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Golf ballRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Ball, Particular Unitary Or Layered ConstructionGolf ball description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060211517, Golf ball. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority on Patent Application No. 2005-73295 filed in JAPAN on Mar. 15, 2005 and Patent Application No. 2005-76551 filed in JAPAN on Mar. 17, 2005. The entire contents of these Japanese Patent Applications are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to golf balls. More particularly, the present invention relates to multi piece golf balls having a core, a mid layer and a cover. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Top concern to golf players for golf balls is their flight performances. The golf players particularly place great importance on flight distance attained upon shots with a driver. Feel at impact is also important to golf balls. Golf players prefer soft feel at impact. Furthermore, durability is also important to golf balls. Golf balls not accompanied by breakage upon repeated impacts have been desired. [0006] In light of flight performances and feel at impact, golf balls having a variety of structures have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,415 (JP-A No. H10-179795) discloses a golf ball in which either one of the mid layer or the cover comprises an ionomer resin while the other comprises polyurethane. U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,460 (JP-A No. H11-253581) discloses a golf ball having a mid layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, and a cover comprising an ionomer resin. US2003/083155 (JP-A No. 2003-52857) discloses a golf ball having a mid layer comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, and a cover comprising an ionomer resin. U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,415 (JP-A No. 2001-585) discloses a golf ball having a mid layer comprising an urethane resin, and a cover comprising an ionomer resin. [0007] Ionomer resins are inferior in compatibility with other resins. Ionomer resins are particularly inferior in compatibility with thermoplastic elastomers. In golf balls having a cover comprising an ionomer resin and a mid layer comprising other resin, adhesion between the mid layer and the cover may be insufficient. In this type of golf ball, repeated impacts may result in detachment of the cover from the mid layer. The detachment leads to breakage of the golf ball. In particular, according to golf balls having a thin mid layer or a thin cover, breakage is apt to be caused due to insufficient adhesion. An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball that is excellent in the flight performance, feel at impact and durability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] A golf ball according to one aspect of the present invention has a spherical core, a mid layer positioned outside of this core, a reinforcing layer positioned outside of this mid layer, and a cover positioned outside of this reinforcing layer. This mid layer has a hardness Hm as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of equal to or less than 54. Principal component of the base polymer of this cover is an ionomer resin. This cover has a hardness Hc as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of equal to or greater than 55. This cover has a weight Wc of equal to or less than 5.7 g. This cover has a ratio (Wc/Hc) of the weight Wc to the hardness Hc of equal to or less than 0.080. [0009] Preferably, the base polymer of the mid layer comprises 10% by weight or more and 60% by weight or less styrene block-containing thermoplastic elastomer, and 40% by weight or more and 90% by weight or less ionomer resin. [0010] Preferably, the cover has a thickness Tc of equal to or less than 1.2 mm. Preferably, the mid layer has a thickness Tm of 0.5 mm or greater and 1.6 mm or less. [0011] Preferably, the reinforcing layer comprises a water-based adhesive. Base polymer of this water-based adhesive is a reaction product between carboxyl group-containing polyurethane and polycarbodiimide. Preferably, the reinforcing layer has a thickness of 0.003 mm or greater and 0.050 mm or less. [0012] A golf ball according to another aspect of the present invention has a spherical core, a mid layer positioned outside of this core, a reinforcing layer positioned outside of this mid layer, and a cover positioned outside of this reinforcing layer. This mid layer has a thickness Tm of 0.5 mm or greater and 1.7 mm or less. Base polymer of this cover is an ionomer resin. The cover has a hardness Hc as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of 56 or greater and 65 or less. This cover has a thickness Tc of equal to or less than 1.0 mm. [0013] Preferably, the mid layer has a hardness Hm as measured with a Shore D type hardness scale of 30 or greater and 54 or less. Preferably, base polymer of this mid layer comprises 30% by weight or more and 60% by weight or less styrene block-containing thermoplastic elastomer, and 40% by weight or more and 70% by weight or less ionomer resin. [0014] Preferably, base polymer of the reinforcing layer is a reaction product between carboxyl group-containing polyurethane and polycarbodiimide. Preferably, the carboxyl group-containing polyurethane and the polycarbodiimide are water-based. [0015] In this golf ball, firm adhesion between the mid layer and the cover is permitted via the reinforcing layer. According to this golf ball, sufficient durability is achieved by virtue of the reinforcing layer even though a thin mid layer or a thin cover is employed. The thin mid layer can be responsible for resilience performance of the golf ball. The thin cover can be responsible for feel at impact of the golf ball. Also, the thin cover can optimize launch angle of the golf ball upon impact. This golf ball is excellent in the flight performance, feel at impact and durability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0016] FIG. 1 is a partially cut off cross-sectional view illustrating a golf ball according to one embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0017] The present invention is hereinafter described in detail with appropriate references to the accompanying drawing according to the preferred embodiments. [0018] A golf ball 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a spherical core 4, a mid layer 6 covering this core 4, a reinforcing layer 8 covering this mid layer 6, and a cover 10 covering this reinforcing layer 8. Numerous dimples 12 are formed on the surface of the cover 10. Of the surface of the cover 10, a part except for the dimples 12 is a land 14. This golf ball 2 has a paint layer and a mark layer to the external side of the cover 10, although these layers are not shown in the FIGURE. [0019] This golf ball 2 has a diameter of from 40 mm to 45 mm. From the standpoint of conformity to a rule defined by United States Golf Association (USGA), the diameter is preferably equal to or greater than 42.67 mm. In light of suppression of the air resistance, the diameter is preferably equal to or less than 44 mm, and more preferably equal to or less than 42.80 mm. Weight of this golf ball 2 is 40 g or greater and 50 g or less. In light of attainment of great inertia, the weight is preferably equal to or greater than 44 g, and more preferably equal to or greater than 45.00 g. From the standpoint of conformity to a rule defined by USGA, the weight is preferably equal to or less than 45.93 g. [0020] The core 4 is usually obtained through crosslinking of a rubber composition. Illustrative examples of preferable base rubber include polybutadienes, polyisoprenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers and natural rubbers. In light of the resilience performance, polybutadienes are preferred. When other rubber is used in combination with a polybutadiene, it is preferred that polybutadiene is included as a principal component. Specifically, it is preferred that percentage of polybutadiene occupying the entire base rubber is equal to or greater than 50% by weight, and particularly equal to or greater than 80% by weight. Polybutadienes having a percentage of cis-1,4 bonds of equal to or greater than 40%, and particularly equal to or greater than 80% are particularly preferred. 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. 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