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Golf ballRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, BallGolf ball description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060019771, Golf ball. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the field of golf ball construction and, more particularly, to elastomeric compositions for producing golf balls or molded components thereof. The improved golf balls exhibit enhanced combinations of compression and/or resilience properties. Methods of preparing such golf balls are also disclosed herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Golf balls have traditionally been categorized in three different groups. These are, namely, one-piece or unitary balls, wound balls, and multi-piece solid balls. [0003] A one-piece ball typically is formed from a solid mass of moldable material which has been cured to develop the necessary degree of hardness. The one-piece ball generally possesses no significant difference in composition between the interior and exterior of the ball. These balls do not have an enclosing cover. One piece balls are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,545; U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,123; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,612. [0004] A wound ball has frequently been referred to as a "three piece ball" since it is produced by winding vulcanized rubber thread under tension around a solid or semi-solid center to form a wound core and thereafter enclosed in a single or multi-layer covering of tough protective material. For many years the wound ball was desired by many skilled, low handicap golfers. [0005] In this regard, the three piece wound ball typically has a balata, or balata like, cover which is relatively soft and flexible. Upon impact, it compresses against the surface of the club producing high spin. Consequently, the soft and flexible balata covers along with wound cores provide an experienced golfer with the ability to apply a spin to control the ball in flight in order to produce a draw or a fade or a backspin which causes the ball to "bite" or stop abruptly on contact with the green. Moreover, the balata cover produces a soft "feel" to the low handicap player. Such playability properties of workability, feel, etc., are particularly important in short iron play and low swing speeds and are exploited significantly by highly skilled players. [0006] However, a three-piece wound ball has several disadvantages. For example, a thread wound ball is relatively difficult to manufacture due to the number of production steps required and the careful control which must be exercised in each stage of manufacture to achieve suitable roundness, velocity, rebound, "click", "feel", and the like. [0007] Additionally, a soft thread wound (three-piece) ball is not well suited for use by the less skilled and/or high handicap golfer who cannot intentionally control the spin of the ball. For example, the unintentional application of side spin by a less skilled golfer produces hooking or slicing. The side spin reduces the golfer's control over the ball as well as reduces travel distance. [0008] Similarly, despite all of the benefits of balata, balata covered balls are easily "cut" and/or damaged if mishit. Consequently, golf balls produced with balata or balata containing cover compositions can exhibit a relatively short life span. As a result of this negative property, balata and its synthetic substitute, trans-polyisoprene, and resin blends, have been essentially replaced as the cover materials of choice by golf ball manufacturers by materials comprising ionomeric resins and other elastomers such as polyurethanes. [0009] Multi-piece solid golf balls, on the other hand, include a solid resilient core and a cover having single or multiple layers employing different types of material molded on the core. The core can also include one or more layers. Additionally, one or more intermediate layers can also be included between the core and cover layers. [0010] By utilizing different types of materials and different construction combinations, multi-piece solid golf balls have now been designed to match and/or surpass the beneficial properties produced by three-piece wound balls. Additionally, the multi-piece solid golf balls do not possess the manufacturing difficulties, etc., that are associated with the three-piece wound balls. [0011] The one-piece golf ball and the solid core for a multi-piece solid (non-wound) ball frequently are formed from a combination of elastomeric materials such as polybutadiene and other rubbers that are cross-linked. These materials are molded under high pressure and temperature to provide a ball or core of suitable hardness and resilience. The cover or cover layers typically contain a substantial quantity of ionomeric resins that impart toughness and cut resistance to the covers. Additional cover materials include synthetic balatas, polyurethanes, and blends of ionomers with polyurethanes, etc. [0012] As a result, a wide variety of multi-piece solid golf balls are now available to suit an individual player's game. In essence, different types of balls have been, and are being, specifically designed or "tailor made" to suit various skill levels. Moreover, improved golf balls are continually being produced by golf ball manufacturers with technological advancements in materials and manufacturing processes. [0013] In this regard, the elastomeric composition of the core or center of a golf ball is important in that it affects several characteristics (i.e., playability, durability, etc.) of the ball. Additionally, the elastomeric composition provides resilience to the golf ball, while also providing many desirable properties to both the core and the overall golf ball, including weight, compression, etc. [0014] Due to the continuous importance of improving the properties of a golf ball, it would be beneficial to form an elastomeric composition that exhibits improved properties, particularly improved combinations of compression and/or resilience, over known compositions. This is one of the objectives of the present invention disclosed below. [0015] These and other non-limiting objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following summary and description of the invention, and from the claims. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0016] The present invention satisfies the noted general objectives and provides, in one aspect, a polybutadiene rubber composition for producing a golf ball or a molded component thereof. The resulting golf ball or golf ball component exhibits enhanced compression and/or resilience. Methods for producing such a golf ball or golf ball component are also included herein. [0017] And in yet another aspect, the present invention provides a golf ball comprising a core component formed from a cured, polybutadiene rubber composition. One or more metal thiosulfates, such as hexamethylene thiosulfates, are included in the composition to increase the compression and/or resilience (i.e., C.O.R.) of the resulting molded product. The golf ball further comprises one or more core, intermediate or cover layers disposed over the core component. [0018] In a further aspect, the present development provides a golf ball comprising a spherical molded rubber component formed from a polybutadiene, a mixture of polybutadienes or a mixture of polybutadiene with one or more other elastomers, and one or more curing agents. The curing agents include metallic salts of unsaturated carboxylic acid and a crosslinking initiator such as organic peroxide. The curing agents are blended into the polybutadiene rubber to crosslink the molecules main chain, etc. Also included in the composition is a hexamethylene thiosulfate, including a sodium hexamethylene thiosulfate, such as disodium hexamethylene (HTS or DHTS). This combination of materials produces, when molded, golf balls exhibiting improved combinations of characteristics, such as increased compression and/or resilience. [0019] In an additional aspect, the development disclosed herein concerns a composition for forming a molded golf ball or a golf ball component such as a molded core. The composition comprises a base elastomer selected from polybutadiene, mixtures of polybutadiene or mixtures of polybutadiene and other elastomers, curing agents such as a metallic salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid and a crosslinking initiator such as an organic peroxide, and a disodium hexamethylene thiosulfate (DHTS). Preferably, the polybutadiene has a weight average molecular weight of about 50,000 to about 1,000,000 and the disodium hexamethylene thiosulfate is hexamethylene-1,6-bis(thiosulfate), disodium salt, dihydrate. The composition can also include one or more modifying ingredients selected from the group consisting of fillers, fatty acids, peptizers, metal oxides, and mixtures thereof. [0020] In a yet further aspect, the development relates to the addition of one or more halogenated organic sulfur compounds and/or one or more hexamethylene thiosulfates to a polybutadiene rubber composition in order to increase the combination of compression (i.e., softness) and/or resilience (i.e., speed) of the molded product. The preferred halogenated organic sulfur compounds include halogenated thiophenols such as fluoro-, chloro-, bromo-, and iodo-thiophenols, and metallic salts thereof. More preferably, the halogenated thiophenol is a chlorophenol such as pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP) and salts thereof, such as zinc pentachlorothiophenol (ZnPCTP). The preferred hexamethylene thiosulfates include, but are not limited to, sodium hexamethylene thiosulfates, such as disodium hexamethylene-1,6-bisthiosulfate, dihydrate (DHTS). The combination of the hexamethylene thiosulfate and the halogenated thiophenol produces synergistic effects which results in enhanced compression and/or resilience in the molded product over known compositions. [0021] In another aspect, it has been noted that the sodium hexamethylene thiosulfate, such as disodium hexamethylene-1,6-bisthiosulfate, dihydrate (DHTS), and an optionally halogenated organic sulfur compound can be utilized in combination with lower solution viscosity and/or lower linearity (more branched) polybutadiene materials and crosslinking agents to produce similar compression (i.e., softness) and/or resilience characteristics produced by components molded from high solution viscosity/high linearity polymer polybutadienes. This allows for the interchangeability of these materials for certain usages in golf ball construction. Continue reading about Golf ball... Full patent description for Golf ball Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf ball patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Golf ball or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Golf club head with progressive face stiffness Next Patent Application: High performance golf ball having a reduced-distance Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf ball patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.84655 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry 174 |
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