Golf Club Striking Face With Multi-Zone Stress Relief

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing golf club heads with thinned faces and thickened perimeter regions do not optimize weight distribution and stress reduction effectively, leading to localized benefits and potential manufacturing challenges.

Innovation Solution

A golf club head design featuring a thickened central region, a central transition region, a thinned intermediate region, a thickened stress reducing region, and a thinned perimeter region, with the thickened stress reducing region forming a ring protruding rearward from the striking face, 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 stress resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball speedVSAvoidstriking face strength

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The striking face is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution, featuring a thinned perimeter region for flexibility and ball speed enhancement, while maintaining a thickened central region for structural strength and stress resistance during impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The striking face is segmented into multiple functional zones with different thickness characteristics: a thinned perimeter region, a thickened central region, and intermediate transition regions, allowing each zone to perform its specific function optimally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a thickened perimeter region is added to improve durability and increase characteristic time, then durability is improved, but weight distribution and manufacturing optimization deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly thickening the entire perimeter region, the invention applies localized thickening only in specific areas where stress concentrations occur, such as the crown and heel regions, while keeping other perimeter areas thinner for weight optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The thickened perimeter region is applied partially rather than completely around the striking face perimeter, focusing reinforcement only where needed for stress reduction while avoiding unnecessary weight addition in areas that don't require reinforcement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Weight of moving object

If weight is removed from the extremities of the perimeter to optimize weight distribution, then weight distribution is improved, but stress reduction capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight distributionVSAvoidstress concentration

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The striking face features localized thickened regions positioned specifically at the crown and heel areas where stress concentrations occur during off-center impacts, while maintaining thinner sections in other areas for weight optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts potential harmful stress concentrations at the perimeter into beneficial features by strategically placing thickened regions exactly where stress occurs, transforming weak points into reinforced zones that actively manage stress distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 improved performance by reducing overall mass and enhancing structural rigidity, while minimizing stress concentrations, resulting in increased ball speed and durability.

Implementation Method 1

allowing the striking face to elastically deform when impacting a golf ball

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The striking face portion further comprises a thickened stress reducing region, located proximate a perimeter of the striking face portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress distribution:

Data Source

PatentUS20260091278A1Golf club head with improved striking face

Publication Date: 2026.04.02 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.