US 11,904,509 B2
Method of making dual core golf ball using novel center plate button and resulting improved golf ball
Edward Costa, East Providence, RI (US); Ian Coberly, Warren, RI (US); Felix Egbe, New Bedford, MA (US); and Donald A. Serino, Plymouth, MA (US)
Assigned to Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed by Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/498,799.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/094,981, filed on Oct. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0126487 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 43/18 (2006.01); B29C 43/36 (2006.01); B29L 31/54 (2006.01); A63B 37/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 43/18 (2013.01) [B29C 43/36 (2013.01); A63B 37/0075 (2013.01); B29C 2043/182 (2013.01); B29L 2031/546 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of making a golf ball, comprising the steps of:
providing a spherical inner core;
creating each of a first partially cured outer shell and a second partially cured outer shell by:
depositing a predetermined amount of outer core material in each of a first hemispherical mold cup and a second hemispherical mold cup;
urging a first center plate button toward the first hemispherical mold cup and urging a second center plate button toward the second hemispherical mold cup;
wherein each of the first center plate button and the second center plate button has an outer surface comprising a spherical top portion and a frustoconical bottom portion:
applying sufficient heat and pressure to form a first partially cured outer shell and a second partially cured outer shell, each having an inner surface comprising a spherical surface portion and a frustoconical surface portion that corresponds to the outer surface of the center plate buttons;
placing the spherical inner core between the first partially cured outer shell and the second partially cured outer shell so that an outer surface of the inner core contacts the frustoconical surface portion of each of the first partially cured outer shell and the second partially cured outer shell; and
compression molding the first partially cured outer shell and the second partially cured outer shell about the spherical inner core to produce a dual core having a centered spherical inner core; and
forming at least one cover layer about the dual core.