Patent Application
20130331202
The present invention relates generally to golf clubs and golf club heads. Particular example aspects of this invention relate to a golf club head having a contoured backstop arranged behind a ball striking surface of the golf club head.
Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders and dramatically different ages and/or skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, in team formats, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with the increased availability of 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 golf's 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 in recent years, the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with balls designed to complement specific swing speeds and/or other player characteristics or preferences, e.g., with some balls designed to fly farther and/or straighter; some designed to provide higher or flatter trajectories; some designed to provide more spin, control, and/or feel (particularly around the greens); some designed for faster or slower swing speeds; etc. A host of swing and/or teaching aids also are available on the market that promise to help lower one's golf scores.
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.).
Because golf clubs typically are 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, thereby decreasing the distance of the shot. The energy or 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 (“COR”). The maximum COR for golf club heads is currently limited by the United States Golf Association (“USGA”) at 0.83. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a golf club head having a flexible ball striking surface that provides an improved or maximized COR.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below.
Aspects of this invention relate to golf club and golf club head structures having a thin walled ball striking surface and a backstop arranged behind the ball striking surface on an interior of the golf club head. In some examples, the backstop may be contoured to provide a greater distance between the ball striking surface and the backstop in a central region of the backstop and ball striking surface than in an end region of the backstop and ball striking surface. This increased distance near a central region allows for additional flexing of the ball striking surface in the central region than nearer the end regions, while reducing and/or preventing overflexing of the ball striking surface. For instance, the backstop may act as a physical barrier to prevent or reduce the flex of the ball striking surface as a golf ball is struck.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements throughout, and in which:
The reader is advised that the various parts shown in these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The following description and the accompanying figures disclose features of golf clubs and golf club head structures in accordance with examples of the present invention.
I. General Description of Example Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads in Accordance with this Invention
Aspects of this invention relate to golf club and golf club head structures. In some examples, a golf club head may include a golf club head body having at least a top, a bottom, a toe, a heel, a rear and a ball striking surface, the top, bottom, toe, heel, rear and ball striking surface defining an interior portion of the golf club head. The golf club head may further include an inner wall arranged within the interior portion of the golf club head and extending from the toe of the golf club head to the heel of the golf club head. In at least some arrangements, the inner wall is positioned behind the ball striking surface to form a gap between the ball striking surface and the inner wall. In some examples, the inner wall may include a central region, a first side region extending from the central region toward the toe of the golf club head body and a second side region extending from the central region toward the heel of the golf club head body. In at least some arrangements, the gap formed between the inner wall and the ball striking surface may be greater in the central region than in the first side region and the second side region. Further, the inner wall may be configured to act as a backstop for the ball striking surface of the golf club head under at least some conditions as the ball striking surface flexes when the golf club head strikes a golf ball (e.g., when the ball is hit within a certain area of the ball striking surface, when the ball is hit above a predetermined club head speed, etc.).
Additional aspects of the invention relate to the inner wall or backstop being configured to physically contact at least a portion of the ball striking surface as the ball striking surface flexes inward. In at least some examples, the inner wall may be non-linear.
Still other aspects of the invention relate to a golf club having a shaft and a golf club head connected to one end of the shaft. The golf club may include a golf club head having an inner wall arranged within the interior void formed by the golf club head body and positioned behind the ball striking surface. In at least some arrangements, the inner wall extends from the toe to the heel of the golf club head and, in some examples the inner wall may be connected to the golf club head at the toe and/or the heel. In some arrangements, a size of the gap formed between the inner wall and the ball striking surface may vary along a length of the inner wall.
Given the general description of various example aspects of the invention provided above, more detailed descriptions of various specific examples of golf clubs and golf club head structures according to the invention are provided below.
II. Detailed Description of Example Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads According to the Invention
The following discussion and accompanying figures describe various example golf clubs and golf club head structures in accordance with the present invention. When the same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that reference number is used consistently in this specification and the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts throughout.
Various golf club heads in accordance with aspects described herein may be used with various types of golf clubs. For instance, the contoured inner wall or backstop may be used with wood-type golf clubs and golf club heads, e.g., clubs and club heads typically used for drivers and fairway woods, as well as for “wood-type” utility or hybrid clubs, or the like. Such club head structures may have little or no actual “wood” material and still may be referred to conventionally in the art as “woods” (e.g., “metal woods,” “fairway woods,” etc.). The contoured inner wall or backstop may also be used with iron-type, hybrid-type, utility type, etc. golf clubs and golf club head structures.
Golf club heads may generally include a plurality of different regions, segments, portions, ends, etc. In an example embodiment, a golf club head may generally include a front face, a rear, a toe, a heel, a crown and a sole that may, generally, define an interior of the golf club head. The golf club heads may include a multiple piece construction and structure, e.g., including one or more of a sole, a front face (optionally including a ball striking surface that may be integrally formed therein or attached thereto), a top or crown, a bottom or sole, a rear, etc. Of course, if desired, various portions of the club head structure may be integrally formed with one another, as a unitary, one piece construction, without departing from the invention (e.g., the front face and/or rear may be integrally formed with the sole and/or crown, etc.). Optionally, if desired, the various portions of the club head structure (such as the sole, the crown, the face, the rear, etc.) individually may be formed from multiple pieces of material without departing from this invention (e.g., a multi-piece crown, a multi-piece sole, etc.). Also, as other alternatives, if desired, the entire club head may be made as a single, one piece, unitary construction, or a front face may be attached to a one piece club head aft body (optionally, a hollow body, etc.). More specific examples and features of golf club heads and golf club structures according to this invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the example golf club structures illustrated in
In addition to the golf club head 102, the overall golf club structure 100 of this example includes a hosel 104, a shaft 106 received in and/or inserted into and/or through the hosel 104, and a grip or handle 108 attached to the shaft 106. Optionally, if desired, the external hosel 104 may be eliminated and the shaft 106 may be directly inserted into and/or otherwise attached to the head 102 (e.g., through an opening provided in the top of the club head 102, through an internal hosel (e.g., provided within an interior chamber defined by the club head 102), etc.). The shaft 106 may be received in, engaged with, and/or attached to the golf club head in any desired manner, including in various adjustable manners which permit movement of the shaft 106 with respect to the golf club head 102. Any attachment method and/or structure as are known and used in the art also may be used without departing from this invention.
The shaft 106 may be made from any suitable or desired materials, including conventional materials known and used in the art, such as graphite based materials, composite or other non-metal materials, steel materials (including stainless steel), aluminum materials, other metal alloy materials, polymeric materials, combinations of various materials, and the like. Also, the grip or handle 108 may be attached to, engaged with, and/or extend from the shaft 106 in any suitable or desired manner, including in conventional manners known and used in the art, e.g., using adhesives or cements; via welding, soldering, adhesives, or the like; via mechanical connectors (such as threads, retaining elements, etc.); etc. As another example, if desired, the grip or handle 108 may be integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece construction with the shaft 106. Additionally, any desired grip or handle 108 materials may be used without departing from this invention, including, for example: rubber materials, leather materials, rubber or other materials including cord or other fabric material embedded therein, polymeric materials, and the like.
The club head 102 itself also may be any of various types of golf club heads and may be constructed in any suitable or desired manner and/or from any suitable or desired materials without departing from this invention, including from conventional materials and/or in conventional manners known and used in the art. For example, in the example structure 102 shown in
As additional examples or alternatives, in order to reduce the weight of the club head 102, if desired, one or more portions of the club head structure 102 advantageously may be made from a composite material, such as from carbon fiber composite materials that are conventionally known and used in the art. Other suitable composite or other non-metal materials that may be used for one or more portions of the club head structure 102 include, for example: fiberglass composite materials, basalt fiber reinforced composite materials, polymer materials, etc. The composite or other non-metal material(s) may be incorporated as part of the club head structure 102 in any desired manner, including in conventional manners that are known and used in the art.
The various individual parts that make up a club head structure 102, if made from multiple pieces, may be engaged with one another and/or held together in any suitable or desired manner, including in conventional manners known and used in the art. For example, the various parts of the club head structure 102, such as the ball striking surface 102a, the ball striking plate 102b, the crown 102c, the sole 102d, and/or the body portion(s) 102e may be joined and/or fixed together (directly or indirectly through intermediate members) by adhesives, cements, welding, soldering, or other bonding or finishing techniques; by mechanical connectors (such as threads, screws, nuts, bolts, or other connectors); and the like. If desired, the mating edges of various parts of the club head structure 102 (e.g., the edges where members 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and/or 102e contact and join to one another) may include one or more raised ribs, tabs, ledges, or other engagement elements that fit into or onto corresponding grooves, slots, surfaces, ledges, openings, or other structures provided in or on the facing side edge to which it is joined. Cements, adhesives, mechanical connectors, finishing material, or the like may be used in combination with the raised rib/groove/ledge/edge or other connecting structures described above to further help secure the various parts of the club head structure 102 together.
The dimensions and/or other characteristics of a golf club head structure according to examples of this invention may vary significantly without departing from the invention.
In some arrangements, it may be advantageous for a golf club head, such as golf club head 102, to include an internal wall or backstop. The backstop may allow the front ball striking surface to be made of a thin or relatively thinner material than club heads without a backstop and thus may allow for more flexibility in the front ball striking surface. In addition, the backstop may aid in preventing over flexing of the front wall or ball striking surface, which may result in failure of the front wall (e.g., breaking, cracking, etc.). This added flexibility may provide an improved “spring effect” or coefficient of restitution (COR).
For instance, the improved flexibility of the front ball striking surface may aid in providing a higher COR response for individuals with lower swing speeds. For example, for an individual with an 85 mph swing speed, the front ball striking surface may not contact the backstop, thus allowing the front ball striking surface to provide the maximum possible COR at that swing speed (either within the USGA COR limit of 0.83 or even above this limit, if desired). For individuals with higher or faster swing speeds, the backstop may be positioned to not only reduce or prevent over flexing of the front ball striking surface, but also to limit the COR response of the club head to be 0.83 or less in order to meet the USGA limit. Thus, a club head having an inner wall or backstop may provide a better COR response at lower swing speeds while limiting the COR response for individuals with higher swing speeds to meet regulations.
As shown in
In some examples, the backstop 210 may be fixed to the golf club head 202 at one or more ends 210a, 210b, such as with mechanical fasteners, screws, adhesives, and the like. In some examples, the ends 210a, 210b of the backstop 210 may be connected to the golf club head via screws formed of a composite material to reduce weight added to the golf club head 202. The fixed ends 210a, 210b of the backstop 210 may provide additional stiffness and structure to those points (e.g., points having greater or increased stress during flexing). The portion of the backstop 210 extending between each fixed end 210a, 210b might not be fixed to the golf club head 202, thereby allowing for at least some flexibility of the backstop 210, in some arrangements. The backstop 210 also may be formed, at least in part, as an integral structure with one or more of the parts of the club head body. For instance, the backstop 210 may be integrally formed with the club head body such that the ends 210a, 210b of the backstop 210 are integrally formed with the toe and/or heel of the golf club head. This arrangement may provide additional stiffening characteristics for the backstop 210. In some examples, the ball striking face may be connected to the golf club head body, integrally formed backstop, etc.
As shown in
As mentioned above, the backstop 210 may have a contoured shape. For instance, the backstop 210 may be non-linear to allow for additional flexing of the ball striking surface 208 in some portions and to limit the amount of flexing of the ball striking surface 208 in other portions. For instance, the golf club head 202 may have an inner wall or backstop 210 having three regions, a central region 212a and two side regions, 212b, and 212c. The central portion of the region 212a may be arranged a greater distance from the ball striking surface 208 than at least one of end regions 212b, 212c of the backstop 210. The arrangement of
In some instances, computer modeling applications may be used to determine an optimal geometry of the backstop 210. For instance, computer modeling may be used to determine a desired or optimal shape to provide an appropriate COR response, etc., e.g., based on an individual's typical or dominant ball contact location on the ball striking face 208 surface. In some arrangements, the backstop 210 shape or geometry may be customized to a particular player, swing, swing speed, etc. using computer modeling.
One or more end portions 210a, 210b of the inner wall or backstop 210 may be connected to the golf club head 202 (e.g., a sidewall of the golf club head 202 or other internal connection point) and the side regions 212b, 212c may slope away from the ball striking surface 208, such that the distance between the ball striking surface 208 and each side region 212b, 212c increases as the backstop 210 extends from the end point toward the central region 212a. Although the backstop 210 of
Although
Line 312 represents the potential flex of the ball striking surface 308 without the presence of the backstop 310. Without the backstop 310, the ball striking surface 308 may flex more than it would with the backstop 310 present, which may result in greater stress on the material of the ball striking surface 308 and thus increased likelihood of cracking, fatigue, failure, etc. This arrangement including the backstop 310 may maintain the COR response of the club head within USGA limits, and may prevent overflexing of the ball striking surface 308 which may result in damage, such as cracking, breaking, and the like.
In some examples, the backstop 310 may have some flexibility or give in the area located between the end points connected to the golf club head 302. This flexibility or give may permit the backstop 310 to somewhat flex when contact is made between the ball striking surface 308 and the backstop 310 to provide additional springiness, without permitting overflexing of the ball striking surface 308.
As mentioned above, the width of the central region of the backstop may vary.
Further, the shape, contour, etc. of the interior wall or backstop of one or more arrangement described herein may be customized for a particular user's swing. For instance, the deepest portion of the wall or backstop may be offset to accommodate a user with a slice, hook, etc. For instance,
It is understood that the structures disclosed herein could also be incorporated into other types of golf clubs including iron-type golf clubs as well as fairway woods and hybrids.
III. Conclusion
The present invention is described above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of example structures, features, elements, and combinations of structures, features, and elements. The purpose served by the disclosure, however, is to provide examples of the various features and concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. For example, the various features and concepts described above in conjunction with
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/653,826 filed on May 31, 2012, and entitled “Golf Clubs and Golf Club Head Structures Having Contoured Backstop,” which application is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61653826 | May 2012 | US |
