Vibration damped golf clubs and ball bats
First Claim
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1. A golf club comprising:
- (a) a striking head having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface being the striking surface, the striking head also having a hosel;
(b) a shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the shaft is in connection with the hosel of the striking head;
(c) a grip into which the second end of the shaft is inserted;
(d) at least one constrained layer damper attached to the shaft, wherein each constrained layer damper is non-tubular and each constrained layer damper independently comprises;
(i) a non-tubular outer rigid layer,(ii) a non-tubular outer vibration damping material layer comprising a viscoelastic material attached to one side of the outer rigid layer;
wherein each non-tubular outer rigid layer has a shear modulus at least about 10 times greater than that of the vibration damping material layer(s); and
wherein the constrained layer damper(s) are attached to the shaft in such a manner that the outer vibration damping material layer is adjacent to the shaft;
wherein at least one damper must be positioned on the shaft such that it at least partially falls within one or both of the following degree ranges;
(i) the 1 to 179 degree range;
(ii) the 181 to 359 degree range;
wherein the degree ranges are calculated such that when the club is positioned striking surface down on a flat surface the 90 degree point is the uppermost point on the shaft when viewed in cross section from the direction of the striking head toward the gripping end and the 270 degree point is the lowermost point on the shaft when the shaft is likewise viewed in cross section.
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Abstract
The present invention provides novel damped golf clubs and balls bats having at least one non-tubular constrained layer damper attached to the golf club shaft or bat, respectively.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A golf club comprising:
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(a) a striking head having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface being the striking surface, the striking head also having a hosel; (b) a shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the shaft is in connection with the hosel of the striking head; (c) a grip into which the second end of the shaft is inserted; (d) at least one constrained layer damper attached to the shaft, wherein each constrained layer damper is non-tubular and each constrained layer damper independently comprises; (i) a non-tubular outer rigid layer, (ii) a non-tubular outer vibration damping material layer comprising a viscoelastic material attached to one side of the outer rigid layer; wherein each non-tubular outer rigid layer has a shear modulus at least about 10 times greater than that of the vibration damping material layer(s); and wherein the constrained layer damper(s) are attached to the shaft in such a manner that the outer vibration damping material layer is adjacent to the shaft; wherein at least one damper must be positioned on the shaft such that it at least partially falls within one or both of the following degree ranges;
(i) the 1 to 179 degree range;
(ii) the 181 to 359 degree range;wherein the degree ranges are calculated such that when the club is positioned striking surface down on a flat surface the 90 degree point is the uppermost point on the shaft when viewed in cross section from the direction of the striking head toward the gripping end and the 270 degree point is the lowermost point on the shaft when the shaft is likewise viewed in cross section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification