Dual core golf ball incorporating a solid spherical inner core component that is immovably centered within three outer core compression moldable parts and method of making same

Abstract

Dual core golf ball constructions achieving consistent and repeatable concentricity by incorporating/using an assembly of dual core components comprising a solid spherical inner core component and three outer core components that are collectively compression molded about the solid spherical inner core component to create an outer core layer thereabout. The three outer core components include a first half-shell, a second half-shell; and a ring-shaped securing plate such that the solid spherical inner core component is immovably centered within the outer core layer. Each of the first half-shell, the ring-shaped securing plate, and the second half-shell is comprised of the same rubber composition(s) and possess strong cohesive and adhesive bonds at parting lines between the three molded assembly parts and collectively create an outer core layer having one or more uniform property profile, such as a hardness gradient throughout, without interruption at parting lines between the three outer core components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball comprising a cover, a solid spherical inner core component, and three outer core components including a first half-shell, a second half-shell, and a ring-shaped securing plate;
 wherein an inner ring surface of the ring-shaped securing plate is disposed circumferentially about an outer surface of the solid spherical inner core component, a bottom side of the ring-shaped securing plate is adjacent a mating surface of the first half-shell, and a top side of the ring-shaped securing plate is adjacent a mating surface of the second half-shell.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a surrounding layer adjacent to the outer core layer consists of a material that is different than a material of the ring-shaped securing plate. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 2 , wherein the surrounding layer is the cover or an intermediate layer surrounding the outer core. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first half-shell, the ring-shaped securing plate, and the second half-shell is comprised of the same rubber composition. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 4 , wherein the solid spherical inner core component is comprised of a rubber composition. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 4 , wherein the first half-shell has a first hemispherically-shaped inner surface and the second half-shell has a second hemispherically-shaped inner surface, each which receives the solid spherical inner core component such that the inner ring surface of the ring-shaped securing plate is located adjacent to and proximate an equator of the solid spherical inner core component. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the inner ring surface of the ring-shaped securing plate contacts the solid spherical inner core component. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ring-shaped securing plate has: (i) a body defined by the top side, the bottom side, the inner ring surface and an outer ring surface; and (ii) a thickness T defined by the distance between the top side and bottom side; and (iii) a constant width W defined by the distance from a given point along the inner ring surface to a point on the outer ring surface measured radially outward from the given point. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein thickness T is from about 0.050 inches to about 0.10 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the width W of the ring-shaped securing plate is less than a thickness T MS  of each mating surface by up to about 10%. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the solid spherical inner core component has a diameter D S ; and an inner ring of the ring-shaped securing plate created by the inner ring surface has a diameter D IR  such that D S ≤D IR . 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein D S <D IR  and W is less than a thickness T MS  of each circumferentially extending mating surface. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the width W of the ring-shaped securing plate is the same as a thickness T MS  of each mating surface. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein an outermost diameter D of the three outer core parts when mated is the same as an outermost diameter D W  of the ring-shaped securing plate. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein an outermost diameter D of the three outer core parts when mated is greater than an outermost diameter D W  of the ring-shaped securing plate. 
     
     
         16 . A golf ball, comprising: a cover, a solid spherical inner core component, and three outer core components including a first half-shell, a second half-shell, and a ring-shaped securing plate;
 wherein an inner ring surface of the ring-shaped securing plate is disposed circumferentially about an outer surface of the solid spherical inner core component, a bottom side of the ring-shaped securing plate is adjacent a mating surface of the first half-shell, and a top side of the ring-shaped securing plate is adjacent a mating surface of the second half-shell; and   wherein the three outer core components are compression molded about the solid spherical inner core component and the ring-shaped securing plate is crosslinked with each of the first mating surface of the first half-shell and the second mating surface of the second half-shell.   
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the ring-shaped securing plate has: (i) a body defined by the top side, the bottom side, the inner ring surface and an outer ring surface; and (ii) a thickness T defined by the distance between the top side and bottom side; and (iii) a constant width W defined by the distance from a given point along the inner ring surface to a point on the outer ring surface measured radially outward from the given point, and
 wherein the width W of the ring-shaped securing plate is less than a thickness T MS  of each mating surface by up to about 10%.   
     
     
         18 . A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of:
 forming an assembly of dual core components by:
 providing a solid spherical inner core component and three outer core components including a first half-shell, a second half-shell and a ring-shaped securing plate; 
 depositing the solid spherical inner core component into a first hemispherically-shaped inner surface of the first half-shell such that a first outer surface portion of the solid spherical inner core component is encased within the first half-shell; 
 positioning an inner ring surface of the ring-shaped securing plate about the solid spherical inner core component such that a bottom side of the ring-shaped securing plate is adjacent a first mating surface of the first hemispherical shell; and 
 placing a second hemispherically-shaped inner surface of the second half-shell about a second outer surface portion of the solid spherical inner core component such that a second mating surface of the second hemispherically-shaped shell is adjacent a top side of the ring-shaped securing plate, and such that the second outer surface portion of the solid spherical inner core component is encased within the second half-shell; and 
   compression molding the three outer core components about the solid spherical inner core component, thereby forming an outer core layer thereabout such that the solid spherical inner core is immovably centered within the outer core layer; and   forming at least one outer layer about and adjacent to the outer core layer that comprises a material that is different than a material of the ring-shaped securing plate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of making a golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first half-shell, the ring-shaped securing plate, and the second half-shell is comprised of the same rubber composition. 
     
     
         20 . The method of making a golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein the ring-shaped securing plate is cured sufficiently to crosslink with each of the first mating surface of the first half-shell and the second mating surface of the second half-shell while the three outer core components are compression molded about the solid spherical inner core component.