Golf Ball Dimple Patterns via Irregular Domain Tessellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf ball dimple patterns struggle to achieve optimal aerodynamic symmetry and surface coverage, limiting their ability to enhance flight stability and performance due to the constraints of geometric shapes and the limited number of symmetric solid plane systems.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating irregular domains based on polyhedrons, specifically using the midpoint to midpoint method to create and tessellate dimples on the surface of a golf ball, ensuring a uniform pattern with greater than 50% of dimples being spherical and having specific size and symmetry characteristics, which improves aerodynamic efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional geometric shapes and symmetric solid plane systems are used for dimple patterns, then the manufacturing process is simple and well-defined, but the aerodynamic symmetry and surface coverage are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The dimple pattern is segmented into multiple irregular domains that are tessellated across the golf ball surface. Each domain contains a specific arrangement of dimples, and multiple copies of these domains are distributed uniformly to achieve overall aerodynamic symmetry while allowing complex local patterns
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional symmetric geometric shapes are replaced with asymmetric irregular domains. The domains have non-uniform boundaries and contain dimples in asymmetric arrangements, yet the overall pattern achieves aerodynamic symmetry through the uniform distribution of multiple domain copies across the球 surface
2Manufacturing precision
If dimples are arranged using limited symmetric solid plane systems, then the pattern generation is straightforward, but the surface coverage and aerodynamic efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the dimple pattern by using irregular domains with variable shapes and sizes instead of fixed geometric shapes. The domains can be scaled, rotated, and positioned to optimize surface coverage, and the dimple density and distribution within each domain can be adjusted to achieve desired aerodynamic efficiency
3Reliability
If regular geometric dimple patterns are used, then the aerodynamic symmetry is maintained, but the flight stability and performance are not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the golf ball surface have different dimple patterns achieved through the variation of irregular domains. Each domain can contain dimples with different sizes, depths, and spacing, allowing local optimization of aerodynamic properties while maintaining overall flight stability through uniform distribution of domain copies
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 approach enhances the aerodynamic properties of golf balls by increasing symmetry and flexibility in dimple arrangement, leading to improved flight stability and performance by minimizing drag and optimizing lift forces.
Implementation Method 1
Drag is opposite in sense to the direction of flight and orthogonal to lift. The drag force on a ball is attributed to parasitic drag forces, which consist of pressure drag and viscous or skin friction drag.
Implementation Method 2
dimples provide a means to energize the flow field and delay the separation of flow, or reduce the wake region behind the ball
Implementation Method 3
Lift force is perpendicular to the direction of flight and is a result of air velocity differences above and below the rotating ball. This phenomenon is attributed to Magnus, who described it in 1853 after studying the aerodynamic forces on spinning spheres and cylinders
Implementation Method 4
Skin friction is a viscous effect residing close to the surface of the ball within the boundary layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.