Injection molded golf ball cores
Use of highly phase separated thermoplastic polyether ester elastomers for injection molded golf ball core layers is disclosed herein. The thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer comprises a polytetramethylene glycol (PTMO), a cycloaliphatic diol, and dimethyl terephthalate.
1. A golf ball comprising:
a center core comprising a thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer, the thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer formed from a reaction of a polytetramethylene glycol (PTMO), a 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, and dimethyl terephthalate;
an outer core disposed over the center core;
an inner mantle layer disposed over the outer core, the inner mantle layer having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.040 inch, the inner mantle layer composed of an ionomer material, the inner mantle layer material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 65 to 71;
an outer mantle layer disposed over the inner mantle layer, the outer mantle layer having a thickness ranging from 0.070 inch to 0.090 inch, the outer mantle layer composed of a block copolymer material; and
a cover layer disposed over the outer mantle layer, the cover layer having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.040 inch, the cover layer composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 40 to 50, and the on cover Shore D hardness less than 56;
wherein the cover layer has a lower Shore D hardness than the outer mantle layer, the outer mantle layer has a higher Shore D hardness than the inner mantle layer, the outer core has a higher Shore D harness than the inner mantle layer and the center core.
2. A golf ball comprising:
a center core comprising a thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer, the thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer formed from a reaction of a polytetramethylene glycol (PTMO), a 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, and dimethyl terephthalate;
an outer core disposed over the center core;
an inner mantle layer disposed over the outer core, the inner mantle layer having a thickness ranging from 0.030 inch to 0.090 inch, the inner mantle layer material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 50;
an outer mantle layer disposed over the inner mantle layer, the outer mantle layer having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.070 inch, the outer mantle layer material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 50 to 71, wherein the inner mantle is thicker than the outer mantle and the outer mantle is harder than the inner mantle; and
a cover layer is disposed over the outer mantle layer, the cover layer having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.050 inch, wherein the cover layer has a Shore D hardness less than the hardness of the outer mantle layer, wherein the cover layer has a lower Shore D hardness than the outer mantle layer, the outer mantle layer has a higher Shore D hardness than the inner mantle layer, the outer core has a higher Shore D harness than the inner mantle layer and the center core.
3. The golf ball according to claim 2 wherein the cover layer material has a plaque Shore A hardness less than 96.
4. The golf ball according to claim 2 wherein the cover layer material is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material.
5. The golf ball according to claim 2 wherein the cover layer material is composed of a thermoplastic polyurea material.
6. The golf ball according to claim 2 wherein the cover layer material is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane/polyurea material.
7. A golf ball comprising
a center core comprising a thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer, the thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer formed from a reaction of a polytetramethylene glycol (PTMO), a 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol, and dimethyl terephthalate;
an outer core disposed over the center core;
an inner mantle layer disposed over the outer core, the inner mantle layer having a thickness ranging from 0.070 inch to 0.090 inch, the inner mantle layer composed of an ionomer material, the inner mantle layer material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 36 to 44;
an outer mantle layer disposed over the inner mantle layer, the outer mantle layer having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.040 inch, the outer mantle layer composed of an ionomer material, the outer mantle layer material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 65 to 71; and
a cover layer is disposed over the outer mantle layer, the cover layer having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.040 inch, the cover layer composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material, the cover layer material having a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 40 to 50, and the on cover Shore D hardness less than 56;
wherein the cover layer has a lower Shore D hardness than the outer mantle layer, the outer mantle layer has a higher Shore D hardness than the inner mantle layer, the outer core has a higher Shore D harness than the inner mantle layer and the center core.
8. The golf ball according to claim 7 wherein the outer core is composed of a polybutadiene material, zinc penta chloride, organic peroxide, zinc stearate, zinc diacrylate and zinc oxide.