Patent Application
20130090182
The invention relates generally to ball striking devices, such as golf clubs and heads. Certain aspects of this invention relate to golf clubs and golf club heads having at least one receiver and at least one weight member connected to the head and at least partially received in the receiver.
Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders, and players of dramatically different ages and skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf outings or events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with increased golf programming on television (e.g., golf tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf programming) and the rise of well known golf superstars, at least in part, have increased golfs popularity in recent years, both in the United States and across the world.
Golfers at all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands, and recent years have seen dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with some balls designed to fly farther and straighter, provide higher or flatter trajectory, provide more spin, control, and feel (particularly around the greens), etc.
Being the sole instrument that sets a golf ball in motion during play, the golf club also has been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. For example, the market has seen improvements in golf club heads, shafts, and grips in recent years. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements of the golf club and characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, etc.).
Despite the various technological improvements, golf remains a difficult game to play at a high level. For a golf ball to reliably fly straight and in the desired direction, a golf club should meet the golf ball square (or substantially square) to the desired target path. Moreover, the golf club should meet the golf ball at or close to a desired location on the club head face (i.e., on or near a “desired” or “optimal” ball contact location) to reliably fly straight, in the desired direction, and for a desired distance. Off-center hits that deviate from squared contact and/or are located away from the club's desired ball contact location may tend to “twist” the club face when it contacts the ball, thereby sending the ball in the wrong direction, often imparting undesired hook or slice spin, and/or robbing the shot of distance. Accordingly, club head features that can help a user keep the club face square with the ball would tend to help the ball fly straighter and truer, in the desired direction, and often with improved and/or reliable distance.
Various golf club heads have been designed to improve a golfer's accuracy by assisting the golfer in squaring the club head face at impact with a golf ball. When the club face is not square at the point of engagement, the golf ball may fly in an unintended direction and/or may follow a route that curves left or right, ball flights that are often referred to as “pulls,” “pushes,” “draws,” “fades,” “hooks,” or “slices,” or may exhibit more boring or climbing trajectories. The distance and direction of ball flight can also be significantly affected by the spin imparted to the ball by the impact with the club head. Additionally, the spin of the ball can change the behavior of the ball as it rolls and bounces after impact with the ground. Various speeds and directions of spin on the ball can be a product of many factors, including the point of impact, the direction of the club head upon impact, the degree of twisting of the club head upon impact, and the location of the center of gravity of the club head.
The energy and velocity transferred to the ball by a golf club also may be related, at least in part, to the flexibility of the club face at the point of contact, and can be expressed using a measurement called “coefficient of restitution” (or “COR”). The maximum COR for golf club heads is currently limited by the USGA at 0.83. Generally, a club head will have an area of highest response relative to other areas of the face, such as having the highest COR, which imparts the greatest energy and velocity to the ball, and this area is typically positioned at the center of the face. In one example, the area of highest response may have a COR that is equal to the prevailing USGA limit (e.g. 0.83), which may change over time. However, because golf clubs are typically designed to contact the ball at or around the center of the face, off-center hits may result in less energy being transferred to the ball, decreasing the distance of the shot.
The weighting and weight distribution of a golf club head may also influence the energy and velocity transferred to the ball by the impact, as well as the moment of inertia and the center of gravity of the club head. The moment of inertia of the head can be increased, for example, by distributing a greater amount of weight around the perimeter of the head. This, in turn, can reduce the amount of twisting of the club head that occurs on off-center hits, and increase the distance and accuracy of shots on off-center hits. Likewise, the location of the center of gravity of the head can be influenced by the weight distribution of the head. Generally, the desired contact area of the face is aligned with the center of gravity of the head. However, it may be desirable to shift the location of the center of gravity of the head, such as to adjust for common off-center hitting patterns by a golfer, or to produce a certain shot characteristic (e.g., hook, slice, draw, fade, etc.). Accordingly, club head features that can permit the weighting and weight distribution of the head to be adjusted or customized may provide improved performance in several ways.
The present device and method are provided to address the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior ball striking devices of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a general form as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below.
Aspects of the invention relate to ball striking devices, such as golf clubs, with a head that includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face. The face may be defined by a plurality of peripheral edges. The body has a receiver therein, and a weight member is connected to the body and is at least partially received by the receiver. The weight member is formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, with the doping material having a different density than the polymer material. Additionally, the weight member has connecting structure that engages a portion of the body to retain the weight member to the receiver.
According to one aspect, the head is an iron-type golf club head, and the body includes a sole member extending rearward from a bottom edge of the face and a rear wall connected to the sole member. In this configuration, the receiver is positioned in the rear wall of the body.
According to another aspect, where the head is an iron-type golf club head, the body further includes a plurality of peripheral walls (including the sole member) extending rearward from the peripheral edges of the face, and a cavity defined between the peripheral walls, the rear wall, and an inner surface of the face, such that at least a portion of the rear wall is spaced from the inner surface of the face.
According to a further aspect, the head is an iron-type golf club head with a blade-type configuration, such that the body further includes a plurality of peripheral walls (including the sole member) extending rearward from the peripheral edges of the face. The peripheral walls and the rear wall combine to form a solid body, and the receiver extends from the rear wall into the solid body.
According to yet another aspect, the head is a wood-type golf club head, and the body includes an inner cavity enclosed by the body and the face. The body has a sole surface, and the receiver is located in the sole surface of the body.
According to still further aspects, the connecting structure of the weight member includes at least one of the following: a flexible tab that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver; a threaded portion that engages complementary threading in the receiver to retain the weight member to the receiver; a bonding material between the weight member and the receiver to retain the weight member to the receiver; and a fastener that engages the body to retain the weight member to the receiver.
According to an additional aspect, the head also includes a second weight member formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, where the doping material of the second weight member has a different density than the polymer material, and the second weight member has a different density than the original weight member. The second weight member is configured for connection to the body in place of the original weight member, such that the second weight member is at least partially received by the receiver, and the second weight member has connecting structure configured to engage the portion of the body to retain the second weight member to the receiver.
According to other aspects, the receiver has a generally oval shape that is elongated in a heel-to-toe direction, and the weight member has a generally oval shape that is complementary to the shape of the receiver to be received in the receiver.
According to still other aspects, the weight member may have a weight gradient such that one portion of the weight member has a higher density than another portion of the weight member. For example, the weight member may include a second doping material having a higher density than the first doping material, and the two doping materials can distributed within the weight member so as to create the weight gradient. As another example, the doping material may be unevenly distributed within the weight member to create the weight gradient, such as by having an uneven volume fraction.
Additional aspects of the invention relate to an iron-type golf club head that includes a face defined by a plurality of peripheral edges including a bottom edge, the face having a ball striking surface and an inner surface opposite the ball striking surface, and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face. The body includes a sole member extending rearward from the bottom edge of the face, a rear wall extending upward from a rear of the sole member, and a rear cavity defined at least partially by the sole member, the rear wall, and the inner surface of the face. The rear wall has a receiver therein, and a weight member is connected to the rear wall and is at least partially received by the receiver. The weight member has connecting structure that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver. Additionally, the weight member is formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, the doping material having a different density than the polymer material.
According to one aspect, the receiver has a generally oval shape that is elongated in a heel-to-toe direction, and the weight member has a generally oval shape that is complementary to the shape of the receiver to be received in the receiver.
According to another aspect, the connecting structure of the weight member includes at least one of the following: a fastener that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver, a flexible tab that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver, a threaded portion that engages complementary threading in the receiver to retain the weight member to the receiver, and/or a bonding material between the weight member and the receiver to retain the weight member to the receiver.
According to a further aspect, the head further includes a second weight member formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, with the doping material of the second weight member having a different density than the polymer material, and the second weight member having a different density than the original weight member. The second weight member is configured for connection to the rear wall in place of the original weight member, such that the second weight member is at least partially received by the receiver. Additionally, the second weight member has connecting structure configured to engage the rear wall to retain the second weight member to the receiver. In one embodiment, the weight member and the second weight member are part of a plurality of weight members. Each weight member includes a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, and the doping material of the each weight member has a different density than the polymer material. Additionally, each weight member has a different density than each of the other weight members. The plurality of weight members are configured for alternate connection to the rear wall, such that each weight member is at least partially received by the receiver when connected to the rear wall. In another embodiment, the connecting structure of the weight member and the connecting structure of the second weight member are substantially identical. According to a further embodiment, the doping material of the weight member is different from the doping material of the second weight member and has a different density than the doping material of the second weight member.
Further aspects of the invention relate to a set of iron-type golf clubs that includes a first iron-type golf club having an iron-type golf club head and a second iron-type golf club having a second iron-type golf club head. The first golf club head and the second golf club head each include a face defined by a plurality of peripheral edges, including a bottom edge, and having a ball striking surface and an inner surface opposite the ball striking surface, and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face. The body of each head includes a sole member extending rearward from the bottom edge of the face, a rear wall extending upward from a rear of the sole member, and a rear cavity defined at least partially by the sole member, the rear wall, and the inner surface of the face. The rear wall of each head has a receiver therein, and a weight member is connected to the rear wall and is at least partially received by the receiver. The weight member has connecting structure that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver of the respective head. Additionally, the weight members are formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, the doping material having a different density than the polymer material. The ball striking surface of the second club has a face angle that is different from a face angle of the ball striking surface of the first golf club.
According to one aspect, the weight member of the first golf club and the weight member of the second golf club are interchangeable with each other.
According to another aspect, the weight member of the first golf club has a connecting structure that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver, and the second golf club has a connecting structure that engages the rear wall to retain the weight member to the receiver. The connecting structure of the weight member of the first golf club and the connecting structure of the weight member of the second golf club are substantially identical, to enable the weight members to be interchanged.
According to a further aspect, the weight member of the first golf club and the weight member of the second golf club are part of a plurality of weight members that are interchangeable with each other and are each configured to be connected to the rear wall of the first and second golf clubs such that at least a portion of the weight member is received by the receiver of the respective golf club. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of weight members has a different density.
Further aspects of the invention relate to a kit that includes a golf club head that includes a face defined by a plurality of peripheral edges and having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the peripheral edges of the face, with the body having a receiver therein. A plurality of weight members are each configured for alternate connection to the body, such that each weight member is at least partially received by the receiver when connected to the body. Additionally, each weight member is formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, with the doping material of each weight member having a different density than the polymer material, and each weight member having a different weighting than each other weight member. The weight members have a different weighting than each other weight member if the member have at least one of a different total weight, a different average density, and a different weight distribution.
According to another aspect, the doping material of a first of the weight members is a different material than the doping material of a second of the weight members, with the doping material of the first weight member having a different density than the doping material of the second weight member.
According to a further aspect, a first of the weight members has a greater volume fraction of doping material than a second of the weight members.
According to yet another aspect, each weight member has connecting structure configured to engage a portion of the body to retain the weight member to the receiver. In one embodiment, all of the weight members have substantially identical connecting structure.
Still further aspects of the invention relate to a method that includes providing a golf club head as described above, and connecting a weight member to the body, such that the weight member is at least partially received by the receiver. The weight member includes a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, with the doping material having a different density than the polymer material.
According to one aspect, the method also includes removing the weight member from the body, and connecting a second weight member to the body to replace the weight member. The second weight member is at least partially received by the receiver, and the second weight member is formed of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, the doping material having a different density than the polymer material.
According to another aspect, the method also includes providing a plurality of weight members each being configured for alternate connection to the body. Each weight member is at least partially received by the receiver when connected to the body, each weight member includes a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein. The doping material of each weight member has a different density than the polymer material, and each weight member has a different density than each other weight member. One weight member is selected from the plurality of weight members, based on a weighting of the weight member, prior to connecting the weight member to the body.
Other aspects of the invention relate to golf clubs that include a golf club head as described above and a shaft connected to the head, or a set of golf clubs including at least one golf club having a head as described above.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.
To allow for a more full understanding of the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
In the following description of various example structures according to the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example devices, systems, and environments in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, example devices, systems, and environments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “side,” “rear,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical use. Additionally, the term “plurality,” as used herein, indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention. Also, the reader is advised that the attached drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.
“Ball striking device” means any device constructed and designed to strike a ball or other similar objects (such as a hockey puck). In addition to generically encompassing “ball striking heads,” which are described in more detail below, examples of “ball striking devices” include, but are not limited to: golf clubs, putters, croquet mallets, polo mallets, baseball or softball bats, cricket bats, tennis rackets, badminton rackets, field hockey sticks, ice hockey sticks, and the like.
“Ball striking head” means the portion of a “ball striking device” that includes and is located immediately adjacent (optionally surrounding) the portion of the ball striking device designed to contact the ball (or other object) in use. In some examples, such as many golf clubs and putters, the ball striking head may be a separate and independent entity from any shaft or handle member, and it may be attached to the shaft or handle in some manner.
The terms “shaft” and “handle” are used synonymously and interchangeably in this specification, and they include the portion of a ball striking device (if any) that the user holds during a swing of a ball striking device.
“Integral joining technique” means a technique for joining two pieces so that the two pieces effectively become a single, integral piece, including, but not limited to, irreversible joining techniques, such as adhesively joining, cementing, and welding (including brazing, soldering, or the like), where separation of the joined pieces cannot be accomplished without structural damage thereto.
In general, aspects of this invention relate to ball striking devices, such as golf club heads, golf clubs, putter heads, putters, and the like. Such ball striking devices, according to at least some examples of the invention, may include a ball striking head and a ball striking surface. In the case of a golf club, the ball striking surface is a substantially flat surface on one face of the ball striking head. Some more specific aspects of this invention relate to iron-type golf clubs and golf club heads, including long irons, short irons, wedges, etc. Alternately, some aspects of this invention may be practiced with hybrid clubs, chippers, and the like, or wood-type golf clubs and the like.
According to various aspects of this invention, the ball striking device may be formed of one or more of a variety of materials, such as metals (including metal alloys), ceramics, polymers, composites (including fiber-reinforced composites), and wood, and may be formed in one of a variety of configurations, without departing from the scope of the invention. In one illustrative embodiment, some or all components of the head, including the face and at least a portion of the body of the head, are made of metal. It is understood that the head may contain components made of several different materials, including carbon-fiber and other components. Additionally, the components may be formed by various forming methods. For example, metal components (such as titanium, aluminum, titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, steels (including stainless steels), and the like) may be formed by forging, molding, casting, stamping, machining, and/or other known techniques. In another example, composite components, such as carbon fiber-polymer composites, can be manufactured by a variety of composite processing techniques, such as prepreg processing, powder-based techniques, mold infiltration, and/or other known techniques.
The various figures in this application illustrate examples of ball striking devices according to this invention. When the same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that reference number is used consistently in this specification and the drawings refer to the same or similar parts throughout.
At least some examples of ball striking devices according to this invention relate to golf club head structures, including heads for wood-type golf clubs, such as drivers, as well as long iron clubs (e.g., driving irons, zero irons through five irons), short iron clubs (e.g., six irons through pitching wedges, as well as sand wedges, lob wedges, gap wedges, and/or other wedges), hybrid clubs, and putters. Such devices may include a one-piece construction or a multiple-piece construction. Example structures of ball striking devices according to this invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with
As shown in
The face 112 is located at the front 124 of the head 102, and has an outer surface 110, as well as a rear surface 111 located opposite the outer surface 110, which may be considered an inner surface of the face 112. The face 112 is defined by a plurality of peripheral edges, including a top edge 113, a bottom edge 115, a heel edge 117, and a toe edge 119. The face 112 also has a plurality of face grooves 121 on the ball striking surface 110. For reference purposes, the portion of the face 112 nearest the top face edge 113 and the heel 120 of the head 102 is referred to as the “high-heel area”; the portion of the face 112 nearest the top face edge 113 and toe 122 of the head 102 is referred to as the “high-toe area”; the portion of the face 112 nearest the bottom face edge 115 and heel 120 of the head 102 is referred to as the “low-heel area”; and the portion of the face 112 nearest the bottom face edge 115 and toe 122 of the head 102 is referred to as the “low-toe area”. Conceptually, these areas may be recognized and referred to as quadrants of substantially equal size (and/or quadrants extending from a geometric center of the face 112), though not necessarily with symmetrical dimensions. The face 112 may include some curvature in the top to bottom and/or heel to toe directions (e.g., bulge and roll characteristics), as is known and is conventional in the art. As seen in the illustrative embodiments in
The body 108 and the face 112 of the golf club head 102 may be constructed from a wide variety of different materials, including materials conventionally known and used in the art, such as steel, titanium, aluminum, tungsten, graphite, polymers, or composites, or combinations thereof. Also, if desired, the club head 102 may be made from any number of pieces (e.g., having a separate face mask, etc.) and/or by any construction technique, including, for example, casting, forging, welding, and/or other methods known and used in the art.
The ball striking device 100 may include a shaft 104 connected to or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head 102, as shown in
In one exemplary embodiment, shown in
In general, the head 102 has at least one weight member 150 connected to the body 108. The body 108 has at least one receiver 140, each receiver 140 being configured for connection of a weight member 150 such that the weight member 150 is at least partially received by receiver 140. The weight member 150 has connecting structure 152 that engages a portion of the body 108 to retain the weight member 150 to the receiver 140. In one embodiment, at least one weight member 150 is formed at least partially of a polymer material having a doping material embedded therein, where the doping material has a different density than the polymer material, as described below. A number of different embodiments illustrating a variety of examples of such different configurations are shown in
The weight members 150 described herein may be formed of filled or doped polymer materials, which include a polymer matrix with a filler or doping material dispersed throughout the matrix. Typically, the doping material will have a different density from the polymer material, permitting the weighting of the polymer material to be controlled by the use of the doping material. The use of different doping materials, different polymer materials, and/or different doping configurations can be used to create weight members 150 having identical or substantially identical sizes and shapes, while having different weightings, which may include different weights, densities, and/or weight distributions. For example, two identically-shaped weight members 150 may be formed of the same polymer material and have doping materials of different densities in similar volume fractions, resulting in the two weight members 150 having different weights and densities. The use of different polymer materials provides a further option for creating different weights and densities, in a similar manner. In another example, two identically-shaped weight members 150 may be formed of the same polymer material with the same dense doping material, but with one weight member 150 having a higher volume fraction of the doping material within the polymer, resulting in the two weight members 150 having different weights and densities. In a further example, one or more doping materials may be used in various distributions and/or volume fractions to create a weight member 150 having a weight gradient, such as the weight member 750 shown in
A variety of different polymer materials and doping materials can be used in connection with the weight members 150 described herein. Examples of polymer materials suitable for use with the weight members 150 include rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and other polyurethanes, silicones, acrylonitrile butadiene styrenes, polyether block amides, polyamides, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or other polyethylenes, styrene ethylene butylene styrene, and other polymers and copolymers. Additionally, doping materials having different densities can be used with the weight members 150, and are typically used in powdered or other particulate form. Examples of such doping materials for weight control include any of various metals having different weights or other properties, such as tungsten, stainless steel, brass, copper, etc., as well as non-metals such as various oxides, sulfates, etc. or any other material or combination of such materials having one or more desired properties. In one embodiment, doping materials in various volume fractions can be used to create weight members 150 having substantially identical structure and densities that vary ten-fold, such as from 1.2-12.0 g/cc. In other embodiments, further weights and densities can be achieved. It is understood that the weight member 150 may include more than one polymer material and/or more than one doping material, and that the weight member 150 may have portions that are not formed of the polymer material, such as appendages made of a different material. In one example, a weight member 150 made of tungsten-filled rubber can be used, which can have a density ranging from 1.9-12.0 g/cc. Further, the polymer material of the weight member 150 may be selected based on additional properties. For example, the strength or hardness of the material may affect the rigidity of the head 102, and the flexibility of the material may affect sound and/or vibration dampening properties of the head 102. Other examples are contemplated as well.
As illustrated in
The heads 102, 202, 302 may be assembled as parts of a set of golf clubs 100 having progressive weighting. For example, in one embodiment, a club head 102 as shown in
The ball striking head 802 of the golf club 800 of FIGS. 22-23has a face 812 connected to a body 808, with a hosel 809 extending therefrom. Any desired hosel and/or head/shaft interconnection structure may be used without departing from this invention, including those described above. The head 802 has an enclosed volume, as the club head 802 is a wood-type club head designed for use as a driver, intended to hit the ball accurately over long distances. In other applications, such as for a different type of golf club, the head 802 may be designed to have different dimensions and configurations. For example, in the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the illustrative embodiment illustrated in
The face 812 in
It is understood that the face 812, the body 808, and/or the hosel 809 can be formed as a single piece or as separate pieces that are joined together. The face 812 may be formed as part of a face frame member with the body 808 being partially or wholly formed by one or more separate pieces connected to the face frame member, with a wall or walls extending rearward from the edges of the face 812. This configuration (not shown) is also known as a “cup face” structure. Additionally, at least a portion of the body 808 may be formed as a separate piece or pieces joined to the wall(s) of the face frame member, such as by a backbody member attached to the cup face structure, composed of a single piece or multiple pieces. These pieces may be connected by an integral joining technique, such as welding, cementing, or adhesively joining Other known techniques for joining these parts can be used as well, including many mechanical joining techniques, and including releasable mechanical engagement techniques such as various fasteners. If desired, the hosel 809 may be integrally formed as part of the face frame member. Further, a gasket (not shown) may be included between the cup face structure and the backbody member.
The head 802 of
Several different embodiments have been described above, including the various embodiments of golf clubs 100, 800 and heads 102, 102A, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 802 and portions thereof described herein. It is understood that any of the features of these various embodiments may be combined and/or interchanged. For example, as described above, various different combinations of club heads 102, et seq. with differently configured receivers 140, et seq. that are adapted for use with differently configured weight members 150, et seq. may be used, including the configurations described herein, variations or combinations of such configurations, or other configurations. In further embodiments, at least some of the features described herein can be used in connection with other configurations of iron-type clubs, wood-type clubs, other golf clubs, or other types of ball-striking devices.
Heads 102, et seq. incorporating the features disclosed herein may be used as a ball striking device or a part thereof. For example, a golf club 100 as shown in
Additionally, as described above, the head 102, et seq., golf club 100, et seq., or other ball striking device may be fitted or customized for a person by custom fitting, which may include selecting a weight member 150, et seq. from a plurality of weight members 150, et seq. having different weighting characteristics, and connecting the weight member 150, et seq. to the body 108, et seq. of a club head 102, et seq., such that at least a portion of the weight member 150, et seq. is received in a receiver 140, et seq. on the body 108, et seq. Additionally, the plurality of weight members 150, et seq. may be identical or substantially identical in size and shape, and/or may all be configured for connection to the same receiver 140, et seq. As also described above, the weight members 150, et seq. can be used to create a set of golf clubs 100 having heads 102, et seq. with progressive or customized weighting characteristics. Such customization may include analyzing a golfer's hitting patterns and using one or more weight members 150, et seq. to adjust the weighting of the club head 102, et seq. based on a location of the face 112, et seq. where impacts most frequently occur during use by the user. Such customization may also include raising or lowering the center of gravity of the head 102, et seq., in order to affect the trajectory of the shot. Such customization may further include shifting the weight of the head 102, et seq. more toward the heel 120, et seq. or the toe 122, et seq. Golfers who have trouble closing the face 112, et seq. on a swing may benefit from more weight in the heel 120, et seq., and golfers who have no trouble closing the face 112, et seq. or who over-close the face 112, et seq. on a swing may benefit from more weight in the toe 122, et seq. Further, one or more weight members 150, et seq. previously connected to the head 102, et seq. may be removed and replaced by a differently weighted weight member 150, et seq., providing further customization options. Various other different configurations are possible, and various other club heads may be designed for various performance characteristics.
The ball striking devices and heads therefor as described herein provide many benefits and advantages over existing products. For example, the use of different weight members in specific locations on a club head can be used to adjust the weighting of the club head, including the weight, weight distribution, moment of inertia, etc. Additionally, weight members as described herein can be used with a set of golf clubs to create progressive weighting or customized weighting among the clubs of the set. Further, the use of a filled or doped polymer material allows a plurality of weight members to be provided, each having similar sizes, shapes, physical properties (such as strength and flexibility), etc., yet having a wide variety of different weighting configurations, including different weights, densities, and weight distributions. Still further, the polymer material of the weight members, when connected behind the face of the club head, can provide sound and/or vibration dampening, which can in turn provide improved sound and feel during impact. It is understood that the polymer material used in the weight members could be selected based on its sound and/or vibration dampening properties. Other benefits and advantages are recognizable by those skilled in the art.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
