Golf Ball Two-Region Core Hardness Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf balls fail to achieve optimal flight performance and controllability due to inadequate resilience and spin characteristics, leading to insufficient flight distance and durability.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a core with a center and envelope layer formed by crosslinked rubber compositions, including a base rubber, co-crosslinking agent, crosslinking initiator, and acid/salt, which provides a specific hardness distribution and outer-hard/inner-soft structure to reduce spin and enhance resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a golf ball uses a uniform hardness structure, then manufacturing is simple, but flight performance and spin control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The core is divided into two regions with different hardness characteristics: a first region with Shore D hardness of 30-45 and a second region with Shore D hardness of 40-55. This local quality differentiation allows the softer first region to reduce spin on driver shots for maximum distance, while the harder second region provides spin control on short iron shots, resolving the contradiction between flight performance and spin control without requiring complex multi-layer structures
2Shape
If a golf ball uses high spin rate to achieve high trajectory, then trajectory height is improved, but flight distance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball achieves dynamic spin control through its two-region core structure. The softer first region (Shore D 30-45) allows the ball to deform more during driver impact, reducing spin rate and enabling lower trajectory with extended roll for maximum flight distance. The harder second region (Shore D 40-55) provides increased spin on short iron shots for higher trajectory and stopping power, dynamically adapting to different shot requirements
3Length of moving object
If a golf ball uses outer-hard/inner-soft structure to reduce spin, then flight distance is improved, but spin control on short iron is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a simple outer-hard/inner-soft structure, this invention implements a two-region core with specifically controlled hardness values. The first region (Shore D 30-45) is softer to reduce spin on driver shots, while the second region (Shore D 40-55) is harder to maintain spin control on short iron shots. This local quality differentiation with precise hardness control resolves the contradiction by ensuring both regions work together to provide distance on long shots and control on short shots
4Reliability
If a golf ball uses conventional rubber composition, then manufacturing is straightforward, but resilience and durability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The core uses a composite rubber composition combining polybutadiene rubber (providing resilience and elasticity) with styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber (providing structural stability and durability). This composite material approach enhances both resilience for energy return and durability for extended ball life, while remaining compatible with conventional manufacturing processes through standard vulcanization techniques
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 design results in low energy loss and high flight distance when hit with a driver, while allowing high spin and controllability when hit with a short iron, thereby improving overall flight performance and durability.
Implementation Method 1
The center is formed by a first rubber composition being crosslinked. The envelope layer is formed by a second rubber composition being crosslinked.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball 2 includes a core 4, a first mid layer 6, a second mid layer 8, and a cover 12. The core 4 includes a center 18 and an envelope layer 20. The center 18 is formed by crosslinking a first rubber composition, and the envelope layer 20 is formed by crosslinking a second rubber composition. The first rubber composition or the second rubber composition includes a base rubber, a co-crosslinking agent, a crosslinking initiator, and an acid and/or a salt. The co-crosslinking agent is:(1) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms; and/or(2) a metal salt of an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms.A hardness Hm2 of the second mid layer 8 is greater than a hardness Hm1 of the first mid layer 6. The hardness Hm2 is greater than a hardness Hc of the cover 12.