Golf Club Head Flexure for Ball Speed Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf club heads face challenges in achieving a larger 'sweet zone' with uniform high initial ball speed, as they are prone to variations in ball speed due to impact location and material properties like viscoelastic relaxation, which reduces energy transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The golf club head incorporates a flexure component within the aperture, which alters compliance characteristics by providing a flexible portion that allows the face to translate and rotate, reducing backspin and maintaining stiffness to enhance energy transfer and ball speed consistency across the face.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the club face is made thinner to increase ball speed, then the coefficient of restitution is maximized, but the structural integrity and resistance to permanent deformation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The club head combines titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) for the face and crown with stainless steel for the sole and body, creating a composite structure that optimizes both strength and elasticity. The titanium face can be made thinner to maximize coefficient of restitution while the stainless steel body provides structural support and resistance to deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the club head use different materials with optimized properties: the titanium face is designed with specific thickness (2.0-3.0mm) to maximize ball speed and COR, while the stainless steel body provides overall structural integrity. The face thickness varies locally to balance flexibility for energy transfer with strength for durability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the club face material is made more elastic to increase energy transfer, then the coefficient of restitution is maximized, but the resistance to permanent deformation by material yield deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) for the face which has high elastic properties for maximum energy transfer and coefficient of restitution, while the stainless steel body (AIS131 or AISI414) provides resistance to permanent deformation and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The face thickness is precisely controlled within 2.0-3.0mm to optimize the balance between elasticity for energy transfer and strength for deformation resistance. The material composition and thickness parameters are carefully selected to maximize COR while preventing permanent yield during impact.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional club head designs are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but variations in ball speed due to impact location and viscoelastic relaxation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The club head is divided into separate components (face, crown, sole, body) that can be manufactured independently using optimized processes, then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be precisely controlled for consistent performance while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through specialized fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges including face thickness (2.0-3.0mm), material compositions (Ti-6Al-4V, AISI316L, AISI414), and geometric dimensions to minimize viscoelastic relaxation effects and ensure consistent ball speed across different impact locations, while these parameters remain within manufacturable ranges.
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 flexure design increases ball speed and distance by reducing backspin and maintaining energy transfer efficiency, particularly for off-center impacts, while maintaining structural integrity and durability.
Implementation Method 1
The flexure is constructed as a separate component and disposed in the aperture. The flexure comprises a front wall, a rear wall and a base that extends between the front and rear walls, and the flexure defines a cavity that is opened to the interior of the golf club head.
Implementation Method 2
Since the collision is not perfectly elastic, a portion of energy is dissipated in club head vibration and in viscoelastic relaxation of the ball.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face and a flexure. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency.