Process for manufacturing golf balls having multi-layered covers

摘要

The invention is directed to a process for making a golf ball having a multi-layered cover including a very thin outermost cover layer, the process comprising for example: forming first and second substantially hemispherical half shells having a thickness and comprising a thermoplastic composition, each half shell further having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface forming an hemispherical cavity; securing the first half shell in a golf ball mold; securing a core subassembly in a subassembly holder; dispensing an uncured liquid thermoset composition into the hemispherical cavity of the first half shell; inserting a first half of the core subassembly into the hemispherical cavity of the first half shell and displacing an amount of the uncured liquid thermoset composition such that the uncured liquid thermoset composition forms an inner cover layer having a thickness; disengaging the core subassembly from the subassembly holder when the thermoset composition has gelled to a point of rigidity; securing the second half shell in a golf ball mold; dispensing the uncured liquid thermoset composition into the hemispherical cavity of the second half shell; inserting a second half of the core subassembly into the hemispherical cavity of the second half shell and displacing an amount of the uncured liquid thermoset composition such that the uncured liquid thermoset composition forms an inner cover layer having a thickness and thereby mating the first and second half shells; and curing the thermoset inner cover layer to complete the golf ball and then removing the resulting golf ball from the golf ball mold.