IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,376,477
Granted Patent B2
US 11,376,477 · App. 17/393,494 · Granted Jul 5, 2022

Multi-piece solid golf ball

Inventor: Hideo Watanabe (Saitamaken, JP)
Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
A63B37/0076A63B37/0043A63B37/0063A63B37/0064A63B37/0087A63B37/0092C08L9/00C09D175/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,376,477
App. No.
17/393,494
Granted
Jul 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a golf ball having a core, envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover, the core has a specific hardness profile, the resin materials making up either or both of the envelope layer and the intermediate layer contain a high-acid ionomer, and the Shore C hardness relationships among the core center, surface of the envelope-encased layer and surface of the intermediate layer-encased sphere satisfy the following conditions: surface hardness of envelope layer-encased sphere<surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere,  (1) surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere−center hardness of core≥40.  (2) This ball achieves a good distance on shots with utility and iron clubs, is receptive to spin in the short game, and has a soft feel at impact on all shots, making it useful to amateur golfers.

Claims (43)

1. A multi-piece solid golf ball comprising a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core being formed of a rubber composition as one layer, the envelope layer being formed of a resin material as one or more layers and the intermediate layer and cover each independently being formed of a resin material as a single layer,

wherein

the core has a diameter of from 35.1 to 41.3 mm;

the core has a hardness profile in which, letting Cc be the Shore C hardness at a center of the core, Cm be the Shore C hardness at a midpoint M between the core center and a surface of the core, Cm−2, Cm−4 and Cm−6 be the respective Shore C hardnesses at positions 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm inward from the midpoint M, Cm+2, Cm+4 and Cm+6 be the respective Shore C hardnesses at positions 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm outward from the midpoint M and Cs be the Shore C hardness at the core surface, and defining the surface areas A to F as follows

surface area A: ½×2×( Cm −4− Cm −6)

surface area B: ½×2×( Cm −2− Cm −4)

surface area C: ½×2×( Cm−Cm −2)

surface area D: ½×2×( Cm+ 2− Cm )

surface area E: ½×2×( Cm+ 4− Cm+ 2)

surface area F: ½×2×( Cm+ 6− Cm+ 4),

(surface area E+surface area F)−(surface area A+surface area B) has a value of 1.0 or more and surface area A<surface area C<(surface area E+surface area F);

the resin materials making up either or both of the envelope layer and the intermediate layer contain a high-acid ionomer;

the center hardness of the core, surface hardness of the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the envelope layer (envelope layer-encased sphere) and surface hardness of the sphere obtained by encasing the envelope layer-encased sphere with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) have Shore C hardness relationships therebetween which satisfy the following conditions:

surface hardness of envelope layer-encased sphere<surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere, and  (1)

(surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)−(center hardness of core)≥40;  (2)

and the ball has a deflection when compressed under a final load of 1,275 N (130 kgf) from an initial load of 98 N (10 kgf) which is at least 2.7 mm.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the thickness relationship among the layers satisfies the following condition:

cover thickness<intermediate layer thickness<envelope layer thickness.  (3)

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the surface hardnesses of the core and the layer-encased spheres satisfy the following condition:

surface hardness of core<surface hardness of envelope layer-encased sphere<surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere>surface hardness of ball.  (1′)

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a material hardness on the Shore D hardness scale of at least 64.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the value of (surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)−(center hardness of core) in formula (2) has an upper limit on the Shore C hardness scale of 53 or less.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the envelope layer is a single layer.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the value obtained by subtracting the core center hardness (Cc) from the core surface hardness (Cs), expressed as Cs−Cc, is 20 or more.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein surface areas B to E in the core hardness profile satisfy the following condition:

(surface area D +surface area E )−(surface area B +surface area C )≥1.0.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the resin material making up the intermediate layer contains a high-acid ionomer.

10. A multi-piece solid golf ball comprising a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core being formed of a rubber composition as one layer, the envelope layer being formed of a resin material as one or more layers and the intermediate layer and cover each independently being formed of a resin material as a single layer,

wherein

the core has a diameter of from 35.1 to 41.3 mm;

the core has a hardness profile in which, letting Cc be the Shore C hardness at a center of the core, Cm be the Shore C hardness at a midpoint M between the core center and a surface of the core, Cm−2, Cm−4 and Cm−6 be the respective Shore C hardnesses at positions 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm inward from the midpoint M, Cm+2, Cm+4 and Cm+6 be the respective Shore C hardnesses at positions 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm outward from the midpoint M and Cs be the Shore C hardness at the core surface, and defining the surface areas A to F as follows

surface area A: ½×2×( Cm −4− Cm −6)

surface area B: ½×2×( Cm −2− Cm −4)

surface area C: ½×2×( Cm−Cm −2)

surface area D: ½×2×( Cm+ 2− Cm )

surface area E: ½×2×( Cm+ 4− Cm+ 2)

surface area F: ½×2×( Cm+ 6− Cm+ 4),

(surface area E+surface area F)−(surface area A+surface area B) has a value of 1.0 or more and surface area A<surface area C<(surface area E+surface area F);

the intermediate layer has a material hardness on the Shore D hardness scale of at least 65;

the center hardness of the core, surface hardness of the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the envelope layer (envelope layer-encased sphere) and surface hardness of the sphere obtained by encasing the envelope layer-encased sphere with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) have Shore C hardness relationships therebetween which satisfy the following conditions:

surface hardness of envelope layer-encased sphere<surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere, and  (1)

(surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)−(center hardness of core)≥40;  (2)

and the ball has a deflection when compressed under a final load of 1,275 N (130 kgf) from an initial load of 98 N (10 kgf) which is at least 2.7 mm.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: WATANABE, HIDEO
To: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057077/0781 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2020-145497 · Aug 31, 2020 · national
JP JP2021-041168 · Mar 15, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220062712A1 · Mar 3, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,318,667