Variable Face Thickness Golf Club Head for Uniform CT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf clubs often have localized areas of higher characteristic time (CT) response, known as 'hot spots,' which can cause the club to exceed the predetermined upper limit for CT, leading to inconsistent performance and reduced accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head with a strike face featuring a variable face thickness, comprising a central region, transition regions, and outer regions, is designed to normalize CT response across the entire face. The thickness of these regions is strategically selected to ensure a uniform CT distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the face thickness is increased to reduce CT and energy transfer, then CT response is reduced, but the face becomes less consistent across different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The strike face is divided into multiple regions (central region, first transition region, intermediate region, second transition region, outer region) with different thickness characteristics. Each region has a specific thickness profile optimized for its location, creating local variations in CT response that collectively achieve uniformity across the entire face.
Solution Approach 2:
The strike face thickness is segmented into five distinct regions with different thickness characteristics. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each region's thickness to control CT response at different locations, transforming a uniform thickness design into a multi-zoned thickness distribution system.
2Reliability
If the face thickness is varied to normalize CT response, then CT uniformity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thickness parameter of the strike face is changed from a constant value to a spatially varying parameter. By defining different thickness values for different regions (central, transition, intermediate, outer regions), the design achieves normalized CT response through parameter optimization rather than structural complexity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If thicker regions are used to reduce CT, then energy transfer is reduced, but miss hits perform worse due to excessive thickness reduction
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the strike face are assigned different thickness qualities to achieve local CT control. The central region has one thickness characteristic while outer regions have different characteristics, allowing each zone to contribute appropriately to overall energy transfer and consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness variation is designed to be excessive in transition regions to ensure sufficient CT reduction where needed, while the intermediate region provides a buffer that prevents over-reduction. This partial excess action in certain zones compensates for potential deficiencies in other zones, achieving overall balance.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are embodiments of a variable face thickness strike face for a golf club. The golf club comprises a first transition region wherein the first transition region tapers the strike face thickness from a central region to either an intermediate region or an outer region. The first transition region may extend more in the high heel quadrant of the strike face than other sections to create constant CT across the face. In other embodiments, the first transition region can extend less into a sole portion than other sections to create constant CT across the face. In other embodiments, the first transition region can extend more into a desired quadrant or less into a desired quadrant to create constant CT across the face.