Vibration-absorbing weight system for golf club head

• US 20060223652A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fusheng Precision Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Nelson Precision Casting Co., Ltd. (Cooperative Valiant APO Global UA)
• Inventors: Hou, Wen-Ching
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body with a striking plate that has a front side for striking a golf ball and a rear side. A vibration-absorbing area is defined behind the striking plate. At least one gas cushion is mounted in the vibration-absorbing area and includes a bladder defining a gas chamber. The bladder is made of an elastomeric material, and the gas chamber is filled with at least one gas to provide the at least one gas cushion with compressibility. The at least one gas cushion includes an engaging section with which at least one weight member is engaged. The at least one weight member and the at least one gas cushion together adjust a center of gravity of the golf club head while absorbing residual vibrations generated as a result of striking a golf ball.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body including a striking plate, the striking plate including a front side for striking a golf ball and a rear side, a vibration-absorbing area being defined behind the striking plate;

at least one gas cushion mounted in the vibration-absorbing area, said at least one gas cushion including a bladder defining a gas chamber, the bladder being made of an elastomeric material, the gas chamber being filled with at least one gas to provide said at least one gas cushion with compressibility, said at least one gas cushion including an engaging section; and

at least one weight member received in and engaged with the engaging section of said at least one gas cushion, at least one weight member and said at least one gas cushion together adjusting a center of gravity of the golf club head and absorbing vibration while striking a golf ball.

2. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material of the bladder is selected from a group consisting of rubber, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers, and high-molecular elastomeric resins.

3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pressure in the gas chamber is equal to, greater than, or smaller than the atmosphere.

4. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said weight member has a specific density equal to, greater or smaller than that of the body.

5. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one weight member is made of a material selected from a group consisting of metal, alloy, plastics, and foaming materials.

6. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bladder of said at least one gas cushion includes a slit through which said at least one weight member is inserted into a receiving space defined by the engaging section of said at least one gas cushion.

7. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bladder of said at least one gas cushion includes at least one coupling section, and wherein the vibration-absorbing area of the body includes at least one coupling section for engaging with said at least one coupling section of the bladder.

8. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear side of the body includes a back cavity and a compartment below the back cavity, the back cavity exposing the rear side of the striking plate, the compartment forming the vibration-absorbing area and receiving said at least one gas cushion and said at least one weight member.

9. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the compartment is delimited by the rear side of the striking plate, and wherein said at least one gas cushion is in intimate contact with the rear side of the striking plate.

10. The golf club head as claimed in claim 9, wherein the compartment is delimited by an area of the rear side of the striking plate that is opposite to a sweet spot of the striking plate, and wherein said at least one gas cushion is in intimate contact with the area of the rear side of the striking plate.

11. The golf club head as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one gas cushion is in intimate contact with the rear side of the striking plate at a location opposite to a residual vibration concentrating area of the striking plate.

12. The golf club head as claimed in claim 11, wherein the compartment is defined in at least one of a heel and a toe of the rear side of the body.

13. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the compartment faces rearward, and wherein the engaging section of said at least one gas cushion has a rearward-facing opening such that a portion of said at least one weight member is exposed.

14. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the compartment faces upward, and wherein the engaging section of said at least one gas cushion has an upward-facing opening such that a portion of said at least one weight member is exposed.

15. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the compartment faces rearward, and wherein the engaging section of said at least one gas cushion faces the rear side of the striking plate such that said at least one weight member is in contact with the rear side of the striking plate.

16. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the compartment faces rearward, said at least one gas cushion including a side forming the engaging section, said at least one gas cushion and said at least one weight member being mounted in the compartment, with said at least one weight member being in contact with the rear side of the striking plate and with a portion of said at least one weight member being exposed.

17. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein a wall delimiting the compartment includes an insertion section to which said at least one weight member is fixed.

18. The golf club head as claimed in claim 17, wherein the insertion section is adjacent to the rear side of the striking plate such that a portion of said at least one weight member is in contact with the rear side of the striking plate.

19. The golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the back cavity includes an extension that separates the compartment from the rear side of the striking plate such that said at least one gas cushion is not in direct contact with the rear side of the striking plate.

20. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body defines a sealed interior space that comprises a compartment in a bottom portion thereof, the compartment forming the vibration-absorbing area and receiving said at least one gas cushion and said at least one weight member.

21. The golf club head as claimed in claim 20, wherein the compartment is adjacent to the rear side of the striking plate such that said at least one gas cushion is in intimate contact with the rear side of the striking plate.

22. The golf club head as claimed in claim 21, wherein the compartment is delimited by an area of the rear side of the striking plate that is opposite to a sweet spot of the striking plate, and wherein said at least one gas cushion is in intimate contact with the rear side of the striking plate.

23. The golf club head as claimed in claim 21, wherein the compartment is delimited by an area of the rear side of the striking plate at a location opposite to a residual vibration concentrating area of the striking plate.

24. The golf club head as claimed in claim 23, wherein the compartment is defined in at least one of a heel and a toe of the rear side of the body.

25. A golf club head comprising:

a body including a vibration-absorbing area;

at least one gas cushion having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, said first engaging portion engaged with the vibration-absorbing area of the body for absorbing vibration while striking a golf ball; and

at least one weight member engaged with said second engaging portion of the gas cushion so as to position said weight member in the body such that said gas cushion capable of attenuating vibration generated from the weight member while striking the golf ball.

26. The golf club head as claimed in claim 25, wherein said body including a compartment to receive said gas cushion and said weight member so that said first engaging portion of the gas cushion engaged with the vibration-absorbing area defined in said compartment.

27. The golf club head as claimed in claim 25, wherein said body including a striking plate and a compartment spaced from said striking plate;

wherein said gas cushion and said weight member received in said compartment so that said compartment separating said gas cushion and said weight member from said striking plate.

28. The golf club head as claimed in claim 25, wherein said body including a compartment proximate to a sole so that said first engaging portion of the gas cushion engaged with the vibration-absorbing area defined on the sole for absorbing vibration.

29. The golf club head as claimed in claim 25, wherein said body including a compartment proximate to a striking plate so that said first engaging portion of the gas cushion engaged with the vibration-absorbing area defined on the striking plate for absorbing vibration.