Multi-piece Golf Ball Layer Hardness and Thickness Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-piece solid golf balls fail to achieve a balance between distance and controllability, particularly with high spin rates when hit with a driver, and lack durability and scuff resistance.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design featuring a core surrounded by four or more layers, including an inner and outer envelope layer, an intermediate layer, and a cover, where the intermediate layer is harder than the others, and the envelope layers have specific thickness and hardness relationships to optimize flight performance and controllability.
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 too high
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers (core, inner envelope layer, outer envelope layer, intermediate layer, and cover) with each layer having specific hardness and thickness characteristics. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each layer's properties to control spin rate while maintaining flight performance and controllability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different layers of the golf ball have locally optimized properties: the core has specific rebound characteristics, the envelope layers have gradient hardness (inner softer than outer), the intermediate layer is harder than other layers, and the cover has specific friction characteristics. This local quality differentiation enables precise control over spin rate generation during driver impact.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ball construction is simplified to reduce complexity, then manufacturing ease improves, but durability to cracking under repeated impact decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball employs a multi-layer segmented construction where each layer serves a specific protective function. The envelope layers and intermediate layer act as cushioning zones that distribute impact stresses, preventing crack propagation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through conventional multi-layer molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The golf ball utilizes composite material construction with different resin materials optimized for specific functions: the core uses rubber material for rebound, envelope layers use resin materials with specific elasticity, the intermediate layer uses harder resin for structural support, and the cover uses wear-resistant material. This composite approach enhances durability while maintaining manufacturability.
3Weight of moving object
If the cover layer is made thinner to reduce weight, then flight distance improves, but scuff resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cover layer is designed with locally optimized properties including specific thickness, hardness, and surface characteristics. The cover has a Shore D hardness within 10-60 and specific friction characteristics that provide both lightweight performance for distance and enhanced scuff resistance through controlled surface interaction with clubfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is constructed from composite resin materials that balance weight and durability. The cover material composition and cross-section thickness are optimized to provide lightweight construction for improved flight distance while maintaining sufficient scuff resistance through material selection and structural design.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a multi-piece solid golf ball having 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 has an inner layer and an outer layer. The core is formed primarily of a rubber material. The inner and outer envelope layers, the intermediate layer and the cover are each formed primarily of the same or different resin materials. The inner and outer envelope layers, intermediate layer and cover have thicknesses which satisfy the following conditions (i) and (ii): (i) cover thickness<intermediate layer thickness<(inner envelope layer thickness+outer envelope layer thickness) (ii) (cover thickness+intermediate layer thickness)<(inner envelope layer thickness+outer envelope layer thickness). The core surface, inner envelope layer, outer envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover have Shore D hardnesses which satisfy the following condition (iii): (iii) core surface hardness≦̸inner envelope layer hardness<outer envelope layer hardness<intermediate layer hardness>cover hardness. 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.