Golf Ball Component Compositions Using Reclaimed Ash Residue

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is no large-scale method for reclaiming inorganic metals from golf ball waste and incorporating them into golf ball components, leading to increased demand and cost for conventional raw materials.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating ash residue from a golf ball waste reclamation process into golf ball components, which includes metal compounds like zinc, titanium, and barium, to form compositions that enhance reaction time, bonding, and weight consistency, while reducing the need for conventional additives.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional raw materials are used in golf ball production, then material properties are maintained, but demand and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedemand for conventional raw materialsVSAvoidmaterial property consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent recovers inorganic metals from golf ball waste through thermal combustion, transforming discarded waste material into valuable reclaimed resources that can be reused as raw materials in new golf ball components, thereby reducing demand for conventional raw materials while maintaining material properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the source and composition parameters of raw materials by incorporating reclaimed resources with specific metal compound compositions (5-30% by weight) into golf ball components, demonstrating that alternative material sources can achieve consistent material properties when properly formulated

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If reclaimed resources are incorporated into golf ball compositions, then demand for conventional materials is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuse of conventional additivesVSAvoidreclamation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful aspect of golf ball waste (landfill burden) into a beneficial resource (reclaimed inorganic metals) through thermal combustion, transforming a waste management problem into a raw material solution that reduces dependence on conventional additives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces ash residue as an intermediary material that bridges the gap between waste combustion and usable raw material, where the ash residue containing metal compounds serves as a intermediate form that can be directly incorporated into golf ball compositions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If ash residue with metal compounds is added to compositions, then material properties improve, but production cost may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight consistencyVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The reclaimed resources from waste combustion serve the dual purpose of waste disposal and raw material provision, where the system essentially serves itself by converting its own waste into valuable inputs for new product manufacturing, potentially reducing overall production costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Duration of action of stationary object

If conventional additives are used, then material bonding is achieved, but reaction time decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereaction timeVSAvoidmaterial bonding

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by incorporating specific metal compounds (zinc, titanium, barium, limestone) from ash residue into the golf ball composition, where these metal compounds modify the curing chemistry to achieve both adequate reaction time and strong material bonding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of ash residue in golf ball components reduces the demand for conventional materials, enhances bonding and reaction time, and improves identification and concentricity through x-ray processes.

Implementation Method 1

ash residue from a thermal process of golf ball waste

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

thermal process used to combust golf ball waste

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 3

golf balls formed in accordance with the present disclosure may be more easily discernable in x-ray processes used to identify and separate various product lines

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectX-ray: X-Ray

Data Source

PatentUS12616877B2Golf ball components incorporating reclaimed resources and golf balls formed therefrom

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 ACUSHNET CO

AI summary

Reclaimed resources obtained from a thermal process used to combust golf ball waste and, more specifically, inorganic reclaimed resources that include at least one metal component, compositions including such reclaimed resources, golf ball components made from such compositions, and golf balls including such golf ball components.