IP Library Granted Patent US 9,174,091
Granted Patent B2
US 9,174,091 · App. 13/153,537 · Granted Nov 3, 2015

Golf ball intermediate layer resin composition and golf ball

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,174,091
App. No.
13/153,537
Granted
Nov 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball intermediate layer resin composition with an excellent resilience and fluidity. Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball intermediate layer resin composition with a high hardness and durability. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball traveling a great distance with an ionomer intermediate layer. The present invention provides a golf ball intermediate layer resin composition comprising, (A) an ionomer resin consisting of a metal ion-neutralized product of a binary copolymer composed of an olefin and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms; (B) a binary copolymer composed of an olefin and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, 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 intermediate layer resin composition has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) of 15 g/10 min or more.

Claims (25)

1. A golf ball comprising a core having a center and at least one intermediate layer disposed around the center, and a cover disposed around the core,

wherein at least one intermediate layer is formed by injection molding a golf ball intermediate layer resin composition which comprises a zinc compound (C) and a resin component,

wherein said resin component consists of

(A) an ionomer resin, said ionomer resin having a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) ranging from 0.1 g/10 min to 30 g/10 min, a bending stiffness ranging from 140 MPa to 550 MPa, and a slab hardness ranging from 50 to 75 in Shore D hardness and consisting of a metal ion-neutralized product of a binary copolymer composed of an olefin and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, and

(B) a binary copolymer composed of an olefin and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms wherein the carboxyl groups thereof are not neutralized,

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 intermediate layer resin composition has a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kg) of 15 g/10 min or more and a slab hardness ranging from 61 to 75 in Shore D hardness.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

3. 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.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a hardness ranging from 55 to 75 in Shore D hardness.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein (A) the ionomer resin has the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid component in a content of 15 mass % or more, and is neutralized with zinc.

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

7. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein A1, A2, B1, and B2 defined below satisfy following expressions:

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

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

0.2≦ P 1≦1.0

0.3≦ P 2≦1.0

1.5≦ P 2/ P 1≦2.5

wherein

A1 is defined as an area under a peak around 1600 cm −1 ,

B1 is defined as an area under a peak around 1700 cm −1 in a spectrum obtained by analyzing the golf ball intermediate layer resin composition before injection molding by FT-IR,

A2 is defined as an area under a peak around 1600 cm −1 , and

B2 is defined as an area under a peak around 1700 cm −1 in a spectrum obtained by analyzing the golf ball intermediate layer resin composition after injection molding by FT-IR.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is formed from a cover composition containing a polyurethane resin as a resin component.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball intermediate layer resin composition comprises only (C) component as a component to neutralize non-neutralized carboxyl groups existing in (A) component and (B) component.

Assignments (4)
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 10, 2015
From: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 036585/0265 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2011
From: SHIGEMITSU, TAKAHIRO
To: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 026400/0417 →