Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Ball
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-09
2003-10-14
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Ball
C473S371000, C473S351000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06632149
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-piece solid golf ball. More particularly, it relates to a multi-piece solid golf ball having excellent flight performance by accomplishing high launch angle and low spin amount, and having good shot feel, which is light and has good rebound, when hit by using from a driver and long iron club to a middle iron club. In addition, the multi-piece solid golf ball has excellent controllability by accomplishing high spin at short iron shots to approach shots, and having very soft and good shot feel at short iron shots to approach shots and putts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Solid golf balls, which have good rebound characteristics and small spin amount, are generally approved of or employed by most general amateur golfers, who regard flight distance as the most important characteristic of a golf ball. On the other hand, professional golfers and high level golfers regard controllability as most important, followed by soft and good shot feel, and flight performance. Therefore they have mainly employed thread wound golf balls, because they regard controllability as most important and the golf ball has soft and good shot feel.
The thread wound golf ball has sufficiently satisfied performance in view of controllability when hit by a short iron club and the like and has soft and good shot feel. However, it is a problem that the thread wound golf ball has a structure, which is easy to apply spin, and it has a high spin amount when hit not only by a short iron club, where the controllability is required, but by a driver to middle iron club, which reduces the flight performance, and the shot is heavy and poor.
In order to solve the problem, many two-piece and three-piece solid golf balls, of which the shot feel and flight performance are improved while maintaining good controllability, have been proposed (Japanese Patent Kokai Publication Nos. 239067/1997, 332247/1996, 313643/1997, 10358/1997, and Japanese Patent No. 2658811 and the like), and they generally occupy the greater part of the golf ball market.
In Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 239067/1997, a two-piece solid golf ball which comprises a core and a cover is described. The core has a surface hardness in JIS-C hardness of not more than 85, a center hardness in JIS-C hardness is lower than the surface hardness by not more than 8 and less than 20, a hardness at the distance of not more than 5 mm from the surface of the core is lower than the surface hardness by not more than 8, a hardness of the cover is higher than the surface hardness of the core by 1 to 15, a thickness of the cover is 1.5 to 1.95 mm, and a number of dimples is within the range of 360 to 450.
In Japanese Patent Kokai Publications Nos. 332247/1996 and 313643/1997, a three-piece solid golf ball which comprises a two-layer structured core and a cover is described. In Japanese Patent Kokai Publications No. 332247/1996, a three-piece solid golf ball which comprises a two-layer structured core composed of an inner core and outer core, and a cover is described. The inner core has a diameter of 25 to 37 mm, has a center hardness in JIS-C hardness of 60 to 85 and has a hardness difference from the center of the inner core to the surface of the inner core is within the range of not more than 4, the outer core has a surface hardness in JIS-C hardness of 75 to 90, and the cover has a flexural modulus of 1,200 to 3,600 kg/cm
2
.
In Japanese Patent Kokai Publications No. 313643/1997, a three-piece solid golf ball of which an intermediate layer is placed between a core and a cover is described. The core has a center hardness in JIS-C hardness of not more than 75 and has a surface hardness in JIS-C hardness of not more than 85, the surface hardness is higher than the center hardness by 5 to 25, a hardness of the intermediate layer is higher than the surface hardness of the core by less than 10, and a hardness of the cover is higher than the hardness of the intermediate layer.
In Japanese Patent No. 2658811 and Japanese Patent Kokai Publications No. 10358/1997, a three-piece solid golf ball which comprises a core and a two-layer structured cover is described. In Japanese Patent No. 2658811, a three-piece solid golf ball of which an intermediate layer is placed between a center core and a cover is described. The center core has a diameter of not less than 26 mm, a specific gravity of less than 1.4 and a JIS-C hardness of not more than 80, the intermediate layer has a thickness of not less than 1 mm, a specific gravity of less than 1.2 and a JIS-C hardness of less than 80, and the cover has a thickness of 1 to 3 mm and a JIS-C hardness of not less than 85.
In Japanese Patent Kokai Publications No. 10358/1997, a three-piece solid golf ball of which an intermediate layer is placed between a center core and a cover is described. The intermediate layer has a Shore D hardness of 30 to 55, and the cover has a Shore D hardness of 45 to 58.
In the golf balls described above, flight performance and shot feel when hit by using from a driver to a middle iron club are improved, but sufficient performances has not been obtained in view of the balance of the flight performance and shot feel, and controllability at short iron shot to approach shot. If the controllability will be improved, spin amount is large when hit by using from a long iron club to a middle iron club, where long flight distance is still required, and the flight distance is reduced. If the flight distance when hit by using from a driver to a middle iron club will be improved, shot feel at short iron shot to approach shot and put is hard or heavy, and poor. Therefore, a golf ball having sufficient performances has been obtained.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a multi-piece solid golf ball, of which flight performance, controllability and good shot feel at the time of hitting are improved.
According to the present invention, the object described above has been accomplished by providing a multi-piece solid golf ball comprising a core having at least one layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, and adjusting a thickness and hardness of the intermediate layer and a hardness of the cover to specified ranges, thereby providing a multi-piece solid golf ball, of which flight performance, controllability and good shot feel at the time of hitting are improved.
This object as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Hunter, Jr. Alvin A.
Sewell Paul T.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd.
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