Golf Ball Dimple Geometry for Fairway Wood Flight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls with existing dimple designs do not achieve optimal flight performance when hit with fairway woods, as they fail to maximize lift force and minimize drag effectively for longer distances.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball with a specific dimple pattern and geometry, calculated using a drag coefficient CD and lift force coefficient CL, adhering to a mathematical formula that ensures a minimum vector angle Amin is within a certain range, enhancing turbulization and lift force, thereby improving flight performance with fairway woods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a golf ball has a large number of dimples on the surface to achieve turbulization and reduce drag, then flight distance is improved, but flight performance when hit with fairway wood is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the dimple geometry parameters (depth, diameter, spacing) and surface area ratios to optimize aerodynamic performance for fairway wood shots. The specific parameters include dimple depth of 0.05-0.20mm, diameter of 1.5-4.0mm, and surface area ratio of 5-30%, which are tuned to achieve optimal lift and drag characteristics for this specific club type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating non-uniform dimple distributions with varying depths and diameters at different locations on the golf ball surface. The dimple pattern is designed to have different characteristics in different regions to optimize airflow separation and reattachment specifically for fairway wood shot conditions, rather than using a uniform dimple pattern throughout.
2Force
If the dimple pattern is designed to maximize lift force for driver shots, then flight distance with driver is improved, but flight performance with fairway wood deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a dimple pattern that provides optimal performance across multiple club types, particularly fairway woods and drivers. The aerodynamic characteristics are tuned to work effectively with both club types, making the golf ball versatile for different shot scenarios rather than optimized for a single club type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes to adjust the dimple geometry to achieve the right balance between lift and drag characteristics that work for both driver and fairway wood shots. The specific parameter ranges (dimple depth, diameter, spacing, surface area ratio) are optimized to provide adequate lift for distance while maintaining adaptability to different club characteristics.
3Loss of energy
If the dimple surface area is increased to enhance turbulization, then drag reduction is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the dimple surface area ratio to a specific range of 5-30% of the total ball surface area. This controlled parameter range ensures sufficient turbulization for drag reduction while keeping the manufacturing process feasible. The specific depth and diameter ranges (0.05-0.20mm depth, 1.5-4.0mm diameter) further constrain the manufacturing precision requirements to achievable levels.
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 excellent flight performance and distance when hit with fairway woods, with a calculated trajectory that satisfies specific mathematical conditions, ensuring optimal aerodynamic behavior.
Implementation Method 1
The dimples disturb the air flow around the golf ball during flight to cause turbulent flow separation. This phenomenon is referred to as 'turbulization'. Due to turbulization, separation points of the air from the golf ball shift backwards leading to a reduction of drag.
Implementation Method 2
The dimples disturb the air flow around the golf ball during flight to cause turbulent flow separation. This phenomenon is referred to as 'turbulization'. Due to turbulization, separation points of the air from the golf ball shift backwards
Implementation Method 3
The turbulization promotes the displacement between the separation point on the upper side and the separation point on the lower side of the golf ball, which results from the backspin, thereby enhancing the lift force that acts upon the golf ball.
Data Source
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AI summary
A golf ball 2 having excellent flight performance upon a shot with a fairway wood is provided. The golf ball 2 has a large number of dimples 8 on a surface thereof. A trajectory of the golf ball 2 calculated under conditions of an initial speed of 260 ft/s, a launch angle of 15.0 degrees, and an initial backspin rate of 3000 rpm satisfies the following mathematical formula. Amin≥−5.0*Vave−38.98, wherein Amin represents a minimum value (degree) of a vector angle A in the trajectory, and Vave represents an average volume (mm3) of the dimples 8. The vector angle A is calculated by the following mathematical formula. A=ATANVy/Vx, wherein Vx represents a horizontal component of a speed of the golf ball 2, and Vy represents a vertical component of the speed of the golf ball 2.