Variable Thickness Golf Club Head Face Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club head manufacturers face challenges in designing USGA-conforming club heads that balance high moments of inertia for forgiveness with large striking surface sizes, often requiring trade-offs between these performance characteristics due to mass constraints and regulatory limits on Coefficient of Restitution (COR) and Pendulum Characteristic Time (PCT).
Innovation Solution
The design of golf club heads with a variable thickness face that maintains a moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis greater than 490 kg·mm² and x-axis greater than 280 kg·mm², featuring a thickness profile along the x-axis and z-axis that varies between specific ranges to optimize forgiveness while adhering to USGA regulations, and a bending stiffness profile that supports the face's durability and forgiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the size of the striking surface is increased to improve forgiveness, then the moment of inertia increases, but the face thickness must be increased to maintain durability, which reduces the Coefficient of Restitution (COR)
Solution Approach 1:
The face is designed with variable thickness rather than uniform thickness. The thickest portions are located at the striking surface to maintain durability and forgiveness, while the crown and sole portions are thinner to reduce overall weight. This allows the striking surface to be large and durable without proportionally increasing the entire face thickness, thereby maintaining COR within regulatory limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from considering only two-dimensional face area to incorporating the third dimension of thickness variation. By strategically varying thickness in the z-dimension (depth) while maintaining large x-y plane dimensions, the design achieves both large striking surface area and appropriate COR by placing material only where structurally necessary.
2Stability of the object's composition
If mass is distributed away from the center of gravity to increase moment of inertia, then forgiveness improves, but the total head mass increases, which may violate USGA regulations
Solution Approach 1:
Weight is not distributed uniformly throughout the club head. Instead, discrete weight elements are strategically positioned in specific locations (such as the heel, toe, or rear portions) to maximize moment of inertia about the vertical axis. This localized weight placement achieves high forgiveness without requiring uniform mass distribution that would increase total head weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head employs composite construction combining different materials with different densities. The face may use lighter materials to reduce weight, while strategic weight elements or denser materials are placed in specific locations to maximize moment of inertia. This composite approach allows optimization of both weight and moment of inertia independently.
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
This approach allows for increased forgiveness and ball speed by distributing discretionary weight away from the center of gravity, enhancing the club head's ability to resist twisting during off-center hits while maintaining compliance with USGA COR and PCT limits, resulting in a larger, more forgiving striking surface.
Implementation Method 1
The club head has a moment of inertia about a center of gravity z-axis generally parallel to the club head origin z-axis greater than approximately 490 kg·mm²
Implementation Method 2
a bending stiffness profile that supports the face's durability and forgiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Some embodiments of the club head have a high moment of inertia and variable thickness face.