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US 7,256,249 B2Granted
Compositions for golf equipment
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorShenshen Wu
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorShenshen Wu
Estimating the term…
Golf balls comprising thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, or millable elastomer compositions are presently disclosed. The compositions comprise at least one regioselective polyisocyanate having an asymmetric structure and comprising at least a first NCO group and a second NCO group, the first NCO group being substantially more sterically interfered than the second NCO group. The first NCO group is directly attached to a tertiary carbon atom or is one methine carbon atom away from either at least one quaternary carbon atom or at least two tertiary carbon atoms. These elastomer compositions can be used in any one or more portions of the golf balls, such as inner center, core, inner core layer, intermediate core layer, outer core layer, intermediate layer, cover, inner cover layer, intermediate cover layer, and/or outer cover layer.
A golf ball comprising at least one layer formed from a composition comprising at least one regioselective polyisocyanate, wherein the regioselective polyisocyanate has an asymmetric structure and comprises at least a first NCO group and a second NCO group, wherein the first NCO group is substantially more sterically interfered than the second NCO group, and wherein the first NCO group is directly attached to a tertiary carbon atom, or is one methine carbon atom away from either at least one quaternary carbon atom or at least two tertiary carbon atoms.
A golf ball comprising at least one layer formed from a composition comprising at least one regioselective polyisocyanate, wherein the regioselective polyisocyanate comprises at least a first NCO group and a second NCO group, wherein the first NCO group is substantially more sterically interfered than the second NCO group, and wherein the regioselective polyisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-diisocyanato-4-methylpentane, 1,5-diisocyanato-5-methylhexane, 1,6-diisocyanato-6-methylheptane, 1,5-diisocyanato-2,2,5-trimethylhexane, 1,7-diisocyanato-3,7-dimethyloctane, 3(4)-isocyanatomethyl-1-methylcyclohexyl isocyanate, 3(4)-isocyanatomethyl-1-1,3(4)-dimethylcyclohexane isocyanate, 3-isocyanatomethyl-1,2-dimethyl-3-ethyl-cyclopenlane isocyanate, 3-(2-isocyanatoethyl)-1,2,2-trimethylcyelopentane isocyanate, 4-(4-isocyanatobut-2-yl)-1-methylcyclohexyl isocyanate, and 3-(4-isocyanatobut-1-yl)-1-n-butyl-cyclohexane isocyanate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles: golf balls
With a specified number of layers: multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
Processes: prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
Polycondensates having carboxylic or carbonic ester groups in the main chain: polycarbonates
Term ended 26 May 2025 (estimated)
The present disclosure relates to golf equipment such as golf balls, golf clubs (drivers, putters, woods, irons, and wedges, including heads and shafts thereof), golf shoes, golf gloves, golf bags, or the like that comprise novel polyurethane, polyurea, and/or poly(urethane-co-urea) compositions. The components of the compositions can be saturated, i.e., substantially free of double or triple carbon-carbon bonds or aromatic groups, to produce light stable compositions. Components that are unsaturated or partially saturated can also be used.
The golf ball can comprise at least one thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, or millable material formed from a composition comprising at least one regioselective polyisocyanate, which comprises at least a first NCO group and a second NCO group, the first NCO group being substantially more sterically interfered than the second NCO group. The regioselective polyisocyanate can have an asymmetric structure. The first NCO group can be directly attached to a tertiary carbon atom, or being one methine carbon atom away from either at least one quaternary carbon atom or at least two tertiary carbon atoms. The second NCO group can be at least two carbon atoms away from either at least one quaternary carbon atom or at least two tertiary carbon atoms, or being attached directly to a methylene carbon or a methine carbon.
The regioselective polyisocyanate can have at least one of the following structure:
The following non-limiting examples are included herein merely for illustration, and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.
Saturated Polyurethane Golf Ball Cover
Golf balls comprising a saturated polyurethane cover were made following the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,428. Cover composition and properties of cover and ball are listed below.