Golf ball mold and golf ball

#This invention relates to a mold for molding golf balls. More particularly, in connection with a golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate resin layer, and a cover, the invention relates to a mold defining therein a spherical cavity for molding the resin layer.

#In the golf ball art, a number of attempts have been made for accomplishing improvements in both the distance and feel of golf balls. As to solid golf balls comprising a solid core and a cover, it is a common practice to form the core and the cover each to a multilayer structure and adjust the hardness and dimensions (e.g., diameter and gage) of the layers.

#For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,227 discloses a three-piece solid golf ball comprising a core, a cover inner layer and a cover outer layer wherein the cover outer layer is harder than the cover inner layer. U.S. Pat No. 5,490,674 discloses a three-piece golf ball comprising a solid core of inner and outer layers and a cover wherein the core inner layer is harder than the core outer layer.

#The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

#FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a mold according to a first embodiment of the invention and in particular a lower mold half having a plurality of segments; FIGS. 1 and 2 are an elevational cross-sectional view and a perspective view of the mold half with the segments set in place; FIGS. 3 and 4 are an elevational cross-sectional view and a perspective view of the mold half with the segments withdrawn.

#FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate a mold according to a second embodiment of the invention and in particular a lower mold half having a plurality of segments; FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mold half with the segments set in place; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines I—I in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a plan view of the mold half with the segments withdrawn; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines II—II in FIG. 7.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is illustrated a lower mold half of a mold for a molding a resin layer around a core and inside a cover to be subsequently applied thereon according to the first embodiment of the invention, the lower mold half having a plurality of segments. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the mold half with the segments set in place. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the mold half with the segments partially withdrawn.

#In the first and second embodiments, the mold includes a pair of upper and lower mold halves. Since both the mold halves are of identical structure, only the lower mold half is illustrated herein and the description of the upper mold half is omitted to avoid redundancy.

#Like conventional injection molds for golf balls, the mold of the first embodiment includes a pair of an upper mold half and a lower mold half 1 which are mated together to define a spherical cavity 2 therein. The spherical cavity 2 of the entire mold is defined by separably assembling at least six segments together.