Two-Piece Putter Head with Adjustable Shaft for Off-Center Hit Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf putters experience twisting and skidding issues due to off-center hits, leading to unintended ball trajectories and reduced accuracy, as they lack sufficient moment of inertia to mitigate these problems.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design featuring a two-piece body with a central portion and frame, optimized weight distribution, and a telescoping adjustable shaft, which increases the moment of inertia about the z-axis, reducing twisting and promoting forward roll, combined with a self-locking clamp system for adjustable shaft length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional putter design is used, then the club head twists about its center of gravity during off-center hits, but this twisting causes the ball to travel in unintended directions and skid rather than roll
Solution Approach 1:
The putter head is divided into a two-piece construction with a separate frame and central portion, allowing independent optimization of weight distribution and structural integrity to reduce twisting during off-center hits
Solution Approach 2:
The design extends the putter head dimensions to increase the moment of inertia about the z-axis, utilizing dimensional expansion to resist rotational twisting forces during impact
2Reliability
If the moment of inertia is increased to reduce twisting, then off-center hits produce more consistent forward roll, but this requires a larger and heavier club head design
Solution Approach 1:
Weight is strategically concentrated in specific locations within the club head, particularly in the frame structure, to maximize the moment of inertia about the z-axis without uniformly increasing overall club head weight
Solution Approach 2:
The two-piece construction combines different materials and structures (frame and central portion) to achieve optimal weight distribution that increases moment of inertia while controlling overall mass
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed shaft length is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but golfers cannot adjust for different playing styles or fit requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft assembly transitions from a fixed configuration to a dynamic, adjustable system that allows golfers to modify shaft length based on individual playing preferences and physical characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft is divided into multiple sections that can be independently adjusted and reconfigured, enabling variable length adjustments while maintaining structural integrity through the telescoping mechanism
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 design significantly reduces club head twisting and promotes more consistent and forward-rolling ball motion, enhancing accuracy and control, particularly for off-center hits, by achieving high moments of inertia and a lower center of gravity.
Implementation Method 1
The deformable container is connected to the second end of the lower shaft section. The claim is positionable at the intersection of the upper shaft section and the lower shaft section
Implementation Method 2
The clamp is adjustable to secure the upper shaft and the lower shaft sections together to achieve a selected overall shaft length
Implementation Method 3
The moment of inertia of the club head about a z-axis of the center of gravity is between about 7,000 g·cm2 and about 14,000 g·cm2
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head comprises a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion and a heel portion that together form a two-piece body and for which a center of gravity is defined. The body comprises a central portion as a first piece and a frame as a second piece. The frame encloses a substantial portion of the central portion within an XY-plane. The central portion is connected with the frame with fasteners along at least the front portion. The moment inertia of the club head about a z-axis of the center of gravity is between about 7,000 g·cm2 and about 14,000 g·cm2.