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US 11,766,591 B1Granted
Golf ball core hardness gradient manipulation using hardness agent and water releasing agent
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsMichael Michalewich, Erin McDermott, Manjari Kuntimaddi, Doug Goguen, Dennis Britton
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Abstract
Compositions including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent and golf ball cores made from such compositions having a tailored hardness gradient are disclosed. The type and concentration of the components in the composition, including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent, affect the hardness, hardness gradient, and compression of cores made from the composition and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having desirable performance characteristics.
Claims20
A golf ball, comprising:
- a rubber layer comprising:
- a rubber formulation comprising a base rubber, a hardening agent, and a water releasing agent,
- wherein the hardening agent comprises a benzoic compound comprising a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and sulfhydryl functional groups, and
- wherein the water releasing agent is a metal salt hydrate;
- and
- a cover layer disposed about the rubber layer.
3 more elements
A golf ball, comprising:
- a core comprising:
- a rubber formulation comprising a base rubber, a hardening agent having a hardening agent concentration HAS and a hardening agent isomer number HALN, and a water releasing agent having a water releasing agent concentration, WRAC;
- a geometric center hardness HC;
- a surface hardness HS;
- and
- a hardness gradient HGr equal to the difference between HC and HS,
- wherein the hardening agent comprises a benzoic compound comprising a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and sulfhydryl functional groups,
- wherein the water releasing agent comprises a metal salt hydrate,
- wherein HGr is equal to or greater than 2 Shore C, and
- WRA
- C
- *
- HA
- C
- *
- HA
- LN
- 1
- -
- 1
- H
- Gr
- ≥
- 0.2
- ;
- and
- a cover layer disposed about the core.
24 more elements
A golf ball, comprising:
- a core comprising:
- a rubber formulation comprising a base rubber, a hardening agent having a hardening agent concentration HAS and a hardening agent isomer number HALN, and a water releasing agent having a water releasing agent concentration WRAC and a number of waters of hydration, WRAWOH;
- a geometric center hardness HC;
- a surface hardness HS;
- and
- a hardness gradient HGr equal to the difference between HC and HS,
- wherein the hardening agent comprises a benzoic compound comprising a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amino, and sulfhydryl functional groups,
- wherein the water releasing agent comprises a metal salt hydrate,
- wherein HGr is equal to or greater than 10 Shore C, and
- 0.1
- <
- WRA
- C
- *
- WRA
- WOH
- *
- HA
- LN
- *
- HA
- C
- 1
- -
- 1
- H
- Gr
- <
- 70
- ;
- and
- a cover layer disposed about the core.
29 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.