In-mold powder coating of golf ball equipment and methods of making the same
View Patent ↗A method for coating golf ball components is provided and includes the step of adhering a thin layer of a non-ionomeric polyolefin powder to the interior surfaces of a golf ball mold. The polyolefin powder is adhered to the mold using electrostatic, tribostatic or fluidized bed processes. The golf ball component is placed within the mold, and a sufficient amount of heat and pressure is applied to the mold so that the thin layer of non-ionomeric polyolefin powder fuses to the golf ball component.
1. A method for forming a layer in a golf ball, the method comprising the steps of
adhering a layer comprising at least one polyolefin powder to at least one part of a multi-part golf ball mold using a tribostatic, electrostatic or fluidized process;
placing a golf ball subassembly in the multi-part golf ball mold; and
applying a sufficient amount of heat and pressure to the multi-part mold to fuse the adhered layer to the golf ball subassembly.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adhering a layer further comprises adhering the layer of polyolefin powder to each part of the multi-part golf ball mold.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin powder comprises a non-ionomeric polyolefin powder.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the polyolefin powder comprises a thermoplastic powder.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises a thickness of less than about 15 mils.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the layer comprises a thickness of less than about 10 mils.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the layer comprises a thickness of less than about 8 mils.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises a thickness of less than about 3 mils.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises a golf ball cover layer and the golf ball subassembly comprises the innermost core of the golf ball.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-part golf ball mold comprises a two-part golf ball compression mold.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of pre-heating the golf ball subassembly.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of recovering unused polyolefin powder.