Multi-piece Golf Ball Distance Reduction via Layer Hardness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf balls do not effectively reduce the distance on shots with a driver for long hitters while minimizing the impact on average hitters, and they fail to maintain similar spin characteristics to current tour balls, causing discomfort for professionals and advanced players.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball with a core, intermediate layer, and cover, where the surface hardness of the intermediate layer-encased sphere is greater than the ball surface hardness, and specific conditions regarding initial velocity, deflection, and weight values are met to optimize distance reduction and spin characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the initial velocity of the golf ball is reduced to not more than 76.0 m/s, then the distance on shots with a driver by long hitters is reduced, but the distance on shots with a driver and iron by average hitters is also reduced, causing significant influence on play
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different hardness characteristics in different layers of the golf ball. The intermediate layer has a specific hardness range (Shore C 85-95) that differs from the core and cover, allowing localized control of deformation and energy distribution. This enables the ball to reduce distance for long hitters while maintaining acceptable performance for average hitters through differentiated layer properties rather than uniform modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by precisely controlling the hardness parameters of each layer (core, intermediate layer, cover) and their relationships. The intermediate layer hardness is set within a specific range relative to the core and cover hardness, creating optimized deformation characteristics that reduce initial velocity to ≤76.0 m/s while minimizing negative impact on playability through controlled energy distribution during impact.
2Speed
If the surface hardness of the intermediate layer-encased sphere is increased to reduce distance for long hitters, then the spin characteristics in the short game may deteriorate, causing discomfort for professionals and advanced players
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning specific hardness ranges to different layers: the intermediate layer (Shore C 85-95) has different hardness characteristics than the core and cover. This localized hardness differentiation ensures that the intermediate layer provides sufficient deformation control for distance reduction while the cover maintains appropriate surface properties for spin generation in short game situations, preventing deterioration of spin characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining multiple layers with different hardness properties (core, intermediate layer, cover) into a unified golf ball structure. The intermediate layer acts as a composite component with specific hardness characteristics that work in conjunction with the other layers to achieve both distance reduction (≤76.0 m/s initial velocity) and maintained spin characteristics for short game reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball includes a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, in which an initial velocity is not more than 76.0 m/s, a deflection when the ball is compressed under a specific load is at least 2.8 mm, and letting a value of (initial velocity of core×weight of core) be Ciw, a value of [(initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere−initial velocity of core)×(weight of intermediate layer-encased sphere−weight of core)] be Miw, and a value of [(initial velocity of ball−initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere)×(weight of ball−weight of intermediate layer-encased sphere)] be CViw, the condition is of Ciw+Miw+CViw≤2,550 is satisfied, thereby to be capable of making a distance for reducing a distance on shots with a driver and an iron by average hitters smaller.