Acushnet Company

Edward Costa

Erin C McDermott

Nelson Araujo

Brian Comeau

Nicholas M Nardacci

Paul A Furze

Donald A Serino

Felix Egbe

Ian Coberly

Manjari Kuntimaddi

Dennis Britton

A golf ball composition is disclosed herein that includes at least one layer formed from metal foam. The metal foam can provide lightweight, durable, and high strength design parameters for golf ball constructions in order to provide greater adaptability and customizability, among other advantages.

Golf ball including metal foam layer

Compositions for use in golf balls and golf balls including such compositions that have increased shear durability. Such compositions include a blend of at least two thermoplastic elastomers.

Golf balls with increased shear durability

Systems and methods for measuring and classifying golf balls and/or components thereof according to concentricity including automated inspection systems that can simultaneously image multiple golf balls (or components thereof) to gather and analyze data on concentricity and, optionally, classify or sort the multiple golf balls (or components thereof) according to the analyzed concentricity data.

Concentricity measurement and classification system and method for golf balls and golf ball components

The present disclosure provides methods of reducing center shifting of golf ball components, which, in turn, improves concentricity of the resulting golf balls. The methods include extruding a golf ball component material through an extruder to form an extrudate having a first temperature, cutting the extrudate at a second temperature to form a component prep, and molding the component prep into the golf ball component. The preps formed by the methods of the present disclosure include surfaces having reduced or no concavity.

Methods of reducing center shift of golf ball components and improving concentricity

A golf ball and a method of forming a golf ball is disclosed herein. The golf ball includes an alignment aid or feature that is integrally formed with a core body of the golf ball. A cover is provided that allows the alignment aid to be visible from an exterior of the golf ball. The alignment aid can be formed as central spherical segment that fuses two spherical cap portions with each other to form the core body. Different material selections can be made for the spherical cap portions and the central spherical segment that can further provide variation in performance characteristics of the golf ball.

Golf ball alignment aid and method of forming same

A golf ball has a core and a cover that surrounds the core. The core is a multi-layer component of the golf ball, having at least two core layers including an inner core and at least one outer core. The inner core is formed from a first composition and has a generally spherical shape and a spherical surface. The inner core defines one or more through holes that each extend from a first opening at the spherical surface to a second opening at the spherical surface. The outer core is formed from a second composition, different from the first composition. The outer core has a first portion that surrounds the inner core and a second portion that extends from the first opening to the second opening and thereby completely fills each of the through holes.

Golf ball having an interlocking multi-layered core

Methods of forming dual core golf ball constructions achieving consistent and repeatable concentricity by incorporating a pair of novel partially cured hemispherical shells produced using an inventive center plate button. The pair of resulting novel hemispherical shells may be collectively compression molded about and reliably center a spherical inner core there within due to the novel resulting centering features/structure provided on the inner surface of each partially cured hemispherical shell by the novel center plate button used to form same. Securing features/structure are thereby provided within/on inner surfaces of resulting partially cured hemispherical shells in order to prevent undesirable movement of the spherical inner core there within until the final compression molding step occurs.

Method of making dual core golf ball using novel center plate button and resulting improved golf ball

Methods of forming dual core golf ball constructions achieving consistent and repeatable concentricity by incorporating a pair of novel hemispherical shells produced using an inventive center plate button. The pair of resulting novel hemispherical shells may be collectively compression molded about and reliably center a spherical inner core there within due to the novel resulting centering features and structure provided on the inner surface of each hemispherical shell by the novel center plate button used to form same. Securing features and structure are thereby provided within/on inner surfaces of resulting hemispherical shells in order to prevent undesirable movement of the spherical inner core there within until the final compression molding step occurs.

Golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core includes between 2 and 20 smaller spheres that are surrounded by a second core composition having at least one different physical property than the composition(s) forming the smaller spheres. The smaller spheres can be entirely surrounded by the second core composition; or, at least two smaller adjacent spheres may each be partially surrounded by the second core composition while also being in partial contact with each other.

Growing community of inventors

East Providence, RI, United States of America

Edward Costa