Golf Ball Core Using Fatty Acid Crosslinking for Flight Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf ball technologies do not effectively enhance flight distance on driver shots, as they either prioritize initial speed or launch angle and spin rate, failing to combine these factors for optimal performance.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a spherical core made from a rubber composition containing a base rubber, an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid or its metal salt as a co-crosslinking agent, a crosslinking initiator, an unsaturated fatty acid or its metal salt, and a saturated fatty acid or its metal salt, which together improve resilience and flight distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a core with high resilience is used, then initial speed is enhanced, but flight distance is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the rubber core by incorporating specific fatty acids (unsaturated and saturated) and metal salts to optimize both resilience and flight distance performance simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite rubber composition combining base rubber with specific fatty acids and metal salts to achieve a balance between initial speed and flight distance that neither component could provide alone
2Shape
If a core with hardness distribution increasing toward the surface is used, then launch angle and spin rate are improved, but initial speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the hardness distribution parameter by controlling the composition and crosslinking of the rubber core to achieve optimal launch angle while maintaining sufficient initial speed
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional rubber composition is used, then manufacturing is simple, but flight distance performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the chemical parameters of the rubber composition by adding specific fatty acids and metal salts to enhance flight distance while maintaining conventional manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses metal salts as intermediary substances that facilitate crosslinking between fatty acid chains, creating a three-dimensional network structure that improves flight distance without complicating the manufacturing process
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 golf ball achieves a great flight distance on driver shots by combining high resilience and optimal launch conditions, resulting in improved shot performance and feel.
Implementation Method 1
a crosslinked product of a rubber composition as a constituent element, wherein the rubber composition contains, as an essential component, a filler, an organic peroxide, and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof in a base rubber
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent flying performance on driver shots. The present invention provides a golf ball having a spherical core and at least one cover layer covering the spherical core, wherein the spherical core is formed from a rubber composition containing: (a) a base rubber, (b) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a metal salt thereof as a co-crosslinking agent, (c) a crosslinking initiator, (d) an unsaturated fatty acid and/or a metal salt thereof (excluding an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a metal salt thereof), and (e) a saturated fatty acid and/or a metal salt thereof, provided that the rubber composition further contains (f) a metal compound in the case of containing only (b) the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms as the co-crosslinking agent.