US2011218055A1PendingUtilityA1

Rubber cores for golf balls based on ethylene-propylene diene copolymers

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 4, 2010Filed: Apr 11, 2011Published: Sep 8, 2011
Est. expiryMar 4, 2030(~3.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael J. SullivanBrian ComeauDerek A. LaddDennis Britton
A63B 37/06A63B 37/02A63B 37/0045A63B 37/0047A63B 37/00622A63B 37/0076A63B 37/0092A63B 37/00621A63B 37/0043A63B 37/0066A63B 37/0064A63B 37/0051
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Claims

Abstract

A multi-piece golf ball comprising at least one component made of an ethylene-propylene diene copolymer (EPDM) rubber is provided. The multi-piece golf ball includes a center and at least one surrounding core layer. The inner core is preferably made of polybutadiene rubber and the outer core layer is preferably made of an EPDM rubber composition. Preferably, the center hardness of the inner core is greater than the surface hardness of the outer core layer. The golf ball includes a cover of at least one layer, preferably a dual-cover having inner and outer cover layers. The resulting ball has high resiliency and a soft feel.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a dual-core comprising an inner core and outer core layer, the inner core having an outer surface and geometric center and the outer core layer having an outer surface and inner surface; the inner core being formed from a first rubber composition comprising polybutadiene rubber and the outer core being formed from a second rubber composition comprising ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber, wherein the center of the inner core and surface of the outer core layer each has a hardness, and the center hardness of the inner core is greater than the surface hardness of the outer core layer; and   a cover disposed about the outer core layer.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the outer layer is formed from a thermoset liquid rubber composition comprising liquid ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner core has a diameter of about 0.75 to about 1.55 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner core has a compression of about 80 or less. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is in the range of about 65 to about 90 Shore C units. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the outer core has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.150 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface hardness of the outer core is in the range of about 45 to about 85 Shore C units. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the dual core has an overall diameter of about 1.51 to about 1.59 inches 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the specific gravity of the inner core is less than or equal to the specific gravity of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner core has a specific gravity in the range of about 0.50 to about 1.20 g/cc. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is in the range of about 52 to about 92 Shore C units and the surface hardness of the outer core is in the range of about 50 to 88 Shore C units. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is about 70 Shore C units or greater and the surface hardness of the outer core is about 80 Shore C units or less. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the center hardness of the inner core is at least 3 Shore C units greater than the surface hardness of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second rubber compositions further comprise an elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubber, polyalkenamers, butyl rubber, halobutyl rubber, polystyrene elastomers, polyethylene elastomers, polyurethane elastomers, polyurea elastomers, metallocene-catalyzed elastomers and plastomers, copolymers of isobutylene and p-alkylstyrene, halogenated copolymers of isobutylene and p-alkylstyrene, copolymers of butadiene with acrylonitrile, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is formed from a composition comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-based ionomers, polyesters; polyamides; polyamide-ethers, polyamide-esters; polyurethanes, polyureas; fluoropolymers; polystyrenes; polypropylenes and polyethylenes; polyvinyl chlorides; polyvinyl acetates; polycarbonates; polyvinyl alcohols; polyethers; polyimides, polyetherketones, polyamideimides; and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the cover comprises an inner cover layer and outer cover layer. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the outer cover is formed of a composition selected from polyurethanes, polyureas, and blends and hybrids and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the inner cover layer has a surface hardness of 60 Shore D or greater, and the outer cover layer has a surface hardness of 20 to 70 Shore D, the hardness of the inner cover layer being greater than the hardness of the outer cover layer. 
     
     
         19 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a multi-layered core comprising a center, intermediate core layer, and outer core layer, the core having an overall diameter of about 1.40 to about 1.62 inches, and the center being formed from a first rubber composition comprising polybutadiene rubber and having a center hardness of 70 Shore C or greater,   an intermediate core layer having a surface hardness of 80 Shore C or greater; and   an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 50 Shore C or greater, the outer core layer being formed from a second rubber composition comprising ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber, wherein the center hardness of the inner core is greater than the outer surface hardness of the outer core layer; and   a cover disposed about the outer core layer.   
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the inner surface hardness of the intermediate core layer is greater than the center hardness of the inner core and the outer surface hardness of the outer core layer. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the intermediate core layer is formed from a third rubber composition comprising polybutadiene rubber. 
     
     
         22 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the center has a diameter of about 0.25 to about 1.50 inches. 
     
     
         23 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the intermediate core layer has a thickness of about 0.050 to about 0.150 inches. 
     
     
         24 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the outer core layer has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.080 inches.

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