Golf balls with oxygen and moisture blocking protective paint layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9283438-B2
Application number	US-201213527661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2012
Priority date	Jun 20, 2012
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions for golf equipment that can be applied as a thin paint layer to block oxygen and moisture from underlying structural layers. The compositions include a polymer component present in a resin system, a stabilizing component, and porous particles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least one paint layer is disposed about the cover, wherein the paint layer is formed from a composition comprising:
a polymer component;
a paste comprising porous particles and a stabilizing component, wherein the porous particles have an average diameter between about 100 μm to about 500 μm, wherein the stabilizing component comprises a symmetrical copolymer comprising two alkylene oxide blocks having the same chain length surrounding an alkylene oxide block, wherein the paint layer has a thermal conductivity ranging from about 0.03 to about 0.3 Btu/hr ft ° F; wherein the paint layer comprises an adhesion strength of about 5 lb f /in or greater, and the golf ball has a weight gain of about 15 grams per 100 in 2 per day or less at 38° C. and 90 percent relative humidity; and
wherein the paint layer has a thickness of about 275 μm to about 500 μm.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing component comprises two ethylene oxide blocks of the same chain length surrounding a propylene oxide block.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the stabilizing component comprises EO x —PO y -EO z where x, y, and z represent chain length, and wherein x and z are equal.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity ranges from about 0.5 to about 0.2 Btu/hr ft ° F.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polymer component comprises polyesters, epoxies, urethanes, cellulosics, alkyds, acrylics, and mixtures and precursors thereof.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the porous particles have an average pore size from about 100 μm or less.

7. A golf ball comprising a core, a cover, and a paint layer disposed on the cover, wherein the paint layer is formed from a composition comprising:
a resin system comprising a polymer component and a stabilizing component, wherein the stabilizing component is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymers, poly C 2 -C 3 alkoxylated C 12 -C 18 saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohols, poly C 2 -C 3 alkoxylated hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated castor oils, poly C 2 -C 3 alkoxylated hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated soybean oils, polydimethyl siloxane C 2 -C 3 alkoxylates, and sorbitan esters of C 12 -C 18 saturated or unsaturated fatty acids;
porous particles having an average diameter between about 5 μm to about 75 μm, and wherein the paint layer has a thermal conductivity ranging from about 0.03 to about 0.3 Btu/hr ft ° F. and an adhesion stability of about 95 percent after 10 days at 110° F. in 100 percent humidity, and
wherein the paint layer has a thickness of about 275 μm to about 500 μm.

8. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the resin system is solvent-based.

9. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the resin system comprises an aqueous emulsion of the polymer component.

10. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the thermal conductivity ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.2 Btu/hr ft ° F.

11. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the thermal conductivity ranges from about 0.055 to about 0.19 Btu/hr ft ° F.

12. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the porous particles have n average pore size from about 100 μm or less.

13. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the golf ball has a weight gain of about 12.5 grams per 100 in 2 per day or less at 38° C. and 90 percent relative humidity.

14. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the polymer component comprises an acrylic copolymer, an acrylic styrene copolymer, vinyl acrylic copolymer, epoxy acrylic copolymer, acrylic vinyl acetate copolymer, a styrene butadiene copolymer, a cellulose acetate polymer, an alkyd, a polyester polymer, or combinations thereof.

15. A golf ball comprising a core, a cover, and a paint layer disposed on the cover, wherein the cover comprises polyurethane, polyurea, or a combination thereof, and wherein the paint layer is formed from a composition comprising:
a polymer component;
a stabilizing component, wherein the stabilizing component is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymers, poly C 2 -C 3 alkoxylated C 12 -C 18 saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohols, poly C 2 -C 3 alkoxylated hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated castor oils, poly C 2 -C 3 alkoxylated hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated soybean oils, polydimethyl siloxane C 2 -C 3 alkoxylates, and sorbitan esters of C 12 -C 18 saturated or unsaturated fatty acids;
porous particles having an average diameter between about 100 μm to about 500 μm, wherein the paint layer has a thermal conductivity ranging from about 0.05 to about 0.2 Btu/hr ft ° F. and an adhesion strength of about 10 lb f /in or greater,
wherein the golf ball has a soze gain of about 0.001 inches or less after a seven-week period, and
wherein the paint layer has a thickness of about 275 μm to about 500 μm.

16. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the core comprises polybutadiene.

17. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the polymer component is present in an aqueous emulsion.

18. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the polymer component is part of a solvent-based resin system.

19. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein the porous particles comprise organic and inorganic aerogels, organic and inorganic xerogels, or combinations thereof.

20. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the porous particles have an average pore size from about 100 μm or less.

Assignees

• Ladd Derek A
• Nardacci Nicholas M
• Hebert Edmund A
• Acushnet Co

Inventors

• Ladd Derek A
• Nardacci Nicholas M
• Hebert Edmund A

Classifications

• A63B2225/02

  Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment · CPC title

• C09D5/00

  Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, characterised by their physical nature or the effects produced {(electrically insulating plastics, resins or waxes H01B3/30)}; Filling pastes · CPC title

• A63B37/0022 Primary

  Coatings, e.g. paint films; Markings · CPC title

• A63B37/0074 Primary

  Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core · CPC title

• A63B37/0077

  Physical properties · CPC title