Groove Forming Tool for Golf Club Heads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club manufacturers face challenges in producing golf club heads with grooves due to uneven wear and excessive vibrations from groove cutters, which affect the quality and consistency of the grooves.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a groove forming tool rotated at an angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees, with a constant velocity between 45 and 800 surface meters per minute, to create grooves with elliptical portions at the ends, which can be formed in a single pass with straight or curved sidewalls, optimizing the tool's length and material for reduced vibrations and improved wear resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a groove cutter is used to cut grooves into the golf club face, then grooves can be formed, but the cutter exhibits uneven wear and excessive vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical groove cutter with a groove forming tool that uses abrasion rather than mechanical cutting. The groove forming tool includes an abrasive surface that abrades the golf club face to form grooves, eliminating the uneven wear and vibrations associated with mechanical cutters. This substitution of the mechanical cutting system with an abrasion-based system resolves the contradiction between groove formation quality and cutter reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameter from mechanical cutting to abrasion. The groove forming tool operates by abrading the golf club face material rather than cutting it mechanically. This parameter change eliminates the wear and vibration problems of traditional cutters while maintaining groove formation capability, resolving the technical contradiction.
2Manufacturing precision
If a groove cutter is used to cut grooves into the golf club face, then grooves can be formed, but excessive vibrations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical groove cutter that generates excessive vibrations with a groove forming tool that uses controlled abrasion. The abrasive surface of the groove forming tool removes material through friction and wear rather than through vibratory mechanical cutting, thereby eliminating the harmful vibrations while maintaining groove formation quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If the groove forming tool is rotated at a constant velocity, then consistent groove formation is achieved, but the tool length and material must be optimized to reduce vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes specific parameters of the groove forming tool including its length, material composition, and rotational velocity to achieve consistent groove formation while minimizing vibrations. The tool is designed with specific dimensional and material parameters that balance groove consistency with vibration reduction, resolving the contradiction between precision and harmful factors.
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 method ensures consistent and high-quality groove formation with reduced vibrations and wear, conforming to golf standards, and provides improved 'bite' and 'spin' on the golf ball.
Implementation Method 1
rotating a groove forming tool about an axis of rotation at an angle substantially greater than zero degrees and substantially less than 90 degrees to the golf club face, and actuating the groove forming tool at the angle from a first end to a second end of the golf club face
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments concern a groove forming machine configured to form a groove on the golf club face of a golf club head. The groove forming machine can include: a groove forming tool configured to rotate about an axis of rotation at a first angle substantially greater than zero degrees and substantially less than 90 degrees to the golf club face. The groove forming tool is further configured to actuate from a first end of the golf club face to a second end of the golf club face by contacting a first portion of the groove forming tool with the golf club face to cut the groove with a first cross-section into the golf club face. Other embodiments are described herein.