IP Library Granted Patent US 8,721,474
Granted Patent B2
US 8,721,474 · App. 12/542,277 · Granted May 13, 2014

Golf ball

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,721,474
App. No.
12/542,277
Granted
May 13, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf ball 2 has a core 4 , an inner cover 6 positioned outside the core 4 and an outer cover 8 positioned outside the inner cover 6 . The core 4 has a spherical center 10 and a mid layer 12 positioned outside the center 10 . The center 10 has a diameter of 1 mm or greater and 15 mm or less. A difference (H4−H3) between a JIS-C hardness H4 of a surface of the core and a JIS-C hardness H3 of an innermost part of the mid layer is equal to or greater than 10. The hardness H4 is greater than a JIS-C hardness H2 of a surface of a spherical body including the core 4 and the inner cover 6 . A Shore D hardness H7 of the outer cover 8 is less than 40.

Claims (33)

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core,

an inner cover positioned outside the core, and

an outer cover positioned outside the inner cover having a thickness equal to or greater than 0.15 mm and less than 0.8 mm,

wherein:

the core has a center and a mid layer positioned outside the center, the mid layer has a thickness equal to or greater than 12.0 mm, the center has a diameter of 1 mm or greater and 15 mm or less,

a difference (H4−H3) between a JIS-C hardness H4 of a surface of the core and a JIS-C hardness H3 of an innermost part of the mid layer is equal to or greater than 14,

the hardness H4 is equal to or greater than 75 and equal to or less than 95,

the hardness H4 is greater than a JIS-C hardness H2 of a surface of the center,

a JIS-C hardness H6 of a surface of a spherical body including the core and the inner cover is greater than the hardness H4,

a Shore D hardness H7 of the outer cover is equal to or less than 32,

the center comprises a crosslinked rubber composition, and

an amount of compressive deformation of the center is equal to or greater than 0.5 mm and equal to or less than 2.5 mm in which an initial load is 0.3 N and a final load is 29.4.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein: the center has a central point having a JIS-C hardness H1 of 20 or greater and 50 or less, the hardness H2 is equal to or greater than 25 and equal to or less than 75, and a difference (H2−H1) is equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than 15.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness H3 is equal to or greater than 45 and equal to or less than 75.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a difference (H3−H2) between the hardness H3 and the hardness H2 is equal to or greater than 0 and equal to or less than 35.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a difference (H4−H1) between the hardness H4 and a JIS-C hardness H1 of a central point of the center is equal to or greater than 40 and equal to or less than 65.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a difference (H4−H2) between the hardness H4 and the hardness H2 is equal to or greater than 20 and equal to or less than 60.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the difference (H4−H3) is equal to or less than 25.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a Shore D hardness H5 of the inner cover is equal to or greater than 55 and equal to or less than 80.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness H6 is equal to or greater than 85 and equal to or less than 98.

10. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a difference (H6−H4) between the hardness H6 and the hardness H4 is equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than 20.

11. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness H7 is equal to or greater than 10 and equal to or less than 32.

12. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the core is 28.0 mm or greater and 40.2 mm or less.

13. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the mid layer is 10 mm or greater and 20 mm or less.

14. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the inner cover is equal to or less than 1.5 mm.

15. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of compressive deformation of the core is equal to or greater than 2.3 mm and equal to or less than 4.0 mm in which an initial load is 98 N and a final load is 1274.

16. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of compressive deformation of a spherical body including the core and the inner cover is equal to or greater than 2.3 mm and equal to or less than 4.0 mm in which an initial load is 98 N and a final load is 1274.

17. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of compressive deformation of the golf ball is equal to or greater than 2.0 mm and equal to or less than 3.5 mm in which an initial load is 98 N and a final load is 1274.

18. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein: the mid layer is formed by crosslinking a rubber composition which comprises a base rubber that includes a polybutadiene as a principal component.

19. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the center does not contain an organic peroxide.

20. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness H2 is equal to or greater than 25 and equal to or less than 47.

21. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a difference (H2−H1) between the hardness H2 and a JIS-C hardness H1 of a central point of the center is equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than 7.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Apr 17, 2018
From: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
To: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045959/0204 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 12, 2018
From: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 045932/0024 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2009
From: OHAMA, KEIJI; NAKAMURA, HIROTAKA; KAMINO, KAZUYA
To: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 023117/0339 →