Granted Patent B2

US 8,047,933 · App. 12/378,386 · Granted Nov 1, 2011

Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A golf ball having an equator at latitude 0° and a pole at latitude 90°; and an equator region defined by latitudes 0 to 25°, a shoulder region defined by latitudes from more than 25° to less than 65°, and a pole region defined by latitudes 65° to 90°; and having numerous dimples on the surface thereof, and where Ve is the average dimple volume of the equator region, Vs is the average dimple volume of the shoulder region, and Vp is the average dimple volume of the pole region; and the ratio Vs/Ve is less than 0.97 and the ratio Vp/Vs is less than 0.97.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the total dimple volume TDV between 370 and 385 mm 3 .

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , with a volume ratio of 0.50 to 0.58.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the ratio Vs/Ve is less than 0.94 and the ratio Vp/Vs is less than 0.94.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the ratio Vs/Ve is less than 0.90 and the ratio Vp/Vs is less than 0.90.

6. A golf ball having a cover layer selected from the group consisting of thermoset polyurethanes, thermoset polyureas and any and all combinations thereof, the golf ball comprising: a plurality of different sets of dimples disposed on the surface of the thermoset cover, with equator at latitude 0° and a pole at latitude 90°; and an equator region defined by latitudes 0 to 25°, a shoulder region defined by latitudes from more than 25° to less than 65°, and a pole region defined by latitudes 65° to 90°; and where Ve is the average dimple volume of the equator region, Vs is the average dimple volume of the shoulder region, and Vp is the average dimple volume of the pole region; and the ratio Vs/Ve is less than 0.97 and the ratio Vp/Vs is less than 0.97.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball is a three piece golf ball having a core comprising a polybutadiene, an intermediate layer comprising an ionomer, and a cover layer comprising a polyurethane.

8. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the golf ball is a three piece golf ball having a core comprising a polybutadiene, an intermediate layer comprising an ionomer, and a cover layer comprising a polyurethane.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball has a mean of the difference in the carry distances between poles over pole ball orientation and poles over horizontal orientation of less than 4.0 yards, and a mean of the difference in the time of flight between poles over pole ball orientation and poles over horizontal orientation of less than 0.40 seconds.

10. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the golf ball has a mean of the difference in the carry distances between poles over pole ball orientation and poles over horizontal orientation of less than 4.0 yards, and a mean of the difference in the time of flight between poles over pole ball orientation and poles over horizontal orientation of less than 0.40 seconds.

11. The golf ball of claim 6 , further comprising a core and at least two intermediate layers.

12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the core comprises a polybutadiene and at least one of the intermediate layers comprises an ionomer.

13. A golf ball having an equator at latitude 0° and a pole at latitude 90°; and an equator region defined by latitudes 0 to 25°, a shoulder region defined by latitudes from more than 25° to less than 65°, and a pole region defined by latitudes 65° to 90°; and having numerous dimples on the surface thereof, and where Ve is the average dimple volume of the equator region, Vs is the average dimple volume of the shoulder region, and Vp is the average dimple volume of the pole region; and the ratio Vs/Ve is less than 0.97 and the ratio Vp/Vs is less than 0.97, and further comprising;

1) a core comprising a center,

2) an outer cover layer; and

3) one or more intermediate layers,

wherein at least one of the outer cover layer and the intermediate layer comprises a blend composition of;

(A) from about 1 to about 99 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a block copolymer; and

(B) from about 1 to about 99 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of;

a) one or more unimodal acidic polymers; or

b) a bimodal polymer blend composition comprising:

i) a high molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of about 80,000 to about 500,000 and comprising one or more ethylene/α,β-ethylenically unsaturated C 3-8 carboxylic acid copolymers and/or one or more ethylene, alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid terpolymers; and

ii) a low molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of about from about 2,000 to about 30,000 and comprising one or more ethylene/α,β-ethylenically unsaturated C 3-8 carboxylic acid copolymers and/or one or more ethylene, alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid terpolymers; and

(C) one or more basic metal salts present in an amount to neutralize at greater than or equal to about 30 percent of the acid groups of Component (B); and

(D) wherein said blend composition has a melt index of greater than about 5 g/10 min, a flexural modulus of from about 500 to about 100,000 psi, a material Shore D hardness of from about 25 to about 70; and

wherein said golf ball has a cover layer Shore D hardness as measured on the ball of from about 35 to about 70 and a shear cut resistance of less than about 4.

14. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein;

1) said outer cover layer comprises a blend composition of;

(A) from about 10 to about 90 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a styrenic block copolymer; and

(B) from about 10 to about 90 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of;

a) one or more unimodal acidic polymers; or

b) a bimodal polymer blend composition comprising:

i) a high molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of about 80,000 to about 500,000 and comprising one or more ethylene/α,β-ethylenically unsaturated C 3-8 carboxylic acid copolymers and/or one or more ethylene, alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid terpolymers; and

ii) a low molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of about from about 2,000 to about 30,000 and comprising one or more ethylene/α,β-ethylenically unsaturated C 3-8 carboxylic acid copolymers and/or one or more ethylene, alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid terpolymers; and

(E) one or more basic metal salts present in an amount to neutralize at greater than or equal to about 35 percent of the acid groups of Component (B) and selected from the group consisting of metal hydroxides, metal oxides, metal carbonates, metal acetates, metal stearates, metal laureates, metal oleates, metal palmitates and any and all combinations thereof; and wherein

(F) said blend composition has a melt index of greater than about 10 g/10 min, a flexural modulus of from about 1000 to about 80,000 psi, a material Shore D hardness of from about 30 to about 65; and

2) said one or more intermediate layers comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of ionomers, polyamides, polyalkenamers, and any and all combinations thereof; and

wherein said golf ball has a cover layer Shore D hardness as measured on the ball of from about 45 to about 70 and a shear cut resistance of less than about 3.

15. The golf ball of claim 13 wherein;

1) said outer cover layer comprises a blend composition of;

(A) from about 20 to about 80 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a styrenic block copolymer; and

(B) from about 20 to about 80 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of;

a) one or more unimodal acidic polymers; or

b) a bimodal polymer blend composition comprising:

i) a high molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of about 80,000 to about 500,000 and comprising one or more ethylene/α,β-ethylenically unsaturated C 3-8 carboxylic acid copolymers and/or one or more ethylene, alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid terpolymers; and

ii) a low molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of about from about 2,000 to about 30,000 and comprising one or more ethylene/α,β-ethylenically unsaturated C 3-8 carboxylic acid copolymers and/or one or more ethylene, alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid terpolymers; and

(G) one or more basic metal salts present in an amount to neutralize at greater than or equal to about 40 percent of the acid groups of Component (B) and selected from the group consisting of metal hydroxides, metal oxides, metal carbonates, metal acetates, metal stearates, metal laureates, metal oleates, metal palmitates and any and all combinations thereof; and wherein

(H) said blend composition has a melt index of greater than about 15 g/10 min, a flexural modulus of from about 1500 to about 60,000 psi, a material Shore D hardness of from about 35 to about 60; and

2) said one or more intermediate layers comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of ionomers, polyamides, polyoctenamers, and any and all combinations thereof; and wherein said golf ball has a cover layer Shore D hardness as measured on the ball of from about 50 to about 70 and a shear cut resistance of less than about 2.

Assignments (13)

Continuity (3)