Golf Ball Surface Minute Projections Anti-Soiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls with rough paint layers suffer from inadequate anti-soiling properties, making it difficult to remove soil and mud, which leads to economic burdens due to frequent replacement.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a large number of minute projections on the dimples and land surfaces with specific pitch, height, and spacing configurations that prevent soil adherence and facilitate easy cleaning, utilizing a combination of rubber and resin compositions and a paint layer to maintain shape and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a paint layer with large roughness is applied to enhance aerodynamic characteristics, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but anti-soiling property deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface parameter from large roughness to minute projections with controlled dimensions (height 1-50 μm, pitch 50-200 μm). This parameter transformation maintains aerodynamic benefits while eliminating the soil adherence problem caused by excessive roughness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies minute projections locally on the paint layer surface rather than uniform roughness. This localized structure provides specific anti-soiling functionality at the surface level while preserving the overall aerodynamic shape and paint layer integrity.
2Productivity
If a rough paint layer is used to improve aerodynamics, then flight performance is enhanced, but cleanability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the surface structure to minute projections with specific dimensional parameters, the invention enables water to effectively remove soil during washing while maintaining flight performance. The controlled pitch and height allow water flow to access and clean the surface effectively.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minute projections with small pitch are formed, then anti-soiling property is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies practical parameter ranges (pitch 50-200 μm, height 1-50 μm) that balance anti-soiling effectiveness with manufacturability. These parameters are precise enough to prevent soil adherence but achievable through conventional manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball has a plurality of dimples 12 and a land 14 on a surface thereof. The golf ball further has a large number of minute projections 18 formed on surfaces of the dimples 12 and the land 14. An average pitch Pav of these minute projections 18 is less than 100 μm. An average height Hav of these minute projections 18 is not less than 0.5 μm and not greater than 50 μm. The golf ball satisfies the following mathematical formula.Lav<3*TavIn the mathematical formula, Lav represents an average value of distances L between the minute projections 18 and other minute projections 18 adjacent to the minute projections 18, and Tav represents an average value of widths T of these minute projections 18.