Golf Club Head Face-Plate Flexibility for Higher Back Spin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf club technologies do not effectively enhance spin and control for golf balls, particularly in short irons or wedges, despite advancements in golf equipment.
Innovation Solution
Golf club heads with a flexible face plate and a dampening filler positioned behind the face plate, featuring score lines to increase flexibility and absorb impact, thereby imparting increased spin and control to the golf ball.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid face plate is used in traditional golf clubs, then structural strength is maintained, but spin and ball control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The face plate is designed with flexible regions that include score lines (grooves) to allow controlled bending and deformation during impact. This flexibility enables the face plate to generate higher spin rates on the golf ball while maintaining sufficient structural strength through the overall club head design and support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
A filler material with dampening properties is positioned behind the face plate. This filler absorbs impact forces and vibrations, allowing the face plate to flex more freely during impact to generate spin, while the filler provides structural support and prevents excessive deformation that would compromise strength.
2Speed
If swing speed is increased to achieve longer distance, then ball control and spin are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible face plate with score lines maintains consistent deformation characteristics across a range of swing speeds. This consistency ensures that spin rates remain high even at increased swing speeds, allowing golfers to swing harder without sacrificing ball control or distance management.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head design changes the physical parameters of the face plate (flexibility, score line configuration) to optimize the interaction with the golf ball across different swing speeds. This allows the club to maintain desirable ball flight characteristics and control regardless of the golfer's swing speed variations.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a flexible face plate is used to increase spin, then structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The face plate incorporates localized flexible regions with score lines in specific areas to generate spin, while other regions maintain greater rigidity for structural stability. This spatial variation in flexibility allows the face plate to deform where needed for spin generation while remaining stable in support areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of the face plate material and the dampening filler creates a composite structure that exhibits both flexibility and stability. The face plate provides the flexible surface for spin generation, while the filler material provides structural support and vibration dampening, resulting in a composite system that achieves both spin and stability.
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 configuration allows for higher back spin and reduced roll upon landing, enhancing ball control and enabling golfers to swing harder without increasing distance, particularly useful in short irons and wedges.
Implementation Method 1
the filler may be comprised of a material that will readily absorb the deflection of the face plate during impact of a golf ball with the golf club head and dampen the impact between the golf club head and the golf ball
Implementation Method 2
the face plate may include score lines which define holes in the face plate
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head which may include an iron-type golf club head body, a face plate, and a filler positioned behind the ball striking face. According to aspects of the disclosure, the face plate may include score lines which define holes in the face plate. Further, according to aspects of the disclosure, the filler may be comprised of a material that readily absorbs the deflection of the face plate during impact with a golf ball during a golf swing and dampens the impact between the golf club head and the golf ball.