Polyurethane covered three-piece golf ball

Abstract

A urethane-covered three-piece golf ball with a liquid-filled center, having a combination of center weight, thread windings, dimple configuration and compression that allows it to travel great distances, and to match the classic feel of ‘Balata’ balls, said combination at the same time complying with USGA regulations.

1 . A three-piece golf ball comprising: 
 a polyurethane cover, having a Shore D hardness in the range of about 46 Shore D to about 54 Shore D, formed from a reaction of a diisocyanate, a polyol and a blend of curatives, wherein the curatives are selected from the group consisting of diamines, polyols, or blends thereof, wherein the polyurethane reaction has a pot life of approximately 40-70 seconds;    a core comprising a center and a layer over the center; and    an outer surface divided into a plurality of polygonal configurations; and    a plurality of dimples arranged on the outer surface.    
   
   
       2 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein the diisocyanate is bonded to a benzene ring.  
   
   
       3 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein the layer is a winding of threads wound at a tension from about 700 grams tension to about 950 grams.  
   
   
       4 . The ball of  claim 3  wherein the threads in said thread windings layer are wound in an open great circle pattern.  
   
   
       5 . The ball of  claim 4  wherein the thread windings layer has a thickness of about 0.20 inches to 0.26 inches.  
   
   
       6 . The ball of  claim 5  wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.065 inches to 0.015 inches.  
   
   
       7 . The golf ball of  claim 6  wherein said outer surface is divided into a polyhedron defined as a rhombicosadodecahedron.  
   
   
       8 - 9  (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . The golf ball of claim  9  wherein said dimples have a range of depth from about 0.0082 inches to 0.0074 inches.  
   
   
       11 . The golf ball of  claim 10  wherein the ball has a compression in the range of about 70 PGA to about 100 PGA.  
   
   
       12 . The golf ball of  claim 6  further comprising fifteen parting lines along great circle paths for further dividing said outer surface, said parting lines combining to essentially divide each pentagon into ten smaller triangles of equal size, each triangle into six triangles of equal size and each square into four smaller squares of equal size to obtain an outer surface consisting of smaller triangles and squares.  
   
   
       13 . The golf ball of  claim 1  further comprising a first set of dimples, with each dimple in the first set having a first size; 
 a second set of dimples, with each dimple in the second set having a second size; and    a third set of dimples, with each dimple in the third set having a third size, wherein the plurality of dimples are selected from the first set of dimples, the second set of dimples, and the third set of dimples.    
   
   
       14 . The golf ball of  claim 13  wherein said first set of dimples has a diameter in the range of about 0.154 inches to about 0.158 inches.  
   
   
       15 . The golf ball of  claim 14  wherein said second set of dimples has a diameter in the range of about 0.142 inches to about 0.147 inches.  
   
   
       16 . The golf ball of  claim 15  wherein said third set of dimples has a diameter in the range of about 0.140 inches to about 0.144 inches.  
   
   
       17 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . The golf ball of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 two poles,    an uninterrupted equatorial great circle path defining a mold parting line symmetrically positioned with respect to said two poles on said outer surface; and    a pair of first polygonal configurations each being located on opposite sides of said outer surface to include one of said two poles symmetrically arranged within its boundaries.    
   
   
       21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . The golf ball of  claim 1  wherein the diisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of toluene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, Isophorone diisocyanate and any mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The ball of  claim 22  wherein the polyol is an ether glycol.  
   
   
       24 . The ball of  claim 22  wherein the polyol is polytetramethylene glycol.  
   
   
       25 . The golf ball of  claim 22  wherein one of the curing agents is diethyl-2,4-toluenediamine.  
   
   
       26 . The golf ball of  claim 22  wherein the curing agent comprises dimethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine.  
   
   
       27 . The golf ball of  claim 21  wherein the curing agent comprises a blend of dimethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine and diethyl-2,4-toluenediamine.  
   
   
       28 . The golf ball of  claim 1  wherein the layer is selected from a group consisting of polyisoprene rubber and natural rubber.  
   
   
       29 - 31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . A method of preparing a golf ball comprising: 
 a) providing a rubber center;    b) freezing the rubber center;    c) covering the frozen rubber center with a layer having an open pattern with a tension from about 700 grams to 950 grams to form a core;    d) providing a thermoset polyurethane polymer mixture;    e) pouring the polymer mixture into a first mold half and allowing the mixture to reach a semi-gelled state;    f) pouring the polymer mixture into a second mold half and allowing the mixture to reach a semi-gelled state;    g) lowering the core into the semi-gelled polymer mixture in the first mold half such that the core is suspended in the semi-gelled polymer mixture;    h) allowing the semi-gelled polymer mixture to penetrate the openings in the layer;    i) inverting the first mold half and mating it to the second mold half;    j) heating the mated first and second mold halves containing the polymer mixture and the core;    k) cooling the mated first and second mold halves containing the polymer mixture and the core; and    l) removing the molded golf ball from the first and second mold halves and allowing the golf ball to cure.    
   
   
       33 . A three-piece golf ball comprising: 
 a center;    a thread windings layer wound around the center in an open great circle pattern to produce a core;    a polyurethane cover wherein the polyurethane cover is produced from a reaction of a diisocyanate, a polyol and a curing agent blend comprising: 
 (1) a slower-reacting curative selected from the group consisting of hindered diamines and polyols;  
 (2) a faster-reacting curative wherein said fast-reacting diamine is unhindered, wherein the polyurethane cover has a semi-gelled state before curing; and,  
   a thread winding penetrant layer wherein the polyurethane cover, when in the semi-gelled state, penetrates the open great circle pattern of the thread windings layer; and,    a plurality of dimples arranged on the outer surface.    
   
   
       34 . The three-piece golf ball of  claim 33  further comprising: 
 an outer surface divided into a plurality of polygonal configurations including pentagons, squares and triangles.    
   
   
       35 . The three-piece golf ball of  claim 34  wherein the plurality of dimples are disposed in a uniform pattern within each of said plurality of polygonal configurations upon said cover.  
   
   
       36 . a method of producing a polyurethane covered golf ball comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pair of mating mold halves;    providing a core;    providing a diisocyanate;    providing a polyol;    providing a blend of curatives;    mixing the blend of curatives with the diisocyanate and the polyol to produce a thermoset polyurethane with a pot life of about 40-70 seconds;    pouring the thermoset polyurethane into the first half of the mating mold halves;    inserting a golf ball core into the first mold half containing the thermoset polyurethane;    pouring the thermoset polyurethane into the second half of the mating mold halves;    joining the mating mold halves so that the core is engulfed by the thermoset polyurethane;    removing the thermoset polyurethane covered core to cure at room temperature.