IP Library Granted Patent US 9,162,111
Granted Patent B2
US 9,162,111 · App. 13/085,635 · Granted Oct 20, 2015

Golf ball resin composition and golf ball

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,162,111
App. No.
13/085,635
Granted
Oct 20, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball resin composition containing an ionomer resin with an excellent resilience and fluidity. Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball using an ionomer resin for an intermediate layer, with an excellent shot feeling, durability and resilience. The present invention provides a golf ball resin composition comprising (A) an ionomer resin consisting of a metal ion-neutralized product of a ternary copolymer composed of an olefin, an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester; (B) a binary copolymer composed of an olefin and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a ternary copolymer composed of an olefin, an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, and (C) a zinc compound, wherein a content ratio ((A)/(B)) of (A) component to (B) component ranges from 50/50 to 80/20 in a mass ratio and a content of (C) component ranges from 0.1 part to 20 parts with respect to 100 parts by mass of a sum of (A) component and (B) component, and the golf ball resin composition has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) of 5 g/10 min or more.

Claims (22)

1. A golf ball comprising an intermediate layer formed by injection molding a golf ball resin composition in the absence of a fatty acid and/or a metal salt thereof, wherein the resin composition comprises a resin component and (C) a zinc compound,

wherein the resin component consists of (A) an ionomer resin consisting of a metal ion-neutralized product of a ternary copolymer composed of an olefin, an α,β- unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester and (B) a binary copolymer composed of an olefin and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a ternary copolymer composed of an olefin, an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester,

wherein a content ratio ((A)/(B)) of (A) component to (B) component ranges from 50/50 to 80/20 in a mass ratio and a content of (C) component ranges from 0.1 part to 20 parts with respect to 100 parts by mass of a sum of (A) component and (B) component, and the golf ball resin composition has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) of 5 g/10 min or more,

wherein (A) component has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) ranging from 0.1 g/10min to 20 g/10min,

wherein (B) component has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) ranging from 5 g/10min to 500 g/10min, and

wherein the golf ball resin composition comprises only the (C) component as a component to neutralize non-neutralized carboxyl groups existing in the (A) component and (B) component.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.3 mm.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball resin composition has a bending stiffness ranging from 30 MPa to 350 MPa.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball resin composition has a rebound resilience of 40% or more.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball has a cover with a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball has a cover with a hardness ranging from 20 to 70 in Shore D hardness.

7. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein (C) the zinc compound is zinc oxide, zinc hydroxide, or zinc carbonate.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein A 1 , A 2 , B 1 , and B 2 defined below satisfy the following expressions:

P 1 =A 1/( A 1 +B 1)

P 2 =A 2/( A 2 +B 2)

0.3≦P1≦1.0

0.3≦P2≦1.0

1.1 ≦P 2 /P 1≦2.5

wherein A 1 is defined as an area under a peak around 1600cm −1 and B1 is defined as an area under a peak around 1700 cm −1 in a spectrum obtained by analyzing the golf ball composition before injection molding by FT-IR, and A 2 is defined as an area under a peak around 1600 cm −1 and B 2 is defined as an area under a peak around 1700 cm −1 in a spectrum obtained by analyzing the golf ball composition after injection molding by FT-IR.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a degree of neutralization of the carboxyl groups contained in (A) the ionomer resin ranges from 20 mole% to 90 mole %, and a melt flow rate (190° C., 21.6kg) of (A) the ionomer resin ranges from 0.1 g/10min to 20g/10min.

10. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein (A) the ionomer resin has a bending stiffness ranging from 10 MPa to 100 MPa and a slab hardness ranging from 20 to 70 in Shore D hardness.

11. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein (B) component has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) ranging from 5 g/10min to 55 g/10min.

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 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 8, 2015
From: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 036563/0978 →