Adjustable Putter Head Weighting and Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current putter designs lack a universal configuration that suits all players, leading to inconsistencies in ball launch speed and direction due to personal preferences in feel and weighting, which affects putting performance.
Innovation Solution
A putter head design featuring a main body with a base member, arms, and a central member, incorporating a weight assembly with polymeric material on the ball striking face and adjustable weight members to enhance weighting and vibration damping, along with geometric features for improved alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed weight configuration is used in putter designs, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability to different player preferences and skill levels deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The putter head is divided into separate components: a putter body and a detachable weight assembly. The weight assembly can be removed and replaced with different weight configurations to suit various player preferences and skill levels, while the putter body remains standardized for manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The putter design transitions from a static, fixed-weight configuration to a dynamic, adjustable weight system. Players can modify the weight configuration by attaching different weight assemblies to the putter body, allowing the putter to adapt to different putting styles and performance requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If weight assembly is detachably connected to putter body at multiple locations, then adaptability and performance customization are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structures (first and second openings) are designed to be symmetric and interchangeable, allowing the weight assembly to be attached at multiple locations on the putter body. This universal connection design enables performance customization without requiring different connection mechanisms for each attachment point.
Solution Approach 2:
The weight assembly is designed to nest within or alongside the putter body structure, with the beam member fitting into the cavity formed by the arms and central member. This nesting arrangement allows for multiple connection points while maintaining a compact overall structure.
3Reliability
If polymeric material is exposed on ball striking face surface, then vibration damping and feel are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ball striking face surface incorporates a polymeric material with a porous or cellular structure that is exposed through openings in the face. This porous polymeric material provides effective vibration damping while the regular pattern of openings allows for controlled manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The putter head combines metallic or hard materials for the structural components with polymeric material for the ball striking face surface. This composite construction provides both the structural integrity needed for manufacturing precision and the vibration damping properties of the polymeric material.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides consistent ball launch characteristics, customizable weighting for improved feel and performance, and enhanced alignment aids, leading to more accurate and consistent putting.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a weight assembly with polymeric material on the ball striking face and adjustable weight members to enhance weighting and vibration damping
Implementation Method 2
A putter head design featuring a main body with a base member, arms, and a central member, incorporating a weight assembly with polymeric material on the ball striking face and adjustable weight members to enhance weighting and vibration damping
Data Source
AI summary
A putter head has a putter body having a base member defining a ball striking face surface. The putter body further has a first arm extending away from the base member and a second arm extending away from the base member, and a central member extending away from the base member and positioned between the first arm and the second arm. A weight assembly is supported by the putter body. The weight assembly has a beam member having a first end, a second end and a central portion. The central portion is supported by the central member along a first plane, and the first end of the beam member is supported by the first arm along a second plane. The second plane is generally transverse to the first plane.