Golf Ball Rubber Composition Durability via Crosslinking Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf ball rubber compositions do not adequately balance durability and resilience, often resulting in golf balls that are either too soft or too hard, affecting their performance and durability.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball rubber composition comprising a base rubber, an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid or its metal salt as a co-crosslinking agent, and a crosslinking initiator, specifically formulated to achieve a certain effective crosslinking density and hardness range, enhancing durability and resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rubber composition uses conventional crosslinking agents and initiators, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the durability and resilience balance is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the amount of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid (5-20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of base rubber) and crosslinking initiator (1-5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of base rubber) to achieve optimal crosslinking density. This quantitative parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by improving durability through enhanced crosslinking while maintaining composition simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining base rubber with α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and crosslinking initiator to create a multi-component rubber composition system. This composite approach improves both durability and resilience by leveraging the synergistic effects of different components, achieving reliable performance without excessive complexity.
2Reliability
If the rubber composition is formulated for high durability, then the golf ball resists cracking and extends usage, but the shot feel and resilience may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the durability-resilience contradiction through parameter changes by optimizing the crosslinking density within a specific range. By controlling the amounts of crosslinking agents and initiators to achieve moderate crosslinking density, the patent simultaneously improves durability (resistance to cracking) and maintains resilience (shot feel), avoiding the trade-off present in conventional compositions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a rubber composition with optimized crosslinking characteristics that provide uniform durability and resilience throughout the material. The specific formulation ensures that the crosslinked structure delivers both crack resistance and elastic recovery properties, achieving local optimization of mechanical properties.
3Strength
If the core hardness is increased for durability, then the golf ball structure is strengthened, but the shot feel becomes too hard and less responsive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes to optimize core hardness by controlling the crosslinking density through specific amounts of crosslinking agents. This achieves a balanced core strength that provides durability without excessive hardness, maintaining responsive shot feel by keeping the core within an optimal hardness range.
4Reliability
If the crosslinking density is increased to improve durability, then the rubber composition becomes more resistant to degradation, but the golf ball may become too hard and lose resilience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling crosslinking density through optimized amounts of crosslinking agents and initiators. This achieves sufficient crosslinking for durability while preventing excessive hardening, maintaining the compositional balance between durability and resilience through quantitative optimization.
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 composition provides a golf ball with improved durability and resilience, achieving optimal performance by adjusting the crosslinking density and hardness, resulting in better shot feel and extended usage without cracking.
Implementation Method 1
a cured product of a golf ball rubber composition containing (a) a base rubber, (b) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a metal salt thereof as a co-crosslinking agent, and (c) a crosslinking initiator
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a cured product of a golf ball rubber composition imparting excellent durability. The present invention provides a cured product of a golf ball rubber composition cured from a golf ball rubber composition containing (a) a base rubber, (b) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a metal salt thereof as a co-crosslinking agent, and (c) a crosslinking initiator, wherein the cured product of the golf ball rubber composition satisfies the following mathematical formula (1):Y<(0.1×X)−1.30 (1)in the formula (1), Y represents an effective crosslinking density of the cured product of the rubber composition (mmol/cc), and X represents an amount of the component (b) with respect to 100 parts by mass of (a) the base rubber (parts by mass).