Multi-Density Golf Club Head Mass Redistribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf club heads, particularly long irons, have a smaller sweet spot due to their smaller face surface area, making them difficult for average golfers to hit consistently, and existing solutions like cavity back constructions and increased size are limited in redistributing mass without compromising overall weight and durability.
Innovation Solution
The golf club head is designed with three sections of different densities: a conventional-weight section, a lightweight section, and a heavyweight section, allowing for a shifted center of gravity towards the sole and back while maintaining overall mass, using materials like steel for the conventional section, tungsten for the heavyweight section, and plastics or metals for the lightweight section, and employing co-molding techniques for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the club head size is increased to enlarge the sweet spot, then the sweet spot size is improved, but the overall weight of the club increases making it more difficult to swing
Solution Approach 1:
The club head incorporates regions of different material densities (lightweight section with density 0.5-5.8 g/cc, conventional-weight section with density 5.0-9.0 g/cc, and heavyweight section with density 10.0-20.0 g/cc) to create localized mass distribution. This allows the sweet spot area to be enlarged while controlling overall weight by placing lighter materials in specific regions and heavier materials in others, resolving the contradiction between increased sweet spot size and manageable club weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head is constructed as a composite structure combining three distinct material sections with different density ranges. This composite approach enables precise control over mass distribution within the enlarged club head volume, allowing the designer to optimize both the sweet spot area and the overall weight characteristics for improved performance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If material is removed from the face to thin it and redistribute mass, then the mass distribution is improved, but the hitting face thickness is reduced risking failure from impact forces
Solution Approach 1:
The hitting face is constructed as part of a composite multi-density structure where the conventional-weight section (density 5.0-9.0 g/cc) provides adequate thickness and impact resistance. The composite design allows mass redistribution to achieve desired center of gravity positioning while maintaining sufficient face thickness for structural integrity and impact durability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the club head have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The hitting face region maintains conventional-weight material with sufficient thickness for strength, while other sections use lightweight or heavyweight materials to achieve the desired mass distribution and center of gravity positioning, resolving the contradiction between mass distribution optimization and face strength maintenance.
3Speed
If the center of gravity is moved toward the bottom and back of the club head to increase sweet spot size, then the launch speed and distance are improved, but the moment of inertia must be increased to minimize off-center hit penalties
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-density composite structure enables simultaneous optimization of center of gravity position and moment of inertia. By strategically placing lightweight, conventional-weight, and heavyweight sections in specific locations, the design achieves a low center of gravity for increased launch speed while maintaining high moment of inertia to reduce off-center hit penalties, resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the density parameter of materials in different sections of the club head to optimize both center of gravity position and moment of inertia. By adjusting material densities (from 0.5 to 20.0 g/cc across different sections) and their spatial distribution, the design achieves the desired balance between launch speed optimization and off-center hit forgiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
An iron-type golf club includes a conventional-weight section, a lightweight section and a heavyweight section. The conventional-weight section includes the hitting face and at least a portion of the hosel. The heavyweight section, made of a denser material than the conventional-weight section, includes the sole and an optional back flange. The lightweight section, made of a material less dense than either of the other sections, includes a core to which the other two sections are secured, such as by co-molding the core to the other two sections. The heavyweight section includes anchoring structures to which the lightweight section can securely attach. This arrangement maintains the overall weight of the club head compared to a similarly proportioned conventional club head while shifting the center of gravity low and aft. As such, the club head provides benefits such as forgiveness for thin shots, heel/toe shots, and provides longer drives with less roll.