Golf Club Face Insert With Hinge Features For Ball Speed Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf club face inserts fail to optimize performance and consistency of ball speed across the striking surface, as they lack sufficient elasticity and resilience.
Innovation Solution
A golf club face insert featuring a plurality of miniature hinges extending from the striking surface, comprising an upper portion and leg portions or stem and tab portions, which provide increased elasticity by allowing the upper portions to flex inward when contacted by a golf ball, and a combination of metal and polymeric materials for enhanced resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If solid geometric protrusions or rigid pillar-shaped bodies are used on the golf club face, then structural strength is improved, but elasticity and ball speed consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the static rigid protrusions into dynamic hinge features that can flex and move. Each hinge feature includes a stem portion connected to the striking surface and a tab portion that extends parallel to the striking surface without making contact, allowing the structure to dynamically respond to ball impact by flexing inward and rebounding, thereby achieving both strength and elasticity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state of the face insert components from rigid to flexible. The hinge features are designed with specific dimensional parameters (stem height, tab length and width, spacing) that allow controlled flexion. The use of polymeric material with specific elasticity properties changes the mechanical parameters of the structure, enabling it to deform elastically under impact while maintaining structural integrity
2Stability of the object's composition
If the upper portion of hinge features contacts the striking surface, then structural stability is improved, but elasticity and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by designing the tab portion of each hinge feature as a flexible element that extends parallel to the striking surface without making contact. This non-contact configuration allows the tab to act as a flexible membrane that can deflect inward upon ball impact, providing elasticity while the stem portion maintains structural stability by remaining anchored to the striking surface
3Ease of manufacture
If a single rigid material is used for the face insert, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but resilience and performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a metal striking plate with a polymeric material to create a multi-material face insert. The metal plate provides structural strength and stability, while the polymeric material provides elasticity and resilience. The hinge features are formed by co-molding the polymeric material to the metal plate, creating an integrated composite structure that leverages the complementary properties of both materials
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 consistent ball speed and improved elasticity across the striking surface, enhancing the overall performance and resilience of the golf club face insert.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the upper portions to flex inward when contacted by a golf ball
Implementation Method 2
a combination of metal and polymeric materials for enhanced resilience
Data Source
AI summary
A resilient face insert for a golf club head, preferably a putter head, is disclosed herein. In particular, the face insert comprises a plurality of hinge features spaced from a striking surface to ensure consistent ball speed across the striking surface. At least a portion of each hinge feature extends parallel to the striking surface without making contact with the striking surface. In the preferred embodiment, each hinge feature comprises a tab portion that is spaced from the striking surface by a stem portion and that extends parallel to the striking surface. The hinge features may be co-molded with a polymeric backing material in order to further improve performance of the face insert.