Marking of Golf Balls Using Luminescent and Optically-Stimulable Glasses

Abstract

A golf ball comprising a core; a cover layer; and an additive comprising an optically-stimulable glass powder that is invisible to the naked eye without an external excitation source.

1 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core;   a cover layer; and   an additive comprising an optically-stimulable glass powder that is invisible to the naked eye without an external excitation source;   wherein the optically-stimulable glass powder is added to a clearcoat, inks, stains, shellacs, varnishes, glazes, paints, dyes, coating layers, or indicia.   
   
   
       2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the optically-stimulable glass powder comprises a glass or glass matrix comprising an alkaline earth sulfide doped with a pair of rare earth elements. 
   
   
       3 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the alkaline earth sulfide comprises MgS, CaS, SrS, or BaS. 
   
   
       4 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the glass or glass matrix comprises porous glass, fused quartz, fused silica, alumina glass, silica, borate glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, sealing glass, or soda lime glass. 
   
   
       5 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the glass or glass matrix has an annealing point of 800° C. or less. 
   
   
       6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the glass matrix is doped with ZnS, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ce, Ag, or Eu. 
   
   
       7 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the glass or glass matrix is essentially free of metal sulfides or sulfides. 
   
   
       8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the optically-stimulable glass powder is blended in the cover layer. 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia comprises a logo, bar code, hob code, date, trademark, alphanumeric code, symbol, or serial number. 
   
   
       11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the optically-stimulable glass powder is blended with ionomers, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyethylenes, polycarbonates, silicones, polymethylmethacrylates, acrylic acids, or polyvinyl chlorides. 
   
   
       12 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the optically-stimulable glass powder has an excitation wavelength in the UV spectrum and an emission wavelength in the visible spectrum. 
   
   
       13 . The golf ball of  claim 12 , wherein the optically-stimulable glass powder is energized using a short wavelength source having a wavelength range of 100 nm to 400 nm and sufficient energy to cause electrons in the optically-stimulable glass powder to be trapped. 
   
   
       14 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the wavelength range is 100 nm to 280 nm. 
   
   
       15 . The golf ball of  claim 12 , wherein the trapped electrons are released by exposure to an infrared light source, recombine, and emit photons as optically-stimulated luminescence. 
   
   
       16 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises an ionomer, a partially- or fully-neutralized ionomer, a polyurethane, or a polyurea. 
   
   
       17 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer has a hardness of 60 Shore D or less. 
   
   
       18 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the cover layer has a hardness of 20 Shore D to 55 Shore D. 
   
   
       19 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the outer cover layer has a thickness of 0.02 inches to 0.05 inches. 
   
   
       20 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core; and   a cover layer;   wherein the cover layer has an indicia formed thereon and at least one of the cover layer or the indicia comprises a first and second optically-stimulable glass powder, the first and second glass powders having a different predetermined excitation or emission wavelength as to identify the golf ball as original or counterfeit.