Golf Club With Non-Metallic Fasteners

• US 20110028238A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Young, Matthew S., Perry, Mark J., Moore, Megan Sesslar, Boyd, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/533,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20110028238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/006 Non-metallic fasteners using screw-thread

Abstract

A golf club with a golf club head having non-metallic fasteners is presented. The club head may include a face member, a body member, a sole member and a crown member. The various portions of the club head may be connected using mechanical fasteners, such as screws. In some arrangements, the screws may be formed of a non-metallic material, such as a composite material, in order to reduce weight associated with the club head. In some arrangements, a portion of the mechanical fasteners may be formed of a non-metallic material and may be placed in regions of the club head where reduced weight is desired, while another portion of the fasteners may be formed of metal or other heavier material and may be placed in regions where additional weight may be desired.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a club head body;

a club face;

a first mechanical fastener formed of a non-metallic material connecting the club face to the club head body, the first mechanical fastener having a first weight; and

a second mechanical fastener connecting the club face to the club head body, the second mechanical fastener having a second weight;

wherein the first weight is different from the second weight.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second mechanical fastener is formed of metal.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second mechanical fastener is formed of a non-metallic material.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second weight is greater than the first weight.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first mechanical fastener is a composite mechanical fastener.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the first mechanical fastener is a carbon fiber mechanical fastener.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the carbon fiber mechanical fastener is a carbon fiber screw.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the club head further includes a sole member and a crown member.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, further including a third mechanical fastener connecting the sole member to the club head body, the third mechanical fastener having a third weight different from at least one of the first weight and the second weight.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, further including a fourth mechanical fastener connecting the crown to the club head body, the fourth mechanical fastener having a fourth weight different from at least one of the first weight and the second weight.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is connected to a shaft to form a golf club.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first mechanical fastener connects the club face to the club head body along a top perimeter of the club face.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second mechanical fastener connects the club face to the club head body along a bottom perimeter of the club face.

14. A golf club head, comprising:

a body member;

a sole member arranged on a bottom side of the body member; and

a crown member arranged on a top side of the body member;

wherein at least one of the body member, sole member, and crown member are connected to another of the body member, sole member, and crown member via mechanical fasteners, at least one of the fasteners being formed of a non-metallic material.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the non-metallic fastener is formed of a composite material.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the composite fastener is a carbon fiber composite fastener.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the carbon fiber composite fastener is a carbon fiber composite screw.

18. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the crown member and sole member form a frame around a portion of the body member.

19. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the body member includes a plurality of body member portions connected together via the non-metallic fasteners.

20. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the body member is a single piece unit.

27. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the golf club head is connected to a shaft forming a golf club.

21. A golf club head, comprising:

at least one body member;

a ball striking member connected to the at least one body member;

a crown member connected to the at least one body member via a first mechanical fastener, the first mechanical fastener formed of a first material; and

a sole member connected to the at least one body member via a second mechanical fastener, the second mechanical fastener formed of a second material different from the first material.

22. The golf club head of claim 21, wherein the first mechanical fastener is a screw and the first material is a non-metallic material.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the non-metallic material is a composite material.

24. The golf club head of claim 23, wherein the composite material is carbon fiber.

25. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the second mechanical fastener is a screw and the second material is a metal material.

26. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein the metal material is at least one of steel, titanium, and aluminum.

28. A golf club head, comprising:

a club head body;

a ball striking face;

a ratcheting fastener system connecting the ball striking face to the club head body, the ratcheting fastener system including;

at least one ratcheting fastener; and

at least one ratcheting connector extending from the at least one ratcheting fastener to the ball striking face.

29. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the ratcheting fastener system further includes at least one of jack bolts, jack screws and turnbuckle fasteners.

30. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the at least one ratcheting connector is a rigid cable.

31. The golf club head of claim 30, wherein the at least one ratcheting connector is formed of a metal.

32. The golf club head of claim 30, wherein the at least one ratcheting connector is formed of a non-metallic material.

33. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the at least one ratcheting connector is formed of a composite material.

34. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the at least one ratcheting fastener is formed of a non-metallic material.

35. The golf club head of claim 34, wherein the at least one ratcheting fastener is formed of a composite material.