Hollow Golf Club Head With Flexible Face for CG and MOI Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf club heads face challenges in optimizing the center of gravity (CG) and moment of inertia (MOI) to achieve desired trajectory and spin rates, limiting performance enhancement.
Innovation Solution
The golf club heads are manufactured using multiple materials and structural designs, including a hollow body with internal cavities filled with different filler materials and strategically positioned mass portions, to optimize CG and MOI, and incorporate a flexible face portion for enhanced ball striking characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple materials are used to manufacture golf club heads, then the center of gravity and moment of inertia can be optimized for desired trajectory and spin rate, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The golf club head is divided into multiple functional zones with different materials: a titanium-based material for the club head body, a tungsten-based material for the weight member in the cavity, and a polymer material for the vibration damping element. This segmentation allows each material to be optimized for its specific function while achieving overall performance goals.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining multiple materials with different properties within a single golf club head. The titanium-based material provides lightweight strength, the tungsten-based material provides high density for weight optimization, and the polymer material provides vibration damping. This composite approach enables simultaneous optimization of multiple performance parameters.
2Reliability
If a hollow body with internal cavities filled with filler materials is used, then the center of gravity position can be optimized, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process uses nested molding where the polymer vibration damping element is first formed, then the tungsten-based weight member is formed around it, and finally the titanium-based club head body is formed around the weight member. This nested approach allows all components to be manufactured as a single integrated piece, reducing assembly complexity despite the multi-material construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration damping element is pre-formed before the weight member and club head body are manufactured around it. This preliminary action allows the subsequent molding processes to simply encapsulate the pre-formed element, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while achieving complex multi-material integration.
3Ease of operation
If a flexible face portion is incorporated, then ball striking characteristics are enhanced, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible face portion is specifically located at the ball striking area of the club head, while the rest of the club head body maintains its structural rigidity. This local flexibility enhancement improves ball striking characteristics without compromising the overall structural strength of the club head.
Solution Approach 2:
The face portion of the club head is designed with flexible material properties, allowing it to deform elastically during ball impact. This flexibility enhances the trampoline effect and ball striking characteristics, while the underlying rigid club head structure provides necessary structural support.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of golf club heads, golf clubs, and methods to manufacture golf club heads and golf clubs are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion having an opening, a face portion coupled to the body portion to close the opening, a mass portion coupled to the body portion, a face support portion coupled to a back surface of the face portion and having a different material than a material of the face portion, and a filler material in the body portion between the face support portion and the mass portion. The filler material comprises a first elasticity and the face support portion comprises a second elasticity less than the first elasticity. A thickness of the face support portion is different from a thickness of the face portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.