Golf Club Head Center of Gravity Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern golf club drivers face limitations in discretionary mass distribution, leading to unfavorable center of gravity (CG) orientation, which compromises both distance and accuracy due to high CG placement near the club face, resulting in inconsistent ball flight and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves altering the club head geometry by utilizing drop angles, recovery angles, average heights, and articulation points to increase discretionary mass, lower the CG, and deepen its placement within the club head, aligning it with the face center, thereby enhancing moments of inertia and shot consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the CG is positioned near the club face to maximize energy transfer, then distance is improved, but accuracy deteriorates due to high CG placement causing head rotation and gear effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the CG from a shallow position near the face to a deeper position within the club head body, utilizing the depth dimension to resolve the contradiction. This deep CG placement increases the radius of rotation on off-center hits, reducing head rotation and gear effect while maintaining energy transfer efficiency through optimized discretionary mass distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the CG location parameters by positioning it deeper in the club head and adjusting its vertical and horizontal coordinates. This parameter change allows simultaneous optimization of both distance (through maintained COR) and accuracy (through reduced off-center hit penalties).
2Adaptability or versatility
If discretionary mass is increased by thinning club head walls, then CG placement flexibility is improved, but structural support deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction in the club head, combining materials with different density and strength properties. This allows strategic placement of discretionary mass in specific regions while maintaining structural integrity through the composite architecture, enabling both thin walls for mass flexibility and strong construction for structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying the wall thickness and material density in different regions of the club head. Thinner walls are used in non-critical areas to increase discretionary mass, while thicker or reinforced sections maintain structural support where needed, allowing optimized CG placement without compromising overall strength.
3Speed
If the CG is positioned shallow near the face, then distance is maximized, but shot consistency deteriorates due to decreased radius of rotation on off-center hits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the depth dimension by positioning the CG deeper within the club head body rather than shallow near the face. This deep CG placement increases the radius of rotation for off-center hits, reducing the magnitude of head rotation and gear effect, thereby improving shot consistency while maintaining carry distance through optimized mass distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary golf club head having an increased amount of discretionary mass may be realized by utilizing improved drop angles, an improved average crown height, and/or articulation points. The discretionary mass may be placed low and deep in the club head to improve the location of the center of gravity as well as the inertial properties. A preferred break length may also be utilized to further improve the depth of the center of gravity. In one example, the center of gravity may be positioned to substantially align the sweet spot with the face center of the club head.