Golf Ball Cover-Casing Crosslinking for Delamination Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern multi-piece golf balls suffer from low adhesion strength between layers, leading to delamination under shear forces, which affects both appearance and performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating compositions with carboxyl groups in the casing layer and nucleophile groups in the cover layer, utilizing polyaziridine adhesion promoters to form crosslinks between the layers, enhancing adhesion strength without additional manufacturing steps or materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional multi-piece golf ball construction is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but adhesion strength between layers is insufficient leading to delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the cover layer by incorporating specific adhesion promoters (silane-based or isocyanate-based compounds) and functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino) to enhance adhesion strength. This chemical parameter change allows the layers to bond more effectively without requiring additional physical fastening mechanisms or complex structural modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system by combining the cover layer material (polyurethane or polyurethane-polyurea hybrid) with adhesion promoter additives and functional group-containing compounds. This composite approach integrates multiple materials at the molecular level to achieve superior inter-layer adhesion while maintaining the overall simplicity of the golf ball construction.
2Strength
If adhesion-promoting pre-treatment processes are applied, then adhesion strength increases, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesion promoters and functional groups are incorporated into the cover layer composition during the manufacturing process itself, performing the adhesion-promoting action in advance before the layers are fully assembled. This eliminates the need for separate post-manufacturing treatment steps such as corona, plasma, or flame treatments, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency while achieving enhanced adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover layer material itself provides the adhesion-promoting functionality through integrated adhesion promoters and reactive functional groups. The material serves dual purposes: maintaining its structural integrity as the cover layer while simultaneously providing the chemical bonding capability to adhere to the casing layer, eliminating the need for separate adhesion-promoting materials or processes.
3Strength
If adhesion promoters are added to cover composition, then adhesion between layers improves, but material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates adhesion promoters and functional groups as chemical parameters within the existing cover layer composition framework. By modifying the chemical composition (adding specific compounds at controlled concentrations) rather than fundamentally changing the material structure, the patent enhances adhesion while maintaining relatively simple material composition and processing.
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 crosslinked layers result in improved shear durability and increased adhesion, reducing delamination and maintaining golf ball performance.
Implementation Method 1
crosslinks between the carboxyl groups of the casing layer and the nucleophile groups of the cover layer
Implementation Method 2
utilizing polyaziridine adhesion promoters to form crosslinks between the layers
Data Source
AI summary
Casing compositions including carboxyl groups, cover compositions including nucleophile groups and an adhesion promoter capable of crosslinking carboxyl and nucleophile groups, and golf balls made from such compositions that have crosslinks between carboxyl groups in the casing composition and nucleophile groups in the cover composition. The nucleophile groups may be hydroxyl groups, amino groups, or other types of nucleophile groups. The adhesion promoter may be a polyaziridine. An acid catalyst may be used to facilitate the reaction between the nucleophile groups in the cover composition and the adhesion promoter. The type and concentration of the components in the casing and cover compositions, including the adhesion promoter, affect the adhesion between golf balls having components made from such compositions and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having increased durability.