Golf balls including dense high acid lonomers
View Patent ↗Golf balls having one or more structural components that include a highly neutralized acid polymer with a high acid content and a uniformly increased density. The core of the golf ball may be made up of the highly neutralized acid polymer. The highly neutralized acid polymer may have desired hardness and flexural modulus values. The highly neutralized acid polymer enables the golf ball to provide consistent play characteristics.
1. A two-piece golf ball consisting of:
a core; and
a cover layer substantially surrounding the core;
wherein the core consists essentially of highly neutralized acid polymer having an acid content of at least about 41%, and having a density of at least about 0.85 g/cm 3 , wherein the golf ball is a conforming golf ball.
2. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has a density that is at least about 0.97 g/cm 3 .
3. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has a density of from about 0.85 to about 0.98 g/cm 3 .
4. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer is neutralized with a metal cation.
5. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer is neutralized with a magnesium cation.
6. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer is neutralized with magnesium acetate.
7. A golf ball according to claim 1 ,
wherein the core has a hardness that varies by less than about 5 Shore D between any two points on a flat hemispherical cross section of of the core.
8. The golf ball according to claim 7 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has a flexural modulus of at least about 75,000 psi.
9. The golf ball according to claim 7 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has a Shore D material hardness of at least about 65.
10. The golf ball according to claim 7 , wherein the core has a hardness that varies by less than about 3 Shore D between any two points on the flat hemispherical cross section of the core.
11. The golf ball according to claim 7 , wherein the core has a hardness that varies by less than about 1 Shore D between any two points on the flat hemispherical cross section of the core.
12. The golf ball according to claim 7 , wherein the golf ball exhibits a predetermined play characteristic in response to being hit by a golf club under a predetermined shot characteristic, wherein the play characteristic varies in value by less than about 1% for each 1% by which the shot characteristic varies in value.
13. The golf ball according to claim 12 , wherein the play characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: initial velocity, initial spin, and total distance.
14. The golf ball according to claim 12 , wherein the shot characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: swing speed, angle of attack, and face angle.
15. A golf ball according to claim 1 ,
wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer is neutralized to substantially 99% with a magnesium cation and has a density of at least about 0.97 g/cm 3 ;
the core having a hardness that varies by less than about 3 Shore D between any two points on a flat hemispherical cross section of the core;
the core having a flexural modulus of at least about 50,000 psi; and
the core having a surface Shore D material hardness of at least about 50.
16. A golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has an acid content of at least 42%.
17. A golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has an acid content of at least 44%.
18. A golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the highly neutralized acid polymer has an acid content of at least 46%.