Foamed Golf Ball Core with Segmented Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf ball technologies face challenges in achieving a foamed core that improves distance performance and feel at impact while maintaining resilience, as foaming resin materials reduce resilience and two-layer cores increase production costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball core is created with a foamed region formed by thermal decomposition of an organic peroxide, using a rubber composition with polybutadiene and a co-crosslinking agent, where the foamed region is strategically positioned to minimize resilience loss and control spin rate, achieved through a two-step curing process with specific mold diameters and temperature conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If resin material is foamed to control moment of inertia, then distance performance is improved, but resilience is greatly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The core is divided into multiple layers with different foaming characteristics. The inner core layer remains unfoamed or less foamed to maintain resilience, while the outer core layer is foamed to control moment of inertia and improve distance performance. This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the core have different foam densities and structures. The inner region has lower foam content for resilience, while the outer region has higher foam content for moment of inertia control. This local differentiation optimizes both distance performance and resilience simultaneously.
2Manufacturing precision
If two-layer core construction is used to achieve foaming in target range, then foaming control is improved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex two-layer core construction, the invention applies foaming agents to only the outer layer of the core, leaving the inner layer substantially unfoamed. This partial action achieves the desired moment of inertia control while simplifying the overall core construction and reducing production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the foaming function from the entire core construction and concentrates it only in the outer layer. This eliminates the need for complex two-layer construction while maintaining precise control over the foamed region and achieving the target moment of inertia.
3Manufacturing precision
If compressible gaseous material or thermally expandable microcapsules are used for foaming, then foamed region formation is improved, but manufacturing reliability deteriorates due to collapse or improper expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the rubber composition by incorporating specific foaming agents and curing agents that generate gas uniformly during curing. This approach ensures reliable and consistent foamed region formation without the collapse or improper expansion issues associated with compressible gaseous materials or thermally expandable microcapsules.
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 solution allows for a golf ball with improved distance and reduced spin rate by deforming the foamed core upon impact, maintaining resilience and reducing production costs through efficient manufacturing without the need for additional blowing agents.
Implementation Method 1
a gas generated by thermal decomposition of an organic peroxide forms a foamed region
Implementation Method 2
the foamed portion of the core deforms to a certain degree upon impact and can thus decrease the radius of gyration of the golf ball
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a golf ball having a core and a cover of one or more layer encasing the core, wherein the core has a center core and a foamed outer layer that directly, or indirectly through another layer, envelops the center core. The foamed outer layer is made of a rubber composition that includes a base rubber, a co-crosslinking agent and an organic peroxide. The foamed outer layer has an inside portion facing the ball center and an outside portion facing the outside of the ball that are unfoamed regions, and contains a foamed region in an intermediate portion therebetween. A method of manufacturing such a golf ball is also provided.