Golf Club Head Weight Redistribution for CG Alignment and Forgiveness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf club heads, particularly player irons and wedges, face challenges in aligning the center of gravity with the striking face while maintaining a traditional appearance and enhancing forgiveness on off-center hits, as perimeter weighting often affects the sweet spot location and backspin characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design that includes a low-density ceramic insert in the hosel and heel portions, redistributing weight to move the center of gravity closer to the striking face, increasing moments of inertia (Iyy and Izz), and maintaining a traditional look by avoiding substantial perimeter-weighting features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If perimeter weighting is added to increase moments of inertia for forgiveness on off-center hits, then forgiveness is improved, but the traditional appearance of blade-type irons and wedges is compromised and sweet spot location is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The weight redistribution is achieved through discrete weight additions in specific segmented regions (hosel and heel portions) rather than perimeter weighting. This segmentation allows selective placement of mass to achieve desired center of gravity positioning and moment of inertia enhancement while maintaining the traditional blade appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating weight in specific local regions (hosel and heel portions) rather than distributing it along the perimeter. This localized weight placement achieves the desired mechanical properties (center of gravity alignment and increased moment of inertia) without the visual impact of perimeter weighting, preserving the traditional aesthetic.
2Measurement precision
If weight is redistributed to move center of gravity closer to the striking face, then shot accuracy is improved, but the traditional weight profile and appearance are altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by placing weight specifically in the hosel and heel portions to shift the center of gravity toward the striking face. This localized approach achieves the desired center of gravity positioning for improved shot accuracy while maintaining the overall traditional weight profile and appearance of blade-type clubs.
Solution Approach 2:
The weight redistribution is achieved through discrete weight additions in specific segmented regions rather than overall profile changes. This segmentation allows precise control over center of gravity positioning to improve shot accuracy without altering the traditional aesthetic and weight profile.
3Measurement precision
If mass is concentrated in the heel and hosel portions, then center of gravity alignment is improved, but moments of inertia may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses this contradiction by considering three-dimensional mass distribution rather than simple two-dimensional concentration. By strategically placing weight in the hosel and heel portions at specific depths and positions, the design achieves both center of gravity alignment and adequate moment of inertia through spatial optimization in multiple dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating weight in specific local regions (hosel and heel portions) rather than uniform distribution. This localized weight placement achieves the desired center of gravity alignment while the specific positioning and amount of weight in these regions is optimized to maintain adequate moments of inertia for forgiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center and defining a face plane, a virtual vertical center plane perpendicular to the face plane and passing through the face center, a sole portion, a top portion, a heel portion, a toe portion, a hosel configured to receive a shaft, and a loft, L, no less than 39°. A center of gravity is spaced toe-ward from the vertical center plane by a distance, Dt, of greater than 0.0 mm. A moment of inertia, Iyy, measured about an axis extending in a heel to toe direction, parallel with a ground plane, passes through the center of gravity such that Iyy is no less than 1150 g·cm2.