Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. The golf ball includes an inner core and surrounding thermoplastic polyurethane outer cover. Multi-piece golf balls having outer cores, inner covers, and intermediate layers can be made. The invention includes cast molding methods for increasing the molecular weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane composition used to make the cover and ultimately to a golf ball cover having high shear and cut-resistance

Golf ball molds and methods for molding golf balls, particularly golf balls having thermoplastic polyurethane covers, are provided. The molds and methods are particularly suitable for manufacturing covers for golf balls. Multi-piece golf balls having inner cores, outer cores, inner covers, and intermediate layers can be made. Retractable pins are used for holding the golf ball within the mold, wherein each retractable pin has a primary vent section, secondary vent section, and tertiary vent section for removing air and other gasses from the interior spherical cavity of the mold.

Golf ball methods and molds for quickly and efficiently eliminating air/gas from within a mold while better centering a subassembly in the mold during golf ball manufacture and the improved golf balls resulting therefrom.

Golf ball methods and molds for quickly and efficiently eliminating air/gas from within a mold during golf ball manufacture and the improved golf balls resulting therefrom.

An injection molding device for producing a multicomponent injection molded product includes at least one first and at least one second outer mold plate arranged in a movable manner between an open position and a closed position. A central part arranged between the first and the second outer mold plate includes a first part which in the open position is arranged rotatable about an axis of rotation and to which first inner mold plates are attached which include first cavity segments. A second part arranged non-rotatable includes on one side in the direction of the first outer mold plate second cavity segments and on an opposite side in the direction of the second outer mold plate third cavity segments. Second inner mold plates clamp related intermediate products and in the open position are arranged displaceable in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation and rotatable around the second part to transport the intermediate products from the second cavity segments to the third cavity segments around the second part of the central part.

An injection mould having a first mould half (17) and a second mould half (18) which can be displaced relative to the first in a first direction (z). At least one of the mould halves has a slider arrangement (1) for forming a mould cavity (15). The slider arrangement (1) includes at least two sliders (2) which are moveable relative to one another between a closed and an open position and which are arranged so as to be displaceable with respect to a component (3), adjacent to the sliders (2), of the associated mould halves (17, 18) by means of first and second guide means (6, 7) respectively. A slider drive (4) is used to displace the sliders (2) between the open position and the closed position.

Method of making golf ball comprising aligning thermoformed depressions with dimpled mold cups and applying sufficient heat and suction to the thermoformed depressions without exposing any preselected subassembly to the heat and suction to soften the polymeric material of each thermoformed depression and draw air outward from a volume located between an inner surface of the dimpled mold cup and an outer surface of the thermoformed depression to form a thermoformed pre-form half-shell having an outer surface with the size, shape and contour of the inner surface of the dimpled mold cup(s) and an inner surface with the size, shape and contour of the outer surface of a preselected subassembly. Afterwards, a preselected subassembly is loaded between a pair of thermoformed pre-form half-shells and molded under sufficient short-term heat and suction to form the golf ball. The thickness of each thermoformed depression and thermoformed pre-form half-shell may be tapered.

A golf ball has a large number of exposed portions 22 on a surface thereof. An average value Hav of heights H of these exposed portions 22 is not less than 0.5 m and not greater than 50 m. The surface of the golf ball has one or more first zones and one or more second zones. An average value Hav1 of the heights H of the exposed portions 22 on these first zones is higher than an average value Hav2 of the heights H of the exposed portions 22 on these second zones. Preferably, the average value Hav1 and the average value Hav2 satisfy the following mathematical formula.
3(Hav1Hav2)50

A golf ball with a center core comprising 1,4 polybutadiene with a cis content more than 50% and containing a metal salt of acrylate, wherein the 1,4 polybutadiene has 5 to 60 weight percent of a metal salt of acrylate, is disclosed herein. The metal salt of acrylate is preferably selected from zinc, magnesium, sodium, and calcium.

A golf ball with a core comprising polybutadiene and graphene, and a soft cover is disclosed herein. The golf ball has a dual core with an outer core comprising polybutadiene and graphene. The soft cover is preferably composed of a highly neutralized polymer, a first ionomer, a second ionomer, and an impact modifier.