Golf balls having silicone foam center

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016279481-A1
Application number	US-201615181723-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 5, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core made of a foamed silicone composition and a cover are provided. For example, three-piece, four-piece, and five-piece golf balls containing different core structures can be made. Preferably, a dual-core having has a silicone foam inner core (center) and surrounding silicone foam outer core layer is made. The core layers can have different hardness gradients. The silicone foam center and outer core layer have good thermal stability and durability and provide the ball with good resiliency.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A golf ball, comprising:
i) an inner core layer comprising a foamed silicone rubber composition, the inner core layer having a diameter in the range of about 0.100 to about 1.100 inches and a specific gravity (SG inner ); and ii) an outer core layer comprising a foamed silicone rubber composition, the outer core layer being disposed about the intermediate core layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.100 to about 0.750 inches, and a specific gravity (SG outer ), wherein the SG outer , is greater than the SG inner ,

2 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer has a diameter in the range of about 0.100 to about 0.900 inches and a specific gravity in the range of about 0.25 to about 1.25 g/cc.

3 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer core layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.250 to about 0.750 inches and a specific gravity in the range of about 0.60 to about 2.90 g/cc.

4 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer has an outer surface hardness (H inner core surface) and a center hardness (H inner core center ), the H inner core surface being greater than the H inner core center to provide a positive hardness gradient; and the outer core layer has an outer surface hardness (H outer surface of OC ) and an inner surface hardness (H inner surface of OC ), the H outer surface of OC being greater than the H inner surface of OC to provide a positive hardness gradient.

5 . The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the H inner core center is in the range of about 20 Shore C to about 48 Shore C and the H inner core surface is in the range of about 24 Shore C to about 52 Shore C.

6 . The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the H inner surface of OC is in the range of about 40 Shore C to about 87 Shore C and the H outer surface of OC is in the range of about 72 Shore C to about 95 Shore C.

7 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the inner core layer has an outer surface hardness (H inner core surface ) and a center hardness (H inner core center ), the H inner core surface being the same or less than the H inner core center to provide a zero or negative hardness gradient; and the outer core layer has an outer surface hardness (H outer surface of OC ) and an inner surface hardness (H inner surface of OC ), the H outer surface of OC being greater than the H inner surface of OC to provide a positive hardness gradient.

8 . The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the H inner core center is in the range of about 10 Shore A to about 60 Shore C and the H inner core surface is in the range of about 5 Shore A to about 55 Shore A.

9 . The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the H inner surface of OC is in the range of about 45 Shore C to about 85 Shore C and the H outer surface of OC is in the range of about 55 Shore C to about 95 Shore C.

10 . The golf ball of claim 1 , further comprising a cover having at least one layer.

11 . The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the cover layer comprises two layers.

12 . A core assembly for a golf ball, comprising:
i) an inner core layer comprising a foamed silicone rubber composition, the inner core layer having a diameter in the range of about 0.100 to about 1.100 inches and a specific gravity (SG inner ); and ii) an outer core layer comprising a foamed silicone rubber composition, the outer core layer being disposed about the intermediate core layer and having a thickness in the range of about 0.100 to about 0.750 inches, and a specific gravity (SG outer ), wherein the SG outer , is the same or less than the SG inner ,

Assignees

• Acushnet Co

Inventors

• Comeau Brian
• Ricci Shawn
• Farrell John D
• Sullivan Michael J
• Binette Mark L
• Michalewich Michael
• Goguen Douglas S

Classifications

• A63B37/0092

  Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers · CPC title

• A63B37/0066

  Density; Specific gravity · CPC title

• A63B37/0051 Primary

  Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details · CPC title

• A63B37/0045

  Thickness · CPC title

• A63B37/0091

  Density distribution amongst the different ball layers · CPC title