David A Bulpett

US Patent:

6354965, Mar 12, 2002

Filed:

Feb 2, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/496353

Inventors:

Kevin M. Harris - New Bedford MA
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Douglas E. Jones - N. Dartmouth MA
Shenshen Wu - N. Dartmouth MA

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3708

US Classification:

473354, 473357, 473351

Abstract:

Golf balls having two or more layers, one of which includes low water activity fluids, to inhibit or prevent weight loss through fluid loss, as well as methods of preparing such golf balls.

US Patent:

6417278, Jul 9, 2002

Filed:

May 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/575238

Inventors:

Derek A. Ladd - Vista CA
Laurent Bissonnette - Portsmouth RI
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Mark N. Wrigley - New Bedford MA

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3706

US Classification:

525193, 525236, 525245, 525261, 525274, 473373, 473374

Abstract:

A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center including a material formed from the conversion reaction of sufficient amounts of polybutadiene, a free radical source, and a cis-to-trans catalyst to convert a portion of cis-isomer to trans-isomer in the polybutadiene, which reaction occurs at a sufficient temperature to form the material that contains trans-isomer and cis-isomer, wherein said material has an amount of trans-isomer greater than the amount of trans-isomer present before the conversion reaction, at least one intermediate layer disposed about the center and including a resilient polymer component and a reinforcing polymer component present in an amount sufficient to provide an uncrosslinked first mixture having a rigidity as determined by a flexural modulus greater than about 3. 5 MPa, wherein the center and each intermediate layer together form the core, and a cover being disposed about the core, wherein the golf ball has a diameter of at least about 1. 68 inches. In particular, the cis-to-trans catalyst includes an organosulfur compound, a Group VIA component, an inorganic sulfide, or a combination thereof, and the reinforcing polymer includes trans-polyisoprene.

US Patent:

6435986, Aug 20, 2002

Filed:

Dec 3, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/453701

Inventors:

Shenshen Wu - North Dartmouth MA
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Kevin M. Harris - New Bedford MA
Mitchell E. Lutz - Fairhaven MA
Murali Rajagopalan - South Dartmouth MA

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3712

US Classification:

473378, 473377, 473365, 473351, 473354, 473356, 473358

Abstract:

The invention provides a golf ball having a cover, intermediate layers and/or a core comprising in whole or in part of water resistant polyurethane elastomers. The polyurethane elastomers may be blended with conventional materials employed to form golf balls, covers and intermediate layers.

US Patent:

6458895, Oct 1, 2002

Filed:

Dec 16, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/461421

Inventors:

Mark N. Wrigley - New Bedford MA
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Jeffrey L. Dalton - North Dartmouth MA
Derek Ladd - New Bedford MA
Steven M. Gosetti - Providence RI
Murali Rajagopalan - South Dartmouth MA
Laurent C. Bissonnette - Portsmouth RI

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3702

US Classification:

525248, 525264, 525274, 5253325, 5253326, 473354, 473357, 473371, 473372, 473373, 473374, 473377

Abstract:

A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center and a cover, made from a polybutadiene reaction product having polybutadiene, a cis-to-trans catalyst including a Group VIA element, such as at least one of sulfur, polymeric sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, and a free radical source. The reaction product typically has a first dynamic stiffness measured at -50Â C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0Â C. A multi-layer golf ball having a center, at least one intermediate layer disposed concentrically about the center, and a cover. At least a portion of at least one of the center, intermediate layer, or both, are made from a reaction product including polybutadiene having a cis-to-trans catalyst that includes at least one elemental sulfur, polymeric sulfur, selenium, or tellurium component and a free radical source. In particular, the use of various combinations of polybutadiene, cis-to-trans catalyst including at least one elemental component, free radical source, filler, and crosslinker, produces golf balls and golf ball components that are resilient (fast) and have low compression (soft).

US Patent:

6465578, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Dec 16, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/461736

Inventors:

Laurent C. Bissonnette - Portsmouth RI
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Jeffrey L. Dalton - North Dartmouth MA
Derek Ladd - New Bedford MA
Steven M. Gosetti - Providence RI
Murali Rajagopalan - South Dartmouth MA
Mark N. Wrigley - New Bedford MA

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3706

US Classification:

525261, 525274, 473354, 473357, 473371, 473372, 473373, 473374, 473377

Abstract:

A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center and a cover, made from a polybutadiene reaction product having polybutadiene, a cis-to-trans catalyst including an organosulfur component, and a free radical source. The reaction product has a first dynamic stiffness measured at -50Â C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0Â C. A multi-layer golf ball having a center, at least one intermediate layer disposed concentrically about the center, and a cover. At least a portion of at least one of the center, intermediate layer, or both, are made from a reaction product including polybutadiene having a cis-to-trans catalyst that includes at least one organosulfur component and a free radical source. The reaction product has a first dynamic stiffness measured at -50Â C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0Â C.

US Patent:

6486261, Nov 26, 2002

Filed:

Nov 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/721740

Inventors:

Shenshen Wu - North Dartmouth MA
Edmund A. Hebert - Fairhaven MA
Laurent Bissonnette - Portsmouth RI
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Murali Rajagopalan - South Dartmouth MA
Peter Voorheis - Fall River MA
Mark N. Wrigley - New Bedford MA

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3712

US Classification:

5253326, 5253325, 525274, 473374, 473376, 473377, 473378

Abstract:

A golf ball comprising a center comprising a polybutadiene having a molecular weight of greater than 200,000 and a resilience index of at least about 40; and a cover layer comprising a polyurethane composition formed from a prepolymer having no greater than 7. 5 percent by weight unreacted isocyanate groups.

US Patent:

6508968, Jan 21, 2003

Filed:

Sep 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/658382

Inventors:

David A. Bulpett - Boston MA 02118
Laurent Bissonnette - Portsmouth RI 02871
Jeffrey L. Dalton - North Dartmouth MA 02747
Derek Ladd - New Bedford MA 02745
Steven M. Gosetti - Providence RI 02908
Murali Rajagopalan - South Dartmouth MA 02748
Mark M. Wrigley - New Bedford MA 02744

International Classification:

B29C 4300

US Classification:

264250, 2642791, 264319, 264325, 26433117

Abstract:

A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center and a cover, wherein at least a portion of the ball is formed from the conversion reaction of an amount of polybutadiene, a free radical source, and a cis-to-trans catalyst including at least one inorganic sulfide at a sufficient temperature to form a polybutadiene reaction product which includes an amount of trans-polybutadiene greater than the amount of trans-polybutadiene present before the conversion reaction and a cis-to-trans catalyst including at least one inorganic sulfide. The reaction product preferably has a first dynamic stiffness measured at -50Â C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0Â C. A multi-layer golf ball having a center, at least one intermediate layer disposed concentrically about the center, and a cover, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the center, intermediate layer, or both, are made from the reaction product. Also included are methods of forming such golf balls.

US Patent:

6555627, Apr 29, 2003

Filed:

Dec 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/741053

Inventors:

Laurent Bissonnette - Portsmouth RI
David A. Bulpett - Boston MA
Derek A. Ladd - Vista CA

Assignee:

Acushnet Company - Fairhaven MA

International Classification:

A63B 3706

US Classification:

525274, 473354, 473371, 473374

Abstract:

Golf balls having a core including a material formed from polybutadiene, a crosslinking agent, and a free-radical initiator, and a cover having a plurality of dimples disposed about the core, wherein the material includes at least about 80 percent trans-isomer polybutadiene and no more than about 10 percent vinyl-configuration polybutadiene and wherein the material has an absolute molecular weight of at least about 100,000. In another embodiment, the vinyl-configuration polybutadiene is present in no more than about 15 percent and the absolute molecular weight is at least about 200,000. Methods of preparing such golf balls are also recited.