Multi-piece Golf Ball Layer Hardness Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-piece solid golf balls fail to achieve a balance between distance and controllability, particularly for skilled golfers, as they often have high spin rates when hit with a driver, limiting the achievable distance and exhibiting poor durability and scuff resistance.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design featuring a core enclosed by four or more layers, including two or more envelope layers and one or more intermediate layers, with specific hardness and thickness relationships between the core, envelope, and cover layers, optimized to reduce spin rates and enhance durability and scuff resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a multi-piece solid golf ball with optimized layer hardness relationships is used, then flight performance and controllability are improved, but spin rate when hit with a driver remains high, limiting distance
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers (core, intermediate layer, cover layer) with distinct hardness characteristics. The core has a specific hardness range (40-95 JIS-C), the intermediate layer has a different hardness range, and the cover layer has yet another hardness range, allowing each layer to be optimized for its specific function while working together to reduce overall spin rate.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the golf ball have different hardness properties tailored to their specific functions. The core is designed with specific hardness characteristics for energy storage and release, the intermediate layer has optimized hardness for spin control, and the cover layer has specific hardness for durability and feel, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction between controllability and spin rate.
2Ease of manufacture
If the intermediate layer and cover layer are made with the same hardness, then manufacturing is simplified, but spin rate-lowering effect is inadequate, resulting in poor distance
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate layer and cover layer are assigned different hardness values within their respective ranges. The intermediate layer has a hardness of 50-70 Durometer D while the cover layer has a hardness of 40-60 Durometer D, creating local quality differentiation that enhances the spin rate-lowering effect while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized production processes.
3Strength
If a hard intermediate layer is formed, then durability to cracking is improved, but spin rate is not adequately reduced, resulting in poor distance
Solution Approach 1:
The hardness of the intermediate layer is optimized within a specific range (50-70 Durometer D) rather than being made as hard as possible. This parameter optimization allows the layer to provide sufficient durability to cracking while maintaining the ability to reduce spin rate effectively, resolving the contradiction between strength and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The golf ball uses a composite structure with multiple layers of different materials and hardness characteristics. The intermediate layer is formulated as a composite material that balances durability and spin control properties, combining the benefits of both hard and soft characteristics in a single optimized layer.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope encasing the core, an intermediate layer encasing the envelope, and a cover which encases the intermediate layer and has formed on a surface thereof a plurality of dimples. The surface hardness of the core has a JIS-C hardness value of 40 to 95, the center hardness of the core has a JIS-C hardness value of 30 to 72, and the hardness difference therebetween is from 4 to 14. The envelope is composed of at least two layers. The core is formed primarily of a rubber material. The envelope, intermediate layer and cover are each formed primarily of the same or different resin materials. An optimized surface hardness relationship exists between the core, a Sphere I composed of the core encased by the envelope layers, a Sphere II composed of the core encased by the envelope layers and the intermediate layer, and a Sphere III composed of the core encased by the envelope layers, the intermediate layer and the cover. The golf ball has an outstanding flight performance and controllability which are acceptable to professionals and other skilled players, in addition to which it has an excellent durability to cracking under repeated impact and an excellent scuff resistance.