Nike, Inc.

Feng Tay Enterprises Co., Ltd.

Hideyuki Ishii

Chen-Tai Liu

Yasushi Ichikawa

Arthur Parker Molinari

Chien-Hsin Chou

Jun Ichinose

Nicholas A Leech

Nicholas Yontz

Yutaka Kabeshita

Hsin Cheng

Bradley C Tutmark

Aaron Bender

Shih-Kai Lin

Thomas J Kennedy, Iii

Chin-Shun Ko

Chung-Yu Huang

Che-Ching Lin

Chia-Chyi Cheng

Takahisa Ono

Roland Rotheneder

Takanobu Nishiura

Hiroyuki Mashimo

Chen-Hsin Chou

A golf ball core for use in a multi-piece golf ball includes a solid sphere and between 100 and 300 spaced polygonal protrusions extending from the solid sphere in a radially outward direction. The sphere is substantially formed from an ionomeric material, and has a diameter (D) of between 24 mm and 32 mm. The polygonal protrusions extend from the sphere by a maximum distance of between 0.15 mm and 1.0 mm.

Golf ball core

A multi-layer golf ball includes a core, an intermediate layer surrounding the core, and a cover layer surrounding the intermediate layer. The core defines an outer surface that includes a plurality of polygonal land portions substantially aligned on a common sphere, which has a diameter of between 22 mm and 32 mm. The intermediate layer has a radially inward-facing surface that is flush with the outer surface of the core, and has a radial thickness of between 4 mm and 9 mm. The outer surface of the core defines a first set of annular grooves disposed about a first axis, and a second set of annular grooves disposed about a second axis. Each of the first and second set of annular grooves extend radially inward from the common sphere, and the first axis and the second axis are orthogonal.

Multi-layer golf ball

A golf ball having an inner core layer, an outer core layer enclosing the inner core layer, and a cover layer enclosing the outer core layer. The inner core layer includes a blend of a first highly neutralized acid polymer having a first Vicat softening temperature and a first specific gravity, a second highly neutralized acid polymer having a second Vicat softening temperature and a second specific gravity, and an ionomer-based masterbatch comprising an additive and an ionomer resin having a third Vicat softening temperature and a third specific gravity. The absolute values of the differences among the Vicat softening temperatures is no more than about 15&#xb0; C. and the absolute value of the difference between the specific gravities is no more than about 0.015. The cover layer may include an inner cover layer enclosing the outer core layer and an outer layer enclosing the inner cover layer.

Golf ball including a blend of highly neutralized acid polymers and method of manufacture

A multi-layer golf ball includes a core formed from an ionomer, an intermediate layer surrounding the core, and a cover surrounding the intermediate layer. The core has a material hardness measured on the JIS-C scale of from about 34 to about 70, and has an outer surface that includes a plurality of land portions aligned on a common sphere, and a plurality of grooves separating the respective land portions and extending radially inward from the sphere. The plurality of grooves includes both a first set of grooves, and a second set of grooves that are perpendicular to each other. The intermediate layer is formed from a rubber material and has a radial thickness measured from the common sphere of from about 4.0 mm to about 9.0 mm. Additionally, the core has a 10-130 kg compression deformation of from about 3.5 to about 5.5 mm.

A multi-layer golf ball includes a core having an outer surface, and intermediate layer surrounding the core, and a cover surrounding the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer defines a radially inward facing surface that is flush with the outer surface of the core, and the cover defines the outermost surface of ball. The outer surface of the core includes a plurality of polygonal land portions aligned on a common sphere. The outer surface of the core further defines a first plurality of annular grooves disposed about a first axis, a second plurality of annular grooves disposed about a second axis, and a third plurality of annular grooves disposed about a third axis. The first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are mutually orthogonal, and each groove respectively extends from the common sphere and is concave relative to the core.

A multi-layer golf ball includes a core, and intermediate layer, and a cover. The core has an outer surface that includes a plurality of depressions extending from a spherical land portion. Each depression has a maximum depth relative to the spherical land portion of between 0.15 mm and 2.0 mm. The intermediate layer surrounds the core and has a radially inward surface that is flush with the outer surface of the core. The cover layer surrounds the intermediate layer and defines an outermost portion of ball.

A golf ball has a cover with a Shore D hardness of at least about 59 and a coating on the cover that has at least one of (a) a pencil hardness of 2 B or less, (b) a Sward hardness of about 40 or less, or (c) a Hit (Young's Modulus)&#x3c;20 N/mmand h&#x3e;0.55 micrometer.

Golf ball with soft coating and hard cover

A golf ball having an inner core layer, an outer core layer essentially enclosing the inner core layer, an inner cover layer essentially enclosing the outer core layer, and an outer cover layer essentially enclosing the inner cover layer. The golf ball includes a blend of at least first and second highly neutralized acid polymers, each having a Vicat softening temperature and a specific gravity. The absolute value of the difference between the Vicat softening temperatures is no more than about 15&#xb0; C. and the absolute value of the difference between the specific gravities is no more than about 0.015. Also, the method of making the blend and the golf ball is disclosed.

Methods for evaluating and providing selections of recommended golf balls, golf ball constructions, and configurations of golf ball construction components are provided. Such methods may involve obtaining or measuring spin measurements for a plurality of golf clubs for each of a plurality of golf balls. A linear relationship may be used to determine a spin slope for each golf ball on the basis of the set of spin measurements associated with that golf ball. In turn, a selection of a recommended golf ball, golf ball construction, or configuration of a ball construction component may be made based upon which golf ball has the larger spin slope.

Methods for providing a selection of a recommended golf ball

A multilayer solid golf ball may include a core formed from a highly neutralized polymer and a cover surrounding the core. The ball may also include an enclosing layer disposed between the core and the cover, the enclosing layer having a thermal conductivity of 0.12 W/m-K or less.

Multilayer solid golf ball

A multi-layer golf ball includes a core having an outer surface, an intermediate layer surrounding the core, and a cover layer surrounding the intermediate layer, which defines an outermost portion of the ball. The outer surface of the core includes a plurality of polygonal protrusions aligned on a common sphere and a plurality of grooves that extend radially inward from the sphere and respectively separate and define each of the polygonal protrusions. The intermediate layer has a radially inward facing surface that is bonded to the outer surface of the core across the entire outer surface.

This disclosure relates to golf balls having a cover layer made from a crosslinked thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. The crosslinked thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer includes crosslinks located in the hard segments, where the crosslinks being the reaction product of unsaturated bonds located in the hard segments catalyzed by a free radical initiator. The crosslinks may be formed from an unsaturated diol as a chain extender. The unsaturated diol may be trimethylolpropane monoallylether (TMPME). The cover layer may have certain properties, such as a desirable flexural modulus value and a desirable Shore D hardness value, that further contribute to the golf ball having a high degree of scuff resistance.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Hideyuki Ishii