Iron Golf Club Head With Variable Face Thickness for Higher MOI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf club heads face challenges in balancing mass and performance properties, such as Center of Gravity (CG) location, Coefficients of Restitution (COR), Moments of Inertia (MOI), and appearance, while adhering to regulatory limits and player preferences.
Innovation Solution
A variable face thickness pattern is introduced in golf club heads, particularly iron-type club heads, redistributing discretionary mass from the striking face to other areas to improve CG location, MOI, and COR, maintaining overall weight and appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If mass is redistributed from the striking face to other areas, then CG location and MOI are improved, but face thickness and structural strength are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The striking face is designed with variable thickness distribution, where the central region has reduced thickness to redistribute mass, while peripheral regions maintain sufficient thickness for structural strength. This local differentiation allows mass relocation to improve CG location without compromising overall face strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head employs composite construction with a multi-component structure including a body, cap, bridge, and sole. This composite design allows strategic placement of materials with different densities and properties to achieve desired mass distribution while maintaining structural integrity of the striking face.
2Stability of the object's composition
If discretionary mass is removed from the striking face, then MOI increases, but COR may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
Mass is selectively removed from specific regions of the striking face (particularly the central region) while maintaining thickness in areas critical for COR performance. This localized mass redistribution increases MOI by moving mass away from the center of gravity, while preserving face elasticity in key impact zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the MOI-COR trade-off by extending the design solution into the third dimension through variable thickness profiling. By creating a three-dimensional mass distribution pattern rather than uniform thinning, the design achieves increased MOI while maintaining sufficient face thickness for acceptable COR across the striking surface.
3Stability of the object's composition
If variable face thickness pattern is implemented, then mass distribution is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The variable thickness pattern is integrated into a unified club head design where the body, cap, bridge, and sole work together as a single multi-functional structure. This universal design approach achieves complex mass distribution through coordinated geometry of multiple components rather than requiring separate manufacturing steps for each feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements variable face thickness by changing the geometric parameters of the club head components during design and manufacturing. By systematically varying thickness parameters across different regions of the body, cap, bridge, and sole, the desired mass distribution is achieved through controlled parameter changes rather than complex post-processing operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An iron-type golf club head includes a striking face comprising a face center and a variable face thickness such that the striking face has a perimeter region proximate an outer boundary of the striking face and a maximum thickness of the striking face located in the perimeter region. A shell of the golf club head includes a crown, a sole opposite the crown, a heel, a toe, and an internal weight pad located on a lower portion of the shell. A moment of inertia about a vertical axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head is at least 2900 g*cm2. In another aspect, the striking face includes a center region having a first thickness T1, an intermediate region surrounding the center region having a second thickness T2, and a perimeter region surrounding the intermediate region having a third thickness T3, and T2<T1<T3.