Golf Club Head Insert Layout for Face Compliance and CG Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing golf club irons fail to maximize performance improvements by optimizing the placement and compliance of slots and weight inserts, which are crucial for adjusting center of gravity and moment of inertia, and enhancing ball flight characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A golf club iron with a strategically positioned slot adjacent to the striking face, housing a weight insert, which is configured to move the center of gravity forward and downward, improving compliance and performance by adding mass to promote deflection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If weight inserts are added to adjust center of gravity and moment of inertia, then flight characteristics are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight characteristicsVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The weight insert is nested within a cavity formed in the sole of the club head, allowing the weight to be integrated into the existing structure without adding external components. This resolves the contradiction by incorporating the weight adjustment mechanism within the club head's internal geometry, maintaining flight characteristic improvement while minimizing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Strength

If a slot is added to improve compliance, then compliance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecomplianceVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The slot is positioned specifically in the sole of the club head at a location that maximizes compliance improvement while maintaining structural integrity. By concentrating the compliance enhancement in a specific local area rather than throughout the entire club head, the design achieves improved compliance with manageable manufacturing precision requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the slot is positioned closer to the striking face, then compliance improvement is maximized, but manufacturing difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance improvementVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cavity and slot are designed to be formed during the casting or manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring post-manufacturing operations. The slot is positioned to extend from the sole toward the striking face, allowing compliance improvement to be achieved through the manufacturing process geometry rather than requiring difficult precision machining or assembly operations afterward

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 configuration enhances ball speed, increases distance with backspin, and provides better peak height, while improving the coefficient of restitution and loft characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

An insert can be placed inside the slot to add weight to the face portion of the golf club head in an attempt to move the center of gravity forward and/or downward relative to the same golf club head without the insert

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCenter of gravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

another way to further improve the performance of a golf club head is by increasing the compliance of the golf club head upon impact with a golf ball

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompliance: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4647135A1Golf club head including an insert
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 ACUSHNET CO
  • EP4647135A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4647135A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4647135A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A golf club head including an insert is disclosed herein. In accordance with the presently disclosed technology, the golf club head may include a striking face, a crown, a sole, and an insert. The striking face may include an upper striking face portion and a lower striking face portion. The sole may include a rear sole portion, a frontal sole portion, and an opening. The frontal sole portion may include a lower frontal sole portion extending upward and an upper frontal sole portion extending diagonally. The opening may separate the frontal sole portion and the lower striking face portion.