Spherical Quadrilateral Dimple Pattern for Stable Golf Ball Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf ball dimple patterns are not optimized for complex cover formation techniques, leading to instability and asymmetry in the golf ball sub-assembly, which affects aerodynamic performance.
Innovation Solution
A dimple pattern is designed with segmented spherical quadrilaterals and specific dimple configurations that provide rotational symmetry and mirror symmetry about the polar axis, ensuring stability and symmetry during complex cover formation processes like reaction injection-molding (RIM) and retractable pin injection-molding (RPIM).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional dimple pattern is used, then the golf ball can be manufactured with simple cover formation techniques, but the golf ball sub-assembly becomes unstable and asymmetric during complex cover formation processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally designing the dimple pattern to lack rotational symmetry about the polar axis. Specifically, the dimple pattern has at most second order rotational symmetry, meaning that dimples are strategically positioned to break higher-order rotational symmetry. This asymmetric design creates corresponding asymmetric reactions during the molding process that counteract distortion forces, thereby stabilizing the golf ball sub-assembly during complex cover formation techniques like RIM and RPIM.
2Reliability
If the dimple pattern has high rotational symmetry, then the aerodynamic performance is optimized, but the manufacturing process becomes more difficult to control for complex cover formation techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately reduces rotational symmetry from higher orders to at most second order symmetry. This asymmetric configuration of dimples creates a pattern that is resistant to distortion during complex molding processes. The asymmetric dimple arrangement ensures that the golf ball sub-assembly maintains stability during RIM and RPIM formation techniques while still achieving the desired aerodynamic performance through the specific geometric arrangement of dimples in spherical quadrilateral zones.
3Manufacturing precision
If the dimple pattern is designed for complex cover formation techniques, then manufacturing stability is improved, but the aerodynamic performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the golf ball surface into distinct spherical quadrilateral zones (first and second zones with different dimple configurations) and assigning specific dimple patterns to each zone. The first and second zones have distinct dimple patterns optimized for their respective locations, with the first zone containing dimples of first size and the second zone containing dimples of second size. This localized optimization ensures both manufacturing stability during complex formation techniques and aerodynamic performance by tailoring the dimple characteristics to specific regional requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of a dimple pattern methodology, and dimple pattern configurations are disclosed herein. A spherical quadrilateral segment division can be used to maintain a high level of symmetry in the dimple pattern while also maintaining a specific dimple layout in polar regions of the golf ball. In one aspect, the specific configurations disclosed herein can provide geometric symmetry while being adaptable to relatively complex processes for forming golf ball covers. Furthermore, the configurations disclosed herein provide a dimple pattern with a high level of symmetry having a particular subset of preferred polar dimples.