STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to radio-opaque fillers for a golf ball.

Description of the Related Art

X-ray scanning has been used in the past for golf balls.

Marshall et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,937 for a Method For Verifying The Concentricity Of A Multiple-Layer Golf Ball discloses using an X-ray imaging machine to determine the thickness at various locations of a golf ball to ensure concentricity of the golf ball.

The prior art fails to disclose imaging of multiple layers on a ball through any number of X-ray analysis techniques.

Determination of layer thickness or eccentricity in golf balls via X-ray has been disclosed in prior art. This involves doping a layer with a radio-opaque filler to provide contrast with other layers. However, the prior art refers to only doping a single layer to make measurements. Furthermore, it refers to very specific loadings, materials, and X-ray processes. This art is limiting in that it does not allow for imaging of multiple layers on the ball through any number of X-ray analysis techniques.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is the doping of multiple golf ball layers with the same or different concentrations of the same or different radio-opaque fillers to provide differential contrast in an X-ray process.

Another aspect of the present invention is a golf ball comprising a center core comprising polybutadiene and a cover layer disposed over the center core. Each of the center core and the cover layer comprises from 0.05% to 70% by weight of radio-opaque filler, and the center core has a concentration of the radio-opaque filler that is measurably different than a concentration of radio-opaque filler in the cover layer.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a golf ball comprising a center core comprising polybutadiene, an outer core disposed over the center core, an inner mantle layer disposed over the outer core, an outer mantle layer disposed over the inner mantle layer, and a cover layer disposed over the outer mantle layer. Each of the center core outer core, the inner mantle layer, the outer mantle layer and the cover layer comprises from 0.05% to 70% by weight of radio-opaque filler. Each of the center core, outer core, the inner mantle layer, the outer mantle layer and the cover layer has a concentration of the radio-opaque filler that is measurably different than a concentration of radio-opaque filler in any other layer. The inner mantle layer has a thickness ranging from 0.03 inch to 0.09 inch. The inner mantle layer is composed of an ionomer material. The inner mantle layer material has a plaque Shore D hardness ranging from 34 to 55. The outer mantle layer has a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.050 inch. The cover layer has a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.040 inch.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a center core, an outer core, and a cover layer disposed over the outer core. Two of the center core, outer core and the cover layer comprises from 0.05% to 70% by weight of a radio-opaque filler, and wherein the two of the center core, outer core and the cover layer has a concentration of the radio-opaque filler that is measurably different than a concentration of radio-opaque filler in the other layer.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for utilizing an imaging machine to determine a parameter of a finished golf ball. The method includes loading a golf ball into an imaging machine. The method also includes imaging the golf ball to determine a parameter of the golf ball. The golf ball comprises a center core and a cover layer disposed over the center core. Each of the center core and the cover layer comprises from 0.05% to 70% by weight of a radio-opaque filler. The center core has a concentration of the radio-opaque filler that is measurably different than a concentration of radio-opaque filler in the cover layer.

Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

