Acushnet Company

Other

Robert Blink

David A Bulpett

Michael J Sullivan

Brian Comeau

Mark L Binette

Douglas S Goguen

John D Farrell

Rick Kuhner

Derek A Ladd

Manjari Kuntimaddi

Matthew F Hogge

William B Lacy

A golf ball includes a composition producing a unique visible effect to enhance a performance parameter of the golf ball. The golf ball includes a color-shifting cover surrounding a core. The color-shifting cover includes a cover material mixed with a colorant. The cover material includes at least one of a thermoset polyurethane, cast urethane, or ionomer material. The colorant includes one or more of a flake, pigment, or dye. The color-shifting cover includes a visible shift in color based on a change in at least one of incidence of light, temperature, or pressure.

Golf balls having unique effect pigments in one or more layers

Golf ball comprising one or more layers and/or indicia formed from a fluorescent composition comprising: a base polymer; and a colorant; wherein the colorant is a small-molecule ionic isolation lattice formed from one or more fluorescent dye and one or more cyanostar macrocycles. The one or more fluorescent dyes may include at least one dye selected from xanthenes, oxazines, styryls, cyanines, trianguleniums, or mixtures thereof. The colorant may be a dispersion of the small-molecule ionic isolation lattice in a carrier medium or a powder. In particular embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers is a cover layer and/or a coating layer.

Golf ball and method of making same

Methods for making multi-piece golf balls comprising at least one component made of ethylene-propylene diene copolymer (EPDM) rubber and the resulting balls are provided. The multi-piece golf ball includes a cover, preferably a dual-cover having inner and outer cover layers. The outer cover is preferably made of a liquid rubber composition based on liquid EPDM rubber. In one version, the ball sub-assembly is dipped in a bath containing liquid EPDM rubber to form the outer cover. In another version, a casting method is used and the liquid EPDM rubber is dispensed into mold cavities to form the outer cover. The inner core of the ball may be made of polybutadiene rubber and the outer core layer may be made of EPDM rubber. The resulting golf ball has high resiliency, a soft feel, and good weatherability.

Methods for making golf ball covers based on liquid ethylene-propylene diene copolymer rubbers and resulting balls

Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of a polyamide composition containing a plasticized polyamide are provided. In one preferred version, the polyamide composition consists essentially of a polyamide and plasticizer selected from the group consisting of polytrimethylene ether glycol and polytrimethylene ether glycol benzoate and monomers, oligomers, copolymers and blends thereof. Blends of plasticized polyamides and ethylene acid copolymer ionomers also can be prepared. The golf ball includes a core having at least one layer and a cover having at least one layer. The polyamide composition may be used to form any core, cover, or other layer in the golf ball. The polyamide compositions have a good combination of properties including Coefficient of Restitution (COR) and compression.

Golf balls containing layers made from transparent polyamide and plasticizer compositions

The present invention is directed to multi-layer golf balls including a layer formed from a relatively soft or low modulus HNP composition and a layer formed from a relatively hard or high modulus HNP composition. Optionally, the soft (or low modulus) HNP composition and/or the hard (or high modulus) HNP composition is plasticized or is replaced with a different plasticized acid copolymer composition.

Golf balls having at least one layer formed from a plasticized acid copolymer composition

Disclosed herein are heterogeneous golf ball compositions comprising a matrix formed from a thermosetting polymer composition and discrete particles of crosslinked rubber dispersed within the matrix.

Golf ball compositions

Golf ball comprising layer(s) comprised of a mixture of: (a) low molecular weight acid-containing wax(es); (b) non-acid-polymer(s) including at least one low molecular weight non-acid wax such as high density oxidized polyethylene homopolymers; ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers; polypropylene maleic anhydride copolymers; polypropylene homopolymers; ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; high density oxidized homopolymers; oxidized copolymers; polyethylene micronized waxes; polytetrafluoroethylene micronized waxes; emulsifiable low molecular weight non-acid waxes; non-emulsifiable low molecular weight non-acid waxes; and/or chemically modified low molecular weight non-acid waxes; and (c) organic acid(s) or salt thereof. Molecular weight of each low molecular weight acid-containing wax is about 500 to 7000, or up to 30,000. Interactions between components (a), (b), and (c) advantageously produce layer of ionomeric material having heat stability, processability, and well-retained durability, adhesion, CoR, compression and targeted feel without need for blending high and low molecular weight acid-containing polymer(s).

Golf ball incorporating at least one layer of neutralized acid polymer composition containing low molecular weight acid wax(es) as sole acid polymer component and low molecular weight non-acid wax(es) in the non-acid polymer component

Golf ball incorporating layer(s) of a mixture consisting of: i) ionomer(s); ii) ethylene propylene rubber(s)(EPR(s)); iii) polymeric epoxy crosslinker(s); and iv) compatibilizing polymer(s). The ionomer(s) and EPR(s) may be included in a blend in a wt % ratio of from about 85:15 to 55:45; the at least one polymeric epoxy crosslinker and compatibilizing polymer may be included in amounts, based on 100 parts of the blend, of from about 2.0 to about 10.0 parts; and from about 1.0 to about 10.0 parts, respectively. Each ionomer, EPR, polymeric epoxy crosslinker, and compatibilizing polymer has a density less than 1.0 g/cm. The mixture is melt processable/moldable without meanwhile sacrificing target CoR, DCM compression, Shore D hardness, and Shore C hardness.

Golf ball incorporating melt processable highly-crosslinked rubber-containing ionomer(s)

Multi-layered golf balls containing a dual-core structure are provided. The core structure includes an inner core (center) made from a foam or metal-containing composition, or it has a hollow shell construction, and the outer core layer is made of a thermoplastic composition. Preferably, the thermoplastic composition comprises: a) ethylene acid copolymer, b) plasticizer, and c) cation source. A fatty acid ester such as ethyl oleate is preferably used as the plasticizer. The core assembly preferably has a positive hardness gradient extending across the entire assembly. The core structure and resulting ball have relatively good resiliency at given compressions.

Golf balls having foam, hollow, or metal center and plasticized thermoplastic core layer

Golf ball comprising layer(s) consisting of a mixture consisting of: i) ethylene acid copolymer(s) and/or ionomer(s); ii) polyethylene(s); iii) polymeric epoxy crosslinker(s); and iv) compatibilizing polymer(s). The ethylene acid copolymer(s)/ionomer(s) and the polyethylene(s) may be included in a blend in a wt % ratio of from about 85:15 to 55:45; the at least one polymeric epoxy crosslinker and compatibilizing polymer may be included in amounts, based on 100 parts of the blend, of from about 2.0 to about 10.0 parts; and from about 1.0 to about 10.0 parts, respectively. The polyethylene may be polyethylene butene; polyethylene hexene; polyethylene octene; and combinations thereof. Each ethylene acid copolymer, polyethylene, polymeric epoxy crosslinker, and compatibilizing polymer has a density less than 1.0 g/cm. The mixture is moldable and meanwhile possesses similar desirable CoR, DCM compression, Shore D hardness, and Shore C hardness as a mixture consisting of ingredients i), ii) and iv).

Golf ball incorporating melt processable highly-crosslinked ethylene acid copolymer(s) and/or ionomer(s)

Low compression, multi-piece golf balls containing a solid core and two or three-layered cover assemblies are provided. Preferably, the ball has a compression of less than 60 and more preferably less than 50. At least one cover layer is made of a plasticized thermoplastic composition. For example, two-layered and three-layered covers may be made. Preferably, the plasticized thermoplastic composition comprises: a) ethylene acid copolymer, b) plasticizer, and c) cation source. A fatty acid ester such as ethyl oleate or butyl oleate is preferably used as the plasticizer. The cover assembly has good impact durability and helps provide the ball with relatively high resiliency at given compressions.

Low compression golf balls having layers made from plasticized thermoplastic materials

Golf balls including a spherical inner core shell layer formed from a thermoset or thermoplastic composition are provided. The shell layer has an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner diameter to define a hollow center. A thermoset or thermoplastic outer core layer is formed about the shell layer and optional intermediate layer(s) disposed between the shell layer and the outer core layer. A cover is formed about the outer core layer.

Golf ball having a hollow center

A golf ball including a core; an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and having a thickness of about 0.005 inches to 0.40 inches and a surface hardness of about 60 Shore D or greater; and an outer cover layer formed from a thermoset material and having a thickness of about 0.01 inches to 0.05 inches and a surface hardness of about 60 Shore D or less. The thermoplastic composition has a first melt flow index at 280&#xb0; C. under a 10-kg load of less than about 35 g/10 min and a second melt flow index at 265&#xb0; C. under a 5-kg load of less than about 10 g/10 min.

Golf ball comprising a very-low melt flow inner cover layer composition

Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises a layer formed from a highly neutralized polymer composition and a layer formed from a thermoset rubber.

Multi-layer core golf ball

Golf ball comprising layer(s) comprised of neutralized acid polymer composition consisting of mixture of: (a) low molecular weight acid-containing wax(es); (b) non-acid polymer(s) including at least one low molecular weight non-acid wax such as high density oxidized polyethylene homopolymers; ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers; polypropylene maleic anhydride copolymers; polypropylene homopolymers; ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; high density oxidized homopolymers; oxidized copolymers; polyethylene micronized waxes; polytetrafluoroethylene micronized waxes; emulsifiable low molecular weight non-acid waxes; non-emulsifiable low molecular weight non-acid waxes; and/or chemically modified low molecular weight non-acid waxes; and (c) organic acid(s) or salt thereof. Molecular weight of each low molecular weight acid-containing wax is about 500 to 7000, or up to 30,000. Interactions between components (a), (b), and (c) advantageously produce layer of ionomeric material having heat stability, processability, and well-retained durability, adhesion, CoR, compression and targeted feel without need for blending high and low molecular weight acid-containing polymer(s).

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Newport, RI, United States of America

Robert Blink