IP Library Granted Patent US 11,167,178
Granted Patent B2
US 11,167,178 · App. 16/865,084 · Granted Nov 9, 2021

Golf ball with softer feel and higher iron spin

Inventors: Dean A. Snell (Carlsbad, CA); Eric Michael Loper (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
A63B37/0076A63B37/0003A63B37/0031A63B37/0033A63B37/0039A63B37/0043A63B37/0045A63B37/0065A63B37/0092A63B37/0062
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,167,178
App. No.
16/865,084
Granted
Nov 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf ball comprising: (a) a core; (b) at least one mantle layer adjacent to the core; (c) an inner cover layer adjacent to the mantle layer; and (d) an outer cover layer adjacent to the inner cover layer, wherein the inner cover layer has a material Shore D hardness that is at least 3 less than the material Shore D hardness of the outer cover layer, and the inner cover layer has a thickness of less than 0.050 in.

Claims (16)

1. A golf ball comprising:

(a) a core comprising a pyridine peptizer;

(b) an inner mantle layer adjacent to the core;

(c) an outer mantle layer adjacent to the inner mantle layer, wherein the outer mantle layer comprises a mixture of an ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer ionomer in which the methacrylic acid groups have been partially neutralized with sodium ions and an ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer ionomer in which the methacrylic acid groups have been partially neutralized with zinc ions, and the outer mantle layer has a material Shore D hardness of 45 to 75;

(d) an inner cover layer adjacent to the outer mantle layer, wherein the inner cover layer has a material Shore D hardness of 20 to 50 and comprises a polyurethane made from a polytetramethylene ether glycol terminated toluene diisocyanate prepolymer; and

(e) an outer cover layer adjacent to the inner cover layer, wherein the outer cover layer is selected from a thermoset polyurethane or a thermoset polyurea and the outer cover layer has a material Shore D hardness of 30 to 70,

wherein the inner cover layer has a material Shore D hardness that is at least 3 units less than the material Shore D hardness of the outer cover layer, and the inner cover layer has a thickness of less than or equal to 0.050 in; and

wherein the material Shore D hardness of the outer mantle layer is at least 3 units greater than the material Shore D hardness of the inner cover layer.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer has a thickness of less than or equal to 0.030 in.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer has a thickness of less than or equal to 0.020 in.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer mantle layer has a thickness of at least 0.030 in.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of at least 0.020 in.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of 0.025 to 0.065 in.

7. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of 0.025 to 0.065 in.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer has a thickness of 0.005 to 0.025 in.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer has a material Shore D hardness that is at least 8 units less than the material Shore D hardness of the outer cover layer.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058978/0211 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058983/0516 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058962/0415 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058963/0671 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057293/0207 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS SECURITY AGENT
Reel/Frame 057300/0058 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2020
From: SNELL, DEAN A.; LOPER, ERIC M.
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 052589/0132 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 15921522 · Mar 14, 2018
Continuation 14571108 · Dec 15, 2014
Division 12343151 · Dec 23, 2008
Provisional Application 61009416 · Dec 28, 2007
Related Publication 20200316438A1 · Oct 8, 2020