cutting the laminate into a plurality of patterns;
forming the plurality of patterns around a center having a center hardness; and
forming a cover thereon,
wherein the golf ball has a compression of about 85 or less; and
wherein the laminate comprises a plurality of layers comprising at least a first layer having a first hardness, a second layer having a second hardness, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers having a third hardness greater than the first hardness, and wherein each layer is formed from a thermoset material and having a thickness of about 0.1 inches or less.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of patterns are substantially figure 8-shaped.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness is about 0.05 inches or less.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hardness is from about 70 to about 75 Shore C, the second hardness is from about 75 to about 80 Shore C, and the third hardness is from about 72 to about 77 Shore C.
5. A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of:
forming a laminate;
cutting the laminate into a plurality of patterns;
forming the plurality of patterns around a center having a center hardness; and
forming a cover thereon,
wherein the laminate comprises a plurality of layers, each layer having a thickness of about 0.1 inches or less, the plurality of layers comprise at least a first layer having a first hardness, a second layer having a second hardness, a third layer disposed between the first and second layers having a third hardness greater than the first hardness.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first layer is disposed between the center and the third layer.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second layer is disposed between the center and the third layer.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first layer is adjacent the center, and wherein the first hardness is greater than the center hardness.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second layer is adjacent the center, and wherein the second hardness is less than the center hardness.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first layer comprises a thermoplastic material and the second layer comprises a thermoset material.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the thermoset material is polybutadiene.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a flexural modulus of about 10,000 psi or less.
13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second layer is formed of a composition comprising at least one ionomer resin.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second layer is disposed between the center and the third layer.
15. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of patterns are substantially figure 8-shaped.
16. The method of claim 5 , wherein the thickness is about 0.05 inches or less.
17. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of forming the plurality of patterns around a solid center comprises compression molding.
18. The method of claim 5 , wherein the golf ball has a compression of 85.
19. A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of:
forming a center having a center hardness;
forming a laminate, wherein the laminate comprises:
a plurality of layers comprising a first layer having a first hardness and comprising at least one thermoplastic material, a second layer having a second hardness and comprising at least one thermoset material, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers having a third hardness greater than the first hardness, wherein the first hardness is from about 70 to about 75 Shore C, the second hardness is from about 75 to about 80 Shore C, and the third hardness is from about 72 to about 77 Shore C;
cutting the laminate into a plurality of patterns;
forming the plurality of patterns around the center; and
forming a cover thereon,
wherein the step of forming the plurality of patterns around the center comprises vacuum forming at least one laminate to a top mold cavity and at least one other laminate to a bottom mold cavity.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of patterns are substantially figure 8-shaped.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first and second layers each have a thickness of about 0.1 inches or less.
22. The method of claim 19 , the step of forming a cover comprises compression molding the cover around the golf ball.
23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first layer is adjacent the center and has a first hardness greater than the center hardness and the second layer is adjacent the cover and has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.
24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first layer is adjacent the center and has a first hardness less than the center hardness and the second layer is adjacent the cover and has a second hardness less than the first hardness.
25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one thermoset material comprises polybutadiene.
26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one thermoset material has a flexural modulus of about 50,000 psi or greater.
27. The method of claim 19 , wherein the cover is formed of a composition comprising at least one castable reactive liquid material.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the at least one castable reactive liquid material is thermoset cast polyurethane.
29. The method of claim 19 , wherein the golf ball has a compression from about 75 to about 85.
30. A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of:
forming a center having a center hardness;
forming a laminate, wherein the laminate comprises:
a plurality of layers comprising a first layer having a first hardness and comprising at least one thermoplastic material, a second layer having a second hardness and comprising at least one thermoset material, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers having a third hardness greater than the first hardness;
cutting the laminate into a plurality of patterns;
forming the plurality of patterns around the center; and
forming a cover thereon,
wherein the step of forming a cover comprises injection molding the cover around the ball.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first hardness is from about 70 to about 75 Shore C, the second hardness is from about 75 to about 80 Shore C, and the third hardness is from about 72 to about 77 Shore C.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of patterns are substantially figure 8-shaped.
33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first and second layers each have a thickness of about 0.1 inches or less.
34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first hardness is less than the center hardness and the second layer is adjacent the cover and has a second hardness less than the first hardness.
35. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first layer is adjacent the center and has a first hardness less than the center hardness and the second layer is adjacent the cover and has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.
36. The method of claim 30 , wherein the at least one thermoset material has a flexural modulus of about 50,000 psi or greater.
37. The method of claim 30 , wherein the golf ball has a compression from about 75 to 85.