Claims
- 1. A golf ball comprising:
a multi-layer core having:
a center having a Shore C surface hardness of less than about 80 and a compression of less than 70, at least one rigid outer core layer having a flex modulus greater than 40,000 psi and a Shore C hardness of greater than 80; an intermediate core layer, interposed between the center and the rigid outer core layer, having a flex modulus less than 20,000 psi and a Shore C hardness less than 60; and a cover having a Shore D hardness of less than 65.
- 2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the center has a compression of less than 50.
- 3. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the center has a Shore C hardness of less than 60.
- 4. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein at least one rigid outer core layer has a Shore C hardness of greater than 90.
- 5. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a Shore D hardness of less than 60.
- 6. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the multi-layer core has a diameter greater than 1.55 inches.
- 7. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein each core layer has a thickness from about 0.015 to 0.05 inches.
- 8. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the center comprises a polybutadiene rubber and at least one core layer comprises either a thermoset composition such as high cis or trans polybutadiene or a thermoset metallocene or thermoplastic metallocene such as a polybutadiene or polyethylene copolymer.
- 9. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the cover layer is selected from the group consisting of a cast polyurethane, polyurea, polyurethane-ionomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, a single-site catalyzed polymer or a partially neutralized ionomer or fully neutralized ionomer.
- 10. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a thickness of between 0.01 to 0.055 inches.
- 11. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the center has a specific gravity of less than 1.1 g/cc.
- 12. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the core layers has a specific gravity of greater than 1.25 g/cc.
- 13. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the core layers has a specific gravity of greater than 1.5 g/cc.
- 14. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the core layers has a specific gravity of greater than 1.75 g/cc.
- 15. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the core layers has a moisture vapor transmission rate that is lower than that of the cover.
- 16. A golf ball having a multi-layer core, the core comprising:
a center having a Shore C surface hardness of less than about 60, a compression of less than about 70, and a flex modulus less than about 20,000 psi; a plurality of core layers progressively disposed about and away from the center, including a first core layer covering the center, the first core layer having a flex modulus greater than the flex modulus of the center, and each progressive core layer having a greater flex modulus than the core layer beneath it; and a cover having a Shore D hardness of less than 60.
- 17. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein each core layer has a thickness from about 0.001 inches to about 0.10 inches.
- 18. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the cover has a thickness of between 0.01 to 0.055 inches.
- 19. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the center comprises a polybutadiene rubber and at least one core layer comprises either a thermoset composition such as high cis or trans polybutadiene or a thermoset metallocene or thermoplastic metallocene such as a polybutadiene or polyethylene copolymer.
- 20. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the cover layer is selected from the group consisting of a cast polyurethane, polyurea, polyurethane-ionomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, a single-site catalyzed polymer, or a partially filled neutralized ionomer.
- 21. A golf ball having a multi-layer core, the core comprising:
a center having a Shore C surface hardness of less than about 60, a compression of less than about 70, and a flex modulus less than about 20,000 psi; a plurality of core layers progressively disposed about and away from the center, including a first core layer disposed about the center and having a flex modulus no less than the flex modulus of the center, and each progressive core layer having a flex modulus no less than the flex modulus of the core layer beneath it; and a cover having a Shore D hardness of less than 60.
- 22. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein the cover comprises a single layer having a thickness of about 0.010 inches to about 0.055 inches.
- 23. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein each core layer has a thickness from about 0.001 inches to about 0.10 inches.
- 24. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein the center comprises a polybutadiene rubber and at least one core layer comprises either a thermoset composition such as high cis or trans polybutadiene or a thermoset metallocene or thermoplastic metallocene such as a polybutadiene or polyethylene copolymer.
- 25. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein the cover layer is selected from the group consisting of a cast polyurethane, polyurea, polyurethane-ionomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, a single-site catalyzed polymer, or a partially filled neutralized ionomer.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/002,641, filed Nov. 28, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/948,692, filed Sep. 10, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/172,608, filed Oct. 18, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,808, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/943,932, filed Oct. 3, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,842, also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08,996,718, filed Dec. 23, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,389, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/746,362, filed Nov. 8, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No 5,810,678, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/706,008, filed Aug. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,923, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/603,057, filed Feb. 16, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,676, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/482,522, filed Jun. 7, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,191 also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/630,387, filed Aug. 1, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/603,057, filed Feb. 16, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,676; also the application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/815,753, filed Mar. 23, 2001, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08943932 |
Oct 1997 |
US |
Child |
09172608 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Parent |
08996718 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Child |
09172608 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (7)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10002641 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10341574 |
Jan 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09948692 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Child |
10002641 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09172608 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Child |
09948692 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08746362 |
Nov 1996 |
US |
Child |
08996718 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Parent |
08706008 |
Aug 1996 |
US |
Child |
08746362 |
Nov 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08603057 |
Feb 1996 |
US |
Child |
08706008 |
Aug 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08482522 |
Jun 1995 |
US |
Child |
08603057 |
Feb 1996 |
US |