Putter Head Thin Crown Damping for Sound and Mass Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Putter-type golf club heads with traditional large unitary construction metallic frames suffer from undesirable mass properties, sound, and feel, which are exacerbated by thickening walls to improve aesthetics, failing to meet modern golfer preferences.
Innovation Solution
A putter-type golf club head with a unitary construction metallic frame and a crown damping member, featuring a thin wall crown region and specific mass, density, and inertia properties, along with a crown damping member to enhance performance and sound characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the walls of the metallic frame are thickened to improve aesthetics, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the mass properties become worse and the sound and feel deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The putter head is divided into multiple components: a metallic frame and a separate crown insert. This segmentation allows the frame to maintain thin walls for improved mass properties while the crown insert provides the necessary aesthetic appearance and structural functionality without adding excessive weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The putter head combines different materials - a metallic frame (such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy) with a crown insert made of a different material. This composite construction enables optimization of each component's properties: the frame provides structural integrity with thin walls, while the crown insert delivers aesthetic appearance and can be designed with appropriate density to maintain favorable mass properties.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the walls of the metallic frame are thickened to improve sound and feel, then the sound and feel characteristics are improved, but the mass properties become worse
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the crown region into a distinct insert component, the patent allows optimization of sound and feel characteristics in the crown area without increasing the wall thickness of the entire frame. The crown insert can be designed with appropriate material properties and thickness to achieve desirable sound and feel upon ball impact, while the frame maintains thin walls for favorable mass distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The crown insert is designed with specific local properties (material composition, thickness, density) optimized for sound and feel characteristics. This localized optimization allows the crown region to provide improved sound and feel without requiring the entire frame to have thick walls, thereby maintaining favorable overall mass properties.
3Weight of moving object
If a multi-piece construction is used to improve mass properties, then the mass distribution is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The putter head is constructed with a metallic frame and a crown insert as separate pieces, allowing independent optimization of mass distribution. The frame can be designed with thin walls and strategic thickness variations to achieve favorable mass properties, while the crown insert provides counterbalancing mass and aesthetic functionality. This segmentation enables precise control over center of gravity and moment of inertia.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of metallic frame and crown insert creates a composite structure where each material is selected for its specific properties. The frame material provides structural integrity with minimal weight, while the crown insert material (which may have different density characteristics) helps fine-tune the overall mass distribution. This composite approach achieves optimized mass properties through material selection rather than complex geometric arrangements.
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 solution provides improved mass distribution, sound, and feel, aligning with modern aesthetic preferences while maintaining performance standards.
Implementation Method 1
a crown damping member attached to thin wall crown region
Data Source
AI summary
A putter-type golf club head comprises a unitary construction metallic frame having a thin wall crown region, and a crown damping member attached to thin wall crown region. The unitary construction metallic frame has a frame mass of 250-370 grams, a frame density of at least 2.5 g/cc, a frame length of 40-130 mm, a frame width of 75-130 mm, a frame height of 17-30 mm, a frame front forming a portion of a striking face, a frame rear, a frame top, and a frame bottom, wherein the frame top includes a thin wall crown region having a TWCR thickness of 0.6-1.2 mm, a TWCR length, a TWCR width, and a TWCR area of at least 600 mm2.