Internal off-set hosel for a golf club head

• US 6,435,978 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Hocknell, Alan, Helmstetter, Richard C., Aguinaldo, Homer E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARMA, SNEH K
• Application Number:
  US09/683,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 473/342, 473/345, 473/346, 473/349, 473/332, 473/290, 473/291, 473/324, 473/329, 473/305-315, 473/409, 294/28, 228/110.1
• US Class Current: 473/305
• 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 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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: B21J 5/00 Methods for forging, hammering, or pressing for working sheet-metal or metal tubes, rods, or profiles B21D; for working wire B21F; Special equipment or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 17/00 Making sport articles, e.g. skates
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/183 of titanium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/26 for etching refractory metals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A golf club having an interior hosel that is disposed inward from a striking plate to allow for compliance of the striking plate during impact with a golf ball. The present invention also includes a method for producing the golf club in which the interior hosel is attached to a lateral extension of a face member. The lateral extension is connected to the striking plate. The striking plate is preferably composed of a forged titanium material.

Claims

1. A method for producing a golf club head with an internal hosel, the method comprising:

providing a face member having a striking plate with an interior surface and a face extension extending laterally inward from the interior surface of the striking plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion and a heel wall;

drilling a hole through the upper portion of the face extension in proximity to the heel wall;

placing a cylinder in alignment with the hole in the upper portion; and

attaching the cylinder to the upper portion and the lower portion of the face extension, the cylinder disposed inward from the striking plate.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising reaming the cylinder to create a hole in the cylinder prior to inserting the cylinder through the hole in the upper portion.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising reaming the cylinder to create a hole in the cylinder subsequent to inserting the cylinder through the hole in the upper portion.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein attaching the cylinder comprises welding the cylinder to the upper portion and the lower portion of the face extension.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising drilling a hole through the lower portion of the face extension, and aligning the cylinder with the hole in the lower portion of the face extension.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate is composed of a forged titanium material.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cylinder is disposed at least 0.20 inch from the striking plate at its attachment to the lower portion.

8. The method according to claim, 1 further comprising attaching a sole plate and a crown to the face member.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cylinder has an angled bottom end for attachment to the lower portion of the face extension.

10. A method for producing a golf club head with an internal hosel, the method comprising:

providing a face member having a striking plate with an interior surface and a face extension extending laterally inward from the interior surface of the striking plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion and a heel wall, the face member composed of a forged titanium material;

drilling a hole through the upper portion and a hole through the lower portion of the face extension in proximity to the heel wall;

inserting a solid cylinder through the hole in the upper portion and in alignment with the hole in the lower portion;

welding the solid cylinder to the upper portion and the lower portion of the face extension, the cylinder disposed inward from the striking plate to allow for compliance of the striking plate during impact with a golf ball; and

reaming a hole through the solid cylinder to form the interior hosel for receiving a shaft therethrough.