Patents Represented by Attorney William B. Lacy

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  • Impact resistant non-ionic fluoropolymer blends for golf ball inner layers
    Patent number: 7009002
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core having a first density formed from a diene rubber composition including glass microspheres having an isotactic crush strength of about 5,000 psi or greater and having a true density of about 0.70 g/cm3 or less, the microspheres being present in an amount sufficient to lower the first density to about 1.05 g/cm3 or less; a cover; and an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, the intermediate layer having a density of from about 1.3 g/cm3 to about 1.9 g/cm3 and including a composition formed from a compatibilized blend of a non-ionic fluoropolymer and an acrylate-based polymer; wherein a ratio of the core density to the intermediate layer density is between about 0.81 to about 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Murali Rajagopalan, Douglas S. Goguen, Pamela V. Arnold
  • Thick inner cover multi-layer golf ball
    Patent number: 7004856
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core including a halogenated thiophenol and having a diameter of from about 1.3 inches to about 1.4 inches, a compression of about 44 or less; and a coefficient of restitution of from about 0.770 to about 0.810; a cast polyurethane or polyurea cover; and an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, the intermediate layer having a thickness of from about 0.11 inches to about 0.12 inches and being formed from a composition including at least two ionomers; wherein a combination of the core and the intermediate layer results in a compression of from about 70 to about 100, and the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of from about 0.805 to about 0.820 at about 125 ft/s and a compression of from about 75 to about 105.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Derek A. Ladd
  • Automated flash removal in golf ball production
    Patent number: 6998083
    Abstract: An automated flash/overflow removal system for the manufacturing of golf balls, including a gripping assembly mounted on a motion system. The gripping assembly includes a plurality of gripping members capable of clamping and releasing the flash/overflow from a golf ball mold portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. Moore, Thomas L. Mydlack
  • Golf balls comprising highly-neutralized acid polymers
    Patent number: 6994638
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core comprised of a polymer containing an acid group fully-neutralized by an organic acid or a salt, a cation source, or a suitable base thereof, the core having a first Shore D hardness, a compression of no greater than about 90, and a diameter of between about 1.00 inches and about 1.64 inches; and a cover layer comprising ionomeric copolymers and terpolymers, ionomer precursors, thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, polybutadiene rubber, balata, grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, non-grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, single-site polymers, high-crystalline acid polymers and their ionomers, or cationic ionomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Murali Rajagopalan, Michael J. Sullivan
  • Multi-layer golf ball with a thin, castable outer layer
    Patent number: 6992135
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core; an intermediate layer formed from a polymer blend including a first material having a flexural modulus of between about 65,000 psi and about 120,000 psi and a second material including a grafted-metallocene polymer; and a cover layer formed from a castable reactive liquid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Herbert C. Boehm, William E. Morgan, Jeffrey L. Dalton, Douglas E. Jones, Christopher Cavallaro, Murali Rajagopalan
  • Monodisperse heterotelechelic diol/amine-based polyurethane/urea hybrids for use golf balls
    Patent number: 6992139
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core and a cover layer, where the cover layer includes a curing agent and a polyurethane/urea hybrid prepolymer formed from a polyisocyanate and a monodisperse heterotelechelic polymer having a polydispersity of from about 1.0 to about 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Murali Rajagopalan
  • Monodisperse telechelic diol-based polyurethanes for use in golf balls
    Patent number: 6989422
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core and a cover layer including a curing agent and a polyurethane prepolymer formed from a polyisocyanate and a monodisperse telechelic polyol having a polydispersity of from about 1.0 to about 1.3, and having the formula: T-Zn-C-Y-C-Zn-T where Y is at least one molecule or mixtures of molecules having at least two independently polymerized vinyl groups, such as 1,3-divinylbenzene or 1,4-divinylbenzene; C is a hydrogenated or unsaturated block derived by anionic polymerization of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes, alkenyl-substituted aromatics, and mixtures thereof; Zn is a branched or straight chain hydrocarbon connecting group which contains n=1–50 carbon atoms; and T is hydroxyl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Murali Rajagopalan
  • Monodisperse telechelic amine-based polyureas for use in golf balls
    Patent number: 6987146
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core and a cover layer including a curing agent and a polyurea prepolymer formed from a polyisocyanate and a monodisperse telechelic polyamine having a polydispersity of from about 1.0 to about 1.3, and having the formula: T-Zn-C—Y—C-Zn-T where Y is at least one molecule or mixtures of molecules having at least two independently polymerized vinyl groups, such as 1,3-divinylbenzene or 1,4-divinylbenzene; C is a hydrogenated or unsaturated block derived by anionic polymerization of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes, alkenyl-substituted aromatics, and mixtures thereof; Zn is a branched or straight chain hydrocarbon connecting group which contains n=1–50 carbon atoms; and T is primary or secondary amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Manjari Kuntimaddi, Murali Rajagopalan
  • Thin, thermoset, polyurethane-covered golf ball with a dual core
    Patent number: 6960630
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core including a center having an outer diameter from about 0.375 inches to about 1.4 inches and deflection of greater than about 4.5 mm under a load of 100 Kg and an outer core layer having an outer diameter of from about 1.4 in to about 1.62 in, wherein at least one of the center or core layer includes polybutadiene rubber composition including a halogenated organosulfur compound or a metal salt thereof, and a cover including an inner cover layer having an outer diameter of greater than about 1.58 in and a material hardness of less than about 72 Shore D and an outer cover layer having a hardness of greater than about 50 Shore D and a material hardness of less than about 50 Shore D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Christopher Cavallaro, Ryan W Bosanko, Peter R Voorheis
  • Golf ball
    Patent number: 6953404
    Abstract: A golf ball with a center and a cover layer formed over the center is disclosed. The center exhibits a high velocity and is soft with a compression of less than about 75. The cover layer is soft with a Shore D hardness on the ball of less than about 58. The cover layer includes an ionomer component and a metallocene polymer component. The ionomer component can be a single ionomer or a blend of ionomers. The metallocene polymer component can be a single metallocene polymer or a blend of metallocene polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Michael D Jordan
  • Golf balls comprising chiral diols or chiral cyclic ethers
    Patent number: 6949617
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core or the cover comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition comprising a polyurethane prepolymer formed from a reactant A comprising an isocyanate; and a reactant B comprising a polyether polyol having a repeating branched oxyalkylene monomer unit, or a polymerized polyol formed from a chiral diol or a chiral cyclic ether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Murali Rajagopalan, Shenshen Wu
  • Golf ball with improved flight performance
    Patent number: 6945880
    Abstract: A golf ball is provided that has improved aerodynamic efficiency, resulting in increased flight distance for golfers of all swing speeds, and more particularly for golfers possessing very high swing speeds, such as those who can launch the balls at an initial speed greater than 160 miles per hour and more particularly at initial ball speed of about 170 miles per hour or higher. The golf ball of the present invention combines lower dimple count with multiple dimple sizes to provide higher dimple coverage and improved aerodynamic characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Douglas E. Jones
  • Golf ball cores formed from unsaturated organic imide co-curing agents
    Patent number: 6943217
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core formed from a composition comprising a metal salt of an unsaturated organic acid and at least one co-curing agent comprising an unsaturated imide or a metallic derivatives thereof; and a cover layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Peter R Voorheis, Murali Rajagopalan
  • Golf balls comprising highly-neutralized acid polymers
    Patent number: 6939907
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core comprised of a polymer containing an acid group fully-neutralized by an organic acid or a salt, a cation source, or a suitable base thereof, the core having a first Shore D hardness, a compression of no greater than about 80, and a diameter of no less than about 1.53 inches; and a cover formed of a blend comprising polyurethanes and polyureas or a copolymer comprising urethane and urea segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Murali Rajagopalan, Michael J. Sullivan
  • Method for forming golf ball cores
    Patent number: 6939497
    Abstract: A method of forming a golf ball core includes compression molding a core material in a mold cavity to form a partially-cured core, then the partially-cured core is removed from the mold cavity and placed in a medium to continue curing until it is substantially-cured. The method can also be used to form a golf ball by adding the step of forming a cover layer over the substantially-cured core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Stephen K. Scolamiero
  • Surface modification to promote golf ball layer adhesion
    Patent number: 6926621
    Abstract: A method for increasing adhesion between golf ball layers comprising the steps of providing a golf ball layer having a first surface; preparing the first surface for treatment; exposing the first layer to a silane; providing a second golf ball layer; and adhering the second layer to the first via the silane. Additionally, a golf ball including an inner component, a molecular monolayer, and at least one cover layer, wherein the inner component and the at least one cover layer have differing surface energies and the cover layer is adhered to inner component with the molecular monolayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Mitchell E. Lutz, Matthew F. Hogge
  • Dendritic macromolecule compositions for use in golf balls
    Patent number: 6924347
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core, a cover, and, optionally, an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein at least one of the core, cover layer, or optional intermediate layer includes at least one dendritic macromolecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: William E Morgan, Kevin M Harris, Murali Rajagopalan, Shenshen Wu, Manjari Kuntimaddi
  • Golf ball compositions comprising nanoparticulates
    Patent number: 6919395
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least one of the core and the cover is formed of a composition comprising an organic, inorganic, or metallic nanoparticulate material having a particle size of less than about 1000 nm and at least one matrix material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Murali Rajagopalan, Mitchell E. Lutz, Peter R. Voorheis
  • Thin-layer-covered multilayer golf ball
    Patent number: 6913547
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed about the core, wherein the core comprises a center and at least one outer core layer adjacent the center, and the cover comprises at least one inner cover layer and an outer cover layer, wherein the center has an outer diameter from about 0.375 in to about 1.4 in and deflection of greater than about 4.5 mm under a load of 100 Kg, the outer core layer has an outer diameter of from about 1.4 in to about 1.62 in, the inner cover layer has an outer diameter of greater than about 1.58 in and a material hardness of less than about 72 Shore D, and the outer cover layer has a hardness of greater than about 50 Shore D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Christopher Cavallaro, Ryan B. Bosanko, Edmund A. Hebert
  • Acid-functional polyurethane and polyurea compositions for golf balls
    Patent number: 6903178
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core having a compression greater than about 55; and an outer cover comprising an acid-functional polyurethane, polyurea, or copolymer thereof, the outer cover having a Shore D hardness of at least about 25, a thickness of from at least about 0.02 inches to about 0.03 inches, and a specific gravity of at least about 0.7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Shenshen Wu, Shawn Ricci, Murali Rajagopalan, Michael J. Sullivan