Golf Club Head Insert with Variable Density Voids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cavity back style game-improvement irons have limited vibrational dampening due to rigid inserts that only cover a portion of the rear surface, failing to extend into perimeter regions and limiting performance.
Innovation Solution
A flexible insert that fills the perimeter undercut of the golf club head, featuring variable density and voids to optimize mass properties and damping, with alignment features for secure placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a rigid insert is used to dampen vibrations, then vibrational dampening is provided, but the insert cannot extend into perimeter regions due to rear walls limiting placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible insert made of elastomeric material that can be compressed and expanded. This flexibility allows the insert to extend into the perimeter undercut region beyond what rigid inserts can achieve, while still providing effective vibrational dampening through the elastomeric properties of the material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes variable density construction within the insert, with different density regions optimized for different functions. The elastomeric material's density and durometer are strategically varied to maximize vibrational dampening effectiveness while maintaining the ability to extend into perimeter regions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the insert covers only a portion of the rear surface, then assembly is simplified, but damping ability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elastomeric insert can be compressed to a smaller size for easy installation into the cavity, then expands to fill the entire perimeter undercut region. This compression-expansion mechanism simplifies assembly while achieving maximum coverage and damping ability simultaneously.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the insert extends into perimeter regions, then vibrational dampening is improved, but assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric insert's flexibility allows it to be compressed into a compact form for easy insertion into the cavity, then naturally expands to extend into the perimeter undercut region. This eliminates the assembly difficulty that would otherwise result from trying to force a rigid or bulky component into the same space.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible insert with variable density is used, then damping performance is optimized, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastomeric material with variable density that can be manufactured as a monolithic piece using injection molding or similar processes. While the density varies within the material to optimize damping, the overall structure remains relatively simple without requiring complex assembly of multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert utilizes composite elastomeric materials with varying density characteristics within a single component. This allows optimization of damping performance across different regions of the insert while maintaining structural integrity and relatively simple manufacturing through modern polymer processing 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
Enhances vibrational dampening, improves sound and feel, maintains performance characteristics like ball speed and spin, and facilitates easier assembly by allowing for compressible installation.
Implementation Method 1
The insert can comprise an elastomeric material with a variable durometer. The variable durometer can have a higher durometer near a front surface of the insert and a lower durometer near a rear surface of the insert.
Implementation Method 2
Finite element analysis has shown that the perimeter region and rear walls of cavity back irons tend to experience significantly more vibrations than the rest of the golf club. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a vibrational dampening insert that extends into the perimeter regions of cavity back iron
Implementation Method 3
The insert can be compressed and placed in the undercut, then expanded to fill the undercut
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein are embodiments of cavity back irons with inserts. In some embodiments, the insert has a plurality of voids. In some embodiments, the voids can have approximately the same size. In other embodiments, the voids can vary in size to create a variable density. The cavity back iron can include an undercut, a lip, or another rear structure. The insert can fill the back cavity and a majority of an undercut, lip, or maintaining feature. In some embodiments, the insert is made up of multiple pieces. In many embodiments, the insert can be press-fit into the cavity. Other embodiments of cavity back irons with inserts are described herein.