Method of making golf balls
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a method of making a golf ball including the steps of cooling a golf ball subassembly such that the golf ball subassembly undergoes a volumetric reduction, and applying a cover layer over the volumetrically reduced golf ball subassembly. The method can further include a three-step curing process after applying the cover layer. The three-steps include maintaining mold halves containing the covered subassembly at a first temperature, heating the mold halves to a second temperature, then maintaining the mold halves at a third temperature. Also, the method can include cooling the cover materials in a mixer so that higher levels of catalyst can be used.
1. A method of making a golf ball, comprising:
providing a pre-formed golf ball subassembly:
mixing a first material and a second material in a mixer to form a golf ball cover layer material;
cooling said mixer;
wherein said cooling includes using a liquid to cool said mixer;
cooling said pre-formed golf ball subassembly such that said golf ball subassembly undergoes a volumetric reduction; and
applying a cover layer of the cooled golf ball cover layer material over said volumetrically reduced golf ball subassembly to form a covered golf ball subassembly.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mixing includes mixing said first material and said second material to form a cover layer material including at least 0.05% catalyst.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said mixing includes mixing said first material and said second material to form a cover layer material including at least 0.1% catalyst.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mixing includes mixing said first material and said second material to form a cover layer material having a gel time with a duration of less than about 60 seconds.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mixing includes mixing said first material and said second material to form a thermoset polyurethane cover layer material.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying includes casting said cover layer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying includes injection molding said cover layer.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
heating said covered golf ball subassembly to a first temperature; and
holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said first temperature for a first time duration.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
heating said covered golf ball subassembly to a second temperature; and
holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said second temperature for a second time duration.
10. A method of making a golf ball, comprising:
mixing a first material and a second material in a mixer to form a thermoset polyurethane golf ball cover layer material;
cooling said mixer to maintain the material therein at a temperature of less than about 130° F.;
cooling said golf ball subassembly such that said golf ball subassembly undergoes a volumetric reduction; and
applying a cover layer of the cooled golf ball cover layer material over the volumetrically reduced golf ball subassembly to form a covered golf ball subassembly.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said cooling said mixer includes cooling said mixer using a liquid.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said cooling said mixer includes cooling said mixer using a liquid.
13. A method of making a golf ball, comprising:
providing a pre-formed golf ball subassembly;
cooling said golf ball subassembly such that the golf ball subassembly undergoes a volumetric reduction;
mixing a first material and a second material in a mixer to form a golf ball cover layer material;
cooling said mixer;
applying a cover layer of said golf ball cover layer material over the volumetrically reduced golf ball subassembly to form a covered golf ball subassembly; and
curing said covered golf ball subassembly to form the golf ball.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said cooling said mixer includes cooling said mixer with a liquid.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said curing includes:
heating said covered golf ball subassembly to a first temperature; and
holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said first temperature for a first time duration.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said heating said covered golf ball subassembly to a first temperature includes heating said covered golf ball subassembly to a temperature between about ambient and about 255° F.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said first temperature includes holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said first temperature for a time duration between about 6 minutes and about 12 minutes.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said curing further includes:
cooling said covered golf ball subassembly to a second temperature less than said first temperature; and
holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said second temperature for a second time duration.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said second temperature includes holding said covered golf ball subassembly at said second temperature for about 20 minutes.