Golf Ball V/E Ratio Design for Impact Feel and Distance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf balls either result in excessive distance reduction at both high and low head speeds, leading to an unpleasant feel on impact, or have high hardness and unusual size, which are not suitable for competitive play.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball design featuring a resilient rubber core and a cover with optimized Shore D hardness and thickness, ensuring a V/E ratio of 19 or less, which maintains a good feel on impact and minimizes distance reduction when hit with irons, while adhering to specific initial velocity and deflection criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a golf ball is designed with high hardness to reduce distance, then the distance is reduced, but the feel on impact becomes unpleasant
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers with different hardness characteristics: a softer core layer and a harder cover layer. This segmentation allows the core to provide a soft feel on impact while the cover controls the distance, resolving the contradiction between distance reduction and impact feel.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the golf ball have different physical properties - the core has lower hardness for comfort while the cover has higher hardness for distance control. This local differentiation of quality allows simultaneous optimization of both distance and feel.
2Length of moving object
If a golf ball is designed with large diameter to reduce distance, then the distance is reduced, but the ball feels strange to the player
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the golf ball, specifically using a larger diameter (1.70-1.80 inches) combined with controlled weight (not more than 1.62 ounces) to reduce distance while maintaining playability. The parameter optimization allows distance reduction without creating an unusually feeling ball.
3Ease of operation
If a golf ball uses soft core to improve feel on impact, then the feel is improved, but the flight performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball structure is segmented into a soft core and a harder cover, where the soft core provides good feel on impact and the harder cover maintains proper flight performance. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between feel and flight performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The golf ball uses composite construction with different materials having different properties - softer materials in the core for feel and harder materials in the cover for flight stability. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of good feel and reliable flight performance.
4Length of moving object
If a golf ball is designed with excessive distance reduction, then the distance is reduced, but the adverse effect on amateur play increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes specific parameters (diameter 1.70-1.80 inches, weight not more than 1.62 ounces, V/E ratio at most 19) to achieve moderate distance reduction that maintains adaptability for different players and playing conditions, avoiding excessive restriction on amateur play.
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 a reduced distance when hit with a number one wood while maintaining a soft feel and minimizing distance decline when hit with an iron, thus having a minimal adverse effect on play, and adhering to competitive standards.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient core made of rubber... letting E be the deflection (mm) of the ball when subjected to loading from an initial load state of 98 N (10 kgf) to a final load of 1.275 N (130 kgf)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a golf ball having a resilient core made of rubber and a cover of one or more layer enclosing the core, wherein, letting V be the initial velocity (m/s) of the ball as measured by a method set forth in the Rules of Golf using an initial velocity measuring apparatus of the same type as the USGA drum rotation-type initial velocity instrument and letting E be the deflection (mm) of the ball when subjected to loading from an initial load state of 98 N (10 kgf) to a final load of 1.275 N (130 kgf), the value of V/E is at most 19. The golf ball has a good feel on impact and an excellent flight performance when hit with an iron.