Golf Ball Viscous Core for Spin Decay and Flight Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf ball designs struggle with asymmetric flight performance due to environmental conditions and dimple patterns, leading to inconsistent flight distances and orientations, making it difficult to achieve incremental improvements in flight consistency and distance.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball with a multi-layer construction featuring a solid central core decoupled from an outer core layer or cover layer, including a porous support and a viscous liquid, which increases rotational drag and spin decay during the first second of flight, thereby improving aerodynamic efficiency and consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional dimple patterns and solid construction are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but flight consistency deteriorates due to asymmetric flight performance
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers: a solid core, an intermediate layer containing viscous material and porous support, and an outer cover layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform specific functions - the core provides structural stability, the intermediate layer controls spin decay, and the cover layer provides aerodynamic properties, thereby improving flight consistency without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate layer is introduced between the solid core and outer cover layer. This intermediate layer contains viscous material and porous support that act as mediators to control the interaction between the core and cover, specifically managing spin decay characteristics to improve flight consistency while maintaining a manageable construction complexity
2Length of moving object
If viscous liquid and porous support are added to increase spin decay, then flight distance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the intermediate layer by selecting viscous materials with specific viscosity ranges and porous supports with specific porosity characteristics. These parameter changes enable control over spin decay rates to optimize flight distance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized material specifications
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate layer uses composite materials combining viscous material with porous support structure. This composite approach allows the layer to simultaneously provide spin control through viscosity and structural integrity through the porous support, achieving improved flight distance while keeping manufacturing processes manageable
3Use of energy by moving object
If spin decay is increased during first second of flight, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but ball construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate layer is designed to be dynamic rather than static - the viscous material allows for time-dependent spin decay, providing high spin decay during the first second of flight when aerodynamic efficiency is most critical, while gradually reducing its effect as flight progresses, thereby improving aerodynamic efficiency without requiring overly complex construction
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 solution results in uniformly increased flight distance for golfers of all swing speeds, with less than 1-yard variation in flight distance due to orientation, and improved aerodynamic efficiency by satisfying specific aerodynamic criteria, leading to more accurate play and potentially lower golf scores.
Implementation Method 1
an intermediate layer that contains a porous support and a viscous liquid movable therewithin
Implementation Method 2
Drag is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting parallel to the ball flight direction
Implementation Method 3
The dimples create a thin turbulent boundary layer around the ball. The turbulence energizes the boundary layer and aids in maintaining attachment to and around the ball
Implementation Method 4
Lift is defined as the aerodynamic force component acting perpendicular to the flight path. It results from a difference in pressure that is created by a distortion in the air flow that results from the back spin of the ball
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball with aerodynamic coefficient magnitude and aerodynamic force angle, resulting in improved flight performance, such as increased carry and flight consistency regardless of ball orientation. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball having increased flight distance as defined by a set of aerodynamic requirements, at particular spin ratios and Reynolds Numbers. The invention is also directed toward golf balls having high spin decay rates during the first second of flight that yields improved flight performance and longer ball flight.