US4546980A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for making a solid golf ball
Assignee: Acushnet Co
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Filing: 1984-09-04
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Granted: 1985-10-15
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Expires: 2004-09-04
Abstract
Abstract A process of making a superior solid golf ball is disclosed. Two free radical initiators having different reactivities are used. A surprising and unexpected increase in initial velocity is obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul M. Gendreau
- 👤 Francisco M. Llort
- 👤 Raymond A. Berard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B37/00; A63B37/0003; A63B37/005; A63B37/006; A63B37/0064; A63B37/0065; A63B37/0067; A63B37/0068; A63B37/007; A63B37/0072; A63B37/0074; A63B37/0077; A63B37/008; A63B37/0083; A63B37/0084; A63B37/0087; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S524/00; Y10S524/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
In the method of making a golf ball product from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1, the two free radical initiators being sufficiently different in half life to yield a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
In the method of making a golf ball product from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1, the two free radical initiators being sufficiently different in half life to yield a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of the free radical initiators has a half life which is at least three times greater than the half life of one of the others at 320° F.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 wherein two said free radical initiators comprise a first said free radical initiator which has a half life of less than about 1 minute at 320° F. and a second said free radical initiator which has a half life of greater than about 10 minutes at 320° F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first said free radical initiator is selected from the group consisting of 1,1-di(t-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane, t-butyl perbenzoate, n-butyl-4,4-bis(t-butylperoxy) valerate, 1,1-di(t-butylperoxy) cyclohexane and ethyl-3,3-di (t-butylperoxy) buterate, and said second said free radical initiator is selected from the group consisting of α,α'-bis (t-butyl peroxy) diisopropyl benzene and t-butylcumyl peroxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said first free radical initiator is 1,1-di(t-butylperoxy) 3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane and said second free radical initiator is α,α'-bis(t-butylperoxy) diisopropyl benzene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said polybutadiene has a cis 1,4 polybutadiene content above about 90%, and said unsaturated carboxylic acid is zinc dimethacrylate or zinc diacrylate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the golf ball product is a unitary golf ball.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the golf ball product is the core of a two piece golf ball.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
A golf ball product formed from a mixture comprising polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, said mixture having been cured with at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1, the two free radical initiators being sufficiently different in half life to yield a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
122 words
A golf ball product formed from a mixture comprising polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, said mixture having been cured with at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1, the two free radical initiators being sufficiently different in half life to yield a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The golf ball product of claim 9 wherein one of the free radical initiators has a half life which is at least three times greater than the half life of one of the others at 320° F.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
The golf ball product of claim 9 wherein two said free radical initiators comprise a first said free radical initiator which has a half life of less than about 1 minute at 320° F. and a second said free radical initiator which has a half life of greater than about 10 minutes at 320° F.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
The golf ball product of claim 9 wherein two said free radical initiators comprise a first said free radical initiator selected from the group consisting of 1,1-di(t-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane, t-butyl perbenzoate, n-butyl-4,4-bis (t-butylperoxy) valerate, 1,1-di(t-butylperoxy cyclohexane and ethyl-3,3-di (t-butylperoxy) buterate, and a second said free radical initiator selected from the group consisting of α,α'-bis(t-butylperoxy) diisopropyl benzene and t-butylcumyl peroxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The golf ball product of claim 11 wherein said first free radical initiator is 1,1-di(t-butylperoxy) 3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane and said second free radical initiator is α,α'-bis(t-butylperoxy) diisopropyl benzene.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The golf ball product of claim 9 wherein said polybutadiene has a cis 1,4 polybutadiene content above about 90%, and said unsaturated carboxylic acid is zinc dimethyacrylate or zinc diacrylate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The golf ball product of claim 9 wherein the golf ball product is a unitary golf ball.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The golf ball product of claim 9 wherein the golf ball product is the core of a two piece golf ball.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
104 words
In the method of making a golf ball product from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is at least three times longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1 and the total amount of free radical initiator being from about 0.2 to 10 parts by weight of the polybutadiene.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
104 words
In the method of making a golf ball product from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is at least three times longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1 and the total amount of free radical initiator being from about 0.2 to 10 parts by weight of the polybutadiene.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the said ratio is from about 3:7 to about 7:3 and the total amount of free radical initiator is from about 0.4 to 5 parts by weight of the polybutadiene.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
100 words
A golf ball product formed from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is at least three times longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1 and the total amount of free radical initiator being from about 0.2 to 10 parts by weight of the polybutadiene.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
100 words
A golf ball product formed from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, one said free radical initiator having a half life at 320° F. which is at least three times longer than the half life at 320° F. of the other said free radical initiator, the two free radical initiators being present in the ratio of about 1:9 to about 9:1 and the total amount of free radical initiator being from about 0.2 to 10 parts by weight of the polybutadiene.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The golf ball product of claim 19 wherein the said ratio is from about 3:7 to about 7:3 and the total amount of free radical initiator is from about 0.4 to 5 parts by weight of the polybutadiene.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
92 words
In the method of making a golf ball product from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, the two free radical initiators being present in sufficient quantity and being sufficiently different in half life and being in a ratio which yields a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
92 words
In the method of making a golf ball product from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, the two free radical initiators being present in sufficient quantity and being sufficiently different in half life and being in a ratio which yields a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
88 words
A golf ball product formed from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, the two free radical initiators being present in sufficient quantity and being sufficiently different in half life and being in a ratio which yields a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
88 words
A golf ball product formed from an admixture of polybutadiene and a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid the improvement comprising the use of at least two free radical initiators, the two free radical initiators being present in sufficient quantity and being sufficiently different in half life and being in a ratio which yields a golf ball product having an initial velocity at least 0.5 foot per second higher than the initial velocity of the same golf ball product made with either one of said initiators alone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-10-14 | 1989-04-15 | 1989-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-14 | 1993-04-15 | 1993-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-14 | 1997-04-15 | 1997-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |