Golf Ball Dimple Hue Segmentation for Player Distinguishability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls with similar hues can be difficult to distinguish from one another, leading to confusion and penalties during play, especially when multiple players use colored balls with matching colors.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a core and cover with distinct hues for the dimples and land areas, utilizing a specific color zone distribution and thickness ratio in the CIELAB color system, along with a resin composition including pigments and dyes, and a clear layer with polarizing particles for enhanced visibility and distinguishability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a golf ball uses a colored cover with a specific hue to improve distinguishability from white balls, then visibility is improved, but when multiple players use balls with the same hue, distinguishability between individual balls deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball surface is segmented into two distinct regions: dimples and lands. These regions are assigned different hues through selective coloring, creating visual differentiation across the ball surface. This segmentation allows the ball to maintain a primary color for visibility while incorporating a secondary contrasting color that enhances individual identification.
Solution Approach 2:
Different local regions of the golf ball surface (dimples vs. lands) are given different color properties. The dimples have one hue while the lands have another hue, creating local quality variation. This allows the ball to exhibit color variation across its surface, improving distinguishability while maintaining overall visibility.
2Illumination intensity
If a large amount of pigment is dispersed in the cover to achieve strong color, then visibility is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly dispersing large amounts of pigment throughout the entire cover, the pigment is selectively applied only to specific regions (dimples or lands). This segmented approach reduces the total pigment quantity needed while achieving the desired visual effect, thereby lowering manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Coloring agents are applied locally to specific surface regions rather than uniformly across the entire cover. This localized application reduces material consumption and simplifies the manufacturing process compared to full-coverage coloring methods.
3Loss of information
If the cover thickness is reduced to show the core color through, then distinguishability is improved, but the durability and protection of the core deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cover maintains its full protective thickness but is segmented into colored and uncolored regions. The colored regions provide distinguishability while the overall cover structure remains intact to protect the core, eliminating the need to reduce overall cover thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover exhibits local quality variation where specific regions are colored to provide distinguishability while the overall cover maintains uniform protective thickness. This allows the core to be protected while still achieving visual differentiation.
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 exhibits a unique and easily distinguishable appearance, improving visibility and preventing confusion among players, while maintaining durability and compliance with golfing regulations.
Implementation Method 1
a clear layer with polarizing particles for enhanced visibility and distinguishability
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball includes a core, a cover covering the core, and a clear layer covering the cover. The cover has dimples and a land. An xy coordinate of a hue of an outermost layer in the core excluding a colorless and transparent layer is included in any one of eight zones I to VIII. An xy coordinate of a hue of the cover is included in any one of the eight zones I to VIII which is different from and is not adjacent to the zone in which the xy coordinate of the hue of the outermost layer is included. A ratio (T1/T2) of a thickness T1 of the cover immediately below a deepest portion of each dimple and a thickness T2 of the cover immediately below the land is equal to or greater than 0.50 but equal to or less than 0.80.