Acushnet Company

Acushneg Company

Shawn Ricci

Brian Comeau

Michael Michalewich

Mark L Binette

Michael J Sullivan

Douglas S Goguen

Shenshen Wu

Derek A Ladd

Kevin M Harris

Murali Rajagopalan

Randy Petrichko

Manjari Kuntimaddi

Christopher Cavallaro

John D Farrell

William E Morgan

Matthew F Hogge

Peter L Serdahl

David A Bulpett

Michael R Madson

Edmund A Hebert

Timothy S Correia

Nicholas M Nardacci

Pamela V Arnold

Paul A Puniello

John T Davies

Mark L Binnette

Thermoplastic and thermoset compositions for use in golf balls that are formed from bio-based materials and that include urethane linkages, golf ball components formed using such thermoplastic or thermoset compositions, and golf balls including such golf components.

Golf ball components formed from bio-based polyurethane and/or polyurea compositions

Casing compositions including carboxylic acid groups, cover compositions including an adhesion promoter with functional groups that crosslink with carboxylic acid groups, and golf balls made from such compositions that have crosslinks between functional groups of the cover compositions and the carboxylic acid groups. The type and concentration of the components in the casing and cover compositions, including the adhesion promoter, affect the adhesion between golf balls having components made from such compositions and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having increased durability. Additionally, methods of crosslinking casing and cover layers made from such casing and cover compositions to increase interlayer adhesion are disclosed.

Multi-layer golf balls with increased interlayer adhesion

Golf ball components formed from bio-based polyurehane and/or polyurea compositions

The present invention provides methods for producing molded golf balls and the resultant balls. The methods of this invention involve producing foamed polyurethane covers and these methods help reduce dimple distortions and other surface imperfections. These golf balls contain an inner core and outer foamed polyurethane cover. One or more intermediate layers can be disposed between the core and cover. In one embodiment, a castable liquid polyurethane composition containing a foaming agent is dispensed into mold cavities, which are then pressed together to form a foam cover for the ball.

Method for forming polyurethane covers for golf balls using foam compositions

Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made from silicone (polysiloxane) elastomers; silicone (polysiloxane) elastomer/polyurethane blends; polycarbonate-polysiloxane blends and copolymers; and polycarbonate-polysiloxane/polyurethane blends are provided. For example, three-piece, four-piece, and five-piece golf balls containing different core and cover structures can be made. The polysiloxane compositions have good thermal stability and durability without sacrificing resiliency. The polysiloxane compositions also have high elongation, tensile strength, chemical/fluid-resistance, and weatherability properties. These compositions can be used to form any layer, for example, core, intermediate, or cover, in the golf ball.

Golf balls having layers made of silicone elastomer and polyurethane blends

Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core made of a foamed composition and a cover are provided. Preferably, the core is dual-layered having has a foam inner core (center) and surrounding thermoset or thermoplastic outer core layer. Preferably, a polyurethane foam composition containing mineral filler particulate, for example, nanoclay particles, is used to form the foam center. The concentration of clay particulate is preferably in a range of 0.1 to 60% by weight. The surrounding outer core layer may be made from non-foamed or foamed compositions. For example, polybutadiene rubber or highly neutralized olefin acid copolymers may be used in the outer core layer. The core layers have different hardness gradients and specific gravity values.

Golf balls having foam center containing clay particulate

Golf ball comprising a colorless coating surrounding and adjacent to a TiOwhite-pigmented layer comprising a polymeric composition that comprises throughout: (i) passivated TiOparticulates amount of from about 1 wt. %-10 wt. % based on total weight of second polymeric composition; and (ii) silane-containing adhesion promoter(s), for example, organosilanes and/or organosiloxanes in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 5.0 wt. % of the total weight of the polymeric composition. The coating comprises a coating composition that is different than the polymeric composition and does not contain any silane-containing adhesion promoter; and there is no surface treatment with adhesion promoter at an interface between the colorless coating and TiOwhite-pigmented layer. In lieu of the colorless coating, the golf ball may include a coating that is clear tinted or translucent.

Golf ball displaying improved adhesion between TiO-pigmented layer incorporating silane-containing adhesion promoter and an adjacent differing layer

Golf ball incorporating polyurethane mixture having wt. % NCO content of &#x2dc;4-20 and including a prepolymer polyol portion comprised of trans-&#x3b2;-Farnesene diol(s) in an amount of about 3-70 wt. % of total weight of prepolymer. Trans-&#x3b2;-Farnesene diol may be 15 carbon, long chain, branched, unsaturated 3,4-vinyl-containing bio-hydrocarbon having the formula:  Prepolymer can include a 1:99 to 99:1 blend (wt. % ratio) of Trans-&#x3b2;-Farnesene diol(s) and polybutadiene-based polyol(s) in an amount of about 35-85 wt. %, along with about 15 wt. %-65 wt. % of diisocyanate(s). Curative may be combined with prepolymer in amount of about 3-25 wt. % of total weight of curative and prepolymer combined, and may be mixture of aromatic diamine(s) and white dispersion in a wt. % ratio of about 90:10 to 50:50, plus catalyst. Hardness of polyurethane mixture can be from 75. Shore A to 75 Shore D or a material hardness can be from about 40 Shore D to about 65 Shore D.

Golf balls having at least one polyurethane layer incorporating trans-beta-farnesene diol

Golf balls having a multi-layered core made of a foamed composition are provided. The core preferably has a foam inner core (center) and surrounding thermoset or thermoplastic outer core layer. Preferably, a polyurethane foam composition is used to form the foam center. The foam inner core preferably includes a fully-foamed center region and a partially or completely-collapsed foam outer region. The hardness of the fully-foamed region is different than the hardness of the collapsed foam region. Non-foamed thermoset or thermoplastic materials such as polybutadiene rubbers or ethylene acid copolymer ionomer may be used to form the outer core layer. The ball further includes a cover that may be multi-layered. The foam cores have good resiliency.

Golf balls having a foam center with regions of different hardness

Multi-piece golf balls containing a dual-core structure are provided. The core structure includes an inner core (center) comprising a foam composition, preferably foamed polyurethane. The outer core layer is preferably formed from a non-foamed thermoset composition such as polybutadiene rubber. The inner and outer core layers can have different hardness gradients. Preferably, the specific gravity (density) of the foam inner core is less than the density of the outer core layer. The ball further includes a cover of at least one layer and may include at least one casing layer. The core structure and resulting ball have relatively good resiliency.

Golf balls having foam inner core and thermoset outer core layer

Multi-layered golf balls having a core made of a foamed composition, preferably polyurethane foam, are provided. The ball includes a dual-layered core having a foam inner core (center) and surrounding outer core layer. The outer core layer may be made from a non-foamed thermoset material such as polybutadiene rubber. The ball further includes an inner cover, preferably made from an ionomer composition comprising an O/X-type acid copolymer, wherein O is &#x3b1;-olefin, and X is a C-C&#x3b1;,&#x3b2;-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid. The outer cover may be made from a non-foamed thermoset or thermoplastic material such as polyurethane. Preferably, the specific gravity of the inner cover is greater than the specific gravity of the outer core, which is greater than the specific gravity of the inner core. The finished ball has good distance and low-spin properties.

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New Bedford, MA, United States of America

Shawn Ricci