# US 12,109,458 B2 · Golf ball

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- Number: US 12,109,458 B2
- Document ID: US12109458B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/471,713
- Filed: 2021-09-10
- Published: 2022-03-17
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-11
- Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
- Applicants: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
- Inventors: Takumi Kaneko; Takahiro Shigemitsu; Kazuyoshi Shiga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109458B2

## CPC

- A63B 37/00221: {characterised by the material}
- A63B 37/00222: {Physical properties, e.g. hardness}
- C08F 283/00: Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to polymers provided for in subclass C08G
- C08G 18/04: with vinyl compounds
- C08G 18/10: Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
- C08G 18/3206: {aliphatic}
- C08G 18/4244: {containing oxygen in the form of ether groups}
- C08G 18/4854: {Polyethers containing oxyalkylene groups having four carbon atoms in the alkylene group}
- C08G 18/6677: {having at least three hydroxy groups}
- C08G 18/73: acyclic
- C08G 18/755: {and at least one isocyanate or isothiocyanate group linked to a secondary carbon atom of the cycloaliphatic ring, e.g. isophorone diisocyanate}
- C08J 7/056: Forming hydrophilic coatings
- C08J 7/16: with polymerisable compounds
- C08J 7/18: using wave energy or particle radiation
- C09D 175/04: Polyurethanes
- C09D 175/08: from polyethers
- A63B 37/0075: {Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core}
- C08G 18/12: using two or more compounds having active hydrogen in the first polymerisation step
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)

## Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having oily stain washability or weed juice stain resistance that is adjustable depending on a temperature. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and covering the golf ball body, wherein a molecular chain of a base resin constituting an outermost layer located at an outermost side of the paint film has a graft chain, and 80 mole % or more of repeating units constituting the graft chain includes any one of repeating units represented by formulae (1) to (4): [In the formulae (1) to (4), R1 to R5 each independently represent hydrogen, halogen or an organic group.].

## Claims

### Claim 1

A golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and covering the golf ball body, wherein
a molecular chain of a base resin constituting an outermost layer located at an outermost side of the paint film has a graft chain, and
80 mole % or more of repeating units constituting the graft chain includes any one of repeating units represented by formulae (1) to (4):
in the formulae (1) to (4), R1 to R5 each independently represent hydrogen, halogen or an organic group.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the graft chain has a cloud point ranging from 0° C. to 50° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the outermost paint film layer has a water contact angle of 50° or less at a temperature lower than a cloud point of the graft chain.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the base resin constituting the outermost paint film layer contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of a urethane resin, an ionomer resin, an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a vinyl acetate resin and a polyester resin.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the repeating unit represented by the formula (1) includes any one of repeating units represented by formulae (1-1) to (1-8):
the repeating unit represented by the formula (2) includes any one of repeating units represented by formulae (2-1) to (2-6):
the repeating unit represented by the formula (3) includes any one of repeating units represented by formulae (3-1) to (3-6):
and the repeating unit represented by the formula (4) includes any one of repeating units represented by formulae (4-1) to (4-3):

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the graft chain is a homopolymer chain.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the graft chain includes a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chain, a poly(N-n-propylacrylamide) chain, a poly(N-n-butylacrylamide) chain, or a poly(N-t-butylacrylamide) chain.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the graft chain ranges from 0.001 g to 2 g per a golf ball.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the paint film is formed from a paint containing a polyol composition and a polyisocyanate composition.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The golf ball according to claim 9, wherein the polyol composition contains a urethane polyol, and the urethane polyol includes a polyether diol having a number average molecular weight ranging from 600 to 3000 as a constituent component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The golf ball according to claim 10, wherein the polyisocyanate composition contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of a biuret-modified product of hexamethylene diisocyanate, an isocyanurate-modified product of hexamethylene diisocyanate, and an isocyanurate-modified product of isophorone diisocyanate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The golf ball according to claim 9, wherein the polyol composition contains a polyrotaxane having a cyclodextrin, a linear molecule piercing through the cyclic structure of the cyclodextrin, and blocking groups located at both terminals of the linear molecule to prevent disassociation of the cyclodextrin, wherein at least a part of hydroxyl groups of the cyclodextrin is modified with a caprolactone chain via a —O—C3H6—O— group.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the polyol composition optionally further contains a polycaprolactone polyol, and a mass ratio (polycaprolactone polyol/polyrotaxane) of the polycaprolactone polyol to the polyrotaxane ranges from 0/100 to 90/10.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the polyol composition further contains a hydroxy group modified vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer in an amount ranging from 4 mass % to 50 mass %.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the polyisocyanate composition contains an isocyanurate-modified product of hexamethylene diisocyanate and/or a biuret-modified product of hexamethylene diisocyanate.