Variable-Thickness Golf Club Faces for MOI, CG, and COR
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club heads face challenges in balancing mass and performance properties such as CG location, MOI, and COR while maintaining stress limits, appearance, and overall weight, particularly in iron-type clubs.
Innovation Solution
A variable face thickness pattern is introduced in golf club heads, redistributing discretionary mass from the striking face to other areas, enhancing MOI, CG location, and COR through recesses and grooves, while maintaining similar stress limits and traditional appearances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If mass is redistributed from the striking face to other areas, then MOI and CG location are improved, but the striking face thickness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The striking face is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution, where different regions have different thicknesses to optimize performance. The face thickness varies from the center to the periphery, allowing mass redistribution that improves MOI and CG location while maintaining structural integrity in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The face thickness parameter is varied across different regions of the striking face. By changing the thickness parameter locally rather than uniformly, the design achieves improved mass distribution for better MOI and CG characteristics without compromising the overall structural requirements of the club head.
2Loss of energy
If discretionary mass is removed from the striking face, then COR is enhanced, but the structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Mass removal is applied selectively to specific regions of the striking face rather than uniformly across the entire face. This local quality approach allows COR to be enhanced in areas where mass reduction benefits energy transfer, while maintaining sufficient thickness and structural integrity in regions that require strength for proper club head function.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the CG is laterally centered, then shot forgiveness is improved, but high density weights are required which increase cost and affect swing weight
Solution Approach 1:
The density parameter of the club head material is changed to achieve lateral CG centering without requiring high density weights. By using a different base material density, the design achieves the desired CG location while maintaining appropriate swing weight characteristics, eliminating the need for additional high density weight materials.
4Stability of the object's composition
If face thickness is varied, then mass distribution is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The variable thickness design is implemented through localized modifications to the striking face rather than complex overall redesign. This approach achieves improved mass distribution through relatively simple geometric variations in face thickness, avoiding excessive manufacturing complexity while still realizing the benefits of optimized mass distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head includes a golf club head main body having a toe, a heel opposite the toe, a sole, and a top portion opposite the sole. The golf club head further includes a striking face having a face center. The striking face includes a central region including the face center, a first average thickness, and a variable thickness. An upper region above the central region has a second average thickness and a toe region toe-ward of the central region has a third average thickness. An intermediate region at least partially surrounds the central region and is disposed between the central region and each of the upper region and the toe region. The intermediate region has a fourth average thickness that is greater than the first average thickness, the second average thickness, and the third average thickness.