Golf Ball Mold Support Pin for Flash Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf ball molds face issues with irregular flash and appearance defects due to support pin deflection and gas entrapment during injection molding, limiting the uniformity and design freedom of golf balls.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball mold with support pins having a specific shape, including multiple dimple-forming protrusions and a peripheral edge intersecting parallels of latitude at defined angles, which stabilizes the center sphere and effectively vents gases, preventing irregular flash and enhancing dimple design freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional support pins with circular cross-section are used, then the mold structure is simple, but the support pins deflect or shift under excessive force causing irregular flash
Solution Approach 1:
The support pin is divided into multiple functional segments: a shaft portion for structural support, an end face with dimple-forming protrusions for ball surface formation, and a peripheral edge designed to intersect specific parallels of latitude for gas venting. This segmentation allows each part to perform its function optimally without compromising overall precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the support pin are given different geometric properties: the shaft portion provides mechanical strength, the end face creates dimples with specific patterns, and the peripheral edge at specific latitudes provides gas escape pathways. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by ensuring each region contributes to both structural integrity and surface precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If support pins are extended into the cavity to support the center sphere, then the center sphere is stable, but gases become trapped causing appearance defects
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral edge of the support pin acts as an intermediary element between the solid support function and the gas venting function. By positioning this edge at specific parallels of latitude, it creates controlled pathways for gas to escape while the pin continues to provide stable support for the center sphere during injection molding.
3Ease of manufacture
If the end face of support pins is machined at an angle to define the cavity inner wall, then the mold is easy to manufacture, but elliptical dimples are formed affecting appearance and design freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The support pin is designed with dynamic functionality where the peripheral edge intersects specific parallels of latitude, allowing the same machining approach to produce both structural support and aesthetically pleasing circular dimples. This dynamic design enables design freedom while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a golf ball mold that includes a mold body configured as a plurality of mold parts which have at least a parting surface that defines a parting line at a golf ball equator and removably mate to form a cavity having an inner wall with a plurality of dimple-forming protrusions thereon, and a support pin which has an end face with a plurality of dimple-forming protrusions thereon and is extendable into and retractable from the cavity. The support pin extends into the cavity to support a center sphere and, when in a retracted state, the end face thereof defines a portion of the inner wall of the cavity. The end face of the support pin includes a pole of the cavity and has a peripheral edge which intersects a parallel of latitude at 10 degrees from the pole.Using the golf ball mold of the invention, good molded pieces which do not give rise to problems such as appearance defects and irregular flash can be easily and reliably obtained, helping to improve golf ball productivity.