# US 7,607,995 B2 · Golf balls having two or more core layers formed from HNP compositions

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- Number: US 7,607,995 B2
- Document ID: US7607995B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/341,155
- Filed: 2008-12-22
- Published: 2009-04-23
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2004-03-10
- Assignees: Acushnet Company
- Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan; Derek A. Ladd; Edmund A. Hebert; Murali Rajagopalan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607995B2

## CPC

- A63B 37/0069: {Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness}
- A63B 37/0003: {Golf balls}
- A63B 37/0043: {Hardness}
- A63B 37/0049: {Flexural modulus; Bending stiffness}
- A63B 37/0062: {Hardness}
- A63B 37/0092: {Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers}
- A63B 37/02: Special cores {(balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005)}
- A63B 37/04: Rigid cores
- B29C 43/146: {for making multilayered articles}
- B29C 43/18: incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C43/206 takes precedence)}
- B29C 70/70: Completely encapsulating inserts {(B29C70/86 takes precedence)}
- C08L 9/00: Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons
- C08L 23/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08L23/16 takes precedence)
- C08L 23/0869: with unsaturated acids, e.g. [meth]acrylic acid; with unsaturated esters, e.g. [meth]acrylic acid esters
- C08L 23/0876: Salts thereof, i.e. ionomers
- C08L 51/00: Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds (for ABS polymers C08L55/02); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
- C08L 53/00: Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
- C08L 75/04: Polyurethanes
- A63B 37/0075: {Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core}
- A63B 37/0076: {Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers}
- A63B 45/00: Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29)
- A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials
- B29C 43/305: {Making multilayered articles}
- B29C 2043/3644: {Vacuum bags; Details thereof, e.g. fixing or clamping}
- B29K 2105/256: {Sheets, plates, blanks or films}
- B29L 2031/52: Sports equipment {; Games; Articles for amusement}; Toys (B29L2031/54 takes precedence)
- B29L 2031/54: Balls
- C08L 21/00: Compositions of unspecified rubbers
- C08L 23/0815: {with aliphatic 1-olefins containing one carbon-to-carbon double bond}
- C08L 2205/02: containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
- C08L 2205/03: containing three or more polymers in a blend
- C08L 2314/06: Metallocene or single site catalysts
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

The present invention is directed to golf balls having a layer formed from a relatively soft HNP composition and a layer formed from a relatively hard HNP composition. Golf balls of the present invention have at least three layers, including an inner core layer, an outer core layer, a cover, and optionally an intermediate core layer. The present invention is not limited by which golf ball layers are formed from an HNP composition, so long as at least one layer is formed from a relatively soft HNP composition and at least one layer is formed from a relatively hard HNP composition. Relatively soft HNP compositions of the present invention comprise a highly neutralized acid copolymer preferably having a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi. Relatively hard HNP compositions of the present invention comprise a highly neutralized acid copolymer preferably having a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A golf ball comprising:
(a) an inner core layer formed from a first HNP composition, the first HNP composition having a Shore D hardness of 55 or less and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer;
(b) an intermediate core layer formed from a second HNP composition, the second HNP composition having a Shore D hardness of 45 or greater and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer;
(c) an outer core layer formed from a rubber composition; and
(d) a cover;
wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is less than the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is from 10 to 55.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is from 20 to 50.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is from 30 to 48.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition is from 50 to 80.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition is from 55 to 75.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is at least 3 less than the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first HNP composition has a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the second HNP composition has a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first HNP composition has a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi, the second HNP composition has a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi, and the modulus of the first HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the second HNP composition.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the modulus of the first HNP composition is at least 25% less than the modulus of the second HNP composition.

### Claim 12

A golf ball comprising:
(a) an inner core layer formed from a first HNP composition, the first HNP composition having a Shore D hardness of 45 or greater and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer;
(b) an intermediate core layer formed from a second HNP composition, the second HNP composition having a Shore D hardness of 55 or less and comprising a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer;
(c) an outer core layer formed from a rubber composition; and
(d) a cover;
wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is greater than the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition is from 10 to 55.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition is from 20 to 50.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition is from 50 to 80.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the Shore D hardness of the second HNP composition is at least 3 less than the Shore D hardness of the first HNP composition.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the second HNP composition has a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the first HNP composition has a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the second HNP composition has a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi, the first HNP composition has a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi, and the modulus of the second HNP composition is at least 10% less than the modulus of the first HNP composition.