Multi-Piece Solid Golf Ball Layering for Distance Control and Tour-Like Spin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf balls designed to reduce distance for long hitters also disproportionately reduce distance for average hitters, affecting their ability to control the ball and stop it at intended locations, and do not maintain spin characteristics similar to current tour balls.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball with a core, intermediate layer, and cover, featuring a specific relationship between surface hardnesses, initial velocity, and dimple volume, along with optimized lift and drag coefficients, to enhance distance control and spin characteristics for both long and average hitters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the initial velocity of the ball is restricted to reduce distance for long hitters, then the distance on shots with a driver by long hitters is reduced, but the distance on shots with a driver by average hitters and on shots with an iron is also largely reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different hardness characteristics in different regions of the ball. The cover layer is made harder than the intermediate layer, creating a hardness gradient that locally affects the ball's deformation and rebound characteristics. This allows the ball to maintain higher initial velocity for long hitters while preserving distance control for average hitters, as the harder cover reduces overall compression but the softer intermediate layer maintains energy transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining multiple layers with different material properties - a hard cover layer (Shore C 70-90) and a softer intermediate layer (Shore C 30-60). This composite structure allows the ball to exhibit different mechanical properties in different regions, enabling simultaneous optimization of initial velocity and distance control that cannot be achieved with a single-material ball.
2Speed
If the dimple volume occupancy ratio is increased to reduce distance on shots with a driver by long hitters, then the distance is reduced, but the run on shots with an iron increases too much making it difficult to stop the ball at an intended place
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different hardness characteristics in different regions of the ball. The cover layer is made harder than the intermediate layer, creating a hardness gradient that locally affects the ball's deformation and rebound characteristics. This allows the ball to maintain higher initial velocity for long hitters while preserving distance control for average hitters, as the harder cover reduces overall compression but the softer intermediate layer maintains energy transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the hardness parameter distribution within the ball structure. By specifying that the cover layer hardness (Shore C 70-90) be higher than the intermediate layer hardness (Shore C 30-60), the invention optimizes the ball's mechanical response to impact. This parameter change allows the ball to achieve reduced distance for long hitters while maintaining controllability for average hitters, as the hardness gradient modifies both initial velocity and spin characteristics.
3Speed
If the ball is designed to reduce distance on shots with a driver by long hitters, then the distance is reduced, but the spin characteristics in the short game become different from current tour balls causing discomfort for professionals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining multiple layers with different material properties - a hard cover layer (Shore C 70-90) and a softer intermediate layer (Shore C 30-60). This composite structure allows the ball to exhibit different mechanical properties in different regions, enabling simultaneous optimization of initial velocity and distance control that cannot be achieved with a single-material ball.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the hardness parameter distribution within the ball structure. By specifying that the cover layer hardness (Shore C 70-90) be higher than the intermediate layer hardness (Shore C 30-60), the invention optimizes the ball's mechanical response to impact. This parameter change allows the ball to achieve reduced distance for long hitters while maintaining controllability for average hitters, as the hardness gradient modifies both initial velocity and spin characteristics.
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 golf ball maintains distance for long hitters while reducing distance for average hitters, improves control and stopping ability, and maintains spin characteristics similar to current tour balls, addressing the needs of professionals and advanced players.
Implementation Method 1
a large number of dimples are formed on an outer surface of the cover
Implementation Method 2
a relationship between a surface hardness of an intermediate layer-encased sphere and a surface hardness of the ball
Data Source
AI summary
In a golf ball including a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, the relationship of the surface hardness between an intermediate layer-encased sphere and the ball satisfies a predetermined relational expression, and with an initial velocity of the ball and a deflection under a predetermined load applied to the ball optimized, and letting a value of (initial velocity of core×weight of core) be Ciw, a value of [(initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere—initial velocity of core)×(weight of intermediate layer-encased sphere−weight of core)] be Miw, and a value of [(initial velocity of ball−initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere)×(weight of ball−weight of intermediate layer-encased sphere)] be CViw, the expression of Ciw+Miw+CViw is optimized, and a volume occupancy ratio VR of the dimples is set within a predetermined range.