Minimal Surface Golf Ball Intermediate Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional golf balls lack optimal distribution of weight and materials without sacrificing speed or durability, and they often have discontinuities that can lead to reduced resilience and durability issues.

Innovation Solution

A golf ball design featuring an intermediate layer composed of a triply periodic minimal surface and an interstitial space, which provides a continuous surface with zero mean curvature, allowing for low density-to-envelope volume ratios and improved durability and resilience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional golf ball designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but weight distribution is suboptimal and durability is reduced due to discontinuities

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies minimal surface geometry with zero mean curvature to create a continuous intermediate layer structure. This curvature-based design eliminates discontinuities and sharp edges that cause stress concentration, thereby improving durability while maintaining structural integrity through mathematically optimal surface properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining the minimal surface intermediate layer with the core and cover layers. This composite design allows for optimized weight distribution and material placement while the continuous minimal surface structure provides enhanced durability without sacrificing structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Weight of moving object

If conventional golf ball designs are used, then manufacturing is easier, but weight and material distribution is not optimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight distributionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The minimal surface intermediate layer enables local optimization of material distribution and weight placement. The continuous curved surface allows for precise control of material density and composition at different locations, achieving optimal weight distribution while the overall geometric framework remains manufacturable through established molding techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If discontinuous structures are used in golf balls, then manufacturing may be simpler, but resilience and durability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveresilienceVSAvoidsurface continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a minimal surface with zero mean curvature that is inherently continuous and free of sharp edges or discontinuities. This continuous curved geometry distributes stress evenly throughout the intermediate layer, enhancing resilience and durability without requiring complex assembly of multiple parts or discontinuous structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS10695617B1Minimal surface golf ball components

Publication Date: 2020.06.30 ACUSHNET CO

AI summary

The present invention provides a novel golf ball construction including a layer having a design based on a minimal surface. The layer is defined by an envelope shape having an outer boundary and an inner boundary, and consists of a minimal surface and an interstitial space, the minimal surface and interstitial space being bounded by the envelope shape. The minimal surface is a single continuous surface which does not intersect itself and has zero mean curvature.