Multi-Layer Golf Ball Hardness Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-piece solid golf balls fail to achieve optimal flight performance, controllability, especially in short games, and scuff resistance for professional and skilled golfers, with limitations in spin rate and feel.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design featuring a core surrounded by multiple layers, including an inner envelope layer, intermediate envelope layer, outer envelope layer, and an intermediate layer, with specific hardness and thickness relationships, and materials such as ionomer resins and thermoplastic polyurethane, ensuring the cover's material hardness is lower than or equal to the core's center hardness, and at least one inner layer's hardness is higher than the cover and average core hardness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cover hardness is increased to improve scuff resistance, then durability is improved, but feel on impact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers (core, intermediate layer, envelope layer, cover) with different hardness characteristics. The cover layer has lower hardness (50-70 Shore D) to provide good feel on impact, while the intermediate layer has higher hardness (60-85 Shore D) to provide scuff resistance and durability. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the golf ball have different hardness properties tailored to their specific functions. The core has high hardness for rebound performance, the intermediate layer has high hardness for scuff resistance, the envelope layer has moderate hardness for feel control, and the cover has lower hardness for soft feel on impact. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between durability and feel.
2Reliability
If the intermediate layer thickness is increased to improve scuff resistance, then durability is improved, but spin rate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The thickness of the intermediate layer is precisely controlled within the range of 0.5-1.5mm to balance scuff resistance and spin rate. By optimizing this parameter, the ball achieves adequate durability while maintaining the spin characteristics needed for short game controllability.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate layer uses composite materials with specific hardness (60-85 Shore D) and thickness properties that provide scuff resistance without excessive thickness. The combination of material selection and dimensional control allows the ball to achieve durability while preserving spin rate performance.
3Reliability
If multiple layers are added to improve flight performance and controllability, then performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is segmented into four functional layers (core, intermediate layer, envelope layer, cover), each with specific hardness and thickness ranges. This segmentation enables optimization of flight performance, controllability, and feel while maintaining a manageable structural complexity that can be manufactured using conventional processes.
4Ease of operation
If the cover hardness is decreased to improve feel on impact, then feel is improved, but scuff resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball structure separates the feel function (handled by the softer cover layer with 50-70 Shore D hardness) from the durability function (handled by the harder intermediate layer with 60-85 Shore D hardness). This segmentation allows the cover to be soft for good feel while the intermediate layer provides scuff resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate layer is designed with higher hardness (60-85 Shore D) specifically to provide scuff resistance and protect the softer cover layer. This local quality differentiation ensures that the cover can be optimized for feel without compromising overall durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-piece solid golf ball has a core, an envelope layer encasing the core, an intermediate layer encasing the envelope layer, and a cover which encases the intermediate layer and has formed on a surface thereof a plurality of dimples. The envelope layer is formed of an inner envelope layer, an intermediate envelope layer and an outer envelope layer. The inner, intermediate and outer envelope layers, the intermediate layer and the cover are each formed primarily of a resin material which may be of the same or different types, and the core is formed primarily of a rubber material. The golf ball has an excellent flight performance and also excellent controllability in the short game. In addition, it has a good feel on impact and an excellent scuff resistance.