[GOLF BALL HAVING A POLYURETHANE COVER(Corporate Docket Number PU2156 )]

Abstract

A golf ball having a thermosetting polyurethane cover composed of a blend of polyurethane prepolymers is disclosed herein. The blend may be a dual blend with a TDI-based polyurethane prepolymer blended with a second diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer, typically a PPDI-based polyurethane prepolymer. The blend may also be a tri-blend with a TDI-based polyurethane prepolymer blended with two other diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymers, typically two different PPDI-based polyurethane prepolymers. The golf ball has a durability of at least 3.5 on a shear test rating of the cover.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 063,801 filed on May 14, 2002, which is a continuation application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 710,732, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,987, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 361,912, filed on Jul. 27, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,268.FEDERAL RESEARCH STATEMENT[0002] [Not Applicable]BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0003] 1. Field of the Invention[0004] The present invention relates to a cover for a golf ball. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf ball cover layer composed of a polyurethane formed from a blend of diisocyanate prepolymers.[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art[0006] Conventionally golf balls are made by molding a cover around a core. The core may be wound or solid. A wound core typically comprises elastic thread wound about a solid or liquid center. Unlike wound cores, solid cores do not include a w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0038] The most important feature of the present invention is the durability of the cover. As shown in FIG. 3, the golf ball 10 is subjected to tremendous forces when impacted with a golf club 20 during a golf shot. The golf ball 10 of the present is capable of enduring, more than polyurethane covered golf balls of the prior art, slices or other incorrect hits by golfers. The unique polyurethane formulation for the cover 16 of the present invention provides this enhanced durability. Durability as defined herein is objectively measured through comparative testing of available golf balls versus the golf ball 10 of the present invention. The testing methods and results will be described below.

[0041] As previously set forth in this Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,024, entitled Golf Ball With Polyurethane Cover, filed on Apr. 20, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, a PPDI-based polyurethane prepolymer provides a polyurethane with a higher rebound at a lower hardness, greater durability and improved sound and feel. However, although the use of only a PPDI-based polyurethane prepolymer provides greater durability for a polyurethane cover, the polyurethane cover 16 of the present invention formed from a blend of prepolymers provides even greater durability.

[0042] The blending of a TDI-based prepolymer with other diisocyanate-based polyurethane prepolymers lowers the viscosity of the mixture, lowers the temperature of the exothermic reaction that occurs when the prepolymers are reacted with the curing agent, and increases the durability. The TDI-based prepolymer may range from 10 to 40 percent of the polyurethane prepolymer blend.

[0050] The polyurethane prepolymer blend material is preferably degassed and warmed in a first holding container prior to processing of the cover 16. The processing temperature for the polyurethane prepolymer blend is preferably in the range of about 100-220.degree. F., and most preferably in the range of about 120-200.degree. F. The polyurethane prepolymer blend is preferably flowable from the first holding container to a mixing chamber in a range of about 200-1100 grams of material per minute, or as needed for processing. In addition, the polyurethane prepolymer blend material may be agitated in the first holding container, in the range of 0-250 rpm, to maintain a more even distribution of material and to eliminate crystallization.

[0051] In the preferred embodiment, the curing agent is a blend of a diamine such as ETHACURE.RTM.300 and a 1,4 butane diol and glycol such as VIBRACURE A250. As previously mentioned, other curatives may also be utilized in forming the cover 16 of the golf ball 10 of the present invention. The curing agent is preferably degassed and warmed in a second holding container prior to processing of the cover 16. The processing temperature for the curative is preferably in the range of about 50-230.degree. F., and most preferably in the range of about 80-200.degree. F. The curing agent is preferably flowable from the second holding container to the mixing chamber in the range of about 15-75 grams of material per minute, or as needed. If a catalyst is used for processing the cover 16, then the catalyst is added to the curing agent in the second holding container to form a curative mixture. Suitable catalyst are described above. The curing agent and catalyst are agitated, in the range of about 0 to 250 rpm, to maintain an even distribution of catalyst in the curative mixture in the second holding container. It is preferred that the catalyst is added in an amount in the range of about 0.25-5% by weight of the combined polyurethane prepolymer blend and curing agent. Additives may be added to the curative mixture as desired. It was discovered that hydrolytic instability of the polyurethane polymer may be avoided by the addition of a stabilizer such as STABOXYL.RTM. (available from Rheinchemie, Trenton, N.J.), in amounts of about 0.25-5% of the polyurethane.

[0054] The coefficient of restitution ("COR") is a measure of the resilience of a golf ball. The COR is a measure of the ratio of the relative velocity of the golf ball after direct impact with a hard surface to the relative velocity before impact with the hard surface. The COR may vary from 0 to 1, with 1 equivalent to a completely elastic collision and 0 equivalent to a completely inelastic collision. A golf ball having a COR value closer to 1 will generally correspond to a golf ball having a higher initial velocity and a greater overall distance. The effect of a higher COR value is illustrated in FIG. 3 in which a golf club 20 strikes the golf ball 10. The force of the club 20 during a swing is transferred to the golf ball 10. If the golf ball has a high COR (more elastic), then the initial velocity of the golf ball will be greater than if the golf ball had a low COR. In general, a higher compression core will result in a higher COR value.

Problems solved by technology

Balata is expensive compared to other cover materials, and golf balls covered with balata tend to have poor durability (i.e. poor cut and shear resistance).

However, golf balls having ionomeric resin covers typically have inferior sound and feel, especially as compared to balata covers.

However, golf balls with polyurethane covers usually do not have the distance of other golf balls such as those with covers composed of SURLYN.RTM.materials.

The '432 patent states, when small amounts of butanediol-1,4 are mixed with a polyester the addition results in polyurethanes that do not have the desired balance of properties to provide good golf ball covers.

Similarly, the use of curing or crosslinking agents is not desired.

Although the prior art has disclosed golf ball covers composed of many different materials, none of these golf balls have proven completely satisfactory.

Dissatisfaction, for example, remains with processing and manufacturing the balls, and with the balls" durability and performance.

Specifically, with respect to processing, prior materials are not user friendly because certain starting materials may be unhealthful, such as diamines and isocyanides.

Wound balls have tolerances that are more difficult to control due to core sizes and / or windings sizes, and therefore, require thicker cover layers to account for the manufacturing tolerances.

With respect to durability problems, prior polyurethane covered balls, because they are wound balls, tend to lose compression and initial velocity due to the windings relaxing over time and use.

With respect to performance problems, prior balls, as a general rule, tend to have smaller cores that result in shorter flight distances.

Although many golf balls having a polyurethane cover have been provided by the prior art, these golf balls have failed to capture the sound and feel of balata while providing a golf ball with the durability of an ionomer.

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