Golf Ball Combination Dimples for Drag Reduction and Directionality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf ball dimples either suffer from high drag coefficients in high-speed regions or poor wind directionality, with circular dimples providing lift but increasing drag in low-speed regions and polygonal dimples offering stability but reducing flying distance due to rapid turbulent transitions and increased pressure drag.
Innovation Solution
The golf ball features combination dimples with a combined shape of concentric circles and polygons, where the circle's diameter is between the inscribed and circumscribed polygon diameters, creating a small bluff body that disperses pressure and reduces drag, while maintaining stability and distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If circular dimples with large diameter and similar depths are used, then lift is easily obtained and high trajectory is achieved, but drag coefficient increases in high-speed region and wind influence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dimple is divided into multiple segments: a first dimple portion and a second dimple portion with different depths. This segmentation allows each portion to serve different aerodynamic functions - the first portion generates lift while the second portion controls drag and wind influence, resolving the contradiction between obtaining lift and reducing drag coefficient
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the dimple are given different local properties through varying depths. The first dimple portion has a shallower depth optimized for lift generation, while the second dimple portion has a greater depth optimized for drag reduction and wind resistance control, allowing the single dimple structure to address multiple contradictory requirements
2Stability of the object's composition
If polygonal dimples with deeper depth are used, then turbulent transition is accelerated and directionality improves, but pressure drag increases and flying distance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The polygonal dimple is segmented into two depth zones - a first dimple portion and a second dimple portion. This segmentation enables the dimple to accelerate turbulent transition for improved directionality while controlling the overall depth to limit pressure drag increase, thus maintaining flying distance
Solution Approach 2:
The dimple structure implements local quality variation through different depths in different portions. The first dimple portion provides a shallower depth for controlled drag, while the second dimple portion provides greater depth for enhanced turbulent transition and directionality, resolving the contradiction between stability and pressure drag
3Force
If dimple depth is increased to obtain sufficient lift, then lift generation improves, but pressure drag increases rapidly in high-speed region and wind influence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dimple is segmented into a first dimple portion with shallower depth for lift generation and a second dimple portion with greater depth for drag control. This segmentation allows the structure to obtain sufficient lift without causing rapid pressure drag increase in the high-speed region
Solution Approach 2:
Different local depths are assigned to different portions of the dimple. The first dimple portion has optimized shallower depth for efficient lift generation, while the second dimple portion has greater depth to manage pressure drag and wind influence, resolving the contradiction between lift and drag
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
This design enhances flight performance by reducing drag and maintaining directionality across speed regions, achieving a balance between lift and stability, thereby increasing flying distance and straightness.
Implementation Method 1
an air flow causes turbulence and moves a separation point of a boundary layer to a rear portion of the golf ball
Implementation Method 2
moves a separation point of a boundary layer to a rear portion of the golf ball
Implementation Method 3
air pressure accumulates in the lower part under the influence of dimples, and the pressure decreases rapidly in the upper part, thereby generating a lift
Implementation Method 4
a reverse rotation occurs due to a loft angle of the club head. In a golf ball flying in reverse rotation, air pressure accumulates in the lower part
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a golf ball, wherein dimples having an extraordinary flight performance by combining the advantages of both circular dimples and polygonal dimples in the related art, in other words, by arranging the combined dimples that give depth to the face of the combined polygon and circle of the same center on the surface of the sphere, the trajectory is bent due to the influence of wind, which is a disadvantage of the conventional polygonal dimples. It is excellent in flight straightness by eliminating the effect, and when flying after hitting, the vertex region, which acts as a small bluff body, rotates and breaks the pressure in advance, causing a quick turbulent transition, and it becomes like an arc of a circular dimple instead of the sides of the general polygonal dimples.