Two-Piece Putter Head Structure for Off-Center Twist Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club heads, particularly putter-type clubs, experience twisting during off-center hits, leading to unintended ball direction and reduced roll, compromising accuracy 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, which are then assembled together. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the central portion can be designed to maximize moment of inertia while the frame provides structural support, resolving the contradiction between high moment of inertia and manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining different materials and structural elements (central portion made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, frame portion) to create a club head with superior moment of inertia. This composite approach allows achieving high strength and stability without requiring a completely complex multi-component assembly.
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:
Instead of uniformly adding weight throughout the club head, the patent strategically places weight in specific locations - particularly in the central portion and at the periphery of the frame - to maximize moment of inertia. This localized weight distribution achieves the desired stability while minimizing overall weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent distributes weight across multiple dimensions within the club head structure, particularly utilizing the peripheral regions and vertical distribution within the central portion. This multi-dimensional weight arrangement maximizes moment of inertia more efficiently than simple linear weight addition, reducing the total weight needed to achieve the same stabilizing effect.
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 the golfer's ability to roll the ball smoothly in the intended direction.
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 having a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion with a striking surface, a heel side portion, and a toe side portion, wherein a central portion extends rearwardly from the front portion with a toe side gap separating a portion of the central portion from the toe side portion, and a heel side gap separating a portion of the central portion from the heel side portion.