Twist Putter Face Geometry for Off-Center Impact Consistency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing putter faces do not effectively compensate for off-center impacts, leading to inconsistent ball dynamics and direction, which affects player confidence and performance.
Innovation Solution
A golf putter with a variably curved face featuring a 3D convex surface, including a roll curve, bulge curve, and twist, designed to dynamically adjust loft angles for both ascending and descending angles of attack, minimizing manual compensation and enhancing impact accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flat putter face is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but off-center impacts cause inconsistent ball dynamics and direction
Solution Approach 1:
The putter face employs different curvature characteristics in different regions: a bulge curve along the swing path to compensate for off-center hits, and a roll curve perpendicular to the swing path to control face angle changes. This localized geometric variation optimizes ball dynamics for specific impact conditions without requiring complete redesign of the entire face.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the traditional flat face with a curved three-dimensional surface featuring a bulge curve and roll curve. The bulge curve creates a variable loft angle across the face width, while the roll curve controls the tilt angle, together forming a complex curved geometry that dynamically compensates for off-center impacts and maintains consistent ball launch conditions.
2Manufacturing precision
If a variable curved face with bulge, roll, and twist is used, then ball dynamics are improved and direction accuracy increases, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex face geometry is segmented into three independent functional curves: a bulge curve for loft angle compensation, a roll curve for tilt angle control, and a twist component for face angle adjustment. Each curve can be independently designed, calculated, and manufactured, allowing the complex overall geometry to be built from simpler, manageable segments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual timing adjustments are required for face angle control, then the putter can adapt to different swing conditions, but player skill requirement and timing precision increase
Solution Approach 1:
The putter face geometry is pre-configured with the bulge curve and roll curve to automatically compensate for common off-center impact conditions. The variable loft and tilt angles are built into the face structure itself, so that when the putter is swung normally, the geometry automatically adjusts ball launch parameters without requiring the player to manually time face angle openings or closings.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf putter club head is provided having a front face having a heel side and a toe side. The front face has a toe side vertical orientation corresponding to a vertical stance of the front face at the toe side, and the toe side vertical orientation has a first angle relative to a baseline vertical orientation of the face. The front face also has a heel side vertical orientation corresponding to a vertical stance of the front face at the heel side, and the heel side vertical orientation has a second angle relative to the baseline vertical orientation of the face. The first angle is smaller than the second angle, such that the second angle generates more loft than the first angle.