Dual cured castable system for use in golf balls
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsRandy Petrichko, Shawn Ricci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compositions for golf balls that include polyurethane and/or polyurea linkages and that are crosslinked in the soft segments of the polymer backbone. In particular, the compositions of the invention, which are based on a polyurethane and/or polyurea, have improved crosslink density and hardness from the crosslinking between the soft, unsaturated segments of the polymer backbone. The curative blend includes at least one isocyanate-reactive component and a free radical initiator.
Claims18
A method of forming a golf ball comprising a core and a cover comprising the steps of:
- providing a core;
- providing a conjugated diene comprising a plurality of terminal ends comprising amino groups;
- reacting the conjugated diene with an isocyanate-containing component to form a prepolymer comprising about 5 percent to about 9 percent NCO groups;
- forming a curative blend comprising:
- an amine-terminated curing agent selected from the group consisting of dipropylene triamine, diethylene triamine, propylene oxide based triamine, and combinations thereof;
- a hydroxy-terminated curing agent comprising at least three functional groups;
- and
- an organic peroxide;
- reacting the prepolymer and curative blend to form a composition comprising urea linkages and crosslinks between the hydrocarbons, wherein the composition has a material hardness as measured on a button of about 60 Shore D or greater and an Atti compression of about 140 to about 180;
- and
- casting a golf ball cover about the core from the composition.
A method of forming a golf ball comprising the steps of:
- providing a core;
- forming a prepolymer comprising the reaction product of an isocyanate-containing component and a first isocyanate-reactive component, wherein the first isocyanate-reactive component comprises a conjugated diene hydrocarbon comprising at least two functional amino groups, and wherein the prepolymer comprises about 5 weight percent to about 9 weight percent NCO groups;
- mixing the prepolymer with a curative blend to form a mixture, wherein the curative blend comprises:
- a second isocyanate-reactive component comprising a trifunctional hydroxy-terminated component and an amine-terminated component selected from the group consisting of dipropylene triamine, diethylene triamine, propylene oxide based triamine, and combinations thereof;
- and
- at least one free radical initiator;
- placing a first portion of the mixture in a first cavity of a first mold half for a predetermined gel time at a first mold temperature;
- positioning the core within the first cavity;
- placing a second portion of the mixture in a second cavity of a second mold half for the predetermined gel time at the first mold temperature;
- mating the first and second mold halves;
- and
- raising the first mold temperature to a second mold temperature for a predetermined period of time to form a cured cover,
- wherein the cured cover has an Atti compression of about 140 to about 180.
A method of forming a golf ball comprising a core and a cover comprising the steps of:
- providing a core;
- providing an amine-terminated polybutadiene;
- reacting the amine-terminated polybutadiene with an isocyanate-containing component to form a prepolymer comprising-about 5 percent to about 9 percent NCO groups;
- forming a curative blend consisting essentially of:
- a trifunctional hydroxyl-terminated component;
- an amine-terminated component selected from the group consisting of dipropylene triamine, diethylene triamine, propylene oxide based triamine, and combinations thereof;
- and
- a free radical initiator;
- reacting the prepolymer and curative blend to form a composition consisting essentially of urea linkages and crosslinks between the hydrocarbons, wherein the composition has a material hardness as measured on a button of about 60 Shore D or greater and an Atti compression of about 140 to about 180;
- and
- casting a cover about the core from the composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.