Golf ball with high specific gravity threads

Abstract

A thread wound golf ball having improved characteristics of moment of inertia, spin, and total flight distance, comprising a center, a thread winding layer disposed over the center forming a core, and a cover disposed over the core. The improved characteristics are achieved by shifting the weight of the golf ball from the center towards the periphery by use of heavy thread. This could be achieved by adding a high specific gravity filler material, such as tungsten, to the conventional thread compound and/or using polymer materials in the thread that are inherently heavier. By using a high specific gravity filler material, other desirable characteristics inherent in a wound ball such as resilience, controllability and feel, are not affected.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A golf ball comprising: 
 a center;    a thread winding layer comprising at least one thread, said thread having a specific gravity greater than 0.94, and wherein said thread winding layer is disposed over said center creating a core; and    a cover, wherein said cover is disposed over said core.    
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein said thread is comprised of a thermoset material having a specific gravity greater than 0.94.  
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein said thread is comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material having a specific gravity greater than 0.94.  
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein said thread comprises at least one high specific gravity filler.  
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein said thread further comprises at least one high specific gravity filler.  
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein said thread further comprises at least one high specific gravity filler.  
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 4 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, bismuth, copper, bismuth oxide, nickel, cobalt, Iron/steel, tin, chromium, zinc, bismuth subcarbonate, cupric oxide, barium tungstate, cuprous oxide, ferrous oxide and zirconium dioxide.  
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 5 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, bismuth, copper, bismuth oxide, nickel, cobalt, Iron/steel, tin, chromium, zinc, bismuth subcarbonate, cupric oxide, barium tungstate, cuprous oxide, ferrous oxide and zirconium dioxide.  
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, bismuth, copper, bismuth oxide, nickel, cobalt, Iron/steel, tin, chromium, zinc, bismuth subcarbonate, cupric oxide, barium tungstate, cuprous oxide, ferrous oxide and zirconium dioxide.  
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 4 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is tungsten.  
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 5 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is tungsten.  
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is tungsten.  
     
     
         13 . A method of making a thread winding layer having a high specific gravity filler comprising the steps of: 
 mixing a rubber and its components and a high specific gravity filler to form a mixture;    calandering said mixture;    sheeting said mixture;    curing said mixture; and    slitting said mixture into strips.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, bismuth, copper, bismuth oxide, nickel, cobalt, Iron/steel, tin, chromium, zinc, bismuth subcarbonate, cupric oxide, barium tungstate, cuprous oxide, ferrous oxide and zirconium dioxide.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is tungsten.  
     
     
         16 . A method of making a golf ball having high specific gravity threads comprising the steps of: 
 mixing a rubber, curatives and a high specific gravity filler to form a mixture;    calandering said mixture;    sheeting said mixture;    curing said mixture;    slitting said mixture into strips to form at least one heavy thread;    wrapping said heavy thread around a center forming a core; and    disposing a cover upon said core.    
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, bismuth, copper, bismuth oxide, nickel, cobalt, Iron/steel, tin, chromium, zinc, bismuth subcarbonate, cupric oxide, barium tungstate, cuprous oxide, ferrous oxide and zirconium dioxide.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is tungsten.  
     
     
         19 . A method of making a golf ball having high specific gravity threads comprising the steps of: 
 wrapping at least one thread having a specific gravity greater than 0.94 around a center forming a core; and    disposing a cover upon said core.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of adding a high specific gravity filler to said at least one thread.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, bismuth, copper, bismuth oxide, nickel, cobalt, Iron/steel, tin, chromium, zinc, bismuth subcarbonate, cupric oxide, barium tungstate, cuprous oxide, ferrous oxide and zirconium dioxide.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said high specific gravity filler is tungsten.