US5965669A — Multi-layer golf ball and composition

Claim 1

Independent Claim 167 words

A multi-layer golf ball comprising: a core; a cover layer; and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the cover layer consists essentially of two or more ionomer resins, including a first resin being a copolymer of 16 to 35% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and 84 to 65% by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion and a second resin being a terpolymer of 9 to 12% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 1 to 50% by weight n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 38 to 90% by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the terpolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and wherein the mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, said thermoplastic material consisting essentially of polyetherester block copolymer; and wherein the mantle layer has a specific gravity of greater than 1.2.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 167 words

A multi-layer golf ball comprising: a core; a cover layer; and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the cover layer consists essentially of two or more ionomer resins, including a first resin being a copolymer of 16 to 35% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and 84 to 65% by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion and a second resin being a terpolymer of 9 to 12% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 1 to 50% by weight n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 38 to 90% by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the terpolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and wherein the mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, said thermoplastic material consisting essentially of polyetherester block copolymer; and wherein the mantle layer has a specific gravity of greater than 1.2.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the olefin is ethylene in both the first and second resins.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 59 words

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer further consists essentially of a third ionomer resin, said third ionomer resin comprising a copolymer of 13 to 15% by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 70 words

The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the first ionomer resin is present in an amount greater than about 40 parts by weight of the cover layer, the second ionomer resin is present in an amount of less than about 15 parts by weight of the cover layer and the third ionomer resin is present in an amount of greater than about 40 parts by weight of the cover layer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the core comprises polybutadiene, a metal salt diacrylate or dimethacrylate, a free radical inhitiator, and calcium oxide.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 212 words

A multi-layer golf ball comprising: a core; a cover layer; and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover; wherein the cover layer is formed of a composition comprising: (1) greater than about 40 parts by weight of a first ionomer resin being a copolymer of 16 to 35 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and 84 to 65 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; (2) greater than 40 parts by weight of a second ionomer resin being a copolymer of 13 to 15 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and (3) about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of a third ionomer resin being a terpolymer of 9 to 12 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 1 to 50 percent by weight n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 38 to 90 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the terpolymer are neutralized with a metal ion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 212 words

A multi-layer golf ball comprising: a core; a cover layer; and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover; wherein the cover layer is formed of a composition comprising: (1) greater than about 40 parts by weight of a first ionomer resin being a copolymer of 16 to 35 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and 84 to 65 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; (2) greater than 40 parts by weight of a second ionomer resin being a copolymer of 13 to 15 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and (3) about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of a third ionomer resin being a terpolymer of 9 to 12 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 1 to 50 percent by weight n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 38 to 90 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the terpolymer are neutralized with a metal ion.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

The golf ball of claim 6 wherein the core comprises polybutadiene, a metal salt diacrylate or dimethacrylate, a free radical inhitiator, and calcium oxide.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The golf ball of claim 6 wherein the mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, said thermoplastic material consisting essentially of polyetherester block copolymer.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 50 words

The golf ball of claim 6 wherein the first ionomer resin has a flexural modulus of greater than about 70,000 psi; the second ionomer resin has a flexural modulus of greater than about 60,000 psi, and the third ionomer resin has a flexural modulus of less than about 20,000 psi.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 43 words

The golf ball of claim 6 wherein the first ionomer resin comprises a copolymer of ethylene and more than 16% by weight methacrylic acid, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

The golf ball of claim 10 wherein the first ionomer resin comprises about 19% by weight methacrylic acid.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 45 words

The golf ball of claim 6 wherein the second ionomer resin is a copolymer of ethylene and 13 to less than 16% by weight methacrylic acids, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 16 words

The golf ball of claim 12 wherein the second ionomer resin comprises about 15% methacrylic acid.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 49 words

The golf ball of claim 6 wherein the third ionomer resin is a terpolymer of ethylene, - or iso-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 10 to less than 13% methacrylic acid, wherein about 10 to about 90% of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The golf ball of claim 14 wherein the third ionomer resin is comprised of a sodium ionomer, a zinc ionomer, or mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

The golf ball of claim 15 wherein the third ionomer resin is a terpolymer of ethylene, methacrylic acid, and - or iso-butyl acrylate neutralized with sodium ion.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The golf ball of claim 1 or 6, wherein the thickness of the mantle layer is from about 0.025 inches to about 0.125 inches.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

The golf ball of claim 1 or 6, wherein the diameter of the core is about 1.30 inches to about 1.45 inches.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

The golf ball of claim 1 or 6, wherein the mantle layer has a Bayshore resilience of about 35 to about 70, and the core has a Bayshore resilience of about 40 to about 60.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The golf ball of claim 1 or 6, wherein the mantle has a flex modulus of about 500 psi to about 50,000 psi.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 269 words

A multi-layer golf ball comprising: a core; a cover layer; and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover; wherein the cover layer consists essentially of three ionomer resins, including a first ionomer resin being a copolymer of 16 to 35 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and 84 to 65 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; a second ionomer resin being a copolymer of 13 to 15 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and a third ionomer resin being a terpolymer of 9 to 12 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 1 to 50 percent by weight n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 38 to 90 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the terpolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and wherein the first ionomer resin is present in an amount greater than about 40 parts by weight of the cover layer, the second ionomer resin is present in an amount of greater than about 40 parts by weight of the cover layer and the third ionomer resin is present in an amount of less than about 15 parts by weight of the cover layer; and wherein the mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, the thermoplastic material consisting essentially of polyetherester block copolymer.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 269 words

A multi-layer golf ball comprising: a core; a cover layer; and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover; wherein the cover layer consists essentially of three ionomer resins, including a first ionomer resin being a copolymer of 16 to 35 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and 84 to 65 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; a second ionomer resin being a copolymer of 13 to 15 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and a third ionomer resin being a terpolymer of 9 to 12 percent by weight of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, 1 to 50 percent by weight n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 38 to 90 percent by weight of an olefin, wherein about 10 to about 90 percent of the carboxyl groups of the terpolymer are neutralized with a metal ion; and wherein the first ionomer resin is present in an amount greater than about 40 parts by weight of the cover layer, the second ionomer resin is present in an amount of greater than about 40 parts by weight of the cover layer and the third ionomer resin is present in an amount of less than about 15 parts by weight of the cover layer; and wherein the mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, the thermoplastic material consisting essentially of polyetherester block copolymer.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the olefin is ethylene in both the first and third ionomer resins.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The golf ball of claim 21 wherein the core comprises polybutadiene, a metal salt diacrylate or dimethacrylate, a free radical initiator, and calcium oxide.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-10-11	2003-04-12	2003-10-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-10-11	2007-04-12	2007-10-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-10-11	2011-04-12	2011-10-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Multi-layer golf ball and composition

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