Golf Ball Core Hardness Gradient via Water Releasing Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf ball cores lack the ability to tailor hardness gradients effectively, leading to inconsistent spin rates and feel for different players, particularly affecting amateur players with increased shot dispersion and reduced control.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball core composition featuring a rubber layer with a base rubber, a hardening agent such as nitrophenol, and a water releasing agent, which creates a tailored hardness gradient between the core's center and surface, allowing for customizable spin and feel characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the compression of the golf ball core is increased to increase spin rate, then spin rate increases for both driver and short distance shots, but the feel of the ball becomes harder and less comfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a hardness gradient within the core where the center region has different hardness properties than the outer region. Specifically, the core contains a center region with lower hardness (higher elongation) and an outer region with higher hardness, allowing the center to provide spin control while the outer region maintains comfortable feel during impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The core is segmented into distinct regions with different material properties - a center region and an outer region - each optimized for different functions. This segmentation allows independent optimization of spin characteristics in the center and feel characteristics in the outer region.
2Speed
If the hardness gradient of the core is increased to increase spin rate on short distance shots, then spin rate increases by 15 percent, but spin rate on driver shots only increases by 5 percent
Solution Approach 1:
By localizing the hardness modification to the center region of the core, the patent optimizes spin generation for short distance shots where ball speed and spin relationship is more sensitive to core properties, while maintaining adequate performance for driver shots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the core by controlling the elongation values in different regions - specifically maintaining higher elongation (lower hardness) in the center region and lower elongation (higher hardness) in the outer region - to achieve desired spin characteristics across different shot types.
3Ease of manufacture
If the core composition is made uniform to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing complexity decreases, but the ability to tailor spin and feel characteristics for different player types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality variations in the core composition, specifically creating a center region with distinct elastomer properties (higher elongation) compared to the outer region. This can be achieved through controlled mixing and placement of different elastomer compounds or through controlled cross-linking density in different regions during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The core utilizes composite material construction with multiple elastomer compounds having different properties (different elongation values, hardness, and resiliency) combined in specific ratios and distributions to achieve the desired hardness gradient and performance characteristics.
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 tailored hardness gradient in the golf ball core enhances control for skilled players and reduces shot dispersion for amateurs by optimizing spin rates and feel, improving overall golf ball performance.
Implementation Method 1
a water releasing agent, wherein the water releasing agent is a metal salt hydrate
Implementation Method 2
a hardening agent, wherein the hardening agent includes a benzoic compound having a first functional group that is a nitro functional group and a second functional group that is a hydroxyl, amino, or sulfhydryl functional group
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent and golf ball cores made from such compositions having a tailored hardness gradient are disclosed. The type and concentration of the components in the composition, including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent, affect the hardness, hardness gradient, and compression of cores made from the composition and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having desirable performance characteristics.