Golf Ball Paint Film Modulus Gradient and Dimple Pattern
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls face challenges in maintaining controllability and flight performance both in dry and wet states, with existing golf balls experiencing insufficient spin rate in wet conditions and excessive spin impairing flight performance in dry conditions.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a paint film with a high inner layer modulus and low outer layer modulus, combined with a dimple pattern that includes three rotationally symmetrical units with mirror-symmetrical small units, optimizing the ratio of dimple area to surface area and dimple diameter, to enhance spin and flight performance across different conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible paint film is used to improve controllability in a dry state, then controllability in dry state is improved, but spin rate in wet state becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The paint film is divided into multiple layers (inner layer and outer layer) with different modulus characteristics. The inner layer has higher modulus for spin rate in wet state, while the outer layer has lower modulus for controllability in dry state. This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill different functional requirements that cannot be met by a single uniform paint film.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the paint film (inner layer vs outer layer) are given different mechanical properties (modulus values). The inner layer near the core has higher modulus for spin generation, while the outer layer at the surface has lower modulus for flexibility and controllability. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between spin rate and controllability.
2Ease of operation
If excessive spin is provided to improve controllability, then controllability is improved, but flight performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes specific parameters including the modulus values of paint film layers, dimple diameter ratios (9.60%-10.37% of golf ball diameter), and dimple area ratio (So ≥ 81.0%). By precisely controlling these parameters, the golf ball achieves optimal spin rates that improve controllability without excessive spin that would harm flight distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The golf ball employs a composite structure with a paint film made of multiple materials with different modulus characteristics, combined with a specific dimple pattern. This composite approach allows tuning of spin characteristics to achieve the right balance between controllability and flight performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The golf ball achieves excellent controllability and flight performance in both dry and wet states, with improved spin rates and distance, while maintaining durability and stain resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The dimples disturb the air flow around the golf ball during flight to cause turbulent flow separation. This phenomenon is referred to as 'turbulization'.
Implementation Method 2
Due to the turbulization, separation points of the air from the golf ball shift backwards leading to a reduction of drag.
Implementation Method 3
The turbulization promotes the displacement between the separation point on the upper side and the separation point on the lower side of the golf ball, which results from the backspin, thereby enhancing the lift force that acts upon the golf ball.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball 2 includes a main body 4 and a paint film 6. The paint film 6 includes an inner layer 14 and an outer layer 16. A modulus Min of the inner layer 14 is higher than a modulus Mout of the outer layer 16. A difference (Min−Mout) is not less than 25 kgf/cm2. The golf ball 2 has a plurality of dimples 18. A ratio So of a sum of areas of the dimples 18 relative to a surface area of a phantom sphere of the golf ball 2 and a ratio Rs of a number of the dimples 18 each having a diameter of not less than 9.60% and not greater than 10.37% of a diameter of the golf ball 2, relative to a total number of the dimples 18, satisfy the following mathematical formula (1).Rs≥−2.5*So+273 (1)