Multi-piece Golf Ball Hardness Profile for Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-piece solid golf balls lack sufficient spin rate-lowering effect on full shots, limiting distance performance, despite advancements in durability and scuff resistance.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design with a core, envelope layers, and a cover, featuring a five-layer structure where the cover has a higher Shore D hardness than the core center, and specific hardness and thickness relationships among the layers, including an ionomer resin intermediate layer with high acid content, to optimize flight performance and controllability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cover hardness is increased to improve scuff resistance and durability, then the spin rate on full shots increases, but distance performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers with different hardness characteristics. The cover layer has higher hardness for scuff resistance, while the core and intermediate layers have optimized hardness to control spin rate. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without compromising overall distance performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the golf ball have different hardness properties tailored to their specific functions. The cover has high hardness for durability, the intermediate layer has moderate hardness for spin control, and the core has optimized hardness for energy transfer. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between cover hardness and distance.
2Reliability
If the cover hardness is increased to improve scuff resistance, then durability is enhanced, but feel on impact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball structure separates the functions of durability and feel into different layers. The hard cover provides scuff resistance, while the softer core and intermediate layers maintain good feel on impact. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of both durability and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The golf ball uses composite material construction with different layers made from materials having different hardness and elasticity properties. The combination of hard cover material and softer core material creates a composite structure that delivers both scuff resistance and pleasant feel.
3Reliability
If the envelope layer thickness is increased to improve durability, then crack resistance is enhanced, but spin rate-lowering effect on full shots is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The envelope layer is segmented into multiple sub-layers with different thicknesses and hardnesses. This allows the outer portion to provide durability and crack resistance, while the inner portion maintains contact with the core to enable effective spin rate reduction on full shots.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the envelope layer have different thickness characteristics. The outer envelope has sufficient thickness for durability, while the inner envelope maintains optimal thickness for spin control. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between durability and spin rate-lowering effect.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope layer having an inner envelope layer, intermediate envelope layer and outer envelope layer, an intermediate layer, and a cover having a plurality of dimples formed on a surface thereof, arranged in that order. The three envelope layers, intermediate layer and cover are each formed primarily of a resin material of the same or different types. The core is formed primarily of a rubber material, and has a material hardness higher than the core center hardness. One of the inner layers has a material hardness higher than either or both of the cover material hardness and the average core hardness. The golf ball lowers the spin rate on full shots with a driver, increases the distance traveled by the ball, has good controllability, maintains a straight path particularly on full shots, has a good feel on impact and excellent scuff resistance.