Granted Patent B2

US 9,717,957 · App. 14/248,487 · Granted Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core consists of: a solid inner core layer formed from an unfoamed thermoplastic composition and having a diameter of 1.10 inch or less and a center Shore C hardness (H center ) of 15 or less,

an intermediate core layer, and

an outer core layer formed from an thermoset composition and having a thickness of 0.40 inches or greater and an outer surface Shore C hardness (H outer surface ) of 70 or greater,

wherein H outer surface >H center , and H outer surface −H center ≧55.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧80.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧75.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧65.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧60.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer has an inner core interface Shore C hardness H inner core interface such that −5≦H inner core interface −H center ≦5.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer core layer has an outer core interface Shore C hardness H outer core interface such that H outer core interface −H inner core interface ≦H outer surface −H center .

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer core layer has an outer core interface Shore C hardness H outer core interface such that H outer core interface −H inner core interface >H outer surface −H center .

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises at least one of ionomers; non-ionomeric acid polymers; polyurethanes, polyureas, and polyurethane-polyurea hybrids; polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers; polyamides, copolymers of ionomer and polyamide, polyamide-ethers, and polyamide-esters; ethylene-based homopolymers and copolymers; propylene-based homopolymers and copolymers; triblock copolymers based on styrene and ethylene/butylene; derivatives thereof that are compatibilized with at least one grafted or copolymerized functional group; and combinations thereof.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the thermoset composition comprises a rubber-based composition comprising at least one of natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, halobutyl rubber, polyurethane, polyurea, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, polyalkenamer, phenol formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, polyepoxide, polysiloxane, polyester, alkyd, polyisocyanurate, polycyanurate, polyacrylate, and combinations thereof.

11. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core consists of:

a solid inner core layer formed from an unfoamed thermoplastic composition and having a diameter of 1.10 inch or less and a center Shore C hardness (H center ) of 15 or less;

an intermediate core layer, and

an outer core layer formed from a thermoset composition and having a thickness of 0.40 inches or greater and an outer surface Shore C hardness (H outer surface ) of 75 or greater, wherein H outer surface >H center , and wherein H outer surface −H center ≧60.

12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧75.

13. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧80.

14. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein H outer surface −H center ≧65.

15. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the inner core layer has an inner core interface Shore C hardness H inner core interface such that −5≦H inner core interface −H center ≦5.

16. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the outer core layer has an outer core interface Shore C hardness H outer core interface such that H outer core interface −H inner core interface ≦H outer surface −H center .

17. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the outer core layer has an outer core interface Shore C hardness H outer core interface such that H outer core interface −H inner core interface >H outer surface −H center .

18. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises at least one of ionomers; non-ionomeric acid polymers; polyurethanes, polyureas, and polyurethane-polyurea hybrids; polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers; polyamides, copolymers of ionomer and polyamide, polyamide-ethers, and polyamide-esters; ethylene-based homopolymers and copolymers; propylene-based homopolymers and copolymers; triblock copolymers based on styrene and ethylene/butylene; derivatives thereof that are compatibilized with at least one grafted or copolymerized functional group; and combinations thereof.

19. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the thermoset composition comprises a rubber-based composition comprising at least one of natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, halobutyl rubber, polyurethane, polyurea, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, polyalkenamer, phenol formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, polyepoxide, polysiloxane, polyester, alkyd, polyisocyanurate, polycyanurate, polyacrylate, and combinations thereof.

20. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer has a diameter that is less than 1.0 inch.

21. The golf ball of claim 20 , wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of greater than 0.45 inches.

22. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the inner core layer has a diameter that is less than 1.0 inch.

23. The golf ball of claim 22 , wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of greater than 0.45 inches.

Assignments (6)