Golf ball having multiple different coating layers

Abstract

A golf ball comprising core; a cover disposed about the core; and a coating system disposed about the cover having at least three layers: a first coating layer C1 surrounding the cover; a second coating layer C2 surrounding C1; and a third coating layer C3 surrounding C2; wherein C1 has a first color appearance A1, C2 has a second color appearance A2, and C3 has a third color appearance A3 such that A1≠A2≠A3 and wherein A1, A2, and A3 each contribute to an overall golf ball color appearance. A method of making the inventive golf ball comprises: providing a core and a cover disposed about the core; and providing a coating system about the cover comprising Cn coating layers wherein n≧3, and wherein each of the Cn coating layers have a different color appearance contributing to the overall golf ball color appearance.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]Golf balls incorporating color and color effects in multiple coating layers to improve golf ball durability and adhesion between coating layers.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Golf is a game of confidence. So much so, that a golfer's confidence level during a given round is often outcome determinative. In this regard, an aesthetically pleasing and superiorly constructed golf ball is a great confidence builder. For this reason, golfers typically carefully settle on an ultimate golf ball of choice by visually comparing each golf ball possessing their particular desired playing characteristics.[0003]Golf ball coating layers not only add aesthetic appeal but also provide overall golf ball protection, an attribute related to quality. Initially, two types of coating systems developed: colored (opaque) and clear. Opaque white coatings were first applied to golf balls since most golfers traditionally enjoyed a white colored golf ball. An outermost (clear) coatin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a special golf ball with a unique and vivid color appearance. The ball has three layers of coating, each with a different color appearance that contributes to the overall color of the ball. The layers are designed to match the way the human eye perceives the color of light being reflected by the ball. The innermost layer contributes most to the color effect, followed by the intermediate layer and the outermost layer. This creates a color traveling effect, where the colors become more intense as you look at the ball from different angles. This design results in a unique and vivid experience for players who swing the ball.

Problems solved by technology

So much so, that a golfer's confidence level during a given round is often outcome determinative.

However, incorporating the preferred white color directly into the cover met substantial disadvantages and drawbacks.

In particular, as balls sit upon spindles when sprayed and are subsequently transferred from the spindles to trays for drying, the spindle, transfer picks and trays can all leave small marks / nicks on the golf ball surface which a second application of the white coating can mask or cover.

Secondly, the most preferred coatings are thin and uniform because heavy applications are more prone to surface defects and more substantially affect the flight of the ball.

However, this two-layer coating golf ball presented durability issues when particles made the golf ball surface vulnerable to breaks in the surface when a club struck the golf ball.

Yet, it is not practical to place the interference effects coating layer beneath the opaque coating layer for the obvious reason that an overlying opaque coating layer would totally block any visibility of the interference effects layer beneath it.

In this construction, the underlying cover color is visible through the coating layers, producing a deficient and undesirable overall golf ball color appearance where the underlying cover is white, which yellows over time due to UV degradation.