Hollow Iron Club Head Insert for Vibration Damping and Forgiveness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing iron-type golf club heads struggle to balance performance and vibrational response, with blade-style irons prioritizing vibrational response at the cost of forgiveness and hollow-body/cavity-back irons prioritizing performance at the cost of vibrational response.
Innovation Solution
A hollow-body iron-type golf club head with rear openings and a lightweight insert is designed to improve vibrational damping and performance by using a low-density material to replace high-density body material, creating discretionary mass and optimizing the club head's center of gravity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If blade-style or muscle-back iron construction is used, then vibrational response is improved, but forgiveness and performance are worsened due to lack of discretionary mass
Solution Approach 1:
The club head is divided into a solid body portion and a separate insert portion. The insert is received within an interior cavity of the club head body, creating a segmented structure that combines the vibration-damping properties of solid construction with the mass distribution benefits of hollow-body designs. The insert can be secured via interference fit, adhesive, or mechanical features such as recesses and protrusions.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head employs a composite construction with the insert made from materials having different density and vibration-damping characteristics than the club head body. The insert material is selected to provide superior vibration damping while the overall composite structure maintains optimal weight distribution for forgiveness and performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hollow-body or cavity-back iron construction is used, then performance and forgiveness are improved through discretionary mass, but vibrational response is worsened due to thin walls experiencing substantial vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The insert acts as an intermediary element within the hollow-body or cavity-back construction. It serves as a vibration-damping mediator that absorbs and dissipates vibrational energy generated during impact, while allowing the hollow-body structure to maintain its mass distribution benefits for forgiveness and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is strategically positioned within the interior cavity of the club head, concentrating vibration-damping material in the region where vibrations are most problematic. This localized approach provides targeted vibration control without compromising the overall hollow-body structure's performance characteristics.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If solid-body blade-style construction is used, then vibrational response is improved, but discretionary mass is reduced limiting performance optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is nested within the interior cavity of the club head body, creating a doll-like nested structure. This allows the club head to incorporate vibration-damping material without increasing overall external dimensions, effectively adding functional mass where it is most needed while maintaining compact design.
Solution Approach 2:
The density and material parameters of the insert are specifically selected to provide optimal vibration damping. By changing the material parameters of the insert rather than the entire club head, the design achieves superior vibrational characteristics while maintaining the weight and mass distribution necessary for performance.
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 solution provides a balanced combination of performance and vibrational damping, enhancing forgiveness and sound characteristics while maintaining or improving performance compared to traditional designs.
Implementation Method 1
the insert is made of a lightweight material to dampen vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are embodiments of an iron-type golf club head comprising a rear opening and an insert. The insert either partially or fully occupies the club head interior cavity. The insert damps vibrations occurring within the club head at impact to provide a desirable sound and feel. The insert is formed of a low-density material, thereby providing a significant damping effect while also creating discretionary mass.