Multi-piece Golf Ball Hardness Gradient for Low Head-speed Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls designed for high head-speed golfers fail to deliver sufficient deformation and performance for low head-speed golfers, resulting in poor distance and feel at impact.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball with specific hardness relationships and material compositions for its core, envelope layer, and cover, including a core with a rubber composition, an envelope layer of thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer, and an intermediate layer of resin composition, optimized to provide excellent flight performance, feel, and durability across various head-speed ranges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the golf ball is designed with optimal deformation for high head speed, then flight performance and spin properties are improved for professional golfers, but low head-speed golfers cannot impart sufficient deformation resulting in poor distance and feel
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers (core, envelope layer, intermediate layer, and cover) with each layer having distinct material properties and hardness values. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to the overall deformation characteristics, enabling the ball to perform well across a broader range of head speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
Different layers of the golf ball are assigned different local qualities in terms of hardness and elasticity. The core has higher hardness (50-70 Shore D) while the envelope layer has lower hardness (20-40 Shore D), creating a gradient structure that optimizes deformation distribution across layers for both high and low head-speed impacts.
2Strength
If the envelope layer surface hardness is increased to improve durability, then resistance to wear and repeated impact is enhanced, but the ability to provide sufficient deformation for low head-speed golfers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The envelope layer is segmented into an outer portion and an inner portion with different hardness characteristics. The outer portion has lower hardness to facilitate deformation and provide good feel, while the inner portion has higher hardness to contribute to durability and structural integrity during repeated impacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The envelope layer exhibits local quality variation where the outer surface has different hardness properties than the inner region. This gradient allows the outer layer to deform easily for low head-speed golfers while the inner layer provides the structural support needed for durability against repeated high-impact forces.
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 achieves excellent flight performance, good feel at impact, and enhanced durability for both mid and low head-speed golfers by satisfying specific hardness and velocity relationships, ensuring consistent performance across different playing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the core, the envelope layer, the intermediate layer and the cover have respective surface hardnesses which satisfy the relationship: core surface hardness>envelope layer surface hardness
Implementation Method 2
by setting the respective surface hardnesses of these layers and the respective initial velocities of the core, a sphere obtained by forming the envelope layer over the core
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball has a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover whose respective surface hardnesses have been set so as to satisfy certain specific relationships. In addition, the respective initial velocities measured for the core, a sphere composed of the core peripherally covered by the envelope layer (envelope layer-encased sphere), a sphere composed of the core peripherally covered by the envelope layer and the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere), and the ball itself have been set so as to satisfy certain specific relationships. This golf ball is able to exhibit an excellent flight performance not only when struck by mid head-speed golfers, but even when struck by low head-speed golfers, in addition to which it also has a good feel at impact and an excellent durability to repeated impact.