Appeal No. 2004-0242 Page 6
Application No. 09/873,594
In the BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION section of the
patent (column 2, line 31, to column 3, line 50), Nesbitt teaches:
Referring to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a golf ball 10 which
comprises a solid center or core 12 formed as a solid body of resilient polymeric
material or rubber-like material in the shape of a sphere. Disposed on the
spherical center or core 12 is a first layer, lamination, ply or inner cover 14 of
molded hard, highly flexural modulus resinous material such as type 1605 Surlyn
marketed by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.[1]
This material of the inner layer 14 being a hard, high flexural modulus
resin produces a substantial gain of coefficient of restitution over the coefficient
of restitution of the core or center. An outer layer, ply, lamination or cover 16 of
comparatively soft, low flexural modulus resinous material such as type 1855
Surlyn marketed by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company [2] is then re-molded
onto the inner ply or layer 14, the outer surface of the outer layer or cover 16
being of dimpled configuration providing a finished three-piece golf ball.
According to the United States Golf Association Rules, the minimum
diameter prescribed for a golf ball is 1.680 inches and the maximum weight
prescribed for a golf ball is 1.620 ounces. It is therefore desirable to produce a
golf ball having an improved coefficient of restitution to attain an initial velocity for
the golf ball approaching the maximum velocity limit of 255 feet per second, the
maximum limit provided by the United States Golf Association Rules.
The hard, high flexural modulus resin is employed to increase the
coefficient of restitution in order to attain or approach the maximum initial velocity
for the golf ball. The use of a soft low flexural modulus resin provides little or no
gain in the coefficient of restitution and may tend to reduce the coefficient of
restitution thereby adversely affecting the initial velocity factor.
1 As set forth on page 3 of the appellant's specification Type 1605 Surlyn® (now designated
Surlyn® 8940) is a sodium ion based low acid (less than or equal to 15 weight percent methacrylic acid)
ionomer resin having a flexural modulus of about 51,000 psi.
2 As set forth on page 4 of the appellant's specification Type 1855 Surlyn® (now designated
Surlyn® 9020) is a zinc ion based low acid (10 weight percent methacrylic acid) ionomer resin having a
flexural modulus of about 14,000 psi.
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