Golf Club Head Weighting for Face-Centered Forgiveness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf club heads, particularly player irons and wedges, face challenges in aligning the center of gravity with the face center while maintaining a traditional appearance and enhancing forgiveness on off-center hits, as perimeter weighting often disrupts the aesthetic and sweet spot location.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design incorporating a low-density ceramic insert encapsulated within a steel body, strategically positioned in the hosel and heel portions to adjust weight distribution, ensuring the center of gravity is within 5 mm of the vertical center plane, and enhancing moments of inertia through selective mass relocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If perimeter weighting is added to increase moments of inertia and add forgiveness on off-center hits, then forgiveness on off-center hits is improved, but the appearance diverges from traditional look and sweet spot location is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing a low-density insert specifically in the hosel portion of the club head, rather than using general perimeter weighting. This localized mass relocation adjusts the center of gravity to be more forward while maintaining traditional blade-like aesthetics. The insert is positioned precisely where it can influence the moment of inertia without creating the cavity-back appearance associated with perimeter weighting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the density parameter by introducing a low-density material (such as ceramic or foam) in the hosel portion. This density change allows for mass relocation that shifts the center of gravity forward while adding forgiveness through increased moment of inertia. The low-density insert effectively removes mass from the hosel area, creating a more balanced weight distribution that favors face-center contact.
2Measurement precision
If center of gravity is moved closer to face center to improve shot accuracy, then shot accuracy is improved, but mass distribution constraints make this difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts mass from the hosel portion by inserting a low-density material in that specific area. This extraction of mass from the traditional heavy hosel region allows the overall center of gravity to be positioned more forward, closer to the face center. The low-density insert effectively removes weight from the hosel, enabling the desired center of gravity position without requiring complex mass redistribution throughout the entire club head.
3Manufacturing precision
If low-density insert is added to adjust weight distribution, then center of gravity alignment is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the club head into distinct components: a primary club head body and a separate low-density insert. This segmentation allows for independent manufacturing of each component, where the insert can be produced using standard low-density material fabrication processes and then integrated into the club head. The insert is positioned within a cavity or recess in the club head body, creating a modular assembly that simplifies manufacturing while achieving precise center of gravity alignment.
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 effectively moves the center of gravity closer to the face center, improving shot accuracy and forgiveness without altering the traditional look, while increasing moments of inertia and maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a first component of a first material having a first melting point and a first density and a second component having a second melting point higher than the first melting point and a second density less than the first density
Implementation Method 2
encapsulating, by an investment casting process, the auxiliary component within a golf club head body comprising a primary material
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center and defining a face plane. A vertical center plane is perpendicular to the face plane and passes through the face center. The golf club head further includes a hosel configured to receive a shaft and defining a hosel axis. The golf club head mass is between about 250 g and 320 g, a loft, L, is no less than 39°, a club head center of gravity is spaced rearward from the face plane by a distance, D5, such that D5≤7.69 mm−0.074 mm/°*L, and spaced from the vertical center plane by a distance, D7, that is no greater than 5 mm. A moment of inertia, Iyy, measured about an axis extending in the heel to toe direction and passing through the center of gravity, is no less than 1000 g*cm2.