Colored golf ball

Abstract

In a colored golf ball having a core, a cover of at least one layer encasing the core and a coat of paint applied to a surface of an outermost layer of the cover, the outermost cover layer is formed of a resin composition which includes (a) a thermoplastic resin, (b) a color pigment or dye, (c) titanium oxide, and (d) a lubricant. The resin composition has a total light transmittance of at least 1.0 but not more than 40, and a diffuse transmittance of at least 1.0 but not more than 40. The paint coat contains a polarizing pigment. The ball has an excellent visibility and stylishness and, in spite of being pastel-colored, is endowed with an appearance that is lustrous and elegant.

1 . A colored golf ball comprising a core, a cover of at least one layer encasing the core, and a coat of paint applied to a surface of an outermost layer of the cover, wherein the outermost cover layer is formed of a resin composition comprising:
 (a) a thermoplastic resin,   (b) a color pigment or dye,   (c) titanium oxide, and   (d) a lubricant,   
       the resin composition having a total light transmittance of at least 1.0 but not more than 40 and a diffuse transmittance of at least 1.0 but not more than 40, and wherein the paint coat contains a polarizing pigment. 
     
     
         2 . The colored golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the color pigment or dye (b) is selected from the group consisting of red pigments, blue pigments, yellow pigments, green pigments, violet pigments and black pigments. 
     
     
         3 . The colored golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the resin composition is formulated as follows:
 (a) from 90 to 99 wt % of a thermoplastic resin,   (b) from 0.003 to 2 wt % of a color pigment or dye,   (c) from 0.01 to 2.5 wt % of titanium oxide, and   (d) from 0.1 to 5.5 wt % of a lubricant.   
     
     
         4 . The colored golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ball has a surface with a color tone which, expressed numerically in the L*a*b* color space according to JIS Z8729, is:
 L*=50 to 95,   a*=−20 to 30, and   b*=−45 to 45.   
     
     
         5 . The colored golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the paint coat comprises 100 parts by weight of a base resin, from 0.05 to 1 part by weight of a fluorescent whitener and from 0.1 to 3 parts by weight of a polarizing pigment, and the fluorescent whitener and polarizing pigment have a weight ratio therebetween of from 0.05 to 5.0.