US4984804A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Golf ball
Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-10-05
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Granted: 1991-01-15
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Expires: 2009-10-05
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a golf ball covering with a special ionomer resin mixture having improved properties. The special ionomer resin mixture has a melt index of 0.5 to 3.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, and is prepared by mixing three ionomer resins in specific amount ratios.
Inventors
- 👤 Mikio Yamada
- 👤 Yoshinobu Nakamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 05:18
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B37/00; A63B37/12; A63B37/0003; A63B37/0023; A63B37/0029; A63B37/0031; A63B37/0036; A63B37/007; A63B37/0072; A63B37/0074; A63B37/0077; A63B37/0083; A63B37/0084; A63B37/0087; C; C08; C08L; C08L23/00; C08L23/02; C08L23/04; C08L23/08; A63B37/0076; C08L2205/00; C08L2205/02; C08L23/0846; C08L23/0869; C08L23/0876; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S524/00; Y10S524/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A golf ball comprising a core and a cover covering said core, wherein said cover has a melt index of 0.5 to 3.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, and is prepared by mixing (A) an ionomer resin having a melt index of 0.5 to 5.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, prepared from an ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer containing 10 to 20% by weight of methacrylic acid with the balance ethylene of which 20 to 70 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with sodium ions, (B) an ionomer resin having a melt index of 0.5 to 3.0 and a Shore D harness of at least 65, prepared from said eithylene-methacrylic acid copolymer of which 40 to 70 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with zinc ions or magnesium ions, and (C) an ionomer resin having a melt index of 0.1 to 2.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, prepared from said ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer of which 10 to 50 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with sodium ions and 10 to 50 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with zinc ions or magnesium ions, in an amount ratio sufficient to meet the following relationships; 3≦ A ≦60 10 ≦B ≦50 5 ≦C ≦40 A +B +C=100(% by weight).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A golf ball comprising a core and a cover covering said core, wherein said cover has a melt index of 0.5 to 3.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, and is prepared by mixing (A) an ionomer resin having a melt index of 0.5 to 5.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, prepared from an ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer containing 10 to 20% by weight of methacrylic acid with the balance ethylene of which 20 to 70 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with sodium ions, (B) an ionomer resin having a melt index of 0.5 to 3.0 and a Shore D harness of at least 65, prepared from said eithylene-methacrylic acid copolymer of which 40 to 70 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with zinc ions or magnesium ions, and (C) an ionomer resin having a melt index of 0.1 to 2.0 and a Shore D hardness of at least 65, prepared from said ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer of which 10 to 50 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with sodium ions and 10 to 50 mol % of the carboxyl groups is neutralized with zinc ions or magnesium ions, in an amount ratio sufficient to meet the following relationships; 3≦ A ≦60 10 ≦B ≦50 5 ≦C ≦40 A +B +C=100(% by weight).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said ionomer resin A has a melt index of 0.8 to 3.0.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said ionomer resin B has carboxyl groups neutralized with zinc or magnesium ion in an amount of 50 to 60 mol %.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said ionomer resin B is prepared by treating the sodium neutralized ionomer resin to remove sodium ions and then mixing the zinc or magnesium ion sources.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 4 wherein said zinc ion sources are zinc carbonate, zinc acetate or the like.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 4 wherein said magnesium ion sources are magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide or magnesium acetate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said ionomer resin B has a melt index of 0.8 to 2.0.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said ionomer resin C is prepared by further neutralizing with zinc or magnesium ion an ionomer resin which has been neutralized with sodium ion in an amount of 10 to 50 mol % based on the total amount of the carboxyl group of the ionomer resin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said ionomer resin C has a melt index of 0.5 to 1.5.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein the mixing of the ionomer resins A, B and C is carried out using an extruder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The golf ball according to claim 2 wherein said ionomer resin B has carboxyl groups neutralized with zinc or magnesium ion in an amount of 50 to 60 mol %.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein said ionomer resin B has a melt index of 0.8 to 2.0.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The golf ball according to claim 11 wherein said ionomer resin C is prepared by further neutralizing with zinc or magnesium ion an ionomer resin which has been neutralized with sodium ion in an amount of 10 to 50 mol % based on the total amount of the carboxyl groups of the ionomer resin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 11 wherein said ionomer resin C has a melt index of 0.5 to 1.5.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The golf ball according to claim 12 wherein said ionomer resin C is prepared by further neutralizing with zinc or magnesium ion an ionomer resin which has been neutralized with sodium ion in an amount of 10 to 50 mol % based on the total amount of the carboxyl groups of the ionomer resin.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The golf ball according to claim 12 wherein said ionomer resin C has a melt index of 0.5 to 1.5.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said cover has a melt index of 1.0 to 2.5.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-01-14 | 1994-07-16 | 1995-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-01-14 | 1998-07-16 | 1999-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-01-14 | 2002-07-16 | 2003-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |