Golf Club Head Deflection Feature for Energy Transfer and Acoustics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf club heads face a challenge in achieving high ball speed and launch distance while maintaining desirable acoustics and proper swing weighting, as they often compromise on energy transfer to the golf ball due to vibration damping mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The golf club head incorporates a deflection feature with an insert positioned behind the face, featuring specific geometries and voids to dampen vibrations, allowing maximum energy transfer back to the golf ball while optimizing mass distribution and maintaining a compact size, including a thin uniform sole and reinforcement device to enhance face deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a weight or insert is positioned in contact with the back side of the face to damp vibrations, then desirable acoustics are produced, but energy is leached from the impact preventing maximum ball speed
Solution Approach 1:
A deflection feature is introduced as an intermediary element positioned between the insert and the face. This deflection feature allows controlled face deflection during impact while the insert remains positioned to dampen vibrations. The intermediary structure enables both energy transfer to the ball and vibration damping to occur simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between acoustics and energy transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is positioned to contact specific localized areas of the face rather than the entire back side. This localized contact allows vibration damping in specific regions while leaving other areas free to deflect and transfer energy to the ball. The selective positioning creates different functional zones on the face.
2Speed
If the club head is designed to transfer maximum energy to the ball, then ball speed increases, but acoustic quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The club head structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: a face region optimized for energy transfer and ball speed, and an insert region positioned in the cavity for vibration damping. The deflection feature further segments the load path, allowing impact energy to be directed primarily to the ball while separating the vibration damping function to the insert. This functional segmentation enables both high ball speed and desirable acoustics.
3Ease of manufacture
If vibration damping is maximized through insert contact, then acoustic quality improves, but face deflection and energy transfer are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection feature serves as a mechanical intermediary that decouples the face from direct rigid contact with the insert. During impact, the face can deflect freely against the deflection feature, which then transmits controlled forces to the insert. This intermediary mechanism preserves face deflection capability while maintaining the insert's vibration damping function, resolving the contradiction between acoustics and face deflection.
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
This design increases ball speed and launch distance while maintaining club head durability and desirable acoustics, allowing for efficient energy transfer and improved performance characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
dampen vibrations, allowing maximum energy transfer back to the golf ball
Implementation Method 2
deflection feature with an insert positioned behind the face, featuring specific geometries and voids to dampen vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a golf club head comprising a deflection feature to increase ball speed and launch distance, while producing desirable acoustics and optimized mass distribution. The deflection feature can include any one of or any combination of an insert comprising a gap, an insert comprising voids, a thin uniform sole, a cutout in the top rail, optimized face material, a thin sole, a reinforcement device, or a multi material weight.