Three-cover-layer golf ball comprising intermediate layer including a plasticized polyester composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9339696-B2
Application number	US-201414584379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2009
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A golf ball includes a core and a three-layer cover disposed adjacent the core. The three-layer cover includes an inner cover, an intermediate cover, and an outer cover. The inner cover includes a non-ionomeric E/Y copolymer where E is an olefin and Y is a carboxylic acid. The inner cover has a hardness of about 45 to 68 Shore D. The outer cover includes a castable thermoset polyurethane and has a hardness of about 40 to 62 Shore D. The intermediate cover layer, disposed between the inner and outer cover layers, is formed from a polyester composition including about 40 wt % to about 99 wt % of a polyester thermoplastic elastomer and about 1 wt % to about 60 wt % of a plasticizer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf ball comprising:
a core; and
a cover disposed adjacent the core, the cover comprising:
a non-ionomeric inner cover layer comprising an E/Y copolymer where E is an olefin and Y is a carboxylic acid, the inner cover being disposed about the core and having a hardness of 45 Shore D to 68 Shore D;
a castable thermoset polyurethane outer cover layer having a hardness between 40 Shore D and 62 Shore D; and
an intermediate cover layer disposed between the inner and outer cover layers, the intermediate layer comprising a polyester composition;

wherein the polyester composition comprises about 40 wt % to about 99 wt % of a polyester-polyether block copolymer having a flex modulus of about 50,000 psi or less and about 1 wt % to about 60 wt % of a plasticizer.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polyester composition further comprises an acid copolymer of ethylene and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, optionally including a softening monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylates and methacrylates; and a cation source present in an amount sufficient to neutralize from about 0 to about 100% of all acid groups present in the composition.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the acid groups of the acid copolymer of ethylene are neutralized by about 80% or greater.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is present in an amount of about 10 wt % to about 30 wt %.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer comprises a fatty acid ester.

6. The golf ball of claim 5 , wherein the plasticizer comprises an alkyl oleate.

7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the alkyl oleate comprises methyl oleate, ethyl oleate, propyl oleate, butyl oleate, or octyl oleate.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer hardness is greater than the inner cover layer hardness.

9. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein the intermediate layer hardness is greater than the inner cover layer hardness by at least 5 Shore D.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer hardness is greater than the outer cover layer hardness.

11. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the intermediate layer hardness is greater than the outer cover layer hardness by at least 5 Shore D.

12. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a center and at least one outer core layer.

13. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionomeric inner cover layer further comprises a polyester/polycarbonate blend, a polyester resin, an acetal resin, a polyamide resin, a polyetheramide resin, a polyester resin, a polyester elastomer, a liquid crystalline polyester, a polyester/polyamide blend, a poly(arylene ether)/polyester resin, or a polyimide.

14. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the olefin is ethylene and the carboxylic acid is acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, or a combination thereof.

15. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polyester composition has a Charpy notched impact-resistance of about 15 kJ/m 2 or greater when measured at 23° C.

16. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polyester composition has a ratio of Charpy notched impact-resistance measured at 23° C. and measured at −30° C. of at least about 2.0.

17. A golf ball comprising:
a core; and
a cover disposed adjacent the core, the cover comprising:
a non-ionomeric inner cover layer comprising an E/Y copolymer where E is an olefin and Y is a carboxylic acid, the inner cover being disposed about the core and having a hardness of 45 Shore D to 68 Shore D;
a castable thermoset polyurethane outer cover layer having a hardness between 40 Shore D and 62 Shore D; and
an intermediate cover layer disposed between the inner and outer cover layers, the intermediate layer comprising a polyester composition;

wherein the polyester composition comprises about 40 wt % to about 99 wt % of a polyester thermoplastic elastomer and about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % of a plasticizer.

18. A golf ball comprising:
a core; and
a cover disposed adjacent the core, the cover comprising:
a non-ionomeric inner cover layer comprising an E/Y copolymer where E is an olefin and Y is a carboxylic acid, the inner cover being disposed about the core and having a hardness of 45 Shore D to 68 Shore D;
a castable thermoset polyurethane outer cover layer having a hardness between 40 Shore D and 62 Shore D; and
an intermediate cover layer disposed between the inner and outer cover layers, the intermediate layer comprising a polyester composition and having a hardness greater than the inner cover layer hardness;

wherein the polyester composition comprises about 40 wt % to about 99 wt % of a polyester thermoplastic elastomer and about 1 wt % to about 60 wt % of a plasticizer.

Assignees

• Acushnet Co

Inventors

• Sullivan Michael J
• Bulpett David A
• Blink Robert
• Binette Mark L
• Comeau Brian

Classifications

• C09D123/0876

  Neutralised polymers, i.e. ionomers · CPC title

• A63B37/0076 Primary

  Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers · CPC title

• A63B37/0049

  Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness · CPC title

• A63B37/0024

  Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane · CPC title

• A63B37/0075

  Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core · CPC title