# US 7,612,134 B2 · Golf ball and thermoplastic material

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- Number: US 7,612,134 B2
- Document ID: US7612134B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/276,223
- Filed: 2006-02-17
- Published: 2006-05-18
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2005-02-23
- Assignees: Callaway Golf Company
- Inventors: Thomas J. Kennedy, III; Mark L. Binette
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612134B2

## CPC

- C08K 5/098: Metal salts of carboxylic acids
- A63B 37/0031: {Hardness}
- A63B 37/0033: {Thickness}
- A63B 37/0043: {Hardness}
- A63B 37/0045: {Thickness}
- A63B 37/0064: {Diameter}
- A63B 37/0065: {Deflection or compression}
- A63B 37/0075: {Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core}
- C08L 23/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08L23/16 takes precedence)
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are a novel thermoplastic material and a golf ball utilizing the thermoplastic material of the invention. The golf ball (10) preferably comprises a core (12), a cover (16) and, optionally, a boundary layer (14). At least one of the core (12), cover (16) or boundary layer (14) of the golf ball (10) comprises a thermoplastic material according to the invention. A thermoplastic material of the invention comprises a partially to highly neutralized blend of an acid copolymer, a copolymer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed alpha-olefin and a softening comonomer, and a fatty acid or fatty acid salt.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermoplastic material consisting essentially of:
approximately 50 parts by weight of a first copolymer comprising an alpha olefin, an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid and a softening comonomer;
approximately 50 parts by weight of a second copolymer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed alpha olefin and a softening comonomer;
11 parts by weight magnesium hydroxide; and
approximately 66 parts by weight of oleic acid;
wherein the thermoplastic material is 100% neutralized.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic material according to claim 1, wherein, in the first copolymer, the softening comonomer is an alkyl acrylate or an alkyl methacrylate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic material according to claim 1, wherein, in the second copolymer, the softening comonomer is an alpha olefin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The thermoplastic material according to claim 3, wherein, in the second copolymer, the alpha olefin is selected from the group consisting of butene, hexene, octene and 4-methyl-1-pentene.