Golf Ball Dimples with Concentric Grooves for Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf ball manufacturers face challenges in creating dimple profiles that provide unique surface appearances while maintaining ideal aerodynamic characteristics and flight conditions, as adjustments to dimple profiles do not always result in enhanced aerodynamic performance.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of concentric grooves on the surface of circular dimples, with specific diameter and depth ratios, and profiles defined by continuous functions such as spherical, conical, or catenary curves, to create a visually distinct texture that enhances aerodynamic performance by managing air resistance and lift.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If dimple profiles are altered to create unique surface appearances, then visual distinctiveness is improved, but aerodynamic performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The dimple surface is segmented into concentric grooves that divide the dimple into multiple circular regions. This segmentation creates visual distinctiveness through the grooved pattern while each groove is designed with specific dimensional parameters (depth, width, spacing) that maintain the overall aerodynamic function of the dimple by preserving the turbulent boundary layer generation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The concentric grooves introduce local variations in surface quality within each dimple, creating zones of different depths and textures. These local quality changes provide visual distinctiveness while the grooves are positioned and dimensioned to maintain the essential aerodynamic characteristics of the dimple, ensuring that the local modifications do not compromise overall flight performance.
2Ease of manufacture
If concentric grooves are added to dimple surfaces, then visual appearance is improved, but surface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The concentric grooves are designed with circular curvatures that follow spherical geometry, matching the overall spherical shape of the golf ball and dimples. This use of curved, spherical forms creates the visual distinctiveness of grooved dimples while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of standard spherical machining techniques and avoiding complex non-circular geometries.
3Reliability
If dimple surface geometry is modified, then aerodynamic characteristics may be improved, but flight consistency becomes harder to control
Solution Approach 1:
The concentric grooves are designed with specific parameter ranges (depth: 0.001-0.010 inches, width: 0.002-0.008 inches, spacing: 0.003-0.015 inches) that optimize aerodynamic performance by enhancing turbulent boundary layer generation. These controlled parameter changes improve drag reduction and flight stability while the consistent application of these parameters across all dimples ensures flight condition consistency and repeatability.
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 dimples with concentric grooves offer improved aerodynamic performance by reducing air resistance and maintaining lift, while providing a unique visual appearance, thus optimizing golf ball flight conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The dimples on a golf ball create a turbulent boundary layer around the ball, i.e., the air in a thin layer adjacent to the ball flows in a turbulent manner. The turbulence energizes the boundary layer and helps it stay attached further around the ball to reduce the area of the wake.
Implementation Method 2
a ball without dimples encounters no turbulence in the thin layer of air that flows close to the surface of a golf ball (i.e., the boundary layer). When a ball includes a number of dimples on the surface, the boundary layer becomes turbulent
Implementation Method 3
Lift is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting perpendicular to the flight path. It results from a difference in pressure that is created by a distortion in the air flow that results from the back spin of the ball. Due to the back spin, the top of the ball moves with the air flow, which delays the separation to a point further aft. Conversely, the bottom of the ball moves against the air flow, moving the separation point forward. This asymmetrical separation creates an arch in the flow pattern, requiring the air over the top of the ball to move faster, and thus have lower pressure than the air underneath the ball.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the alteration of the dimple surfaces. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having circular perimeters and dimple profiles having a concentric groove on the surface of the dimple. The golf ball dimples of the present invention provide golf ball surfaces having unique appearances, while maintaining ideal aerodynamic characteristics.