Golf Club Head Damper Layout for Sound Without COR Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cavity-back golf club heads with inserts or dampers for sound and vibration damping adversely impact performance characteristics such as coefficient of restitution (COR) and center of gravity (CG), and produce unpleasant sounds and vibrations upon impact.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design with a full-length damper spanning the striking face and relief portions to minimize contact area, maintaining face flexibility and performance while improving sound and feel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a damper is placed in the cavity to provide sound and vibration damping, then the sound and feel of the golf club head is improved, but the coefficient of restitution (COR) and characteristic time (CT) are adversely impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is positioned to contact only specific portions of the face portion rather than the entire face, creating localized damping zones. This selective placement allows vibration damping in specific areas while preserving the elastic properties and COR in other critical impact zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The face portion is divided into multiple contact zones with the damper, where only certain segments (portions) make contact with the damper. This segmentation allows different regions of the face to have different functional characteristics - some areas provide damping while others maintain high COR for optimal ball strike.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a stiff badge or damper is placed in the cavity for sound and vibration damping, then the sound and feel are improved, but the weight of the golf club head increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a full-length rigid damper that would add significant weight, the invention uses partial contact between the damper and face portion. This partial action provides sufficient vibration damping to improve sound and feel while minimizing the added weight, as the damper only needs to function in specific zones rather than across the entire face.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a damper is placed in the cavity for sound and vibration damping, then the sound and feel are improved, but the center of gravity (CG) height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damper contacts only specific portions of the face portion rather than the entire face, creating localized damping zones. This selective placement allows vibration damping in specific areas while preserving the elastic properties and COR in other critical impact zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The face portion is divided into multiple contact zones with the damper, where only certain segments (portions) make contact with the damper. This segmentation allows different regions of the face to have different functional characteristics - some areas provide damping while others maintain high COR for optimal ball strike.
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 maintains COR and CT values while enhancing the sound and feel of the golf club head by reducing damper contact area, providing a more pleasant impact experience.
Implementation Method 1
A damper is positioned within the cavity and extends from the heel portion to the toe portion. A front surface of the damper includes one or more relief portions, and the front surface of the damper contacts a rear surface of the face portion between the one or more relief portions.
Data Source
AI summary
A shim or badge is affixed to a golf club body to produce a cap-back iron, giving the appearance of a hollow-body iron. In this way, the golf club can be manufactured with the performance benefits of a game improvement iron, while providing the appearance of a blade, player's iron, and/or a hollow-body iron. For example, by using a lightweight and rigid shim or badge to close a cavity opening in the golf club body, the golf club head can provide increased stiffness in the topline, while maintaining a low CG. Various shim or badge arrangements and materials can be used, and a filler material and/or damper can be included within the cavity to improve sound and feel, while minimizing loss in COR.