Golf Ball Cover Using Thermoplastic Polyurethane and Polyisocyanate Mixture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls with existing technologies face challenges in achieving a balance between flight distance, controllability, and abrasion resistance, particularly with cover materials like ionomer resins and polyurethane, which either compromise on spin performance or durability.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a core with a hard-outer, soft-inner structure and a cover composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane and polyisocyanate mixture, where a urethane prepolymer or polyisocyanate with multiple isocyanate groups is dispersed in a thermoplastic resin, providing a slab hardness of 60 or less in Shore D hardness, enhancing abrasion resistance and controllability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermosetting polyurethane is used for the cover, then abrasion resistance is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the cover material by using thermoplastic polyurethane instead of thermosetting polyurethane, and adjusts the molecular weight and composition ratios to achieve both good abrasion resistance and simplified manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane as the base resin and incorporates specific additives and fillers to enhance abrasion resistance while maintaining processability, avoiding the need for complex multi-step manufacturing
2Ease of operation
If thermoplastic polyurethane is used for the cover, then shot feeling and spin properties are improved, but abrasion resistance and durability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where thermoplastic polyurethane is combined with specific fillers, plasticizers, and crosslinking agents to enhance the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance while preserving the desirable shot feeling and spin characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight, composition ratios, and physical parameters of the thermoplastic polyurethane system to achieve the right balance between softness for shot feeling and hardness for abrasion resistance
3Strength
If ionomer resin is used for the cover, then resilience and workability are improved, but shot feeling and controllability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the base resin material from ionomer resin to thermoplastic polyurethane and adjusts the molecular weight and composition parameters to achieve both good resilience and improved shot feeling with better controllability
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 solution results in a golf ball with improved launch angle and spin rate for driver and long iron shots, increased controllability for short iron shots, and excellent abrasion resistance without compromising productivity or durability.
Implementation Method 1
a polyisocyanate mixture (B) in which a urethane prepolymer (b-1) having at least two isocyanate groups or a polyisocyanate (b-2) having at least three isocyanate groups is dispersed in a thermoplastic resin (b-3) which does not substantially react with an isocyanate group
Data Source
AI summary
The object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball that satisfies both of the flight distance at the shot with a driver, a long iron, and a middle iron and the controllability at the approach shot with a short iron and is also excellent in the abrasion resistance of the cover. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a core consisting of a center and at least one intermediate layer covering the center, and a cover covering the core, wherein the cover is formed from a cover composition containing, as a resin component, a thermoplastic polyurethane (A) and a polyisocyanate mixture (B) in which a urethane prepolymer (b-1) having at least two isocyanate groups or a polyisocyanate (b-2) having at least three isocyanate groups is dispersed in a thermoplastic resin (b-3) which does not substantially react with an isocyanate group; and wherein the cover composition has a slab hardness of 60 or less in Shore D hardness, and the core has a hardness difference (Hs−Ho) between a surface hardness Hs and a center hardness Ho of from 15 to 50 in Shore D hardness.