Golf club including striking member and associated methods

• US 7,211,006 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dale U. Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Dale U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/411,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-291
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club includes a golf club shaft and a golf club head connected to the golf club shaft. The golf club head includes a body having a forward surface and a striking member connected to the forward surface of the body. The striking member includes predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball. In some embodiments, the golf club head may include a spacer or neck connecting opposing medial portions of the body and the striking member. In other embodiments, the striking member may include a first layer and a second underlying layer disposed over the body.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head connected to said golf club shaft and comprising

a body having a forward surface, and

a striking member having a striking surface, and

a single medially disposed spacer connecting opposing respective medial portions of said body and said striking member;

whereby peripheral areas of the striking member bend around the spacer upon striking a golf ball, providing a desired bending and bouncing back of the striking member; and

wherein the striking surface of said striking member deforms and deflects inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recovers outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

2. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the spacer additionally is flexible upon the striking of the golf ball.

3. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer is springy to impart a bouncing action to the striking member.

4. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said body, spacer and striking member are made of a hollow metal shell.

5. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer is made of one or more metal springs.

6. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said golf club head further comprises a neck connecting opposing medial portions of said body and said striking member together to define a ring-shaped space between opposing portions of said body and said striking member.

7. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said ring-shaped space between the opposing portions of said body and said striking member are covered with a flexible cover to make the whole golf club head to have an appearance of a one-piece design.

8. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein said spacer has a cross-sectional area in a range of about 5 to 90 percent of an area of said striking member.

9. A golf club according to claim 2 further comprising a cover surrounding said body, spacer, and said striking member.

10. A golf club according to claim 9 wherein said cover is made of a flexible and resilient plastic or rubber material.

11. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein the spring effect for center hits come from the face flexing while peripheral hits rely on bending of said striking member around said spacer.

12. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said golf club head has a shape so that the golf club is a driver.

13. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said golf club head has a shape so that the golf club is a fairway wood.

14. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the striking surface of striking member is substantially smooth.

15. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said spacer has a solid construction throughout.

16. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said striking member has a solid construction throughout.

17. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said striking member has an outer periphery substantially aligned with an outer periphery of said body.

18. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein said striking member comprises metal shell and has a thickness in a range of about 0.010 to 0.2 inch.

19. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head connected to said golf club shaft, said golf club head having a shape so that the golf club is a driver, said golf club head comprising

a body,

a striking member having a striking surface,

and a single medially disposed spacer connecting opposing respective medial portions of said body and said striking member together, effective to provide for the striking member and increased degree of natural flexing frequency synchronization with a golf ball impacting a peripheral portion, compared with a medial portion, of the striking member; and

wherein

the striking surface of said striking member deforms and deflects inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recovers outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball.

20. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said body, spacer and striking member are made of a metal shell integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

21. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said striking member has an outer periphery substantially aligned with an outer periphery of said body.

22. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said spacer has a cross-sectional area in a range of about 5 to 90 percent of an area of said striking member.

23. The golf club of claim 19 wherein said body, spacer and striking member are integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

24. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said body and spacer comprise metal. 9

25. A golf club according to claim 19 further comprising a cover surrounding said body, spacer, and said striking member.

26. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said striking member comprises metal shell and has a thickness in a range of about 0.01 to 0.20 inch.

27. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said spacer has a solid construction throughout.

28. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said striking member has a solid construction throughout.

29. A golf club according to claim 19 wherein said striking member deflects inwardly and recovers outwardly when striking the golf ball for a time in the range of about 0.0001 to 0.0010 seconds.

30. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head connected to said golf club shaft and comprising

a body having a forward surface, and

a striking member connected to the forward surface of said body, said striking member having a predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball wherein said golf club head further comprises a spacer connecting opposing medial portions of said body and said striking member, and wherein said body, said spacer and said striking member are made of a hollow metal shell.

31. The golf club of claim 30, wherein said body, spacer and striking member are integrally formed as a monolithic unit.