Irregular Dimple Patterns for Golf Ball Aerodynamic Symmetry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf ball dimple patterns struggle to achieve optimal aerodynamic efficiency and symmetry, leading to suboptimal surface coverage and performance, as conventional geometric shapes limit the design of new symmetric patterns and result in less than ideal aerodynamic properties.
Innovation Solution
The use of irregular domains generated from polyhedrons, such as tetrahedrons, to create unique dimple patterns on the golf ball surface, where dimples are arranged using methods like midpoint to midpoint and center to vertex techniques, allowing for greater symmetry and flexibility in dimple placement, and packed in a uniform tessellated pattern to cover the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional geometric shapes (circles, hexagons, triangles, Platonic solids, Archimedian solids) are used for dimple patterns, then aerodynamic symmetry is maintained, but surface coverage is less than optimal and aerodynamic efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball surface is divided into multiple irregular domains, each containing a specific arrangement of dimples. These domains are tessellated across the entire surface, allowing for optimized local dimple configurations while maintaining global symmetry. The segmentation enables better surface coverage compared to conventional geometric patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs irregular domains with asymmetric boundaries defined by non-straight segments. These asymmetric domains are strategically arranged and tessellated to create an overall symmetric pattern on the golf ball surface, resolving the contradiction between local irregularity for better coverage and global symmetry for aerodynamic performance.
2Device complexity
If the number of symmetric solid plane systems is limited to conventional geometric shapes, then design simplicity is maintained, but the ability to devise new symmetric patterns is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves beyond traditional two-dimensional geometric patterns by introducing irregular domains with curved boundaries and three-dimensional tessellation arrangements. This dimensional expansion allows for new symmetric patterns that cannot be achieved with conventional flat geometric shapes, increasing design versatility while maintaining systematic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the dimple pattern by using irregular domains with variable shapes and sizes, rather than fixed geometric shapes. The non-straight segments and flexible domain boundaries allow for parameter optimization to achieve better surface coverage and aerodynamic performance simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If dimple patterns are based on limited geometric shapes, then manufacturing consistency is easier to achieve, but aerodynamic performance is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a systematic framework for generating irregular domains and tessellating them across the golf ball surface before actual dimple formation. This preliminary domain definition ensures manufacturing consistency by providing a repeatable pattern generation process, while the irregular domain geometry enables optimized aerodynamic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses multiple copies of the irregular domain pattern, tessellated across the entire golf ball surface. This copying approach maintains manufacturing consistency through repetition of the optimized domain design, while the irregular geometry of each domain provides superior aerodynamic characteristics compared to conventional geometric patterns.
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 approach enhances aerodynamic efficiency by minimizing parting lines from the molding process, increasing symmetry, and allowing for more flexible dimple arrangements, resulting in improved flight stability and aerodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
tessellating the domains onto the surface of the golf ball
Implementation Method 2
dimples provide a means to energize the flow field and delay the separation of flow, or reduce the wake region behind the ball
Implementation Method 3
In order to minimize pressure drag, dimples provide a means to energize the flow field and delay the separation of flow
Implementation Method 4
Lift force is perpendicular to the direction of flight and is a result of air velocity differences above and below the rotating ball. This phenomenon is attributed to Magnus, who described it in 1853 after studying the aerodynamic forces on spinning spheres and cylinders
Implementation Method 5
Bernoulli's equation relates pressure and velocity where pressure is inversely proportional to the square of velocity. The velocity differential, due to faster moving air on top and slower moving air on the bottom, results in lower air pressure on top and an upward directed force on the ball
Implementation Method 6
Skin friction is a viscous effect residing close to the surface of the ball within the boundary layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.