Multi-color urethane golf ball

Abstract

A golf ball that includes at least one core, and a cover layer formed from a cast polyurethane or polyurea, wherein the cover layer defines a first surface area portion of a uniform first color and a second surface area portion of a uniform second color, and a seam between the first surface area portion and the second surface area portion, wherein the first color is different than the second color.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball comprising:
 at least one core; and   a cover layer comprising:
 (i) a first surface area portion and a second surface area portion, wherein the first surface area portion and the second surface area portion: (a) each comprise at least one first color, the at least one first color covering an entire surface area of the first surface area portion and the second surface area portion; (b) each individually cover 10% to 49% of a total surface area of the cover layer; (c) each cover a surface area percentage of the cover layer that is within 5% of each other; 
 (ii) a center circumferential stripe comprising at least one second color, the center circumferential stripe extending continuously around a full circumference of the golf ball and having a width of 0.5 millimeter (mm) to 30 mm; 
 (iii) a first outer circumferential stripe and a second outer circumferential stripe comprising at least one third color; 
   wherein the first outer circumferential stripe is disposed between and in contact with the center circumferential stripe and the first surface area portion, and the second outer circumferential stripe is disposed between and in contact with the center circumferential stripe and the second surface area portion; and   wherein the first outer circumferential stripe, the center circumferential stripe, and the second outer circumferential stripe have a combined width of 5 mm to 35 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the center circumferential stripe is greater than a width of each of the first outer circumferential stripe and the second outer circumferential stripe. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein first surface area portion and a second surface area portion each individually cover 20% to 45% of a total surface area of the cover layer. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the combined width of the first outer circumferential stripe, the center circumferential stripe, and the second outer circumferential stripe is 10 mm to 30 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the combined width of the first outer circumferential stripe, the center circumferential stripe, and the second outer circumferential stripe is 15 mm to 25 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurea. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises a thermoset polyurethane or polyurea. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the center circumferential stripe covers a seam of the cover layer on the golf ball. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises at least one pad printed or inkjet printed marking that makes up any one of the first surface area portion, the second surface area portion, the center circumferential stripe, the first outer circumferential stripe, or the second outer circumferential stripe. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover layer is formed with a color additive that makes up the color of any one of the first surface area portion, the second surface area portion, the center circumferential stripe, the first outer circumferential stripe, or the second outer circumferential stripe. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the golf ball further comprises an outermost clear coat comprising a ultraviolet (UV) curable clear coat or a heat curable clear coat. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the outermost clear coat further comprises at least one additive comprising an optical brightener. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first color is white. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one second color is blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, or turquoise. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one second color is yellow. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one third color is black. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one third color is black. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface area, the second surface area, the first outer circumferential stripe, the center circumferential stripe, or any combination thereof are visually contrasting. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second color has: (1) a CIELab “L” value of between 60 to 100; (2) a CIELab “a” value of −90 to −2; and (3) a CIELab “b” value of between 60 to 100. 
     
     
         20 . A method of achieving an appearance of a continuous image on a cover of a golf ball, the method comprising:
 providing at least one core;   forming a cover layer around core, the cover layer defining a first surface area portion and a second surface area portion on opposite sides of the golf ball, the first surface area portion and second surface area portion each individually cover 10% to 49% of a total surface area of the cover layer, and the first surface area portion and second surface area portion each cover a surface area percentage of the cover layer that is within 5% of each other;   applying at least one series of stamps on the cover of the golf ball, wherein the golf ball is rotated between each stamp application, and wherein the series of stamps on the cover of the golf ball combine to provide:
 (i) at least one first color on the first surface area and the second surface area portion, the at least one first color covering an entire surface area of the first surface area portion and the second surface area portion; 
 (ii) at least one second color in a continuous band around the cover layer to form a center circumferential stripe of the second color, the center circumferential stripe extending around a circumference of the golf ball, and the center circumferential stripe having a width of 0.5 millimeter (mm) to 30 mm; and 
 (iii) at least one third color along opposite edges of the center circumferential stripe to form a first outer circumferential stripe and a second outer circumferential stripe that border the center circumferential stripe on either side; and 
   wherein the first outer circumferential stripe, the center circumferential stripe, and the second outer circumferential stripe have a combined width of 5 mm to 35 mm.