Golf club including striking member and associated methods

• US 20040204265A1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dale U. Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Dale U.
• Granted Patent: US 7,211,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf includes a golf club shaft and a golf club head connected to the golf club shaft. The golf club head includes a body having a forward surface and a striking member connected to the forward surface of the body. The striking member includes predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball. In some embodiments, the golf club head may include a spacer or neck connecting opposing medial portions of the body and the striking member. In other embodiments, the striking member may include a first layer and a second underlying layer disposed over the body.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head connected to said golf club shaft and comprising

a body having a forward surface, and

a striking member connected to the forward surface of said body,

said striking member having predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

2. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said golf club head further comprises a spacer connecting opposing medial portions of said body and said striking member.

3. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the striking surface of said striking member deforms and deflects inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recovers outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

4. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer is springy to impart a bouncing action to the striking member.

5. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said body, spacer and striking member are made of a hollow metal shell.

6. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer is made of one or more metal springs.

7. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said golf club head further comprises a neck connecting opposing medial portions of said body and said striking member together to define a ring-shaped space between opposing portions of said body and said striking member.

8. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said ring-shaped space between the opposing portions of said body and said striking member are covered with a flexible cover to make the whole golf club head to have an appearance of a one-piece design.

9. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer has a solid construction throughout.

10. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said striking member has a solid construction throughout.11. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said striking member has an outer periphery substantially aligned with an outer periphery of said body.

12. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer has a cross-sectional area in a range of about 5 to 95 percent of an area of said striking member.

13. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said striking member comprises metal shell and has a thickness in a range of about 0.010 to 0.2 inch

14. A golf club according to claim 2 further comprising a cover surrounding said body, spacer, and said striking member.

15. A golf club according to claim 14 wherein said cover made of a flexible and resilient plastic or rubber material.

16. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein the spring-like effect for center hits come from face flexing while peripheral hits rely on bending of said striking member around said spacer.

17. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said striking member comprises a first layer and a second underlying layer disposed over the forward surface of said body;

said first layer comprising a first material, and said second underlying layer comprising a second material;

said first and second materials being selected and said first and second layers having predetermined thicknesses so that said first and second layers deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

18. A golf club according to claim 17 wherein said second material of said second underlying layer has a first resiliency in a medial portion and a second resiliency greater than the first resiliency in a peripheral portion.

19. A golf club according to claim 17 wherein said second material comprises a synthetic elastomer.

20. A golf club according to claim 17 wherein said first material comprises a thermoplastic resin.

21. A golf club according to claim 17 wherein said first material comprises polyurethane.

22. A golf club according to claim 17 wherein said second layer has a thickness in a range of about 0.125 to 2.0 inch.

23. A golf club according to claim 17 wherein said first layer has a thickness in a range of about 0.005 to 0.10 inch.

24. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said striking member deflects inwardly and recovers outwardly when striking the golf ball for a time in the range of about 0.0001 to 0.0010 seconds.

25. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said golf club head has a shape so that the golf club is a driver.

26. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said golf club head has a shape so that the golf club is a fairway wood.

27. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the striking surface of striking member is substantially smooth.

28. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head connected to said golf club shaft, said golf club head having a shape so that the golf club is a driver, said golf club head comprising

a body,

a striking member, and

a spacer connecting opposing medial portions of said body and said striking member together to define a ring-shaped space between opposing portions of said body and said striking member so that said striking member deflects inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recovers outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

29. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said body, spacer and striking member are made of a metal shell.

30. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said striking member comprises metal shell and has a thickness in a range of about 0.01 to 0.20 inch

31. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said spacer has a solid construction throughout.

32. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said striking member has a solid construction throughout.

33. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said striking member has an outer periphery substantially aligned with an outer periphery of said body.

34. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said spacer has a cross-sectional area in a range of about 5 to 90 percent of an area of said striking member.

35. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said striking member deflects inwardly and recovers outwardly when striking the golf ball for a time in the range of about 0.0001 to 0.0010 seconds.

36. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said body, spacer, and striking member are integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

37. A golf club according to claim 28 wherein said body and spacer comprise metal.

38. A golf club according to claim 28 further comprising a cover surrounding said body, spacer, and said striking member.

39. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head connected to said golf club shaft, said golf club head having a shape so that the golf club is a driver, said golf club head comprising

a body having a forward surface, and

a striking member on the forward surface of said body, said striking member comprising a first layer comprised of a first material and a second underlying layer comprised of a second material;

said first and second materials being selected and said first and second layers having predetermined thicknesses and resiliency so that said first and second layers deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

40. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said first material of said first layer has a first resiliency in a medial portion and a second resiliency greater than the first resiliency in a peripheral portion.

41. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said second material of said second layer has a solid backing to support said first and said second layers.

42. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said golf club head is integrally formed in a monolithic unit around a metallic rib to be attached to the club shaft.

43. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said second material comprises synthetic elastomer.

44. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said first material comprises thermoplastic resin.

45. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said first material comprises polyurethane.

46. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said first layer has a thickness in a range of about 0.005 to 0.10 inch.

47. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said second layer has a thickness in a range of about 0.125 to 2 inch.

48. A golf club according to claim 39 wherein said striking member deflects inwardly and recovers outwardly when striking the golf ball for a time in the range of about 0.0001 to 0.0010 seconds.

49. A method of making a golf club comprising:

forming a golf club head;

connecting the golf club head to a golf club shaft, the golf club head comprising

a body having a forward surface, and

a striking member connected to the forward surface of the body,

the striking member having predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

50. A method according to claim 49 wherein the golf club head further comprises a spacer connecting opposing medial portions of the body and the striking member.

51. A method according to claim 49 further comprising integrally forming the body, spacer, and striking member as a monolithic unit.

52. A method according to claim 49 further comprising integrally attaching the body, spacer, and striking member as an assembled unit.

53. A method according to claim 49 further comprising integrally forming the body, spacer, and striking member as a solid unit.

54. A method according to claim 49 wherein the striking member comprises a second layer over the forward surface of the body and comprising a second material, and a first layer over the second layer and comprising a first material;

the first and second materials being selected and the first and second layers having predetermined thicknesses and resiliency so that the first and second layers deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.55. A method according to claim 49 wherein forming the golf club head further comprises forming the golf club head to have a shape so that the golf club is a driver.

56. A method according to claim 49 wherein forming the golf club head further comprises forming the golf club head to have a shape so that the golf club is a fairway wood.

57. A method according to claim wherein forming the golf club head further comprises forming the golf club head to have a shape so that the golf club is an iron.