Golf Ball Cover Thermoplastic Blend Durability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) materials used in golf ball covers lack durability and mechanical strength, requiring additional treatments or coating layers to enhance properties, which increases manufacturing costs and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A golf ball design incorporating a thermoplastic blend of ionomers, thermoplastic polyurethane, and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymers, with specific weight percentages to create a durable and tough cover layer that maintains good processability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) materials are used in golf ball covers, then good processability is maintained, but durability and mechanical strength are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidprocessability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by blending TPU with ionomers and ASA/ABS polymers to create a multi-component thermoplastic composition. This composite approach combines the elasticity and energy return of TPU with the durability and toughness of ionomers and ASA/ABS, achieving high mechanical strength while maintaining processability through a single-material construction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If additional treatments or coating layers are applied to enhance TPU cover properties, then durability and mechanical strength are improved, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple material functions into a single thermoplastic blend composition. Instead of applying separate coating layers or treatments to enhance durability, the desired properties are integrated directly into the cover material through the blended composition of TPU, ionomers, and ASA/ABS polymers, simplifying the manufacturing process to a single molding operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The composite thermoplastic composition combines the durability benefits of ionomers and ASA/ABS with the base TPU material, achieving enhanced reliability without requiring additional manufacturing steps such as coating or surface treatments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS10493326B2Golf balls incorporating thermoplastic blend(s) of ionomer(s), thermoplastic polymer(s), and ABS and/or ASA

Publication Date: 2019.12.03 ACUSHNET CO

AI summary

Golf ball incorporating thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s) selected from thermoplastic polyurethane(s), thermoplastic urea(s), and/or thermoplastic urea-urethane hybrid(s); and (iii) acrylonitrile styrene acrylate(s) and/or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(s) (“ASA and/or ABS”). Ionomer(s) present in amount of about 45 wt % or greater and ASA and/or ABS present in amount of from about 2 wt % to about 35 wt %. Thermoplastic polymer(s) may be present in amounts about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. Ionomer amount may be greater than thermoplastic polymer amount. Thermoplastic polymer may be a polyurethane present in amount of greater than 20 wt % to about 40 wt %; while ASA and/or ABS is present in amount of from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %. ASA and/or ABS sometimes present in amount of from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.