Multi-piece Golf Ball Core Hardness Profile for Flight Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-piece solid golf balls do not achieve optimal flight performance and controllability, especially for professional golfers and skilled amateurs, as they lack a specific core hardness profile and surface area distribution that balances spin rate and distance.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design with a core, intermediate layer, and cover, where the core hardness profile is optimized by specifying surface areas A to F based on Shore C hardness differences at specific distances from the core center and surface, ensuring a Shore C hardness difference of at least 28 and satisfying specific conditions for these areas to enhance flight performance and controllability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the core hardness profile is optimized with specific surface area distribution, then flight performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a non-uniform core hardness profile where different regions of the core have different hardness values. Specifically, the core has a softer center region and a harder outer region, with the hardness transitioning through specific surface areas (A-F) that are calculated based on Shore C hardness differences at various distances from the core center. This localized hardness variation optimizes both distance and spin characteristics without requiring multiple separate core pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by precisely controlling the Shore C hardness values at different radial positions within the core. The hardness profile is defined by specifying hardness differences at 2.5mm, 5.0mm, and 7.5mm intervals from the core center, creating six distinct surface areas (A-F) that must satisfy a specific mathematical relationship. This parameter-based approach allows for optimized flight performance while maintaining a single-piece core structure.
2Speed
If the spin rate is reduced on full shots, then distance is improved, but controllability in short game deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct hardness zones within the core that differentially affect full shots versus short game shots. The softer center region (with larger surface areas A, B, C) reduces spin on full shots for maximum distance, while the harder outer region (with smaller surface areas D, E, F) maintains spin control for short game shots, thereby resolving the contradiction between distance and controllability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes dynamics by creating a hardness gradient that responds differently to various impact conditions. The progressive hardness transition from center to surface allows the core to exhibit different effective stiffness characteristics depending on the force and location of impact, automatically optimizing performance for both distance shots and short game shots without requiring adjustable mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the intermediate layer-encased sphere has higher surface hardness than the ball, then flight performance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing the intermediate layer-encased sphere with a higher surface hardness than the final ball surface hardness before the cover is applied. This preliminary hardness configuration is designed to work in conjunction with the specific core hardness profile to achieve the desired flight performance characteristics, while the manufacturing precision is managed through the systematic approach of defining six surface areas with specific mathematical relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
In a golf ball having a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, the intermediate layer-encased sphere has a higher surface hardness than the ball. The core hardness profile in the ball is designed such that the core surface has a Shore C hardness value which is at least 28 higher than the Shore C hardness value at the core center, and the surface areas A to F calculated from hardness differences between positions located at specific distances in the core and differences between the specific distances satisfy a specific formula. This golf ball has an excellent flight performance when struck by skilled amateur golfers and professionals, and also has a good controllability on shots with an iron.