Mantle surface topography for optimum energy transfer in multi-layer golf ball

Abstract

A multi-layer golf ball is disclosed having a mantle assembly, comprising a core and one or more mantle layers disposed about the core, and a cover disposed about the mantle assembly. At least one of the one or more mantle layers of the mantle assembly has a unique surface configuration. The unique surface configuration is preferably a protuberant surface. Protuberant surface configurations are preferably provided by a plurality of geometrical shaped projections, which extend outwardly from the surface. A protuberant surface provides a protuberant interface between the layer having the protuberant surface and a layer disposed immediately thereon. A protuberant interface is more efficient in terms of energy transfer compared to traditional smooth spherical golf ball layers. Additionally, a golf ball having desired performance characteristics may be formed by the incorporation of a unique protuberant interface.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A golf ball mantle assembly comprising: 
 a core, and one or more mantle layers disposed about the core, wherein the one or more mantle layers comprise a material having a flexural modulus of from 1,000 psi to 400,000 psi, and at least one of the one or more mantle layers has a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of projections extending outward from the at least one mantle layer, each projection having a height of at least 0.020 inches and a width, as measured proximate the mantle layer from which the projection extends, of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.20 inches.    
     
     
         2 . The mantle assembly of    claim 1   , wherein the plurality of projections each utilize the same geometrical shape.  
     
     
         3 . The mantle assembly of    claim 2   , wherein the geometrical shape is selected from the group consisting of hemispherical, elliptical, conical, pyramidal, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, trapezoidal, and cylindrical.  
     
     
         4 . The mantle assembly of    claim 3   , wherein the geometrical shape is hemispherical.  
     
     
         5 . The mantle assembly of    claim 3   , wherein the geometrical shape is selected from the group consisting of hemispherical, cylindrical, and conical, and the projections have a base diameter of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.200 inches.  
     
     
         6 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 5   , wherein the projections have a base diameter of from about 0.07 inches to about 0.190 inches.  
     
     
         7 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 6   , wherein the projections have a base diameter of from about 0.09 inches to about 0.180 inches.  
     
     
         8 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 3   , wherein the projections utilize a geometrical shape selected from the group consisting of pyramidal, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, trapezoidal, and combinations thereof, and the base of the projections have a length and width, independent of each other, of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.20 inches.  
     
     
         9 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 8   , wherein the base of the projections have a length and width of from about 0.07 inches to about 0.190 inches.  
     
     
         10 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 9   , wherein the base of the projections have a length and width of about 0.09 inches to about 0.180 inches.  
     
     
         11 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein the height of the projections is from about 0.020 inches to about 0.06 inches.  
     
     
         12 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein the plurality of projections are angled projections.  
     
     
         13 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 12   , wherein the angled projections define a conical angle.  
     
     
         14 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 13   , wherein the conical angle is from about 75° to about 110°.  
     
     
         15 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 12   , wherein the angled projections have a base diameter of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.200 inches.  
     
     
         16 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 12   , wherein the angled projections have a height of from about 0.02 inches to about 0.06 inches.  
     
     
         17 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 1   , wherein the projections are stepped projections.  
     
     
         18 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 17   , wherein the stepped projections comprise a plurality of steps.  
     
     
         19 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 18   , wherein the plurality of steps utilize the same geometrical shape.  
     
     
         20 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 19   , wherein the geometric shape of the plurality of projections is selected from the group consisting of cylinders, rectangles, squares, rhombuses, pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and triangles.  
     
     
         21 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 20   , wherein the geometric shape is a cylinder.  
     
     
         22 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 21   , wherein the cylindrical steps have a diameter of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.130 inches.  
     
     
         23 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 22   , wherein the cylindrical steps have diameters that differ in an amount of from about 0.005 inches to about 0.02 inches.  
     
     
         24 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 18   , wherein the steps each have a height of from about 0.005 inches to about 0.03 inches.  
     
     
         25 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 24   , wherein the steps have the same height.  
     
     
         26 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 1   , further comprising an innermost mantle layer and an outermost mantle layer, wherein the outermost mantle layer has a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of projections.  
     
     
         27 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 2   , wherein the distance between the bases of adjacent projections is from about 0.010 inches to about 0.250 inches.  
     
     
         28 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 1    wherein the one or more mantle layers comprise a material having a flexural modulus of from 10,000 psi to about 200,000 psi.  
     
     
         29 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 28    wherein the one or more mantle layers comprise a material having a flexural modulus of from about 40,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.  
     
     
         30 . A golf ball comprising a cover layer disposed about the mantle assembly according to    claim 1   .  
     
     
         31 . A golf ball comprising a cover layer disposed about the mantle assembly according to    claim 26   .  
     
     
         32 . A mantle assembly comprising: 
 a core;    a first mantle layer disposed about the core, the first mantle layer having a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of projections; and    a second mantle layer disposed about the first mantle layer, the second mantle layer having a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of projections.    
     
     
         33 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 32   , wherein the second mantle layer defines an inner surface comprising a plurality of depressions corresponding to the plurality of projections defining the protuberant surface of the first mantle layer.  
     
     
         34 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 33   , wherein the projections of the first mantle layer are in adhesive contact with the depressions and inner surface of the second mantle layer.  
     
     
         35 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 32   , wherein the projections of at least the first mantle layer and the second mantle layer utilize a geometrical shape selected from the group consisting of hemispherical, elliptical, conical, pyramidal, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, trapezoidal, cylindrical, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 35   , wherein the projections of the first mantle layer and the second mantle layer utilize the same geometrical shape.  
     
     
         37 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 36   , wherein the projections of the first mantle layer exhibit the same arrangement as the projections of the second mantle layer.  
     
     
         38 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 37   , wherein the projections of the first mantle layer exhibit an arrangement that differs from the arrangement of the projections of the second mantle layer.  
     
     
         39 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 35   , wherein the size of the projections of the first mantle layer is equal to the size of the projections of the second mantle layer.  
     
     
         40 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 35   , wherein the size of the projections of the first mantle layer differs from the size of the projections of the second mantle layer.  
     
     
         41 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 32    wherein the plurality of projections of the first and second mantle layers have a height of from 0.020 inches to 0.060 inches, and at least one of the first mantle layer and the second mantle layer include a material having a flexural modulus of from 1,000 psi to 400,000 psi.  
     
     
         42 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 32    wherein at least one of the first mantle layer and the second mantle layer include a material having a flexural modulus of from 10,000 psi to 200,000 psi.  
     
     
         43 . The mantle assembly according to    claim 42    wherein the material has a flexural modulus of from 40,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.  
     
     
         44 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a mantle assembly comprising a core and a mantle layer disposed about the core, the mantle layer having a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of projections, and    a cover layer disposed about the mantle assembly and immediately adjacent to the protuberant surface, wherein the projections exhibit a geometrical shape selected from the group consisting of hemispherical, conical, cylindrical, and angled, having a height of from about 0.02 inches to about 0.06 inches and a base diameter of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.200 inches.    
     
     
         45 . The golf ball according to    claim 44   , wherein the cover layer defines an inner surface having a plurality of depressions corresponding to the projections that define the protuberant surface of the mantle layer.  
     
     
         46 . The golf ball according to    claim 45   , wherein the projections of the mantle layer are in adhesive contact with the depressions of the cover layer inner surface.  
     
     
         47 . The golf ball according to    claim 44   , wherein the cover layer exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 1,000 psi to about 100,000 psi and the mantle layer exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 1,000 psi to about 400,000 psi.  
     
     
         48 . The golf ball according to    claim 47   , wherein the cover layer exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 1,000 psi to about 50,000 psi and the mantle layer exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 10,000 psi to about 200,000 psi.  
     
     
         49 . The golf ball according to    claim 48   , wherein the cover layer exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 1,000 psi to about 10,000 psi, and the mantle layer exhibits a flexural modulus of from about 40,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.  
     
     
         50 . The golf ball according to    claim 47   , wherein the cover layer and the mantle layer comprise a material selected from the group consisting of low acid ionomers, high acid ionomers, polyamide-ionomer compositions, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         51 . The golf ball according to    claim 50   , wherein the cover layer comprises a low acid ionomer and the mantle layer comprises a high acid ionomer.  
     
     
         52 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a core;    a first mantle layer disposed about the core, the first mantle layer having a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of outwardly extending projections;    a second mantle layer disposed about the first mantle layer, the second mantle layer defining an inner surface layer and an outer surface layer, the inner surface layer defining a plurality of depressions, the outer surface layer having a protuberant surface defined by a plurality of projections; and    a cover layer disposed about the second mantle layer, the cover layer defining an inner surface layer and a dimpled surface layer, the inner surface layer comprising a plurality of depressions, wherein 
 the depressions on the inner surface layer of the second mantle layer correspond to the projections of the first mantle layer, and the depressions on the inner surface layer of the cover layer correspond to the projections of the second mantle layer.  
   
     
     
         53 . The golf ball according to    claim 52   , wherein the projections of the first mantle layer are in adhesive contact with the corresponding depressions on the inner surface of the second mantle layer, and the projections of the second mantle layer are in adhesive contact with the corresponding depressions on the inner surface layer of the cover layer.  
     
     
         54 . The golf ball according to    claim 52   , wherein a first protuberant interface is defined between the outer surface of the first mantle layer and the inner surface of the second mantle layer, and a second protuberant interface is defined between the outer surface of the second mantle layer and the inner surface of the cover layer.  
     
     
         55 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a core;    a mantle layer disposed about the core defining a protuberant outer surface configuration provided by a plurality of stepped projections; and    a cover layer disposed about the mantle layer.    
     
     
         56 . The golf ball according to    claim 55   , wherein each of the stepped projections comprise a plurality of steps.  
     
     
         57 . The golf ball according to    claim 56   , wherein the plurality of steps utilize the same geometrical shape.  
     
     
         58 . The golf ball according to    claim 57   , wherein the geometrical shape is selected from the group consisting of cylinders, rectangles, squares, rhombuses, pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and triangles.  
     
     
         59 . The golf ball according to    claim 58   , wherein the geometrical shape is a cylinder.  
     
     
         60 . The golf ball according to    claim 59   , wherein the steps have a diameter of from about 0.05 inches to about 0.130 inches.  
     
     
         61 . The golf ball according to    claim 60   , wherein abutting steps have diameters that differ in an amount of from about 0.005 inches to about 0.02 inches.  
     
     
         62 . The golf ball according to    claim 60   , wherein the diameter of ascending steps decreases.  
     
     
         63 . The golf ball according to    claim 56   , wherein each of the steps have a height of from about 0.005 inches to about 0.003 inches.  
     
     
         64 . The golf ball according to    claim 63   , wherein each of the steps have the same height.  
     
     
         65 . The golf ball according to    claim 55   , wherein the stepped projections comprise at least two steps.  
     
     
         66 . The golf ball according to    claim 65   , wherein the stepped projections comprise two to twelve steps.  
     
     
         67 . The golf ball according to    claim 66   , wherein the stepped projections comprise three to eight steps.  
     
     
         68 . The golf ball according to    claim 67   , wherein the stepped projections comprise four to six steps.