# US 10,478,674 B2 · Golf ball comprising a very-low melt flow inner cover layer composition

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- Number: US 10,478,674 B2
- Document ID: US10478674B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/936,500
- Filed: 2018-03-27
- Published: 2018-08-02
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2009-05-20
- Assignees: Acushnet Company
- Applicants: Acushnet Company
- Inventors: David A. Bulpett; Robert Blink; Mark L. Binette; Brian Comeau; Michael J. Sullivan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478674B2

## CPC

- A63B 37/0003: {Golf balls}
- A63B 37/0031: {Hardness}
- A63B 37/0033: {Thickness}
- A63B 37/0043: {Hardness}
- A63B 37/0044: {Hardness gradient}
- A63B 37/0045: {Thickness}
- A63B 37/0048: {Melt flow rate [MFR]}
- A63B 37/0051: {Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details}
- A63B 37/0063: {Hardness gradient}
- A63B 37/0064: {Diameter}
- A63B 37/0075: {Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core}
- A63B 37/0076: {Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers}
- A63B 37/0087: {Deflection or compression}
- A63B 37/00922: {whereby hardness of the cover is lower than hardness of the intermediate layers}
- A63B 37/12: Special coverings {, i.e. outer layer material (balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023)}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

A golf ball including a core; an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and having a thickness of about 0.005 inches to 0.40 inches and a surface hardness of about 60 Shore D or greater; and an outer cover layer formed from a thermoset material and having a thickness of about 0.01 inches to 0.05 inches and a surface hardness of about 60 Shore D or less. The thermoplastic composition has a first melt flow index at 280° C. under a 10-kg load of less than about 35 g/10 min and a second melt flow index at 265° C. under a 5-kg load of less than about 10 g/10 min.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A golf ball comprising:
a core;
an inner cover layer comprising a first thermoplastic composition and having a thickness of about 0.005 inches to about 0.40 inches and a surface hardness of about 70 Shore D or less; and
an outer cover layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane and having a thickness of about 0.01 inches to about 0.075 inches and a surface hardness of about 20 Shore D to about 60 Shore D;
wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a first melt flow index at 280° C. under a 10-kg load of less than about 35 g/10 min and a second melt flow index at 265° C. under a 5-kg load of less than about 10 g/10 min.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first melt flow index is about 20 g/10 min or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the first melt flow index is about 10 g/10 min or less.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the second melt flow index is about 5 g/10 min or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic composition has a third melt flow index at 190° C. under a 2.16-kg load of less than about 2 g/10 min.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the third melt flow index at is less than about 1 g/10 min.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises an ionomer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a higher-melting-temperature thermoplastic resin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a reactive polymer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the ionomer is neutralized by a metal cation to 80 wt % or greater.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the ionomer is neutralized by a metal cation to 90 wt % or greater.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises an amine or a peroxide compound.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises an inner core and an outer core layer.

### Claim 14

A golf ball comprising:
a core;
an inner cover layer comprising a first thermoplastic composition and having a thickness of about 0.005 inches to about 0.40 inches and a surface hardness of about 70 Shore D or less; and
an outer cover layer comprising a second thermoplastic material and having a thickness of about 0.01 inches to about 0.075 inches and a surface hardness of about 20 Shore D to about 60 Shore D;
wherein the first thermoplastic composition comprises a first melt flow index at 280° C. under a 10-kg load of less than about 35 g/10 min and a second melt flow index at 265° C. under a 5-kg load of less than about 10 g/10 min.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the second thermoplastic composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the core comprises an inner core and an outer core layer.