Golf Club Striking Face Variable Thickness Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current golf club heads with thinned faces and thickened central and perimeter regions do not optimize weight distribution, leading to localized benefits and potential for further performance improvements by removing unnecessary weight from the extremities and strategically placing a thickened stress reducing region.

Innovation Solution

A golf club head design featuring a striking face with a thickened central region, variable central transition region, thinned intermediate region, thickened stress reducing region, and thinned perimeter region, where the thickened stress reducing region forms a ring protruding rearward from the internal surface, optimizing weight distribution and stress reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the striking face is thinned out to allow elastic deformation and increase ball speed, then ball speed is improved, but structural strength and durability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball speedVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The striking face is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution, featuring a thickened central region and a thinned perimeter region. The central region maintains greater thickness to provide structural strength and durability, while the perimeter region is thinned to enable elastic deformation and increase ball speed upon impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If a thickened central region is added to slow down ball speed at center and create larger area of improved speed, then performance is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball speed distributionVSAvoidface insert weight

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The thickened central region is strategically positioned only where needed to influence ball speed distribution, rather than uniformly thickening the entire face. This localized thickening minimizes weight increase while achieving the desired performance effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a thickened perimeter region is added to improve durability and increase characteristic time, then durability is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidface insert weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The perimeter region is thinned rather than thickened, as the thickened stress reducing region is positioned inward from the extreme perimeter. This provides structural support and stress reduction while minimizing weight increase compared to thickening the entire perimeter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Weight of moving object

If weight is removed from extremities of the perimeter to optimize weight distribution, then performance is improved, but structural rigidity may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight distributionVSAvoidstructural rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The thinned perimeter region removes weight from the extremities to optimize weight distribution and improve performance, while the thickened stress reducing region positioned inward provides structural support and maintains rigidity. This creates an optimized balance between weight distribution and structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 design achieves a lighter face insert with reduced mass while maintaining structural rigidity, enhancing ball speed and durability by strategically distributing weight and reducing stress concentrations.

Implementation Method 1

a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from the thinned intermediate region, having a fourth thickness; and a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from thickened stress reducing region, having a fifth thickness, wherein the thickened stress reducing region forms a ring protruding rearward from the internal rear surface of the striking face portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress reduction:

Implementation Method 2

golf club designers have tried to create an extremely thin striking face, allowing the striking face to elastically deform when impacting a golf ball, thus increasing the speed of a golf ball once it leaves the striking face of the golf club head

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20230347213A1Golf club head with improved striking face

Publication Date: 2023.11.02 ACUSHNET CO

AI summary

A golf club head with improved striking face is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head wherein the striking face is further comprised out of a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of the striking face portion, a central transition region extending outward radially from the thickened central region, a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from the central transition region, a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from the thinned intermediate region, and a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from the thickened stress reducing region, all of which combine to form the improved striking face.