Golf Club Head Body Flexure via Thickness Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf club heads with hollow structures struggle to enhance rebound performance as the body portion does not deform sufficiently, limiting the flexure of the face portion and thus the overall performance.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design with specific curvature and thickness conditions in the center vertical cross section, allowing the face and body portions to deform effectively, by increasing the radius of curvature and thickness at boundary points and reducing thickness gradually towards the crown and sole sides, thereby enhancing the body flexure effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a groove or low-rigidity portion is provided in the body portion, then the rebound performance is enhanced through body deformation, but the face portion cannot be sufficiently deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a thickness gradient in the body portion - the head thickness is specifically controlled to be 2.0 mm or more at the boundary point between the face portion and crown/sole portions, while gradually reducing to 1.0 mm or less at spots 10-20 mm toward the crown/sole sides. This localized thickness variation allows the face portion to deform sufficiently during impact while the body portion provides the necessary flexibility for rebound enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of head thickness distribution in the body portion, establishing specific numerical ranges (2.0 mm or more at boundary, gradually reducing to 1.0 mm or less within 10-20 mm toward crown/sole). This parameter control enables optimal balance between face portion deformation capability and body portion flexibility, resolving the contradiction between sufficient face deformation and rebound performance enhancement.
2Loss of energy
If the head thickness is reduced to enhance body flexure, then the rebound performance improves, but the structural strength and durability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different thickness zones in the body portion - maintaining 2.0 mm or more thickness at the boundary point between face portion and crown/sole portions for structural strength, while reducing to 1.0 mm or less at spots 10-20 mm toward the crown/sole sides for enhanced flexure. This spatially differentiated thickness distribution simultaneously achieves durability and rebound performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curvature by requiring the head inner surface to have a radius of curvature of 4.0 mm or more (preferably 6.0 mm or more) at the boundary point between the face portion and crown/sole portions. This curved geometry distributes stress more evenly, preventing stress concentration that would occur with sharp corners, thereby maintaining structural durability while enabling the thickness reduction needed for body flexure and rebound enhancement.
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
This design enhances the rebound performance by allowing greater flexure of the face portion through deformation of the body portion, improving durability and maintaining the crown and sole flexure effects, resulting in improved ball launch characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
The rebound performance can be enhanced by allowing not only a face portion but also a body portion to be deformed
Data Source
AI summary
In a head, a center vertical cross section passing through a face center satisfies the following (a) and (b):(a) when a boundary point between an inner surface of a crown portion and an inner surface of a face portion is defined as a CF inner surface boundary point, a curvature radius of a head inner surface at the CF inner surface boundary point is 6.0 mm or greater and 10.0 mm or less, and the head thickness at the CF inner surface boundary point is 2.0 mm or greater; and(b) when a spot located 10 mm apart from the CF inner surface boundary point toward the crown side is defined as a spot C10, the head thickness reduces gradually from the CF inner surface boundary point to the spot C10, and the head thickness at the spot C10 is 1.0 mm or less.