Patents by Inventor Rick Kuhner

Rick Kuhner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Organic acid-modified polymers for golf ball constructions and methods relating thereto
    Patent number: 9200131
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized polymer composition (“NPC”) suitable for a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing an acid copolymer composition; soaking the acid copolymer composition in an organic acid to form a soaked polymeric composition wherein substantially all of the organic acid is absorbed within the acid copolymer composition; providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acid copolymer and organic acid; and melt processing the soaked polymeric composition and cation source to form a neutralized polymer composition. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Robert Blink, David A. Bulpett, Mark L. Binette, Rick Kuhner
  • Non-ionomeric polymer compositions for golf ball constructions and methods relating thereto
    Patent number: 9199128
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized non-ionomeric polymer composition (NNIPC) suitable for use in a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing a non-acid copolymer composition (NACC); soaking the NACC in an organic acid to form a soaked non-acid copolymer composition (SNACC); providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize at least a portion of the organic acid; and melt processing the SNACC and cation source to form the NNIPC. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NNIPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Mark L. Binette, Robert Blink, David A. Bulpett, Rick Kuhner
  • NON-IONOMERIC POLYMER COMPOSITIONS FOR GOLF BALL CONSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS RELATING THERETO
    Publication number: 20150005100
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized non-ionomeric polymer composition (NNIPC) suitable for use in a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing a non-acid copolymer composition (NACC); soaking the NACC in an organic acid to form a soaked non-acid copolymer composition (SNACC); providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize at least a portion of the organic acid; and melt processing the SNACC and cation source to form the NNIPC. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NNIPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Mark L. Binette, Robert Blink, David A. Bulpett, Rick Kuhner
  • ORGANIC ACID-MODIFIED POLYMERS FOR GOLF BALL CONSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS RELATING THERETO
    Publication number: 20150005101
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized polymer composition (“NPC”) suitable for a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing an acid copolymer composition; soaking the acid copolymer composition in an organic acid to form a soaked polymeric composition wherein substantially all of the organic acid is absorbed within the acid copolymer composition; providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acid copolymer and organic acid; and melt processing the soaked polymeric composition and cation source to form a neutralized polymer composition. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Blink, David A. Bulpett, Mark L. Binette, Rick Kuhner