Golf Ball Coating Dyeing Method for Cost-Effective Color Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for customizing golf balls with colored covers are expensive and inefficient, as they require extensive cleaning and pigment distribution throughout the cover material, limiting color options and making it difficult to change from one color to another.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pigmented coating layer of a first color, optionally with a clear coating layer, dyed with acid or nonionic disperse dyes to achieve a second color, using polyurethane, polyurea, or polyamide materials, which allows for deeper, richer colors and better colorfastness, enabling customization of golf balls with various colors without the need for extensive pigment distribution or cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If golf balls are customized with colored covers using traditional pigment mixing methods, then color customization is achieved, but production cost increases and equipment cleaning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the coloring function from the base material by applying a distinct colored coating layer on top of the white golf ball cover. This segmentation allows the base cover to remain white (simple to manufacture) while the coating layer provides the customizable color, eliminating the need to mix pigments into the entire cover material and simplifying equipment cleaning between color changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The colored coating layer is applied as a pre-formed layer with desired color properties before the golf ball is finalized. This preliminary action allows color selection to be done in advance without affecting the base cover production process, enabling easy switching between colors by simply changing the coating layer rather than cleaning and reconfiguring the entire manufacturing line.
2Manufacturing precision
If pigment is distributed throughout the cover material thickness, then color uniformity is achieved, but pigment waste increases and expense increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pigment from the bulk cover material and concentrates it into a thin surface coating layer. This extraction eliminates the need to distribute pigment throughout the entire cover thickness, significantly reducing pigment consumption while maintaining uniform color appearance on the ball surface where the coating is visible.
Solution Approach 2:
The colored coating layer is applied only where color is needed - on the outer surface of the golf ball cover. This local quality approach means pigment is concentrated only in the visible surface region rather than being distributed throughout the entire cover thickness, reducing overall pigment usage while ensuring uniform color where it matters most.
3Illumination intensity
If acid dyes are used on polyurethane covers, then color intensity is improved, but colorfastness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific binder resin as an intermediary between the acid dye and the polyurethane cover. This binder resin, containing carboxylic acid groups, acts as a mediator that facilitates strong bonding between the dye molecules and the polyurethane substrate, thereby improving colorfastness while maintaining the vibrant color intensity provided by acid dyes.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating layer is formulated as a composite material combining acid dyes with a specially selected binder resin that has chemical compatibility with polyurethane. This composite formulation ensures both high color intensity from the acid dye and superior colorfastness through the chemical bonding capability of the binder resin, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
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
This method allows for cost-effective customization of golf balls with a wide range of colors, providing true and intense coloration while maintaining colorfastness, and enabling the use of different colors on various portions of the ball independently of the core and inner layers.
Implementation Method 1
a golf ball that has a pigmented coating layer of a first color and optionally a clear coating layer over the pigmented coating layer, with at least one of the pigmented coating layer and the clear coating layer comprising at least one of polyurethane, polyurea, and polyamide is dyed a second color with an acid or nonionic disperse dye
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball of a first color is dyed to a second color with an anionic or nonionic disperse dye. Either or both of a pigmented coating layer or an optional clear coating layer on the pigmented coating layer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, and combinations thereof, which can be dyed by the anionic or nonionic disperse dye.