IP Library Granted Patent US 7,914,397
Granted Patent B2
US 7,914,397 · App. 12/699,632 · Granted Mar 29, 2011

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 7,914,397
App. No.
12/699,632
Granted
Mar 29, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Golf ball 2 has a spherical core 4 , a mid layer 6 covering this core 4 , a reinforcing layer 8 covering this mid layer 6 , and a cover 10 covering this reinforcing layer 8 . Base polymer of this mid layer 6 includes an ionomer resin as a principal component. Base polymer of this cover 10 includes a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer as a principal component. The cover 10 has a thickness Tc of equal to or less than 0.6 mm. The cover 10 has a hardness Hc as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of equal to or less than 54. The cover 10 has a volume V of equal to or less than 3.0 cm 3 . A product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc, the hardness Hc and the volume V is equal to or less than 90. The reinforcing layer 8 includes a thermosetting resin as a base polymer. The reinforcing layer has a thickness of 3 μm or greater and 50 μm or less.

Claims (32)

1. A golf ball which comprises a spherical core, a mid layer positioned outside of the core, a cover positioned outside of the mid layer, and a reinforcing layer provided between said mid layer and said cover,

wherein said cover has a thickness Tc of equal to or less than 0.5 mm,

said cover having a hardness Hc as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of equal to or less than 47,

said cover having a volume V of equal to or less than 2.4 cm 3 ,

a product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc (mm), the hardness Hc and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being equal to or less than 90, and a product obtained by multiplying the hardness (Hc) and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being equal to or less than 115,

a principal component of the base polymer of said cover is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, and wherein a principal component of the base polymer of said mid layer is an ionomer resin,

wherein an isocyanate component of the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer is an alicyclic diisocyanate, and

a base polymer of said reinforcing layer is a two-component cured urethane resin obtained by a reaction of a base material containing a polyol component and a curing agent containing polyisocyanate or a derivative of the polyisocyanate,

wherein the base material of the urethane resin in the reinforcing layer contains urethane polyol having a weight average molecular weight from 4000 to 10000.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing layer has a thickness from 3 μm to 50 μm.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the product obtained by multiplying the hardness (Hc) and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover is from 10 to 115.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the cover has a thickness Tc from 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm; and the cover has a volume V from 0.3 cm 3 to 2.2 cm 3 .

5. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the cover has a thickness Tc from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm; and the cover has a volume V from 1.0 cm 3 to 2.2 cm 3 .

6. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc (mm), the hardness Hc and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being from 1.0 to 85.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc (mm), the hardness Hc and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being from 1.0 to 60.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate component is 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate.

9. A golf ball which comprises a spherical core, a mid layer positioned outside of the core, a cover positioned outside of the mid layer, and a reinforcing layer provided between said mid layer and said cover,

wherein said cover has a thickness Tc of equal to or less than 0.5 mm,

said cover having a hardness Hc as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of equal to or less than 47,

said cover having a volume V of equal to or less than 2.4 cm 3 ,

a principal component of the base polymer of said cover is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, and wherein a principal component of the base polymer of said mid layer is an ionomer resin,

wherein an isocyanate component of the thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer is an alicyclic diisocyanate,

a base polymer of said reinforcing layer is a two-component cured urethane resin obtained by a reaction of a base material containing a polyol component and a curing agent containing polyisocyanate or a derivative of the polyisocyanate,

wherein the base material of the urethane resin in the reinforcing layer contains urethane polyol having a hydroxyl value (mgKOH/g) from 15 to 130, and

a product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc (mm), the hardness Hc and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being equal to or less than 90, and a product obtained by multiplying the hardness (Hc) and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being equal to or less than 115.

10. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein said reinforcing layer has a thickness from 3 μm to 50 μm.

11. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein the product obtained by multiplying the hardness (Hc) and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover is from 10 to 115.

12. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein the cover has a thickness Tc from 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm; and the cover has a volume V from 0.3 cm 3 to 2.2 cm 3 .

13. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein the cover has a thickness Tc from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm; and the cover has a volume V from 1.0 cm 3 to 2.2 cm 3 .

14. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein the product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc (mm), the hardness Hc and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being from 1.0 to 85.

15. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein the product obtained by multiplying the thickness Tc (mm), the hardness Hc and the volume V (cm 3 ) of said cover being from 1.0 to 60.

16. The golf ball according to claim 9 , wherein the isocyanate component is 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate.

Assignments (2)
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 →