Highly Neutralized Polymer Material with Heavy Mass Fillers for a Golf Ball

Abstract

Disclosed herein is novel thermoplastic material and a golf ball utilizing the thermoplastic material. The golf ball (10) preferably comprises a core (12), a cover (16) and optionally a boundary layer (14). At least one of the core (12), cover (16) or boundary layer (14) of the golf ball (10) comprises the thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material comprises a partially to highly neutralized blend of copolymers additionally comprising a fatty acid or fatty acid salt, and a heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, with the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer. The golf ball component of the invention has soft feel and resilience that is maintained or improved.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a golf ball of the present invention including a cut-away portion showing a core, a boundary layer, and a cover.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a golf ball of the present invention including a cut-away portion core and a cover.

Claims

1. A material for use in a golf ball, the material comprising: a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid;an alpha-olefin and an alkyl acrylate;a fatty acid or salt of a fatty acid; anda heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer;wherein the material is partially to highly neutralized.

2. The material according to claim 1 wherein the heavy mass filler is selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, zinc sulfide, tungsten carbide, zinc oxide, zinc powder, titanium oxide and aluminum oxide.

3. The material according to claim 1 wherein the material is from about 10 to about 100 percent neutralized.

4. The material according to claim 1 wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid salt comprises from about 10 to about 60 parts by weight of material.

5. The material according to claim 1 wherein the heavy mass filler is present in an amount ranging from 20 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight of the material.

6. The material according to claim 1 wherein the fatty acid salt is a metal stearate selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, zinc stearate, barium stearate, aluminum stearate, lithium stearate and sodium stearate.

7. The material according to claim 1 further comprising a second fatty acid or fatty acid salt.

8. A golf ball comprising: a core;a cover layer formed over the core,wherein at least one of the core and the cover layer comprises a blend of 1) a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 2) an alpha-olefin and an alkyl acrylate, 3) a fatty acid or salt of a fatty acid, and 4) a heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer;wherein the blend is partially to highly neutralized

9. The golf ball according to claim 8 wherein the heavy mass filler is present in an amount ranging from 20 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight of the material.

10. The golf ball according to claim 8 wherein the blend is from about 10 to about 100 percent neutralized.

11. The golf ball according to claim 8 wherein the wherein the heavy mass filler is selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, zinc sulfide, tungsten carbide, zinc oxide, zinc powder, titanium oxide and aluminum oxide.

12. The golf ball according to claim 8 wherein the fatty acid salt is a metal stearate.

13. The golf ball according to claim 12 wherein the metal stearate is selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, zinc stearate, barium stearate, aluminum stearate, lithium stearate and sodium stearate.

14. A golf ball comprising: a core;a boundary layer formed over the core; anda cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising diisocyanate and a polyol;wherein the core or the boundary layer are composed of a thermoplastic material comprising a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid,an alpha-olefin and an alkyl acrylate,a fatty acid or salt of a fatty acid,a heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer, wherein the thermoplastic material is neutralized from 50% to 100%.

15. A golf ball comprising: a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture;a boundary layer formed over the core, the boundary layer composed of a thermoplastic material comprising a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid,an alpha-olefin and an alkyl acrylate,a fatty acid or salt of a fatty acid,a heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer, wherein the thermoplastic material is neutralized from 50% to 100%; anda cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a diisocyanate and a polyol blend, wherein the fast chemical reaction polyurethane material has a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, and a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.044 inch.

16. A golf ball comprising: a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture, the core having a diameter ranging from 1.35 inches to 1.64 inches and having a PGA compression ranging from 50 to 90;a boundary layer formed over the core, the boundary layer composed of a thermoplastic material, the boundary layer having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.075 inch, the thermoplastic material having a Shore D hardness ranging from 50 to 70 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid,an alpha-olefin and an alkyl acrylate, anda fatty acid or salt of a fatty acid,a heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer,wherein the thermoplastic material is neutralized from 50% to 100%; anda cover formed over the boundary layer, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising and a polyurethane prepolymer and a polyol, wherein the polyurethane material has a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.044 inch, and an aerodynamic surface geometry thereon.

17. The golf ball according to claim 16 wherein the polyurethane prepolymer is a polytetramethylene ether glycol terminated 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer.

18. The golf ball according to claim 16 wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid salt is a metal stearate selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, zinc stearate, barium stearate, aluminum stearate, lithium stearate and sodium stearate.

19. The golf ball according to claim 16 wherein the alpha-olefin and alkyl acrylate is an ethylene butyl acrylate copolymer and the copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid is an ethylene acrylic acid methyl acrylate terpolymer.

20. A golf ball comprising: a core having a diameter ranging from 1.35 inches to 1.64 inches and having a PGA compression ranging from 50 to 90, the core composed of a thermoplastic material comprising copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid,an alpha-olefin and an alkyl acrylate, anda fatty acid or salt of a fatty acid,a heavy mass filler in an amount ranging from 10 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight of the material, the heavy mass filler having a density greater than the copolymer;wherein the thermoplastic material is neutralized from 50% to 100%;a boundary layer formed over the core, the boundary layer composed of an ionomer material, the boundary layer having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.075 inch, the ionomer material having a Shore D hardness ranging from 50 to 70 as measured according to ASTM-D2240; anda cover formed over the boundary layer, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising and a polyurethane prepolymer and a polyol, wherein the polyurethane material has a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.044 inch, and an aerodynamic surface geometry thereon.

21. A polymer blend for a golf ball comprising: 50 parts of a high acid ionomer;50 parts of a metallocene catalyzed ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer;7 to 10 parts magnesium hydroxide;approximately 67 parts of an oleic acid; and35 to 65 parts barium sulfate.

22. The polymer blend according to claim 21 wherein a core for a golf ball is composed of the polymer blend, and the core has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.775 and an Instron compression ranging from 0.095 to 0.110.

23. The polymer blend according to claim 21 wherein the polymer blend is 90 to 100% neutralized.

24. The polymer blend according to claim 21 wherein the barium sulfate is 15 to 30 weight percent of the polymer blend.