Patent Grant
12128281
The present application is directed to embodiments of a golf club, particularly a golf club head that is removably attachable to a golf club shaft.
For a given type of golf club (e.g., driver, iron, putter, wedge), the golfing consumer has a wide variety of variations to choose from. This variety is driven, in part, by the wide range in physical characteristics and golfing skill among golfers and by the broad spectrum of playing conditions that a golfer may encounter. For example, taller golfers require clubs with longer shafts; more powerful golfers or golfers playing in windy conditions or on a course with firm fairways may desire clubs having less shaft flex (greater stiffness); and a golfer may desire a club with certain playing characteristics to overcome a tendency in their swing (e.g., a golfer who has a tendency to hit low-trajectory shots may want to purchase a club with a greater loft angle). Variations in shaft flex, loft angle and handedness (i.e., left or right) alone account for 24 variations of the TaylorMade r7 460 driver.
Having such a large number of variations available for a single golf club, golfing consumers can purchase clubs with club head-shaft combinations that suit their needs. However, shafts and club heads are generally manufactured separately, and once a shaft is attached to a club head, usually by an adhesive, replacing either the club head or shaft is not easily done by the consumer. Motivations for modifying a club include a change in a golfer's physical condition (e.g., a younger golfer has grown taller), an increase the golfer's skill or to adjust to playing conditions. Typically, these modifications must be made by a technician at a pro shop. The attendant cost and time spent without clubs may dissuade golfers from modifying their clubs as often as they would like, resulting in a less-than-optimal golfing experience. Thus, there has been effort to provide golf clubs that are capable of being assembled and disassembled by the golfing consumer.
To that end, golf clubs having club heads that are removably attached to a shaft by a mechanical fastener are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,529 to Cackett et al. (hereinafter, “Cackett”) discloses a golf club with interchangeable head-shaft connections. The connection includes a tube, a sleeve and a mechanical fastener. The sleeve is mounted on a tip end of the shaft. The shaft with the sleeve mounted thereon is then inserted in the tube, which is mounted in the club head. The mechanical fastener secures the sleeve to the tube to retain the shaft in connection with the club head. The sleeve has a lower section that includes a keyed portion which has a configuration that is complementary to the keyway defined by a rotation prevention portion of the tube. The keyway has a non-circular cross-section to prevent rotation of the sleeve relative to the tube. The keyway may have a plurality of splines, or a rectangular or hexagonal cross-section.
While removably attachable golf club heads of the type represented by Cackett provide golfers with the ability to disassemble a club head from a shaft, it is necessary that they also provide club head-shaft interconnections that have the integrity and rigidity of conventional club head-shaft interconnection. For example, the manner in which rotational movement between the constituent components of a club head—shaft interconnection is restricted must have sufficient load-bearing areas and resistance to stripping. Consequently, there is room for improvement in the art.
In a representative embodiment, a golf club shaft assembly for attaching to a club head comprises a shaft having a lower end portion and a sleeve mounted on the lower end portion of the shaft. The sleeve can be configured to be inserted into a hosel opening of the club head. The sleeve has an upper portion defining an upper opening that receives the lower end portion of the shaft and a lower portion having eight, longitudinally extending, angularly spaced external splines located below the shaft and adapted to mate with complimentary splines in the hosel opening. The lower portion defines a longitudinally extending, internally threaded opening adapted to receive a screw for securing the shaft assembly to the club head when the sleeve is inserted in the hosel opening.
In another representative embodiment, a method of assembling a golf club shaft and a golf club head is provided. The method comprises mounting a sleeve onto a tip end portion of the shaft, the sleeve having a lower portion having eight external splines protruding from an external surface and located below a lower end of the shaft, the external splines having a configuration complementary to internal splines located in a hosel opening in the club head. The method further comprises inserting the sleeve into the hosel opening so that the external splines of the sleeve lower portion engage the internal splines of the hosel opening, and inserting a screw through an opening in the sole of the club head and into a threaded opening in the sleeve and tightening the screw to secure the shaft to the club head.
In another representative embodiment, a removable shaft assembly for a golf club having a hosel defining a hosel opening comprises a shaft having a lower end portion. A sleeve can be mounted on the lower end portion of the shaft and can be configured to be inserted into the hosel opening of the club head. The sleeve has an upper portion defining an upper opening that receives the lower end portion of the shaft and a lower portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending, angularly spaced external splines located below the shaft and adapted to mate with complimentary splines in the hosel opening. The lower portion defines a longitudinally extending, internally threaded opening adapted to receive a screw for securing the shaft assembly to the club head when the sleeve is inserted in the hosel opening. The upper portion of the sleeve has an upper thrust surface that is adapted to engage the hosel of the club head when the sleeve is inserted into the hosel opening, and the sleeve and the shaft have a combined axial stiffness from the upper thrust surface to a lower end of the sleeve of less than about 1.87×108 N/m.
In another representative embodiment, a golf club assembly comprises a club head having a hosel defining an opening having a non-circular inner surface, the hosel defining a longitudinal axis. A removable adapter sleeve is configured to be received in the hosel opening, the sleeve having a non-circular outer surface adapted to mate with the non-circular inner surface of the hosel to restrict relative rotation between the adapter sleeve and the hosel. The adapter sleeve has a longitudinally extending opening and a non-circular inner surface in the opening, the adapter sleeve also having a longitudinal axis that is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the hosel at a predetermined, non-zero angle. The golf club assembly also comprises a shaft having a lower end portion and a shaft sleeve mounted on the lower end portion of the shaft and adapted to be received in the opening of the adapter sleeve. The shaft sleeve has a non-circular outer surface adapted to mate with the non-circular inner surface of the adapter sleeve to restrict relative rotation between the shaft sleeve and the adapter sleeve. The shaft sleeve defines a longitudinal axis that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the adapter sleeve such that the shaft sleeve and the shaft are supported at the predetermined angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the hosel.
In another representative embodiment, a golf club assembly comprises a club head having a hosel defining an opening housing a rotation prevention portion, the hosel defining a longitudinal axis. The assembly also comprises a plurality of removable adapter sleeves each configured to be received in the hosel opening, each sleeve having a first rotation prevention portion adapted to mate with the rotation prevention portion of the hosel to restrict relative rotation between the adapter sleeve and the hosel. Each adapter sleeve has a longitudinally extending opening and a second rotation prevention portion in the opening, wherein each adapter sleeve has a longitudinal axis that is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the hosel at a different predetermined angle. The assembly further comprises a shaft having a lower end portion and a shaft sleeve mounted on the lower end portion of the shaft and adapted to be received in the opening of each adapter sleeve. The shaft sleeve has a respective rotation prevention portion adapted to mate with the second rotation prevention portion of each adapter sleeve to restrict relative rotation between the shaft sleeve and the adapter sleeve in which the shaft sleeve is in inserted. The shaft sleeve defines a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be received in each adapter sleeve such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve becomes aligned with the longitudinal axis of the adapter sleeve in which it is inserted.
In another representative embodiment, a method of assembling a golf shaft and golf club head having a hosel opening defining a longitudinal axis is provided. The method comprises selecting an adapter sleeve from among a plurality of adapter sleeves, each having an opening adapted to receive a shaft sleeve mounted on the lower end portion of the shaft, wherein each adapter sleeve is configured to support the shaft at a different predetermined orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the hosel opening. The method further comprises inserting the shaft sleeve into the selected adapter sleeve, inserting the selected adapter sleeve into the hosel opening of the club head, and securing the shaft sleeve, and therefore the shaft, to the club head with the selected adapter sleeve disposed on the shaft sleeve.
In yet another representative embodiment, a golf club head comprises a body having a striking face defining a forward end of the club head, the body also having a read end opposite the forward end. The body also comprises an adjustable sole portion having a rear end and a forward end pivotably connected to the body at a pivot axis, the sole portion being pivotable about the pivot axis to adjust the position of the sole portion relative to the body.
In still another representative embodiment, a golf club assembly comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a striking face defining a forward end of the club head. The body also has a read end opposite the forward end, and a hosel having a hosel opening. The body further comprises an adjustable sole portion having a rear end and a forward end pivotably connected to the body at a pivot axis. The sole portion is pivotable about the pivot axis to adjust the position of the sole portion relative to the body. The assembly further comprises a removable shaft and a removable sleeve adapted to be received in the hosel opening and having a respective opening adapted to receive a lower end portion of the shaft and support the shaft relative to the club head at a desired orientation. A mechanical fastener is adapted to releasably secure the shaft and the sleeve to the club head.
In another representative embodiment, a method of adjusting playing characteristics of a golf club comprises adjusting the square loft of the club by adjusting the orientation of a shaft of the club relative to a club head of the club, and adjusting the face angle of the club by adjusting the position of a sole of the club head relative to the club head body.
In another representative embodiment, a golf club head including a body comprising a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a hosel, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, and a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head is described. The body defines an interior cavity and at least 50 percent of the crown has a thickness less than about 0.8 mm. An adjustable loft system is described allowing a maximum loft change of about 0.5 degrees to about 3.0 degrees. At least one weight port is formed in the body and at least one weight is configured to be retained at least partially within at least one of the weight ports.
In still another representative embodiment, a golf club head including a body and an adjustable loft system configured to allow a maximum loft change is described. At least two weight ports are formed in the body having a distance between the at least two weight ports. At least one weight is configured to be retained at least partially within at least one of the weight ports. The at least one weight has a maximum mass and the distance between the at least two weight ports multiplied by the maximum loft change multiplied by the maximum mass of the at least one weight is between about 50 mm·g·degrees and about 6,000 mm-g-degrees.
In yet another representative embodiment, a golf club head including a body and a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head is described. The body defines an interior cavity and at least 50 percent of the crown has an areal weight less than 0.4 g/cm2. An adjustable loft system is also described allowing a maximum loft change of about 0.5 degrees to about 3.0 degrees. At least one weight port is formed in the body and at least one weight is configured to be retained at least partially within a weight port. The golf club head can include a composite face insert.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to one or more than one, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “includes” means “comprises.” For example, a device that includes or comprises A and B contains A and B but may optionally contain C or other components other than A and B. A device that includes or comprises A or B may contain A or B or A and B, and optionally one or more other components such as C.
Referring first to
Both Hss and Wss are determined using the striking face curve (Sss). The striking face curve is bounded on its periphery by all points where the face transitions from a substantially uniform bulge radius (face heel-to-toe radius of curvature) and a substantially uniform roll radius (face crown-to-sole radius of curvature) to the body (see e.g.,
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The lie angle 10 and/or the shaft loft can be modified by adjusting the position of the shaft 50 relative to the club head. Traditionally, adjusting the position of the shaft has been accomplished by bending the shaft and the hosel relative to the club head. As shown in
Adjusting the shaft loft is effective to adjust the square loft of the club by the same amount. Similarly, when shaft loft is adjusted and the club head is placed in the address position, the face angle of the club head increases or decreases in proportion to the change in shaft loft. Hence, shaft loft is adjusted to effect changes in square loft and face angle. In addition, the shaft and the hosel can be bent to adjust the lie angle and the shaft loft (and therefore the square loft and the face angle) by bending the shaft and the hosel in a first direction inward or outward relative to the club head to adjust the lie angle and in a second direction forward or rearward relative to the club head to adjust the shaft loft.
Head-Shaft Connection Assembly
Now with reference to
By way of example, the club head 300 comprises the head of a “wood-type” golf club. All of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification can be implemented in all types of golf clubs, including but not limited to, drivers, fairway woods, utility clubs, putters, wedges, etc.
As used herein, a shaft that is “removably attached” to a club head means that the shaft can be connected to the club head using one or more mechanical fasteners, such as a screw or threaded ferrule, without an adhesive, and the shaft can be disconnected and separated from the head by loosening or removing the one or more mechanical fasteners without the need to break an adhesive bond between two components.
The sleeve 100 is mounted to a lower, or tip end portion 90 of the shaft 50. The sleeve 100 can be adhesively bonded, welded or secured in equivalent fashion to the lower end portion of the shaft 50. In other embodiments, the sleeve 100 may be integrally formed as part of the shaft 50. As shown in
As best shown in
To restrict rotational movement of the shaft 50 relative to the head 300 when the club head 300 is attached to the shaft 50, the sleeve 100 has a rotation prevention portion that mates with a complementary rotation prevention portion of the insert 200. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the shaft sleeve has a lower portion 150 having a non-circular configuration complementary to a non-circular configuration of the hosel insert 200. In this way, the sleeve lower portion 150 defines a keyed portion that is received by a keyway defined by the hosel insert 200. In particular embodiments, the rotational prevention portion of the sleeve comprises longitudinally extending external splines 500 formed on an external surface 160 of the sleeve lower portion 150, as illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment of
It is desirable that a golf club employing a removable club head-shaft connection assembly as described in the present application have substantially similar weight and distribution of mass as an equivalent conventional golf club so that the golf club employing a removable shaft has the same “feel” as the conventional club. Thus, it is desired that the various components of the connection assembly (e.g., the sleeve 100, the hosel insert 200 and the screw 400) are constructed from light-weight, high-strength metals and/or alloys (e.g., T6 temper aluminum alloy 7075, grade 5 6A1-4V titanium alloy, etc.) and designed with an eye towards conserving mass that can be used elsewhere in the golf club to enhance desirable golf club characteristics (e.g., increasing the size of the “sweet spot” of the club head or shifting the center of gravity to optimize launch conditions).
The golf club having an interchangeable shaft and club head as described in the present application provides a golfer with a club that can be easily modified to suit the particular needs or playing style of the golfer. A golfer can replace the club head 300 with another club head having desired characteristics (e.g., different loft angle, larger face area, etc.) by simply unscrewing the screw 400 from the sleeve 100, replacing the club head and then screwing the screw 400 back into the sleeve 100. The shaft 50 similarly can be exchanged. In some embodiments, the sleeve 100 can be removed from the shaft 50 and mounted on the new shaft, or the new shaft can have another sleeve already mounted on or formed integral to the end of the shaft.
In particular embodiments, any number of shafts are provided with the same sleeve and any number of club heads is provided with the same hosel configuration and hosel insert 200 to receive any of the shafts. In this manner, a pro shop or retailer can stock a variety of different shafts and club heads that are interchangeable. A club or a set of clubs that is customized to suit the needs of a consumer can be immediately assembled at the retail location.
With reference now to
As shown in
As noted above, the rotation prevention portion of the sleeve 100 for restricting relative rotation between the shaft and the club comprises a plurality of external splines 500 formed on an external surface of the lower portion 150 and gaps, or keyways, between adjacent splines 500. Each keyway has an outer surface 160. In the illustrated embodiment of
Embodiments employing the spline configuration depicted in
The non-circular configuration of the sleeve lower portion 150 can be adapted to limit the manner in which the sleeve 100 is positionable within the hosel insert 200. In the illustrated embodiment of
The sleeve lower portion 150 can have a generally rougher outer surface relative to the remaining surfaces of the sleeve 100 in order to provide, for example, greater friction between the sleeve 100 and the hosel insert 200 to further restrict rotational movement between the shaft 50 and the club head 300. In particular embodiments, the external surface 160 can be roughened by sandblasting, although alternative methods or techniques can be used.
The general configuration of the sleeve 100 can vary from the configuration illustrated in
With reference now to
With reference to the features of
Selected surfaces of the hosel insert 200 can be roughened in a similar manner to the exterior surface 160 of the shaft. In some embodiments, the entire surface area of the insert can be provided with a roughened surface texture. In other embodiments, only the inner surface 240 of the hosel insert 200 can be roughened.
With reference now to
The head 410 of the screw can be configured to be compatible with a torque wrench or other torque-limiting mechanism. In some embodiments, the screw head comprises a “hexalobular” internal driving feature (e.g., a TORX screw drive) (such as shown in
The club head-shaft connection desirably has a low axial stiffness. The axial stiffness, k, of an element is defined as
where E is the Young's modulus of the material of the element, A is the cross-sectional area of the element and L is the length of the element. The lower the axial stiffness of an element, the greater the element will elongate when placed in tension or shorten when placed in compression. A club head-shaft connection having low axial stiffness is desirable to maximize elongation of the screw 400 and the sleeve, allowing for greater preload to be applied to the screw 400 for better retaining the shaft to the club head. For example, with reference to
The axial stiffness of the club head-shaft connection, keff, can be determined by the equation
where kscrew, kshaft and ksleeve are the stiffnesses of the screw, shaft, and sleeve, respectively, over the portions that have associated lengths Lscrew, Lshaft, and Lsleeve, respectively, as shown in
Accordingly, kscrew, kshaft and ksleeve can be determined using the lengths in Equation 1. Table 1 shows calculated k values for certain components and combinations thereof for the connection assembly of
The components of the connection assembly can be modified to achieve different values. For example, the screw 400 can be longer than shown in
In the illustrated embodiment of
In certain embodiments, a shaft sleeve can have 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 splines. The height H of the splines of the shaft sleeve in particular embodiments can range from about 0.15 mm to about 0.95 mm, and more particularly from about 0.25 mm to about 0.75 mm, and even more particularly from about 0.5 mm to about 0.75 mm. The average diameter D of the spline portion of the shaft sleeve can range from about 6 mm to about 12 mm, with 8.45 mm being a specific example. As shown in
The length L of the splines of the shaft sleeve in particular embodiments can range from about 2 mm to about 10 mm. For example, when the connection assembly is implemented in a driver, the splines can be relatively longer, for example, 7.5 mm or 10 mm. When the connection assembly is implemented in a fairway wood, which is typically smaller than a driver, it is desirable to use a relatively shorter shaft sleeve because less space is available inside the club head to receive the shaft sleeve. In that case, the splines can be relatively shorter, for example, 2 mm or 3 mm in length, to reduce the overall length of the shaft sleeve.
The ratio of spline width W1 (at the midspan of the spline) to average diameter of the spline portion of the shaft sleeve in particular embodiments can range from about 0.1 to about 0.5, and more desirably, from about 0.15 to about 0.35, and even more desirably from about 0.16 to about 0.22. The ratio of spline width W1 to spline H in particular embodiments can range from about 1.0 to about 22, and more desirably from about 2 to about 4, and even more desirably from about 2.3 to about 3.1. The ratio of spline length L to average diameter in particular embodiments can range from about 0.15 to about 1.7.
Tables 2-4 below provide dimensions for a plurality of different spline configurations for the sleeve 100 (and other shaft sleeves disclosed herein). In Table 2, the average radius R is the radius of the spline portion of a shaft sleeve measured at the mid-span of a spine, i.e., at a location equidistant from the base of the spline at surface 160 and to the outer surface 550 of the spline (see
Table 2 shows the spline arc angle, average radius, average diameter, arc length, arc length, arc length/average radius ratio, width at midspan, width (at midspan)/average diameter ratio for different shaft sleeves having 8 splines (with two 33 degree gaps as shown in
The specific dimensions provided in the present specification for the shaft sleeve 100 (as well as for other components disclosed herein) are given to illustrate the invention and not to limit it. The dimensions provided herein can be modified as needed in different applications or situations.
Adjustable Lie/Loft Connection Assembly
Now with reference to
The shaft sleeve 900 can be adhesively bonded, welded or secured in equivalent fashion to the lower end portion of the shaft 800. In other embodiments, the shaft sleeve 900 may be integrally formed with the shaft 800. As best shown in
Rotational movement of the shaft 800 relative to the club head 700 can be restricted by restricting rotational movement of the shaft sleeve 900 relative to the hosel sleeve 1000 and by restricting rotational movement of the hosel sleeve 1000 relative to the club head 700. To restrict rotational movement of the shaft sleeve 900 relative to the hosel sleeve 1000, the shaft sleeve has a lower, rotation prevention portion 950 having a non-circular configuration that mates with a complementary, non-circular configuration of a lower, rotation prevention portion 1096 inside the hosel sleeve 1000. The rotation prevention portion of the shaft sleeve 900 can comprise longitudinally extending splines 1400 formed on an external surface 960 of the lower portion 950, as best shown in
To restrict rotational movement of the hosel sleeve 1000 relative to the club head 700, the hosel sleeve 1000 can have a lower, rotation prevention portion 1050 having a non-circular configuration that mates with a complementary, non-circular configuration of a rotation prevention portion of the hosel insert 1100. The rotation prevention portion of the hosel sleeve can comprise longitudinally extending splines 1500 formed on an external surface 1090 of a lower portion 1050 of the hosel sleeve 1000, as best shown in
Accordingly, the shaft sleeve lower portion 950 defines a keyed portion that is received by a keyway defined by the hosel sleeve inner surface 1096, and hosel sleeve outer surface 1050 defines a keyed portion that is received by a keyway defined by the hosel insert inner surface 1140. In alternative embodiments, the rotation prevention portions can be elliptical, rectangular, hexagonal or other non-circular complementary configurations of the shaft sleeve lower portion 950 and the hosel sleeve inner surface 1096, and the hosel sleeve outer surface 1050 and the hosel insert inner surface 1140.
Referring to
The hosel sleeve 1000 is configured to support the shaft 50 at a desired orientation relative to the club head to achieve a desired shaft loft and/or lie angle for the club. As best shown in
Consequently, the hosel sleeve 1000 can be positioned in the hosel insert 1100 in one or more positions to adjust the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club. For example,
Referring to
Similarly, the shaft sleeve 900 can be inserted into the hosel sleeve at various angularly spaced positions around longitudinal axis A. Consequently, if the orientation of the shaft relative to the club head is adjusted by rotating the position of the hosel sleeve 1000, the position of the shaft sleeve within the hosel sleeve can be adjusted to maintain the rotational position of the shaft relative to longitudinal axis A. For example, if the hosel sleeve is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the hosel insert, the shaft sleeve can be rotated 90 degrees in the opposite direction with respect to the hosel sleeve in order to maintain the position of the shaft relative to its longitudinal axis. In this manner, the grip of the shaft and any visual indicia on the shaft can be maintained at the same position relative to the shaft axis as the shaft loft and/or lie angle is adjusted.
In another example, a connection assembly can employ a hosel sleeve that is positionable at eight angularly spaced positions within the hosel insert 1100, as represented by cross hairs A1-A8 in
The connection assembly embodiment illustrated in
Thus, the use of a hosel sleeve in the shaft-head connection assembly allows the golfer to adjust the position of the shaft relative to the club head without having to resort to such traditional methods such as bending the shaft relative to the club head as described above. For example, consider a golf club utilizing the club head-shaft connection assembly of
In particular embodiments, the replacement hosel sleeves could be purchased individually from a retailer. In other embodiments, a kit comprising a plurality of hosel sleeves, each having a different offset angle can be provided. The number of hosel sleeves in the kit can vary depending on a desired range of offset angles and/or a desired granularity of angle adjustments. For example, a kit can comprise hosel sleeves providing offset angles from 0 degrees to 3 degrees, in 0.5 degree increments.
In particular embodiments, hosel sleeve kits that are compatible with any number of shafts and any number of club heads having the same hosel configuration and hosel insert 1100 are provided. In this manner, a pro shop or retailer need not necessarily stock a large number of shaft or club head variations with various loft, lie and/or face angles. Rather, any number of variations of club characteristic angles can be achieved by a variety of hosel sleeves, which can take up less retail shelf and storeroom space and provide the consumer with a more economic alternative to adjusting loft, lie or face angles (i.e., the golfer can adjust a loft angle by purchasing a hosel sleeve instead of a new club).
With reference now to
The shaft sleeve 900 further comprises an opening 994 extending the length of the shaft sleeve 900, as depicted in
In particular embodiments, the rotation prevention portion of the shaft sleeve comprises a plurality of splines 1400 on an external surface 960 of the lower portion 950 that are elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 900, as shown in
With reference now to
The hosel sleeve 1000 further comprises an opening 1040 extending the length of the hosel sleeve 1000. The hosel sleeve opening 1040 has an upper portion 1094 with internal sidewalls 1095 that are complementary configured to the configuration of the shaft sleeve middle portion 910, and a lower portion 1096 defining a rotation prevention portion having a non-circular configuration complementary to the configuration of shaft sleeve lower portion 950.
The non-circular configuration of the hosel sleeve lower portion 1096 comprises a plurality of splines 1600 formed on an inner surface 1650 of the opening lower portion 1096. With reference to
The external surface of the lower portion 1050 defines a rotation prevention portion comprising four splines 1500 elongated in the direction of and are parallel to longitudinal axis B defined by the external surface of the lower portion, as depicted in
The splined configuration of the shaft sleeve 900 dictates the degree to which the shaft sleeve 900 is positionable within the hosel sleeve 1000. In the illustrated embodiment of
The external surface of the shaft sleeve lower portion 950, the internal surface of the hosel sleeve opening lower portion 1096, the external surface of the hosel sleeve lower portion 1050, and the internal surface of the hosel insert can have generally rougher surfaces relative to the remaining surfaces of the shaft sleeve 900, the hosel sleeve 1000 and the hosel insert. The enhanced surface roughness provides, for example, greater friction between the shaft sleeve 900 and the hosel sleeve 1000 and between the hosel sleeve 1000 and the hosel insert 1100 to further restrict relative rotational movement between these components. The contacting surfaces of shaft sleeve, the hosel sleeve and the hosel insert can be roughened by sandblasting, although alternative methods or techniques can be used.
With reference now to
With reference now to
The head 1330 of the screw 1300 can be similar to the head 410 of the screw 400 (
As best shown in
For example, in the illustrated embodiment of
The hosel opening 3004 is also adapted to receive a hosel insert 200 (described in detail above), which can be positioned on an annular shoulder 3012 inside the club head. The hosel insert 200 can be secured in place by welding, an adhesive, or other suitable techniques. Alternatively, the insert can be integrally formed in the hosel opening. The club head 3000 further includes an opening 3014 in the bottom or sole of the club head that is sized to receive a screw 400. Much like the embodiment shown in
If desired, a screw capturing device, such as in the form of an o-ring or washer 3036, can be placed on the shaft of the screw 400 above shoulder 3012 to retain the screw in place within the club head when the screw is loosened to permit removal of the shaft from the club head. The ring 3036 desirably is dimensioned to frictionally engage the threads of the screw and has an outer diameter that is greater than the central opening in shoulder 3012 so that the ring 3036 cannot fall through the opening. When the screw 400 is tightened to secure the shaft to the club head, as depicted in
The shaft sleeve 3006 is shown in greater detail in
Unlike the embodiment shown in
As best shown in
As further shown in
Other shaft sleeve and hosel insert configurations can be used to vary the number of possible angular positions for the shaft sleeve relative to the longitudinal axis B.
As can be appreciated, the assembly shown in
The shaft sleeve 3056 has a lower portion 3058 including splines that mate with the splines of the hosel insert 200, an intermediate portion 3060 and an upper head portion 3062. The intermediate portion 3060 and the head portion 3062 define an internal bore 3064 for receiving the tip end portion of the shaft. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate portion 3060 of the shaft sleeve has a cylindrical external surface that is concentric with the inner cylindrical surface of the hosel opening 3054. In this manner, the lower and intermediate portions 3058, 3060 of the shaft sleeve and the hosel opening 3054 define a longitudinal axis B. The bore 3064 in the shaft sleeve defines a longitudinal axis A to support the shaft along axis A, which is offset from axis B by a predetermined angle 3066 determined by the bore 3064. As described above, inserting the shaft sleeve 3056 at different angular positions relative to the hosel insert 200 is effective to adjust the shaft loft and/or the lie angle.
In this embodiment, because the intermediate portion 3060 is concentric with the hosel opening 3054, the outer surface of the intermediate portion 3060 can contact the adjacent surface of the hosel opening, as depicted in
Adjustable Sole
As discussed above, the grounded loft 80 of a club head is the vertical angle of the centerface normal vector when the club is in the address position (i.e., when the sole is resting on the ground), or stated differently, the angle between the club face and a vertical plane when the club is in the address position. When the shaft loft of a club is adjusted, such as by employing the system disclosed in
The bottom portion 2022 comprises an adjustable sole 2010 (also referred to as an adjustable “sole portion”) that can be adjusted relative to the club head body 2002 to raise and lower at least the rear end of the club head relative to the ground. As shown, the sole 2010 has a forward end portion 2012 and a rear end portion 2014. The sole 2010 can be a flat or curved plate that can be curved to conform to the overall curvature of the bottom 2022 of the club head. The forward end portion 2012 is pivotably connected to the body 2002 at a pivot axis defined by pivot pins 2020 to permit pivoting of the sole relative to the pivot axis. The rear end portion 2014 of the sole therefore can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly relative to the club head body so as to adjust the “sole angle” 2018 of the club (
The club head can have an adjustment mechanism that is configured to permit manual adjustment of the sole 2010. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, an adjustment screw 2016 extends through the rear end portion 2014 and into a threaded opening in the body (not shown). The axial position of the screw relative to the sole 2010 is fixed so that adjustment of the screw causes corresponding pivoting of the sole 2010. For example, turning the screw in a first direction lowers the sole 2010 from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dashed lines in
Moreover, other techniques or mechanisms can be implemented in the club head 2000 to permit raising and lowering of the sole angle of the club. For example, the club head can comprise one or more lifts that are located near the rear end of the club head, such as shown in the embodiment of
In particular embodiments, the hosel 2008 of the club head can be configured to support a removable shaft at different predetermined orientations to permit adjustment of the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club. For example, the club head 2000 can be configured to receive the assembly described above and shown in
Varying the sole angle of the club head changes the address position of the club head, and therefore the face angle of the club head. By adjusting the position of the sole and by adjusting the shaft loft (either by conventional bending or using a removable shaft system as described herein), it is possible to achieve various combinations of square loft and face angle with one club. Moreover, it is possible to adjust the shaft loft (to adjust square loft) while maintaining the face angle of club by adjusting the sole a predetermined amount.
As an example, Table 5 below shows various combinations of square loft, grounded loft, face angle, sole angle, and hosel loft that can be achieved with a club head that has a nominal or initial square loft of 10.4 degrees and a nominal or initial face angle of 6.0 degrees and a nominal or initial grounded loft of 14 degrees at a 60-degree lie angle. The nominal condition in Table 5 has no change in sole angle or hosel loft angle (i.e., Δ sole angle=0.0 and Δ hosel loft angle=0.0). The parameters in the other rows of Table 5 are deviations to this nominal state (i.e., either the sole angle and/or the hosel loft angle has been changed relative to the nominal state). In this example, the hosel loft angle is increased by 2 degrees, decreased by 2 degrees or is unchanged, and the sole angle is varied in 2-degree increments. As can be seen in the table, these changes in hosel loft angle and sole angle allows the square loft to vary from 8.4, 10.4, and 12.4 with face angles of −4.0, −0.67, 2.67, −7.33, 6.00, and 9.33. In other examples, smaller increments and/or larger ranges for varying the sole angle and the hosel loft angle can be used to achieve different values for square loft and face angle.
Also, it is possible to decrease the hosel loft angle and maintain the nominal face angle of 6.0 degrees by increasing the sole angle as necessary to achieve a 6.0-degree face angle at the adjusted hosel loft angle. For example, decreasing the hosel loft angle by 2 degrees of the club head represented in Table 5 will increase the face angle to 9.33 degrees. Increasing the sole angle to about 2.0 degrees will readjust the face angle to 6.0 degrees.
The bottom portion 4022 further includes an adjustable sole portion 4010 that can be adjusted relative to the club head body 4002 to raise and lower the rear end of the club head relative to the ground. As best shown in
The sole portion 4010 has a first edge 4018 located toward the heel of the club head and a second edge 4020 located at about the middle of the width of the club head. In this manner, the sole portion 4010 (from edge 4018 to edge 4020) has a length that extends transversely across the club head less than half the width of the club head. As noted above, studies have shown that most golfers address the ball with a lie angle between 10 and 20 degrees less than the intended scoreline lie angle of the club head (the lie angle when the club head is in the address position). The length of the sole portion 4010 in the illustrated embodiment is selected to support the club head on the ground at the grounded address position or any lie angle between 0 and 20 degrees less than the lie angle at the grounded address position. In alternative embodiments, the sole portion 4010 can have a length that is longer or shorter than that of the illustrated embodiment to support the club head at a greater or smaller range of lie angles. For example, the sole portion 4010 can extend past the middle of the club head to support the club head at lie angles that are greater than the scoreline lie angle (the lie angle at the grounded address position).
As best shown in
In an alternative embodiment, the axial position of each of the screws 4016 relative to the sole portion 4010 is fixed so that adjustment of the screws causes the sole portion 4010 to move away from or closer to the club head. Adjusting the sole portion 4010 downwardly increases the sole angle of the club head while adjusting the sole portion upwardly decreases the sole angle of the club head.
When a golfer changes the actual lie angle of the club by tilting the club toward or away from the body so that the club head deviates from the grounded address position, there is a slight corresponding change in face angle due to the loft of the club head. The effective face angle, eFA, of the club head is a measure of the face angle with the loft component removed (i.e. the angle between the horizontal component of the face normal vector and the target line vector), and can be determined by the following equation:
As noted above, the adjustable sole portion 4010 has a lower surface 4012 that matches the curvature of the leading edge surface portion 4024 of the club head. Consequently, the effective face angle remains substantially constant as the golfer holds the club with the club head on the playing surface and the club is tilted toward and away from the golfer so as to adjust the actual lie angle of the club. In particular embodiments, the effective face angle of the club head 4000 is held constant within a tolerance of +/−0.2 degrees as the lie angle is adjusted through a range of 0 degrees to about 20 degrees less than the scoreline lie angle. In a specific implementation, for example, the scoreline lie angle of the club head is 60 degrees and the effective face angle is held constant within a tolerance of +/−0.2 degrees for lie angles between 60 degrees and 40 degrees. In another example, the scoreline lie angle of the club head is 60 degrees and the effective face angle is held constant within a tolerance of +/−0.1 degrees for lie angles between 60 degrees and 40 degrees. In several embodiments, the effective face angle is held constant within a tolerance of about +/−0.1 degrees to about +/−0.5 degrees. In certain embodiments, the effective face angle is held constant within a tolerance of about less than +/−1 degree or about less than +/−0.7 degrees.
Materials
The components of the head-shaft connection assemblies disclosed in the present specification can be formed from any of various suitable metals, metal alloys, polymers, composites, or various combinations thereof.
In addition to those noted above, some examples of metals and metal alloys that can be used to form the components of the connection assemblies include, without limitation, carbon steels (e.g., 1020 or 8620 carbon steel), stainless steels (e.g., 304 or 410 stainless steel), PH (precipitation-hardenable) alloys (e.g., 17-4, C450, or C455 alloys), titanium alloys (e.g., 3-2.5, 6-4, SP700, 15-3-3-3, 10-2-3, or other alpha/near alpha, alpha-beta, and beta/near beta titanium alloys), aluminum/aluminum alloys (e.g., 3000 series alloys, 5000 series alloys, 6000 series alloys, such as 6061-T6, and 7000 series alloys, such as 7075), magnesium alloys, copper alloys, and nickel alloys.
Some examples of composites that can be used to form the components include, without limitation, glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP), carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), metal matrix composites (MMC), ceramic matrix composites (CMC), and natural composites (e.g., wood composites).
Some examples of polymers that can be used to form the components include, without limitation, thermoplastic materials (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylic, PVC, ABS, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyphenylene oxide (PPO), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether block amides, nylon, and engineered thermoplastics), thermosetting materials (e.g., polyurethane, epoxy, and polyester), copolymers, and elastomers (e.g., natural or synthetic rubber, EPDM, and Teflon®).
Table 6 illustrates twenty-four possible driver head configurations between a sleeve position and movable weight positions. Each configuration shown in Table 6 has a different configuration for providing a desired shot bias. An associated loft angle, face angle, and lie angle is shown corresponding to each sleeve position shown.
The tabulated values in Table 6 are assuming a nominal club loft of 10.5°, a nominal lie angle of 60°, and a nominal face angle of 2.0° in a neutral position. In the exemplary embodiment of Table 6, the offset angle is nominally 1.0°. The eight discrete sleeve positions “L”, “N”, NU”, “R”, “N—R”, “N—L”, NU—R”, and NU-L” represent the different spline positions a golfer can position a sleeve with respect to the club head. Of course, it is understood that four, twelve, or sixteen sleeve positions are possible. In each embodiment, the sleeve positions are symmetric about four orthogonal positions. The preferred method to locate and lock these positions is with spline teeth engaged in a mating slotted piece in the hosel as described in the embodiments described herein.
The “L” or left position allows the golfer to hit a draw or draw biased shot. The “NU” or neutral upright position enables a user to hit a slight draw (less draw than the “L” position). The “N” or neutral position is a sleeve position having little or no draw or fade bias. In contrast, the “R” or right position increases the probability that a user will hit a shot with a fade bias.
As shown in Table 6, the heaviest movable weight is about 16 g and two lighter weights are about 1 g. A total weight of 18 g is provided by movable weights in this exemplary embodiment. It is understood that the movable weights can be more than 18 g or less than 18 g depending on the desired CG location. The movable weights can be of a weight and configuration as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,773,360, 7,166,040, 7,186,190, 7,407,447, 7,419,441 or U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/025,469, 11/524,031, which are incorporated by reference herein. Placing the heaviest weight in the toe region will provide a draw biased shot. In contrast, placing the heaviest weight in the heel region will provide a fade biased shot and placing the heaviest weight in the rear position will provide a more neutral shot.
The exemplary embodiment shown in Table 6 provides at least five different loft angle values for eight different sleeve configurations. The loft angle value varies from about 9.5° to 11.5° for a nominal 10.5° loft (at neutral) club. In one embodiment, a maximum loft angle change is about 2°. The sleeve assembly or adjustable loft system described above can provide a total maximum loft change (Δloft) of about 0.5° to about 3° which can be described as the following expression in Eq. 4.
0.5°≤Δloft≤3° Eq. 4
The incremental loft change can be in increments of about 0.2° to about 1.5° in order to have a noticeable loft change while being small enough to fine tune the performance of the club head. As shown in Table 6, when the sleeve assembly is positioned to increase loft, the face angle is more closed with respect to how the club sits on the ground when the club is held in the address position. Similarly, when the sleeve assembly is positioned to decrease loft, the face angle sits more open.
Furthermore, five different face angle values for eight different sleeve configurations are provided in the embodiment of Table 6. The face angle varies from about 0.3° to 3.7° in the embodiment shown with a neutral face angle of 2.0°. In one embodiment, the maximum face angle change is about 3.4°. It should be noted that a 1° change in loft angle results in a 1.7° change in face angle.
The exemplary embodiment shown in Table 6 further provides five different lie angle values for eight different sleeve configurations. The lie angle varies from about to 610 with a neutral lie angle of 60°. Therefore, in one embodiment, the maximum lie angle change is about 2°.
In an alternative exemplary embodiment, an equivalent 9.5° nominal loft club would have similar face angle and lie angle values described above in Table 6. However, the loft angle for an equivalent 9.5° nominal loft club would have loft values of about 1° less than the loft values shown throughout the various settings in Table 6. Similarly, an equivalent 8.5° nominal loft club would have a loft angle value of about 2° less than those shown in Table 6.
According to some embodiments of the present application, a golf club head has a loft angle between about 6 degrees and about 16 degrees or between about 13 degrees and about 30 degrees in the neutral position. In yet other embodiments, the golf club has a lie angle between about 55 degrees and about 65 degrees in the neutral position.
Table 7 illustrates another exemplary embodiment having a nominal club loft of 10.5°, a nominal lie angle of 60°, and a nominal face angle of 2.0°. In the exemplary embodiment of Table 7, the offset angle of the shaft is nominally 1.5°.
The different sleeve configurations shown in Table 7 can be combined with different movable weight configurations to achieve a desired shot bias, as already described above. In the embodiment of Table 7, the loft angle ranges from about 9.0° to 12.0° for a 10.5° neutral loft angle club resulting in a total maximum loft angle change of about 3°. The face angle in the embodiment of Table 7 ranges from about −0.5° to 4.5° for a 2.0° neutral face angle club thereby resulting in a total maximum face angle change of about 5°. The lie angle in Table 7 ranges from about 58.5° to 61.5° for a 60° neutral lie angle club resulting in a total maximum lie angle change of about 3°.
Mass Characteristics
A golf club head has a head mass defined as the combined masses of the body, weight ports, and weights. The total weight mass is the combined masses of the weight or weights installed on a golf club head. The total weight port mass is the combined masses of the weight ports and any weight port supporting structures, such as ribs.
In one embodiment, the rear weight 6304 is the heaviest weight being between about 15 grams to about 20 grams. In certain embodiments, the lighter weights can be about 1 gram to about 6 grams. In one embodiment, a single heavy weight of 16 g and two lighter weights of 1 g is preferred.
In some embodiments, a golf club head is provided with three weight ports having a total weight port mass between about 1 g and about 12 g. In certain embodiments, the weight port mass without ribs is about 3 g for a combined weight port mass of about 9 g. In some embodiments, the total weight port mass with ribbing is about 5 g to about 6 g for a combined total weight port mass of about 15 g to about 18 g.
In one embodiment, the addition of the sleeve assembly 6418 and hosel recess walls 6422 increase the weight in the heel region by about 10 g to about 12 g. In other words, a club head construction without the hosel recess walls 6422 and sleeve assembly 6418 would be about 10 g to about 12 g lighter. Due to the increase in weight in the heel region, a mass pad or fixed weight that might be placed in the heel region is unnecessary. Therefore, the additional weight from the hosel recess walls 6422 and sleeve assembly 6418 provides a sufficient impact on the center of gravity location without having to insert a mass pad or fixed weight.
In one exemplary embodiment, the weight port walls are roughly 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm thick and has a mass between 2 g to about 5 g. In one embodiment, the weight port walls alone weigh about 3 g to about 4 g. A hosel insert (as described above) has a weight of between 1 g to about 4 g. In one embodiment, the hosel insert is about 2 g. The sleeve that is inserted into the hosel insert weighs about 5 g to about 8 g. In one embodiment, the sleeve is about 6 g to about 7 g. The screw that is inserted into the sleeve weighs about 1 g to 2 g. In one exemplary embodiment, the screw weighs about 1 g to about 2 g.
Therefore, in certain embodiments, the hosel recess walls, hosel insert, sleeve, and screw have a combined weight of about 10 g to 15 g, and preferably about 14 g.
In some embodiments of the golf club head with three weight ports and three weights, the sum of the body mass, weight port mass, and weights is between about 80 g and about 220 g or between about 180 g and about 215 g. In specific embodiments the total mass of the club head is between 200 g and about 210 g and in one example is about 205 g.
The above mass characteristics seek to create a compact and lightweight sleeve assembly while accommodating the additional weight effects of the sleeve assembly on the CG of the club head. Preferably, the club head has a hosel outside diameter 6428 (shown in
Volume Characteristics
The golf club head of the present application has a volume equal to the volumetric displacement of the club head body. In several embodiments, a golf club head of the present application can be configured to have a head volume between about 110 cm3 and about 600 cm3. In more particular embodiments, the head volume is between about 250 cm3 and about 500 cm3, 400 cm3 and about 500 cm3, 390 cm3 and about 420 cm3, or between about 420 cm3 and 475 cm3. In one exemplary embodiment, the head volume is about 390 to about 410 cm3.
Moments of Inertia and CG Location
Golf club head moments of inertia are defined about axes extending through the golf club head CG. As used herein, the golf club head CG location can be provided with reference to its position on a golf club head origin coordinate system. The golf club head origin is positioned on the face plate at approximately the geometric center, i.e. the intersection of the midpoints of a face plate's height and width.
The head origin coordinate system includes an x-axis and a y-axis. The origin x-axis extends tangential to the face plate and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned with the positive x-axis extending from the origin towards a heel of the golf club head and the negative x-axis extending from the origin to the toe of the golf club head. The origin y-axis extends generally perpendicular to the origin x-axis and parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned with the positive y-axis extending from the head origin towards the rear portion of the golf club. The head origin can also include an origin z-axis extending perpendicular to the origin x-axis and the origin y-axis and having a positive z-axis that extends from the origin towards the top portion of the golf club head and negative z-axis that extends from the origin towards the bottom portion of the golf club head.
In some embodiments, the golf club head has a CG with a head origin x-axis (CGx) coordinate between about −10 mm and about 10 mm and a head origin y-axis (CGy) coordinate greater than about 15 mm or less than about 50 mm. In certain embodiments, the club head has a CG with an origin x-axis coordinate between about −5 mm and about 5 mm, an origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 0 mm and an origin z-axis (CGz) coordinate less than about 0 mm.
More particularly, in specific embodiments of a golf club head having specific configurations, the golf club head has a CG with coordinates approximated in Table 8 below. The golf club head in Table 8 has three weight ports and three weights. In configuration 1, the heaviest weight is located in the back most or rear weight port. The heaviest weight is located in a heel weight port in configuration 2, and the heaviest weight is located in a toe weight port in configuration 3.
Table 8 emphasizes the amount of CG change that can be possible by moving the movable weights. In one embodiment, the movable weight change can provide a CG change in the x-direction (heel-toe) of between about 2 mm and about 10 mm in order to achieve a large enough CG change to create significant performance change to offset or enhance the possible loft, lie, and face angel adjustments described above. A substantial change in CG is accomplished by having a large difference in the weight that is moved between different weight ports and having the weight ports spaced far enough apart to achieve the CG change. In certain embodiments, the CG is located below the center face with a CGz of less than 0. The CGx is between about −2 mm (toe-ward) and 8 mm (heel-ward) or even more preferably between about 0 mm and about 6 mm. Furthermore, the CGy can be between about 25 mm and about 40 mm (aft of the center-face).
A moment of inertia of a golf club head is measured about a CG x-axis, CG y-axis, and CG z-axis which are axes similar to the origin coordinate system except with an origin located at the center of gravity, CG.
In certain embodiments, the golf club head of the present invention can have a moment of inertia (Ixx) about the golf club head CG x-axis between about 70 kg·mm2 and about 400 kg·mm2. More specifically, certain embodiments have a moment of inertia about the CG x-axis between about 200 kg·mm2 to about 300 kg·mm2 or between about 200 kg·mm2 and about 500 kg·mm2.
In several embodiments, the golf club head of the present invention can have a moment of inertia (Izz) about the golf club head CG z-axis between about 200 kg·mm2 and about 600 kg·mm2. More specifically, certain embodiments have a moment of inertia about the CG z-axis between about 400 kg·mm2 to about 500 kg·mm2 or between about 350 kg·mm2 and about 600 kg·mm2.
In several embodiments, the golf club head of the present invention can have a moment of inertia (Iyy) about the golf club head CG y-axis between about 200 kg·mm2 and 400 kg·mm2. In certain specific embodiments, the moment of inertia about the golf club head CG y-axis is between about 250 kg·mm2 and 350 kg·mm2.
The moment of inertia can change depending on the location of the heaviest removable weight as illustrated in Table 9 below. Again, in configuration 1, the heaviest weight is located in the back most or rear weight port. The heaviest weight is located in a heel weight port in configuration 2, and the heaviest weight is located in a toe weight port in configuration 3.
Thin Wall Construction
According to some embodiments of a golf club head of the present application, the golf club head has a thin wall construction. Among other advantages, thin wall construction facilitates the redistribution of material from one part of a club head to another part of the club head. Because the redistributed material has a certain mass, the material may be redistributed to locations in the golf club head to enhance performance parameters related to mass distribution, such as CG location and moment of inertia magnitude. Club head material that is capable of being redistributed without affecting the structural integrity of the club head is commonly called discretionary weight. In some embodiments of the present invention, thin wall construction enables discretionary weight to be removed from one or a combination of the striking plate, crown, skirt, or sole and redistributed in the form of weight ports and corresponding weights.
Thin wall construction can include a thin sole construction, i.e., a sole with a thickness less than about 0.9 mm but greater than about 0.4 mm over at least about 50% of the sole surface area; and/or a thin skirt construction, i.e., a skirt with a thickness less than about 0.8 mm but greater than about 0.4 mm over at least about 50% of the skirt surface area; and/or a thin crown construction, i.e., a crown with a thickness less than about 0.8 mm but greater than about 0.4 mm over at least about 50% of the crown surface area. In one embodiment, the club head is made of titanium and has a thickness less than 0.65 mm over at least 50% of the crown in order to free up enough weight to achieve the desired CG location.
More specifically, in certain embodiments of a golf club having a thin sole construction and at least one weight and two weight ports, the sole, crown and skirt can have respective thicknesses over at least about 50% of their respective surfaces between about 0.4 mm and about 0.9 mm, between about 0.8 mm and about 0.9 mm, between about 0.7 mm and about 0.8 mm, between about 0.6 mm and about 0.7 mm, or less than about 0.6 mm. According to a specific embodiment of a golf club having a thin skirt construction, the thickness of the skirt over at least about 50% of the skirt surface area can be between about 0.4 mm and about 0.8 mm, between about 0.6 mm and about 0.7 mm or less than about 0.6 mm.
The thin wall construction can be described according to areal weight as defined by the equation (Eq. 5) below.
AW=p·t Eq.5
In the above equation, AW is defined as areal weight, p is defined as density, and t is defined as the thickness of the material. In one exemplary embodiment, the golf club head is made of a material having a density, p, of about 4.5 g/cm3 or less. In one embodiment, the thickness of a crown or sole portion is between about 0.04 cm to about 0.09 cm. Therefore the areal weight of the crown or sole portion is between about 0.18 g/cm2 and about 0.41 g/cm2. In some embodiments, the areal weight of the crown or sole portion is less than 0.41 g/cm2 over at least about 50% of the crown or sole surface area. In other embodiments, the areal weight of the crown or sole is less than about 0.36 g/cm2 over at least about 50% of the entire crown or sole surface area.
In certain embodiments, the thin wall construction is implemented according to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/870,913 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,190, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Variable Thickness Faceplate
According to some embodiments, a golf club head face plate can include a variable thickness faceplate. Varying the thickness of a faceplate may increase the size of a club head COR zone, commonly called the sweet spot of the golf club head, which, when striking a golf ball with the golf club head, allows a larger area of the face plate to deliver consistently high golf ball velocity and shot forgiveness. Also, varying the thickness of a faceplate can be advantageous in reducing the weight in the face region for re-allocation to another area of the club head.
A variable thickness face plate 6500, according to one embodiment of a golf club head illustrated in
In some embodiments of a golf club head having a face plate with a protrusion, the maximum face plate thickness is greater than about 4.8 mm, and the minimum face plate thickness is less than about 2.3 mm. In certain embodiments, the maximum face plate thickness is between about 5 mm and about 5.4 mm and the minimum face plate thickness is between about 1.8 mm and about 2.2 mm. In yet more particular embodiments, the maximum face plate thickness is about 5.2 mm and the minimum face plate thickness is about 2 mm. The face thickness should have a thickness change of at least 25% over the face (thickest portion compared to thinnest) in order to save weight and achieve a higher ball speed on off-center hits.
In some embodiments of a golf club head having a face plate with a protrusion and a thin sole construction or a thin skirt construction, the maximum face plate thickness is greater than about 3.0 mm and the minimum face plate thickness is less than about 3.0 mm. In certain embodiments, the maximum face plate thickness is between about 3.0 mm and about 4.0 mm, between about 4.0 mm and about 5.0 mm, between about 5.0 mm and about 6.0 mm or greater than about 6.0 mm, and the minimum face plate thickness is between about 2.5 mm and about 3.0 mm, between about 2.0 mm and about 2.5 mm, between about 1.5 mm and about 2.0 mm or less than about 1.5 mm.
In certain embodiments, a variable thickness face profile is implemented according to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/006,060, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,997,820, 6,800,038, and 6,824,475, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Distance Between Weight Ports
In some embodiments of a golf club head having at least two weight ports, a distance between the first and second weight ports is between about 5 mm and about 200 mm. In more specific embodiments, the distance between the first and second weight ports is between about 5 mm and about 100 mm, between about 50 mm and about 100 mm, or between about 70 mm and about 90 mm. In some specific embodiments, the first weight port is positioned proximate a toe portion of the golf club head and the second weight port is positioned proximate a heel portion of the golf club head.
In some embodiments of the golf club head having first, second and third weight ports, a distance between the first and second weight port is between about 40 mm and about 100 mm, and a distance between the first and third weight port, and the second and third weight port, is between about 30 mm and about 90 mm. In certain embodiments, the distance between the first and second weight port is between about 60 mm and about 80 mm, and the distance between the first and third weight port, and the second and third weight port, is between about 50 mm and about 80 mm. In a specific example, the distance between the first and second weight port is between about 80 mm and about 90 mm, and the distance between the first and third weight port, and the second and third weight port, is between about 70 mm and about 80 mm. In some embodiments, the first weight port is positioned proximate a toe portion of the golf club head, the second weight port is positioned proximate a heel portion of the golf club head and the third weight port is positioned proximate a rear portion of the golf club head.
In some embodiments of the golf club head having first, second, third and fourth weights ports, a distance between the first and second weight port, the first and fourth weight port, and the second and third weight port is between about 40 mm and about 100 mm; a distance between the third and fourth weight port is between about 10 mm and about 80 mm; and a distance between the first and third weight port and the second and fourth weight port is about 30 mm to about 90 mm. In more specific embodiments, a distance between the first and second weight port, the first and fourth weight port, and the second and third weight port is between about 60 mm and about 80 mm; a distance between the first and third weight port and the second and fourth weight port is between about 50 mm and about 70 mm; and a distance between the third and fourth weight port is between about 30 mm and about 50 mm. In some specific embodiments, the first weight port is positioned proximate a front toe portion of the golf club head, the second weight port is positioned proximate a front heel portion of the golf club head, the third weight port is positioned proximate a rear toe portion of the golf club head and the fourth weight port is positioned proximate a rear heel portion of the golf club head.
Product of Distance Between Weight Ports and the Maximum Weight
As mentioned above, the distance between the weight ports and weight size contributes to the amount of CG change made possible in a system having the sleeve assembly described above.
In some embodiments of a golf club head of the present application having two, three or four weights, a maximum weight mass multiplied by the distance between the maximum weight and the minimum weight is between about 450 g·mm and about 2,000 g·mm or about 200 g·mm and 2,000 g·mm. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the maximum weight mass multiplied by the weight separation distance is between about 500 g·mm and about 1,500 g·mm, between about 1,200 g·mm and about 1,400 g·mm.
When a weight or weight port is used as a reference point from which a distance, i.e., a vectorial distance (defined as the length of a straight line extending from a reference or feature point to another reference or feature point) to another weight or weights port is determined, the reference point is typically the volumetric centroid of the weight port.
When a movable weight club head and the sleeve assembly are combined, it is possible to achieve the highest level of club trajectory modification while simultaneously achieving the desired look of the club at address. For example, if a player prefers to have an open club face look at address, the player can put the club in the “R” or open face position. If that player then hits a fade (since the face is open) shot but prefers to hit a straight shot, or slight draw, it is possible to take the same club and move the heavy weight to the heel port to promote draw bias. Therefore, it is possible for a player to have the desired look at address (in this case open face) and the desired trajectory (in this case straight or slight draw).
In yet another advantage, by combining the movable weight concept with an adjustable sleeve position (effecting loft, lie and face angle) it is possible to amplify the desired trajectory bias that a player may be trying to achieve.
For example, if a player wants to achieve the most draw possible, the player can adjust the sleeve position to be in the closed face position or “L” position and also put the heavy weight in the heel port. The weight and the sleeve position work together to achieve the greater draw bias possible. On the other hand, to achieve the greatest fade bias, the sleeve position can be set for the open face or “R” position and the heavy weight is placed in the top port.
Product of Distance Between Weight Ports, the Maximum Weight, and the Maximum Loft Change
As described above, the combination of a large CG change (measured by the heaviest weight multiplied by the distance between the ports) and a large loft change (measured by the largest possible change in loft between two sleeve positions, Aloft) results in the highest level of trajectory adjustability. Thus, a product of the distance between at least two weight ports, the maximum weight, and the maximum loft change is important in describing the benefits achieved by the embodiments described herein.
In one embodiment, the product of the distance between at least two weight ports, the maximum weight, and the maximum loft change is between about 50 mm·g·deg and about 6,000 mm·g·deg or even more preferably between about 500 mm·g·deg and about 3,000 mm·g·deg. In other words, in certain embodiments, the golf club head satisfies the following expressions in Eq. 6 and Eq. 7.
50 mm·g·degrees<Dwp·Mhw·Δloft<6,000 mm·g·degrees Eq. 6
500 mm·g·degrees<Dwp·Mhw·Δloft<3,000 mm·g·degrees Eq. 7
In the above expressions, Dwp, is the distance between two weight port centroids (mm), Mhw, is the mass of the heaviest weight (g), and Δloft is the maximum loft change (degrees) between at least two sleeve positions. A golf club head within the ranges described above will ensure the highest level of trajectory adjustability.
Torque Wrench
With respect to
The use of a single tool or torque wrench 6600 for adjusting the movable weights, adjustable sleeve or adjustable loft system, and adjustable sole features provides a unique advantage in that a user is not required to carry multiple tools or attachments to make the desired adjustments. Thus, the movable weights, adjustable sleeve or adjustable loft system, and adjustable sole features may incorporate matching driving features, as disclosed herein, so that a single tool or torque wrench 6600 cooperates with the matching driving features. Therefore, at least a portion of each driving feature has an identical shape that cooperates with a portion of the single tool or torque wrench 6600. meaning it is an internal recess having an external perimeter that is bounded by a portion of the component containing the internal driving feature, and the external perimeter cooperates with a tool shape of a portion of the single tool or torque wrench 6600.
The shank 6606 terminates in an engagement end i.e. tip 6610 configured to operatively mate with the movable weights, adjustable sleeve, and adjustable sole features described herein. In one embodiment, the engagement end or tip 6610 is a bit-type drive tip having one single mating configuration for adjusting the movable weights, adjustable sleeve, and adjustable sole features. The engagement end can be comprised of lobes and flutes spaced equidistantly about the circumference of the tip.
In certain embodiments, the single tool 6600 is provided to adjust the sole angle and the adjustable sleeve (i.e. affecting loft angle, lie angle, or face angle) only. In another embodiment, the single tool 6600 is provided to adjust the adjustable sleeve and movable weights only. In yet other embodiments, the single tool 6600 is provided to adjust the movable weights and sole angle only.
Composite Face Insert
In other embodiments, the metallic cap 6724 does not have a rim portion 6732 but includes an outer peripheral edge that is substantially flush and planar with the side wall 6734 of the composite insert 6722. A plurality of score lines 6712 can be located on the metallic cap 6724. The composite face insert 6710 has a variable thickness and is adhesively or mechanically attached to the insert ledge 6726 located within the front opening and connected to the front opening inner wall 6714. The insert ledge 6726 and the composite face insert 6710 can be of the type described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/998,435, 11/642,310, 11/825,138, 11/823,638, 12/004,386, 12/004,387, 11/960,609, 11/960,610 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,620, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The club head of the embodiments described in
A golf club having an adjustable loft and lie angle with a composite face insert can achieve the moment of inertia and CG locations listed in Table 10 and 11. In certain embodiments, the golf club head can include movable weights in addition to the adjustable sleeve system and composite face. In embodiments where movable weights are implemented, similar moment of inertia and CG values already described herein can be achieved.
The golf club head embodiments described herein provide a solution to the additional weight added by a movable weight system and an adjustable loft, lie, and face angle system. Any undesirable weight added to the golf club head makes it difficult to achieve a desired head size, moment of inertia, and nominal center of gravity location.
In certain embodiments, the combination of ultra thin wall casting technology, high strength variable face thickness, strategically placed compact and lightweight movable weight ports, and a lightweight adjustable loft, lie, and face angle system make it possible to achieve high performing moment of inertia, center of gravity, and head size values.
Furthermore, an advantage of the discrete positions of the sleeve embodiments described herein allow for an increased amount of durability and more user friendly system.
Whereas the invention has been described in connection with representative embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to encompass all modifications, alternatives, and equivalents as may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/002,620, filed Aug. 25, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/274,108, filed Feb. 12, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,786,716, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/216,068, filed Dec. 11, 2018, now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/615,649, filed Jun. 6, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,173,116, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/876,694, filed Oct. 6, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,694,252, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/109,739, filed Dec. 17, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,180,348, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/474,973, filed May 29, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,622,847, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/346,747, filed Dec. 30, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,431, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/054,085, filed May 16, 2008, all which applications are incorporated herein by reference. Other applications and patents concerning golf club heads such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,773,360, 7,166,040, 7,186,190, 7,407,447, 7,419,441, 6,997,820, 6,800,038, 6,824,475, 7,267,620 and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/025,469, 11/524,031, 11/870,913, 11/025,469, 12/006,060, 11/998,435, 11/642,310, 11/825,138, 11/823,638, 12/004,386, 12/004,387, 11/960,609, 11/960,610 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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