Multi-Layer Golf Ball Crosslinking for Interlayer Adhesion
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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
The use of specific casing and cover compositions, including ionomers and adhesion promoters like organic titanates, to crosslink the layers, enhancing adhesion and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional multi-piece golf ball construction is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but adhesion strength between layers deteriorates leading to delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the cover and casing layer materials. The cover composition includes polyurethane with hydroxyl groups and adhesion promoters, while the casing layer includes ionomers with carboxyl groups. These compositional changes enable chemical crosslinking between layers, fundamentally improving adhesion strength without adding complex manufacturing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure where the cover layer (polyurethane with hydroxyl groups) and casing layer (ionomer with carboxyl groups) are chemically bonded through crosslinking. This composite approach combines materials with complementary functional groups to achieve strong interlayer adhesion, preventing delamination while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If adhesion promoters and crosslinking compositions are added to the cover and casing layers, then adhesion strength and shear durability are improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates adhesion promoters as specific compositional parameters within the cover and casing layer formulations. These promoters contain functional groups that react with complementary groups in adjacent layers during the molding process, creating crosslinked bonds that enhance shear durability. The approach integrates adhesion enhancement directly into the material composition rather than adding separate treatment steps.
3Reliability
If surface roughening or plasma treatment is applied to increase adhesion, then manufacturing time increases, but adhesion strength improves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates adhesion promoters and reactive functional groups into the cover and casing layer compositions before the molding process. This preliminary preparation of the materials ensures that crosslinking occurs automatically during layer formation, eliminating the need for subsequent surface treatment steps such as plasma treatment or roughening, thereby maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover and casing layers are designed to self-crosslink through the reaction between hydroxyl groups in the cover and carboxyl groups in the casing layer. This self-service mechanism occurs automatically during the molding process without requiring external treatment steps, saving manufacturing time while achieving strong adhesion.
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 compositions improve shear durability and adhesion strength between golf ball layers, reducing delamination and maintaining performance under high-angle club strikes.
Implementation Method 1
the cover and casing layer are crosslinked by one or more of the following linkage... wherein R1 is a first carbon chain in the casing layer and R2 is a second carbon chain in the cover
Implementation Method 2
compositions for use in golf ball components that facilitate crosslinks between the components. The compositions of the present disclosure result in golf ball components with improved adhesion strength therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
Casing compositions including carboxyl groups, cover compositions including hydroxyl groups and an adhesion promoter capable of crosslinking carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, and golf balls made from such compositions that have crosslinks between carboxyl groups in the casing composition and hydroxyl groups in the cover composition. 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.