Patent Application
20230076408
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a golf club, golf club head, golf ball, or other golf device or accessory comprising one or more lightweight materials. In some embodiments, a golf club head (e.g., putter head) can comprise the lightweight material.
Golf clubs are designed for use in hitting golf balls in a variety of ways, all of which require a sufficient applicable force and accuracy in order to most expeditiously propel the golf ball toward a designated ground hole goal or cup. Various golf clubs are used to provide various propelling functions. The first used driver is designed for providing maximum lofted propulsion over a large distance (usually measured in hundreds of yards). Putters (used in the final approach to the hole) are at the opposite end of the golf spectrum wherein distance is subservient to extreme accuracy in causing the ball to be propelled across the ground and into the hole or cup.
The art of putting is difficult for even the most ardent and talented golfers. Yet, the number of putts required to sink the ball often represents as much as half of the golfer's total score. Since a golfer is limited to a single putter over an entire round of play, the nature of the putter is important in permitting a golfer to play the best possible game.
Putting requires a high degree of skill and accuracy in which a properly designed club can enhance a player's natural and learned abilities. Numerous factors are considered in the design of a club head for a putter that relate to the putter's action during the swing and upon impact with the ball. Such factors include the club head material, which affects the distance the ball travels, speed of the golf ball, skew, alignment, and the like. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a golf club and/or putter head (or any golf related device or accessory) that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf club head comprising a base defined by an exterior surface and an interior, wherein the interior comprises one or more lightweight materials selected from rubber, aerogel, Airloy, polybutadiene, ionomer resin, polyamide, polyester, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the golf club head is a putter head.
In some embodiments, the interior comprises about 100 weight percent of the one or more lightweight materials based on the total weight of the interior.
In some embodiments, the interior comprises about 50-90 weight percent lightweight materials and about 10-50 weight percent of one or more core materials selected from polymeric material, metal, metal alloy (e.g., gold/copper alloys, brass, pewter, bronze, steel, silicon steel, iron/carbon, iron/silicon, duralumin, amalgams), wood, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the one or more lightweight materials are positioned in a central portion of the interior and the one or more core materials surround the central portion.
In some embodiments, the one or more core materials are positioned in a central portion of the interior and the one or more lightweight materials surround the central portion.
In some embodiments, the one or more lightweight materials and the one or more core materials are blended together in the interior.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf club comprising the disclosed golf club head.
In some embodiments, the one or more lightweight materials comprise a gel.
In some embodiments, the club head further incudes an outer layer that surrounds the exterior surface, wherein the outer layer comprises one or more lightweight materials selected from rubber, aerogel, Airloy, polybutadiene, ionomer resin, polyamide, polyester, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the one or more lightweight materials are selected from aerogel, Airloy, or both.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf club head comprising a base defined by an exterior surface and an interior, wherein the exterior surface comprises one or more lightweight materials selected from rubber, aerogel, Airloy, polybutadiene, ionomer resin, polyamide, polyester, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the exterior surface of the club head comprises about 100 weight percent lightweight materials.
In some embodiments, the exterior surface of the club head comprises a blend of about 10-90 weight percent of the one or more lightweight materials and about 90-10 weight percent of one or more of polymeric material, metal, wood, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the club head comprises a coating surrounding the exterior surface, wherein the coating comprises about 100 weight percent of one or more lightweight materials.
In some embodiments, the one or more lightweight materials is selected from Airloy, aerogel or both.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a method of hitting a golf ball. Specifically, the method is defined by swinging a golf club, the golf club comprising the disclosed club head, contacting a face of the golf club head with a golf ball, wherein the golf ball is hit by the golf club.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf divot tool. The divot tool is defined by one or more prongs and a base. The base can be constructed from one or more lightweight materials. The lightweight materials can be positioned within an interior of the divot tool and/or can be blended into the exterior of the tool. In some embodiments, the interior or exterior of the divot tool can comprise about 100 weight percent lightweight material(s) based on the total weight of the tool.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf tee. Specifically, the golf tee is defined by a top surface that allows a golf ball to balance on the tee, and a central leg. The central leg is configured to extend into the ground. In some embodiments, the golf tee can be constructed from one or more lightweight materials. The golf tee can be constructed from about 100 weight percent lightweight materials. The golf tee can be constructed from a blend of about 10-90 (e.g., 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, or 90) weight percent of one or more lightweight materials and about 90-10 (e.g., 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, Or 10) weight percent of one or more of metal, metal alloy, wood, polymeric material, based on the total weight of the layer.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to an item of apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, jackets, shoes, socks, headwear, hats, vests, sweatshirts, shorts, etc.). The apparel can include one or more lightweight materials woven into the fabric. In some embodiments, the fabric can comprise about 100 weight percent of one or more lightweight materials. The apparel can be constructed from a blend of about 10-90 (e.g., 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, or 90) weight percent of one or more lightweight materials and about 90-10 (e.g., 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, or 10) weight percent of one or more fabrics selected from cotton, polyester, spandex, elastic, rayon, woven materials, nonwoven materials, or combinations thereof based on the total weight of the layer.
The presently disclosed subject matter is introduced with sufficient details to provide an understanding of one or more particular embodiments of broader inventive subject matters. The descriptions expound upon and exemplify features of those embodiments without limiting the inventive subject matters to the explicitly described embodiments and features. Considerations in view of these descriptions will likely give rise to additional and similar embodiments and features without departing from the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter pertains. Although any methods, devices, and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the presently disclosed subject matter, representative methods, devices, and materials are now described.
Following long-standing patent law convention, the terms “a”, “an”, and “the” refer to “one or more” when used in the subject specification, including the claims. Thus, for example, reference to “a device” can include a plurality of such devices, and so forth.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of components, conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the instant specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently disclosed subject matter.
As used herein, the term “about”, when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration, and/or percentage can encompass variations of, in some embodiments+/−20%, in some embodiments+/−10%, in some embodiments+/−5%, in some embodiments+/−1%, in some embodiments+/−0.5%, and in some embodiments +/−0.1%, from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate in the disclosed packages and methods.
The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf club, golf club head, golf device, golf ball, and/or golf accessory that comprises one or more lightweight materials. The term “golf club” refers to any of the wide variety of clubs that can be used to hit a golf club. Suitable golf clubs can therefore include (but are not limited to) putters 5, woods 10, irons 15, wedges, 20, and drivers 25, as illustrated in
The term “putter” refers to a club used to make relatively short and low-speed strokes with the intention of rolling the ball into the hole from a short distance away. Putters can be differentiated from the other clubs (typically, irons and woods) by a clubhead with a very flat, low-profile, low-loft striking face, and/or by other features that are only allowed on putters (e.g., bent shafts, non-circular grips, and/or positional guides). Putters are generally used from very close distances to the cup, such as on the putting green, though certain courses have fringes and roughs near the green that are also suitable for putting.
The term “putter head” refers to the end of a putter used to make contact with a golf ball in putting the ball toward a hole on a green. The putter head is generally constructed from metal such as steel, aluminium, titanium, graphite, or metal alloys, although use of other rigid materials is not precluded (e.g., plastic, wood, and the like). In some embodiments, a combination of materials can be used.
The term “wood” refers to a type of golf club characterized by longer shafts and larger, rounder heads compared to other club types. Woods are used to hit the ball longer distances than other types of clubs. Woods are numbered in ascending order starting with the driver, or 1-wood, which has the lowest loft (usually between 9 and 13 degrees), continuing with progressively higher lofts and numbers. Woods generally fall into two classes (drivers and fairway woods), with a traditional set of clubs including a driver and one or two fairway woods.
The term “iron” refers to a type of golf club used to propel the ball towards the hole. Irons typically have shorter shafts and smaller clubheads than woods, the head is made of solid iron or steel, and the head's primary feature is a large, flat, angled face, usually scored with grooves. Irons are used in a wide variety of situations from the teeing ground on shorter holes, from the fairway or rough as the player approaches the green, and to extract the ball from hazards, such as bunkers or even shallow water hazards. Irons are the most common type of club. A standard set of 14 golf clubs will usually include between 7 and 11 irons, including wedges. Irons are customarily differentiated by a number from 1 to 10 that indicates the relative angle of loft on the club face, although a set of irons will also vary in clubhead size, shaft length, and hence lie angle as the loft (and number) increase. Irons with higher loft than the numbered irons are referred to as wedges.
The term “wedge” refers to a type of irons designed for special use situations. As a class, wedges have the highest lofts, the shortest shafts, and the heaviest clubheads of the irons. These features generally aid the player in making accurate short distance “lob” shots, to get the ball onto the green or out of a hazard or other tricky spot. In addition, wedges can be designed with modified soles that aid the player in moving the clubhead through soft lies, such as sand, mud, and thick grass, to extract a ball that is embedded or buried. Wedges come in a variety of configurations and are generally grouped into four categories: pitching wedges, sand wedges, gap/approach wedges, and lob wedges.
The term “driver” refers to a club belonging to the woods category of golf clubs and is classically referred to as the 1-Wood. It is typically the longest club found in a golf bag and includes the biggest head of any club. The goal of the driver is to get the ball as far as possible towards the green. As a result, the driver is typically used for the first stroke from the teeing ground on par-4s, par-5s, and very long par-3s. The face angle (loft) can vary from about 8.5° to 13°, those with smaller angles are designed to launch the ball on a lower trajectory whereas the bigger angles promote a higher trajectory.
A golf club is a club used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club includes a shaft with a grip and a club head. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety of shots; hybrids that combine design elements of woods and irons are becoming increasingly popular; putters are used mainly on the green to roll the ball into the hole. A set of clubs is limited by the rules of golf to a maximum of 14 golf clubs, and while there are traditional combinations sold at retail as matched sets, players are free to use any combination of legal clubs. The most significant difference between clubs of the same type is loft (the angle between the club's face and the vertical plane). It is loft that is the primary determinant of the ascending trajectory of the golf ball, with the tangential angle of the club head's swing arc at impact being a secondary and relatively minor consideration (though these small changes in swing angle can nevertheless have a significant influence on launch angle when using low-lofted clubs). The impact of the club compresses the ball, while grooves on the club face give the ball backspin. Together, the compression and backspin create lift. The majority of woods and irons are labeled with a number; higher numbers usually indicate shorter shafts and higher lofts that give the ball a higher and shorter trajectory.
Golf balls include any of the wide variety of balls that are or can be used in the game of golf. Under the rules of golf, a golf ball has a mass no more than 1.620 oz (45.93 grams), has a diameter not less than 1.680 in (42.67 mm), and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits. Like golf clubs, golf balls are subject to testing and approval by United States Golf Association (USGA), and those that do not conform with regulations may not be used in competitions. It should be appreciated that any ball can be used in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, not just those the meet the specifications (mass and diameter) and/or USGA approval.
One embodiment of golf ball 30 is illustrated in
Golf accessories include any accessory that is or can be used with the game of golf, such as (but not limited to) golf tees, golf divot tools, golf apparel, golf shoes, golf hats, golf pouches, golf bags, golf club head covers, golf ball markers, etc. It should be appreciated that the term “golf accessory” is broad and can include any accessory that can be used in the play of golf, regardless of whether listed above.
One embodiment of golf tee 40 is illustrated in
The golf tee includes top surface 41 that includes a surface on which a golf ball rests. The tee also includes pointed leg 42 that extends into the ground.
A standard golf tee is 2.125″ long, but both longer and shorter tees are permitted. Tees can be made from wood or from durable plastic. There are also many biodegradable and recyclable golf tees. According to the R&A and USGA rules of golf, for a tee to be legal, it must not be longer than 4 inches and it must not be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate the line of play or influence the movement of the ball.
The term “divot tool” refers to a tool used to repair a ball mark (a depression in the green where a ball has hit the ground on its approach shot). One embodiment of a divot tool is illustrated in
The term “ball marker” refers to any element that can be used to mark the position of a golf ball. When on the green, the ball can be picked up for cleaning or to move it out of the way of an opponent's putting line. In these cases, the positioned of the ball must first be marked using a ball marker. Ball markers are often round, flat pieces of metal or plastic that are differentiable from others in use. It should be appreciated that a ball marker can be configured with any size, shape, or materials.
The term “head cover” refers any element that is positioned over the golf club head. Head covers protect the clubs from striking each other and from weather and incidental damage while in a golf bag. Head covers also make clubs more identifiable briefly and provide a personal touch to a player's clubs.
The term “apparel” refers to any item that can be worn as clothing, such as hats, shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, pants, shorts, socks, shoes, jackets, and the like.
A golf club or ball (or any golf device or accessory) as disclosed herein (e.g., a putter) can include any desired material(s). Suitable materials can therefore include (but are not limited to) wood, metal, plastic, and combinations thereof. Thus, a golf club, golf club head, golf accessory, divot tool, ball marker, golf ball, golf device, and/or putter head can be constructed from any desired material, such as (but not limited to) one or more elastomeric materials (such as rubber, polybutadiene, and the like), thermoplastic materials (e.g., ionomer resin, bi-modal ionomer resin, polyamide resin, polyester resin, polyurethane resin), and/or thermoset materials. In some embodiments, the golf club, golf ball, golf device, golf accessory, and/or putter head can comprise one or more lightweight materials (such as aerogel) to give the core a decreased weight compared to conventional golf balls. The term “aerogel” refers to a synthetic porous ultralight material derived from a gel in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The resultant material is a solid with extremely low density and low thermal conductivity. Suitable aerogel materials can include (but are not limited to) silica aerogel.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the lightweight materials are positioned within the interior of the club head, as shown in
It should be appreciated that the golf club head can also be configured as a putter head, as shown in
The core can make up about 10-90 weight percent of the interior of club head 50, while lightweight material can make up about 90-10 weight percent of the interior club head. Thus, interior 54 can comprise at least about (or no more than about) 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 weight percent lightweight materials 55. In some embodiments, the interior can include at least about (or no more than about) 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 weight percent core materials 56. Additional material can also be included (e.g., about 0.01-10 weight percent), such as fillers, stabilizers, and the like. These additional materials are well known in the art.
In some embodiments, lightweight material(s) 55 can include any compound (or gel or any substance) that stabilizes the temperature of the club head. For example, the lightweight materials can comprise one or more Airloy® materials. Airloys are ultralight super-insulating materials. Airloys combine the strength of conventional polymeric materials with the low density and super-insulating characteristics of aerogels. Thus, Airloys are strong, stiff, and tough and can be used as thermal and acoustic insulators. Airloys are conventionally 3-10 times lighter when compared to conventional polymeric materials. In some embodiments, a suitable Airloy has a density of about 0.01-0.9 g/L. Airloys can be constructed from ceramics, polymers, carbon, metals, carbides, or combinations thereof. Airloys are generally hydrophobic and thus are stable against moisture and humidity. Airloys can be optimized for strength-to-weight ratios in excess of 20,000:1 and can vary from strong and rigid to soft and flexible. Airloys can be electrically insulating with dielectric constants as low as 1.1 with surface areas of 200-800 m2 g−1—orders of magnitude higher than conventional materials. Airloys can also be made electrically conducting with specific surface areas as high as 3000 m2 g−1.
In some embodiments, the entire head of a golf club can be constructed from one or more lightweight materials (e.g., the club body, club face, hosel). Thus, instead of (or in addition to) positioning the lightweight materials within the interior of the club head, the lightweight materials are used to form the entire portion of the club head. Alternatively, the material used to construct the golf club and/or golf club head (e.g., putter head) can comprise a blend of lightweight materials and one or more additional materials (e.g., metal, polymeric material, and the like). It should be appreciated that any material can be used. Thus, the golf club or head can comprise a blend of about 0.001-100% lightweight material (e.g., at least/no more than about 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 weight percent). Similarly, all or a portion of a golf device, golf ball, or golf accessory can comprise one or more lightweight materials as defined herein (or a blend, core, and/or coating of the lightweight material).
Alternatively or in addition, golf club head 50 (e.g., putter head) can comprise coating 60 of lightweight material(s) as illustrated in
Although broadly discussed as “golf club” above, the description can further be applied to any golf accessory, golf ball, putter head, golf club head, golf device, and/or golf apparel.
In some embodiments, a golf club, golf device, golf ball, golf accessory, and/or putter head as disclosed herein conforms to the United States Golf Association (USGA) standards for golf equipment. The full list of standards is compiled at the USGA website, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Putter heads (and/or golf club heads) comprising one or more lightweight materials can provide many benefits. For example, in hot weather, the metal (or other material) on the putter head gets hot, causing the ball to skew. As a result, the golf shot is explosive, which frustrates the golfer and can contribute to a bad shot. A golf club or putter head that includes lightweight materials as disclosed herein can correct the shape of a ball path, correct the trajectory of the ball, increase or decrease the spin of the ball, increase or decrease the distance the ball travels, improve flight characteristics, etc. It should be appreciated that additional benefits are also envisioned. The disclosed lightweight materials therefore can provide improved performance to the golf club and/or putter head (or any other desired club or accessory that comprises the lightweight material). Thus, the golf equipment that includes or comprises lightweight materials exhibit improved performance when compared to prior art clubs, putter heads, etc. Similarly, golf device, golf balls, and/or golf accessories comprising one or more lightweight materials can provide additional benefits, as would be appreciated.
Thus, it should be appreciated that the lightweight material can further be incorporated in any desired golf accessory or material. For example, the lightweight material can be used in clothing (e.g., shoes, socks, hats, shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, skirts, coats, jackets, gloves, and the like). Further, the lightweight material can be used with golf balls and other accessories (e.g., tees and any other accessories used or associated with the game of golf). The lightweight material can be added in as a core, blended with one or more additional material, added as a coating, blended with another material as a coating, and/or be added or incorporated in any desired way.
For example, a divot tool or ball marker as discussed above can be constructed one or more lightweight materials. The lightweight materials can comprise about 100 weight percent of the divot tool or ball marker in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the divot tool or ball marker can be constructed from a blend of one or more lightweight materials and blender (e.g., metal, wood, plastic). Advantageously, constructing the divot tool and/or ball marker from lightweight materials or lightweight material blends allows for the user to manually carry these items due to the increased weight. The items would not require storage in the golf cart or golf bag, requiring searching to locate when needed. The lightweight materials further allow these items to be used easily by any user.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/242,213 filed Sep. 9, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63242213 | Sep 2021 | US |
