# US 2001/0024979 A1 · Novel dual cores for golf balls > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2001/0024979 A1 - Document ID: US20010024979A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 09/829,708 - Filed: 2001-04-10 - Published: 2001-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1997-03-28 - Assignees: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc. - Inventors: R. Dennis Nesbitt; Michael J. Sullivan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20010024979A1 ## CPC - C08L 23/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08L23/16 takes precedence) - A63B 37/0003: {Golf balls} - A63B 37/02: Special cores {(balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005)} - A63B 37/0031: {Hardness} - A63B 37/0064: {Diameter} - A63B 37/0066: {Density; Specific gravity} - A63B 37/0075: {Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core} - C08L 23/0876: Salts thereof, i.e. ionomers - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a dual core component. The dual core comprises an interior center component formed from a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof. The dual core also comprises a core layer disposed about the center component, formed from a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof. The present invention golf ball may further comprise an outer core layer that surrounds the dual core. The resulting multi-layered golf ball of the present invention provides for enhanced distance without sacrificing playability or durability when compared to known golf balls. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly including a center component and a core layer disposed about said center component, said center component comprising a thermoset material and said core layer comprising a thermoplastic material; and a cover layer assembly disposed about said dual core assembly, said cover layer assembly including one of (i) an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or greater and an outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less, said inner cover layer being harder than said outer cover layer, and (ii) an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less and an outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or greater, said inner cover layer being softer than said outer cover layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1 wherein at least one of said inner cover layer and said outer cover layer comprises a polyurethane material. ### Claim 3 A golf ball comprising: a dual core having a center component and a core layer disposed about said center component, wherein said center component comprises a thermoset material and said core layer comprises a thermoplastic material; and a single cover layer disposed about said dual core, said cover layer having a Shore D hardness of from about 40 to about 80. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The golf ball of claim 3 wherein said single cover layer comprises a polyurethane material. ### Claim 5 A golf ball comprising: a dual core including a center component and a core layer disposed about said center component, said center component comprising a thermoset material and said core layer comprising a thermoplastic material; and a cover layer assembly disposed about said dual core. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said cover layer assembly includes at least one of (i) an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or greater and an outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less, said inner cover layer being harder than said outer cover layer, (ii) an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less and an outer cover layer of 65 or greater, wherein said inner cover layer is softer than said outer cover layer, and (iii) a single outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of from about 40 to 80. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said thermoset material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (i) a diene-containing polymer, (ii) a metallocene catalyzed polyolefin that is crosslinked, (iii) a polyurethane, (iv) a silicone, (v) a polyamide, (vi) a polyurea, and (vii) combinations thereof; and said thermoplastic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (i) an ionomer, (ii) a polyurethane, (iii) an elastomer, (iv) a polyetheramide, (v) a polyetherester, (vi) a metallocene catalyzed polyolefin, (vii) a styrene butadiene block copolymer, and (viii) combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said core layer comprises more than one layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said thermoset material comprises a polybutadiene rubber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said thermoset material comprises a polyurethane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said thermoplastic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (i) polyurethane, (ii) polyester, (iii) polyamide, (iv) ionomer, (v) polycarbonate, (vi) polyether block amide, and (vii) combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein said center component of said dual core has an outer diameter of from about 0.500 inches to about 1.250 inches, and said dual core has an outer diameter of from about 1.25 to about 1.600 inches. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein at least one of said core layer and said center component of said dual core comprise a density increasing agent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The golf ball of claim 5 wherein at least one of said core layer and said center component of said dual core comprise an agent that is foamed or otherwise reduced in density. ### Claim 15 A golf ball comprising: a dual core having a center component and a core layer disposed about said center component wherein both said center component and said core layer comprise a thermoplastic material; and a cover layer disposed about said dual core. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said cover layer includes at least one of (i) an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or greater and an outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less, said inner cover layer being harder than said outer cover layer, (ii) an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less and an outer cover layer of 65 or greater, wherein said inner cover layer is softer than said outer cover layer, and (iii) a single outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of from about 40 to 80. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said thermoplastic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (i) an ionomer, (ii) a polyurethane, (iii) an elastomer, (iv) a polyetheramide, (v) a polyetherester, (vi) a metallocene catalyzed polyolefin, (vii) a styrene butadiene block copolymer, and (viii) combinations thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said core layer comprises more than one layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said thermoplastic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (i) polyurethane, (ii) polyester, (iii) polyamide, (iv) ionomer, (v) polycarbonate, (vi) polyether block amide, and (vii) combinations thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein said center component of said dual core has an outer diameter of from about 0.500 inches to about 1.250 inches, and said dual core has an outer diameter of from about 1.25 to about 1.600 inches. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein at least one of said core layer and said center component of said dual core comprise a density increasing agent. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15 wherein at least one of said core layer and said center component of said dual core comprise an agent that is foamed or otherwise reduced in density. ### Claim 23 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly including (i) a center component and (ii) a core layer disposed about said center component; a dual cover assembly disposed on said dual core assembly, said dual cover assembly including an (i) inner cover layer, and (ii) an outer cover layer disposed on said inner cover layer, said outer cover layer defining a plurality of dimples, at least one of said inner cover layer and said outer cover layer comprising a first ionomer having 16 weight percent acid or less, and at least one of said inner cover layer and said outer cover layer comprising a second ionomer having greater than 16 weight percent acid. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The golf ball of claim 23 wherein said inner cover layer comprises said second ionomer having greater than 16 weight percent acid. ### Claim 25 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly, said dual core including a center core component and a core layer disposed about said center core component; and a cover layer disposed about said dual core assembly, said cover layer comprising a polyurethane material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The golf ball of claim 25 wherein said cover layer is a single cover layer. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The golf ball of claim 25 wherein said cover layer is a multi-layer cover assembly. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The golf ball of claim 25 wherein said polyurethane material is a thermoset material. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The golf ball of claim 25 wherein said polyurethane material is a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The golf ball of claim 25 wherein said polyurethane is a cast polyurethane. ### Claim 31 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly, said dual core assembly including (i) a center core component and (ii) a core layer disposed about said center core component; and a dual cover assembly disposed on said dual core assembly, said cover assembly including an inner cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 70 or more, and said outer cover layer having a Shore D hardness of 45 or less. ### Claim 32 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly, said dual core assembly having a center core component and a core layer disposed about said center core component; and a cover layer disposed about said dual core assembly, said cover layer including an acrylic acid based high acid ionomer neutralized with a cation selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, lithium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, calcium, nickel, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 33 A golf ball comprising: a multi-layer core assembly including (i) a center core component, (ii) a first core layer disposed on said core component, and (iii) a second core layer disposed on said first core layer; and a cover layer disposed on said multi-layer core assembly. ### Claim 34 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly including (i) a center core component and (ii) a core layer disposed on said center core component; and a cover layer disposed on said dual core assembly, said cover layer including a thermoplastic elastomer. ### Claim 35 A golf ball comprising: a dual core assembly, said dual core assembly comprising (i) a center core component and (ii) a core layer disposed on said center core component, said center component including a thermoset material and said core component including a thermoplastic material; and a multi-layer cover assembly disposed on said dual core assembly, said multi-layer cover assembly including (i) an inner cover layer and (ii) an outer cover layer. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The golf ball of claim 35 wherein said inner cover layer exhibits a Shore D hardness of at least 65 and said outer cover layer exhibits a Shore D hardness of less than 65. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The golf ball of claim 35 wherein said inner cover layer exhibits a Shore D hardness of less than 65 and said outer cover layer exhibits a Shore D hardness of at least 65.