Golf club

• US 6,835,145 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
• Inventors: Tsurumaki, Masaei
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US10/273,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/342, 473/350, 473/332, 473/345, 473/346
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface 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

Abstract

A golf club having a sufficiently high strength in a welded portion even if a material that should avoid heat treatment is used. A reinforcing plate 21 is provided in a portion where a face member 16 is welded to a sole 4 of a head 1. Even if Ti15-5-3 whose toughness is lowered due to changes in tissues caused by welding heat, sufficiently high strength can be obtained in the welded portion.

Claims

1. A golf club with a shaft connected to one side of a head, said head comprising a hollow body formed by joining a plurality of metallic shells by welding, said plurality of metallic shells including a face member provided with a ball-striking portion on a front face thereof, wherein:

a reinforcing plate is provided on a portion where said face member is welded to a sole portion of said head in a manner that spans said face member and sole portion and

wherein said reinforcing plate is tabular and is attached with its plane surface facing a sole face, one end of said reinforcing plate abutting against said face member to be welded thereto, while an opposite end of said reinforcing plate abutting against said sole face to be welded so that said plane surface of the reinforcing plate abuts against neither said face member nor said sole portion.

2. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein said face member is formed from Ti-15V-3Cr-3Sn-3Al.

3. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein said face member is formed from Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al.

4. A golf club according to claim 1, further comprising a hosel member for connecting a shaft thereto and a reinforcing portion, said reinforcing portion being provided on a distal portion of said hosel member which is joined to the sole portion of said head.

5. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of metallic shells are a face shell, a body shell and a crown shell.

6. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein said head is not heat-treated after welding.