Claims
- 1. A golf ball comprising a core encased by an outer layer wherein the outer layer comprises a non-ionomeric thermoplastic copolymer of ethylene and a carboxylic acid having a flexural modulus from about 500 psi to about 30,000 psi and at least about 30% by weight of a filler, wherein the filler provides at least about 50% increase in the flexural modulus of the outer layer over the same material excluding the filler and wherein the acid level ranges from about 7% to about 11%.
- 2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer layer comprises at least about 50% by weight of the filler and wherein the filler provides at least about 90% increase in flexural modulus.
- 3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the outer layer comprises at least about 80% by weight of the filler and wherein the filler provides at least about 600% increase in flexural modulus.
- 4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acid comprises methacrylic acid, acrylic acid or maleic acid.
- 5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the flexual modulus of the outer layer is between about 19,000 and 120,000 psi.
- 6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the flexual modulus of the outer layer is between about 30,000 and 100,000 psi.
- 7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the filler comprises barium sulfate.
- 8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the outer layer ranges from about 0.005 inch to about 0.03 inch.
- 9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the thickness of the outer layer is about 0.015 to 0.03 inch.
- 10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ball further comprises a cover layer and the outer layer is disposed between the core and the cover layer.
- 11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the filler increases the rotational moment of inertia of the ball.
- 12. A golf ball comprising a core encased by an outer cover layer wherein the outer cover layer comprises a non-ionomeric thermoplastic matrix copolymer of ethylene and a carboxylic acid comprising methacrylic acid, acrylic acid or maleic acid, the material having a flexural modulus from about 500 psi to about 30,000 psi and at least about 50% by weight a filler, wherein the filler provides at least about 90% increase in the flexural modulus of the thermoplaslic matrix from the same material in an unfilled state and wherein the acid level ranges from about 3% to about 25%.
- 13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the outer cover layer comprises at least about 80% by weight of the filler and wherein the filler provides at least about 600% increase in flexural modulus in the unfilled thermoplastic matrix.
- 14. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the filler comprises barium sulfate.
- 15. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the outer layer ranges from about 0.005 inch to about 0.030 inch.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application entitled “Golf Ball and a Method for Controlling the Spin Rate of Same,” bearing Ser. No. 09/815,753 filed on Mar. 23, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,795, and a continuation-in-part of co-pending patent application entitled “Golf Ball” bearing Ser. No. 09/842,574 filed on Apr. 26, 2001. The parent applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
US Referenced Citations (28)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0023519 |
Apr 2000 |
WO |
0057962 |
Oct 2000 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
“Optema Properties Data Sheet” Exxon Mobil, copyright 2003. |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/842574 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
Child |
10/317904 |
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US |
Parent |
09/815753 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Child |
09/842574 |
|
US |