Polyurea-Coated Golf Club Face for Durability and CT Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club heads experience reduced performance metrics such as characteristic time (CT) and coefficient of restitution (COR) due to durability limitations when swung at high speeds, as existing face reinforcement structures fail to maintain these measurements while withstanding high impact forces.
Innovation Solution
Applying a polymeric material, specifically polyurea, to the rear surface of a variable thickness golf club face, using a guard fixture to protect the stiffening members and ensuring the coating adheres only to the face insert, thereby enhancing durability and maintaining desirable CT and COR measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prior art face reinforcement structures are used to improve durability, then durability is improved, but characteristic time (CT) and coefficient of restitution (COR) are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a polymer coating specifically to the rear surface of the face insert where reinforcement is needed, rather than using bulk reinforcement structures throughout the entire face. This localized application provides durability enhancement while preserving the original face geometry and mechanical properties in the impact zone, thereby maintaining CT and COR measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the metal face insert with a polymer coating material to create a composite structure. The polymer coating provides durability and impact resistance on the rear surface, while the metal face insert maintains its original mechanical properties for optimal ball contact performance, achieving both durability and performance metrics simultaneously.
2Reliability
If a polymer coating is applied to the rear surface of the face insert, then durability is improved, but the coating may adhere to stiffening members causing manufacturing complications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guard fixture as an intermediary component that temporarily covers the stiffening members during the coating application process. This guard fixture prevents the polymer coating from adhering to the stiffening members, allowing for clean coating application on the rear surface of the face insert without manufacturing complications. The guard fixture is removed after coating completion.
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 polyurea coating improves durability by 32-169 hits, increases CT by 2-7 μs, and reduces COR by 0.002-0.004, allowing for weight reduction and fine-tuning of performance metrics post-production.
Implementation Method 1
applying a coating to at least a portion of the interior-facing surface of the face wall
Implementation Method 2
allowing the coating to cure
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of applying a polymeric coating to a rear face surface of golf club heads with variable face thickness are disclosed herein. The coating, which preferably comprises polyurea, improves the durability of the face and reduces the hits to failure ratio of the golf club head. The coating improves the performance of the golf club head because it allows for reduction in overall face thickness and easy post-process manipulation to allow for fine-tuning of mass properties after production. The reduction in thickness leads to overall weight reduction, because the polymer is roughly a quarter of the density of titanium or stainless steel, and also reinforces the face, thereby increasing the lifespan of the club.