Multi-layer golf ball having thermoplastic vulcanized elastomers forming inner cover or intermediate cover layers

Abstract

A golf ball including a core and a cover disposed about the core, the cover comprising three layers, an inner cover layer, an intermediate layer, and an outer cover layer. The core having a first hardness, the inner cover layer having a second hardness, and the intermediate layer having a third hardness, wherein the ratio of the second hardness to the third hardness is between 0.70 to 0.97 and at least one of the inner cover layer or the intermediate layer being formed from a rigid thermoplastic vulcanized elastomer composition.

1 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core having a first shore D hardness;   an inner cover layer disposed about the core and the inner cover layer having a second Shore D hardness;   an intermediate layer about the inner cover layer and the intermediate layer having a third Shore D hardness;   an outer cover layer surrounding the intermediate layer; and   at least one of the inner cover layer or the intermediate layer formed of a rigid thermoplastic vulcanized composition formed from a reaction product of a rigid thermoplastic elastomer, at least one cross-linkable rubber in the presence of at least one initiator,   wherein a ratio of the second Shore D hardness to the third Shore hardness is between 0.70 to 0.97.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer is formed from the rigid thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from an aromatic copoly group consisting of ether-urethane or ether-urea or ester-urethane or ester-urea, or ether-ester-urethane or ether-ester-urea, or caprolactone-urethane or caprolactone-urea elastomers and their blends, the inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 55 to 65 and the intermediate layer being thermoplastic and including ionomers, or highly neutralized polymers, or non-ionomers having a shore D hardness of 60 to 75. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer is formed from the rigid thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic is selected from an aliphatic copoly group consisting of ether-urethane or ether-urea or ester-urethane or ester-urea, or ether-ester-urethane or ether-ester-urea, or caprolactone-urethane or caprolactone-urea elastomers and their blends, the inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 55 to 65 and the intermediate layer being thermoplastic including ionomers, or highly neutralized polymers, or non-ionomers having a shore D hardness of 60 to 75. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer is formed from the rigid thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from a copoly group consisting of ether-amide or ester-amide or ether-ester-amide elastomers and their blends having a Shore D hardness of 55 to 65 and the intermediate layer being a thermoplastic including ionomers, or highly neutralized polymers, or non-ionomers and having a shore D hardness of 60 to 75. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer is formed from the thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from an aromatic copoly group consisting of ether-urethane or ether-urea or ester-urethane or ester-urea, or ether-ester-urethane or ether-ester-urea, or caprolactone-urethane or caprolactone-urea elastomers and their blends having a Shore D hardness of 60 to 75 and the inner cover layer being a thermoplastic including ionomers, or highly neutralized polymers, or non-ionomers and having a shore D hardness of 55 to 65 and a flexural modulus of 50 to 60 kpsi. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer is formed from the thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from an aliphatic copoly group consisting of ether-urethane or ether-urea or ester-urethane or ester-urea, or ether-ester-urethane or ether-ester-urea, caprolactone-urethane or caprolactone-urea elastomers and their blends having a Shore D hardness of 60 to 75 and the inner cover layer being a thermoplastic including ionomers, or highly neutralized polymers, or non-ionomers and having a shore D hardness of 55 to 65 and a flexural modulus of 50 to 60 kpsi. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer is formed from the thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from a copoly group consisting of ether-amide or ester-amide or ether-ester-amide elastomers and their blends having a Shore D hardness of 60 to 75 and the inner cover layer being thermoplastic including ionomers, or highly neutralized polymers, or non-ionomers and having a shore D hardness of 55 to 65 and a flexural modulus of 50 to 60 kpsi. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein both the inner cover layer and the intermediate layers are formed from the thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from an aromatic copoly group consisting of ether-urethane or ether-urea or ester-urethane or ester-urea, or ether-ester-urethane or ether-ester-urea, or caprolactone-urethane or caprolactone-urea elastomers and their blends, with the inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness or about 45 to 70 and a flexural modulus of about 30 to 80 kpsi, and the intermediate layer having a Shore D hardness of about 50 to 75 and a flexural modulus of about 40 to 100 kpsi. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein both the inner cover layer and the intermediate layers are formed from the thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from an aliphatic copoly group consisting of ether-urethane or ether-urea or ester-urethane or ester-urea, or ether-ester-urethane or ether-ester-urea, or caprolactone-urethane or caprolactone-urea elastomers and their blends, with the inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness or about 45 to 70 and a flexural modulus of about 30 to 80 kpsi, and the intermediate layer having a Shore D hardness of about 50 to 75 and a flexural modulus of about 40 to 100 kpsi. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein both the inner cover layer and the intermediate layers are formed from the thermoplastic vulcanized composition wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the copoly group consisting of ether-amide or ester-amide or ether-ester-amide elastomers and their blends with the inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness or about 45 to 70 and a flexural modulus of about 30 to 80 kpsi, and the intermediate layer having a Shore D hardness of about 50 to 75 and a flexural modulus of about 40 to 100 kpsi. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the second Shore D hardness to the third being in the range of 0.75 to 0.95. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the second Shore D hardness to the third being in the range of 0.80 to 0.92. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer is formed from a castable thermoset composition selected from a group consisting of polyurethane or polyurea or epoxy or cross-linkable rubber compositions, wherein the cover layer comprises a Shore D hardness of 40 to 60 and a flexural modulus of 15 to 45 kpsi. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ball further includes a moisture barrier material having a moisture vapor transmission rate of 12.5 gmil/100 in.sup. 2/day or less about the inner cover layer or the intermediate to provide an improved shelf-life for the ball performance. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core has a diameter of 0.70 to 1.58 inch. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 15  wherein the core has a diameter of 1.45 to 1.55 inch. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner cover layer has a thickness of about 0. 030 to 0.070 inch. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the inner cover layer has a thickness of about 0.030 to 0.050 inch. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of about 0.010 to 0.080 inch. 
     
     
         20 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core having a first shore D hardness;   an inner cover layer disposed about the core and the inner cover layer having a second Shore D hardness;   an intermediate layer about the inner cover layer and the intermediate layer having a third Shore D hardness;   an outer cover layer surrounding the intermediate layer; and   at least one of the inner cover layer or the intermediate layer formed of a rigid thermoplastic vulcanized composition formed from a reaction product of a rigid thermoplastic elastomer, at least one cross-linkable rubber in the presence of at least one initiator and an impact modifier (list form page 19),   wherein a ration of the second Shore D hardness to the third Shore hardness is between 0.70 to 0.97.