Dipyramid Golf Ball Dimple Patterns for USGA Distance Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to fine-tune dimple patterns and dimple dimensions on high-performance golf balls to reduce flight distance while maintaining a high-performance trajectory, as existing designs exceed the maximum distance allowed by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and lack aerodynamic efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The golf ball dimple patterns are arranged in dipyramid layouts with asymmetric dimple sections, varying dimple diameters, and low surface coverage, featuring spherical triangles with unique dimple arrangements that lack rotational and mirror symmetry, resulting in reduced flight distance without compromising aerodynamic consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If dimple surface coverage is increased to improve aerodynamic efficiency and distance, then flight distance increases, but the golf ball exceeds the maximum distance allowed by USGA standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging dimples in non-uniform patterns within dipyramid sections, where dimple sizes, spacing, and distributions vary asymmetrically across the ball surface. This creates optimized aerodynamic characteristics that reduce flight distance while maintaining efficiency, preventing excessive distance beyond USGA limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by dividing the golf ball surface into dipyramid sections with unique dimple characteristics in each section. Different dimple sizes, depths, and arrangements are applied locally to specific regions, allowing tailored aerodynamic performance that controls overall flight distance while maintaining high aerodynamic efficiency.
2Length of moving object
If inefficient dimple patterns with low surface coverage are used, then flight distance is reduced, but aerodynamic efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the golf ball surface into multiple dipyramid sections, each containing specific arrangements of dimples with varying sizes and patterns. This segmented approach allows optimization of aerodynamic efficiency in each section while controlling the overall surface coverage to reduce flight distance, achieving both goals simultaneously.
3Reliability
If high-performance golf balls are designed to exceed maximum distance, then aerodynamic consistency is improved, but compliance with USGA distance standards is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying dimple parameters including size, depth, spacing, and distribution patterns across different dipyramid sections. These parameter adjustments optimize aerodynamic consistency for reliable flight performance while tuning the overall distance characteristics to comply with USGA standards, achieving both reliability and adaptability.
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 dipyramid dimple patterns effectively reduce flight distance while maintaining a high-performance trajectory, achieving aerodynamic efficiency and adhering to USGA distance standards.
Implementation Method 1
The aerodynamic forces acting on a golf ball are typically resolved into orthogonal components of lift (FL) and drag (FD). Drag is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting parallel to the ball flight direction.
Implementation Method 2
The air separates from the surface of the ball, leaving a large turbulent flow area with low pressure, i.e., the wake. The difference between the high pressure in front of the ball and the low pressure behind the ball reduces the ball speed and acts as the primary source of drag.
Implementation Method 3
The air separates from the surface of the ball, leaving a large turbulent flow area with low pressure, i.e., the wake.
Data Source
AI summary
Golf balls having dimple patterns arranged in dipyramid layouts are disclosed. The patterns may be arranged in triangular dipyramid, quadrilateral dipyramid, pentagonal dipyramid, or hexagonal dipyramid layouts. The dipyramid patterns have six, eight, ten, or twelve substantially identical dimple sections, where each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle. The dimples in each of the identical dimple sections have at least two different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter and a maximum dimple diameter. The resulting dimple patterns have a surface coverage of about 70 percent or less. The reduced surface coverage helps to reduce the flight of the golf balls.