Table Tennis Rubber Protrusion Geometry for Speed and Spin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing table tennis rubbers face challenges in achieving both high batted ball speed and spin performance due to energy loss from protrusions into the spongy-like sheet, leading to unpreferable resilience and energy loss.
Innovation Solution
A table tennis rubber configuration with a rubber sheet thickness of 1.6 mm or less and an area percentage of protrusions to the sticking surface divided by their height (ar/h) of 52 or more, optimizing the design for enhanced speed and spin performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If protrusions are formed on the rubber sheet to enhance spin performance, then spin performance is improved, but energy loss increases and batted ball speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the thickness of the rubber sheet (1.6 mm or less) and the geometric parameters of the protrusions (area percentage ar and height h with ar/h ≥ 52). This optimization balances the protrusion's ability to bite into the sponge for spin generation while minimizing energy loss through excessive deformation, thereby resolving the contradiction between spin performance and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a rubber sheet with specific polymer composition blended with chemicals having good resilience performance. This composite material approach enhances both spin performance through the protrusion geometry and energy return through the material's elastic properties, simultaneously addressing both contradictory requirements.
2Speed
If the thickness of the rubber sheet is increased to improve speed performance, then speed performance is enhanced, but spin performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by setting the rubber sheet thickness to 1.6 mm or less, which is a specific parameter optimization that simultaneously achieves both speed performance (through reduced energy loss and improved resilience) and spin performance (through adequate protrusion depth for sponge biting). This resolves the apparent trade-off between speed and spin by finding the optimal thickness parameter.
3Ease of operation
If protrusions are made taller to increase spin performance, then spin performance is improved, but energy loss increases due to excessive compression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the protrusion height h in combination with the area percentage ar, specifying that ar/h ≥ 52. This parameter relationship ensures that protrusions are tall enough to provide effective sponge biting for spin generation, but not excessively tall to cause excessive compression and energy loss. The ratio-based parameter control elegantly resolves this contradiction.
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 optimized rubber configuration enables higher batted ball speed and easier spin application, balancing energy efficiency and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a rubber sheet layered and adhered to the spongy-like sheet with a plurality of protrusions formed on the sticking surface of a main body of the rubber sheet to the spongy-like sheet
Data Source
AI summary
A table tennis rubber includes a spongy sheet, and a rubber sheet layered and adhered to the spongy sheet with a plurality of protrusions defined on a sticking surface of a main body of the rubber sheet to the spongy sheet. The rubber sheet has a thickness of 1.6 mm or less in a layering direction on the spongy sheet. A value denoted as ar is an area percentage (%) of the protrusions to the sticking surface of the main body of the rubber sheet. A value denoted as h is a height (mm) of the protrusions. A ratio denoted as ar/h is 52 or more.