Golf ball compositions formed from single site catalyzed polymers
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsMurali Rajagopalan, Kevin M. Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Golf ball compositions, which contain olefinic polymers produced by use of single-site catalysts. Such polymers can be functionalized with a post-polymerization reaction. The single-site catalyzed polymers may be blended with ionomers, other grafted or non-grafted single-site catalyzed polymers, thermoplastics, non-single-site polymers, or other non-ionomeric polymers. The compositions can be foamed or unfoamed. Golf balls that employ at least one layer of these compositions in any of the golf ball cover, core, or a mantle situated between the cover and the core provide ball properties and performance similar to and in some cases better than the state of the art ionomer based golf balls.
Claims68
A golf ball comprising a cover having a thickness of at least about 0.03 inch and at least about 60 percent dimple coverage, a core having a PGA compression of at least about 40, and, optionally, a mantle situated between the cover and the core, wherein at least one of the cover, the core, and the mantle comprises at least one layer formed of a single-site catalyzed polymer blend comprising from about 1 to about 100 phr of at least one non-metallocene single-site catalyzed polymer having a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a dynamic shear storage modulus at 23.degree. C. of at least about 104 dynes/Cm.sup.2, and a loss tangent of no more than about 1, and from about 99 to 0 phr of at least one ionomer, non-ionomeric polymer, thermoset polymer, thermoplastic, or non-single-site catalyzed polymer, having a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, wherein the golf ball has a PGA compression of at least about 50.
A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein said layer comprises at least one non-metallocene single-site catalyzed polymer having a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a dynamic shear storage modulus at 23.degree. C. of at least about 104 dynes/cm.sup.2, and a loss tangent of no more than about 1.
A golf ball comprising a cover, a core, and a mantle situated between the cover and the core, wherein at least one of the cover, the core, and the mantle comprises at least one layer formed of a single-site catalyzed polymer blend comprising from about 1 to about 100 phr of at least one non-metallocene single-site catalyzed polymer having a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, and a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a dynamic shear storage modulus at 23.degree. C. of at least about 104 dynes/cm.sup.2, a loss tangent of no more than about 1, and from about 99 to 0 phr of at least one ionomer having a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi.
A golf ball comprising a cover having a thickness of at least about 0.03 inch and at least about 60 percent dimple coverage, a core having a PGA compression of at least about 40, and, optionally, a mantle situated between the cover and the core, wherein at least one of the cover, the core, and the mantle comprises at least one layer, the layer formed of a single-site catalyzed polymer blend, comprising from about 1 to about 100 phr of at least one single-site catalyzed polymer that has been functionalized by grafting an ethylenically unsaturated monomer thereon using a post-polymerization reaction and that has a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a dynamic shear storage modulus at 23.degree. C. of at least about 104 dynes/cm.sup.2, and a loss tangent of no more than about 1, and from about 99 to 0 phr of at least one ionomer, non-ionomeric polymer, thermoset polymer, thermoplastic, or non-single-site catalyzed polymer, having a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, wherein the golf ball has a PGA compression of at least about 50.
A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein said layer comprises at least one single-site catalyzed polymer that has been functionalized by grafting an ethylenically unsaturated monomer thereon using a post-polymerization reaction having a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a dynamic shear storage modulus at 23 C. of at least about 104 dynes/cm.sup.2, and a loss tangent of no more than about 1.
A golf ball comprising a cover, a core, and a mantle situated between the cover and the core, wherein at least one of the cover, the core, and the mantle comprises at least one layer formed of a single-site catalyzed polymer blend comprising from about 1 to about 100 phr of at least one single-site catalyzed polymer having a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, and a specific gravity of at least about 0.7, a dynamic shear storage modulus at 23.degree. C. of at least about 104 dynes/cm.sup.2, a loss tangent of no more than about 1, and from about 99 to 0 phr of at least one ionomer having a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, wherein the one single-site catalyzed polymer has been functionalized by grafting an ethylenically unsaturated monomer onto the single-site catalyzed polymer using a post-polymerization reaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.