Putter Head Frame Layout for Off-Center Twist Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club heads, particularly putter-type clubs, experience twisting during off-center hits, leading to inaccurate ball direction and reduced roll, compromising precision and consistency.
Innovation Solution
A putter-type golf club head design featuring a two-piece construction with a central portion made of aluminum and a steel frame, incorporating a lightweight crown and strategically positioned weights to enhance moment of inertia, particularly around the Z-axis, and a cup alignment indicia for improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional one-piece club head construction is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but the moment of inertia is lower causing more twisting on off-center hits
Solution Approach 1:
The club head is divided into two separate pieces: a central portion and a frame portion, each manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows optimization of each component's properties while achieving a higher overall moment of inertia through strategic weight distribution in the frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head combines different materials in a composite construction - the central portion made of one material and the frame of another material, allowing each component to contribute its optimal properties to the overall performance, particularly for enhancing moment of inertia.
2Strength
If weight is added to increase moment of inertia, then twisting is reduced, but the overall weight of the club head increases
Solution Approach 1:
Additional weight is strategically concentrated in specific locations within the frame portion rather than uniformly distributed throughout the club head. This local quality approach maximizes the moment of inertia enhancement while minimizing the overall weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame portion extends in dimensional spaces around the central portion, allowing weight to be distributed in three-dimensional space to optimize moment of inertia without proportionally increasing total weight. The frame creates a spatial arrangement that leverages distance from the center of gravity.
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 twisting upon off-center hits, ensuring more consistent and accurate ball motion, enhancing precision and control during putting.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a lightweight crown and strategically positioned weights to enhance moment of inertia, particularly around the Z-axis
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club putter head has a geometric center, a top portion, a sole portion, a face portion having a striking surface, and a back portion. A first toe side portion extends rearwardly from the face portion toe side and flares outwardly from the striking surface, and a second toe side portion extends rearwardly from the first toe side portion and joins the back portion. A first heel side portion extends rearwardly from the face portion heel side and flares outwardly from the striking surface, and a second heel side portion extends rearwardly from the first heel side portion and joins the back portion. The second toe side portion and the second heel side portion converge toward one another, and a central gap creates an opening extending through the sole portion and the top portion.