GOLF BALL DIMPLES EXHIBITING TWO DISTINCT HARDNESS REGIONS DERIVED FROM A SINGLE COVER LAYER AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME

摘要

The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a cover in which the dimples have two distinct hardness regions. The cover of the present invention is formed from a castable formulation including at least one prepolymer that incorporates some degree of unsaturation in the backbone of the polymer, at least one curative, and at least one free radical initiator. The present invention also explores the methods of making such golf balls. The methods of the present invention allow for the production of a golf ball dimple with two distinct hardnesses to be formed using a single castable formulation.

主权项

1. A method of forming a golf ball, comprising:
providing a core; preparing a castable formulation comprising at least one prepolymer, at least one curative, and at least one free radical initiator; casting the formulation into upper and lower cavities of a golf ball mold, wherein upon joining the upper and lower cavities, the core is contained within the formulation; curing the formulation to form a provisional golf ball having an outermost surface comprising a plurality of dimples; placing the provisional golf ball into a second mold, wherein the second mold comprises upper and lower masks, and wherein the upper and lower masks expose at least a portion of the outermost surface; and subjecting the second mold to a treatment capable of initiating free radicals in the formulation, wherein the exposed portion of the outermost surface undergoes additional curing to form an outermost surface comprising an exposed portion and a masked portion, wherein the exposed portion of the outermost surface has a different hardness than the masked portion of the outermost surface.