Multi-Layer Golf Ball Hardness Profile for Spin and Wear Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf balls struggle to balance flight distance on driver shots with spin performance on approach shots, particularly under grass conditions, and lack sufficient wear and stain resistance, while also failing to provide a consistent shot feeling on putting.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design comprising a spherical core with specific hardness distributions, an intermediate layer of controlled thickness, a cover made from a specific material, and a paint film formed from a particular resin, which together enhance wear resistance, stain resistance, and provide a balanced spin and flight performance across different shot types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the golf ball is designed for high initial velocity and low spin rate on driver shots, then flight distance is improved, but spin performance on approach shots deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical core has a non-uniform hardness distribution with different hardness values at different radial distances from the center. The core hardness varies from H0 at the center to Hs at the surface, with specific hardness values H5, H10, and H15 at intermediate points. This local variation in hardness allows the core to provide different mechanical responses for different shot types: low spin for driver shots and high spin for approach shots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for the core hardness distribution, including the relationships between H0, H5, H10, H15, and Hs. By controlling these hardness parameters and their spatial distribution, the golf ball achieves optimized performance across different shot types. The intermediate layer thickness (1.30-1.80 mm) and cover material loss modulus are also controlled within specific ranges to fine-tune the spin characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If the golf ball surface is made softer to improve shot feeling on putting, then putting performance is improved, but wear resistance and stain resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball employs a multi-layer composite structure consisting of a spherical core, an intermediate layer, a cover, and a paint film. Each layer is made of materials with specific properties: the core provides shot feeling through its hardness distribution, the intermediate layer (1.30-1.80 mm thick) provides structural support, the cover provides durability, and the paint film (formed from resin with specific stress-strain characteristics) provides wear and stain resistance while maintaining putting performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The paint film is applied specifically on the outer surface of the golf ball, providing wear and stain resistance only where needed for durability, while the underlying layers maintain the shot feeling properties. The paint film's mechanical properties (stress-strain characteristics) are specifically engineered to balance protection with putting performance.
3Ease of operation
If the intermediate layer thickness is increased to improve shot feeling, then putting performance is improved, but compression deformation increases affecting flight distance
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate layer thickness is precisely controlled within the range of 1.30-1.80 mm. This parameter optimization balances the competing requirements: sufficient thickness to provide cushioning and shot feeling on putting, but not so thick as to excessive compression deformation that would reduce initial velocity and flight distance on driver shots.
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf ball that has an improved surface wear resistance and an improved stain resistance on bunker shots, has a well-balanced total performance of a spin performance on approach shots and middle iron shots and a flight distance performance on driver shots, and has an improved shot feeling on putting. The present disclosure provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core, an intermediate layer, a cover and a paint film, wherein a center hardness of the spherical core, each hardness at 5, 10 or 15 mm point from a center of the spherical core, and a surface hardness of the spherical core (H0, H5, H10, H15, Hs) satisfy predetermined relationships, the intermediate layer has a thickness in a range from 1.30 mm to 1.80 mm, the cover is formed from a material having a loss modulus (E″−40) in a range from 6.50×107 Pa to 22.0×107 Pa and a loss modulus (E″−20) in a range from 3.50×107 Pa to 7.10×107 Pa, the paint film is formed from a resin satisfying a relationship of 0.10≤ε1/M10≤1.00 wherein M10 (kgf/cm2) is a stress at which a strain is 10%, and ε1(%) is a strain at which a stress during decrease in deformation is 0 kgf/cm2, and the golf ball has a compression deformation amount of 2.00 mm or more and less than 2.70 mm.