Golf club and method for manufacturing the same

• US 7,258,624 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/894,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20050037861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/345, 473/346, 473/347, 473/348, 473/349, 473/409, 156/245
• US Class Current: 473/324
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/006 Surfaces specially adapted for reducing air resistance

Abstract

The partial crown portion member comprises: the edge frame made from metal; and the shell body provided inside the edge frame and made from resin enveloping the inner edge of the edge frame. Inside the edge frame, the plural through-holes penetrating the front surface of the edge frame to the rear surface thereof are provided, while the shell body is inserted in the through-holes by casting manner. Since the front and rear surfaces of the inner edge of the edge frame, the through-holes are enveloped by casting manner, the adhesiveness thereof can be enhanced.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a face on a front and formed by an outer shell member so as to be hollow;

a shaft having a bottom end connected to a neck formed on one side of said golf club head; and

a grip provided on an upper portion of said shaft,

wherein said outer shell member comprises;

an edge frame made from metal; and

a shell body made from resin and provided inwardly relative to said edge frame, said shell body enveloping and entirely covering both front and rear surfaces of an inner edge of said edge frame with the same thickness by a casting manner, wherein

said edge frame comprising a metal has an inner edge, wherein a front surface a rear surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge form a concave portion such that the inner said becomes thinner;

said edge frame made from metal has a plurality of reinforced ribs provided in a reticular pattern, wherein said plurality of reinforced ribs have a front surface and a rear surface that form a concave portion near an edge of said reinforced ribs such that the edge of said reinforced ribs becomes thinner; and

said shell body made from resin envelops said plurality of reinforced ribs by a casting manner.

2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reinforced ribs comprises:

a plurality of first reinforced ribs each perpendicular to a face of said golf club head; and

a plurality of second reinforced ribs each parallel to the face of said golf club head, wherein said plurality of first and second reinforced ribs have a front surface and a rear surface that form a concave portion near an edge of said reinforced ribs such that the edge of said reinforced ribs becomes thinner.

3. A method for manufacturing a golf club, said golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a face on a front and formed by an outer shell member so as to be hollow;

a shaft having bottom end connected to a neck formed on one side of said golf club head; and

a grip provided on an upper portion of said shaft wherein said outer shell member comprises an edge frame made from metal; and

a shell body made from resin and provided inwardly relative to said edge frame, said shell body enveloping and entirely covering both front and rear surfaces of an inner edge of said edge frame with the same thickness by a casting manner, wherein said edge frame has an inner edge with (i) a front edge surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge forming a concave portion such that the inner edge becomes thinner, (ii) a rear edge surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge forms a concave portion such that the inner edge becomes thinner, or (iii) both, wherein the method includes steps of;

inserting said edge frame into a pair of molds;

closing the pair of molds and filling molten resin of said shell body into the pair of closed molds; and

allowing said molten resin of said shell body to envelop an inner edge of said edge frame by a casting manner so that said edge frame and said shell body are integrated with each other.

4. The method for manufacturing a golf club according to claim 3, wherein said method further includes steps of:

forming a first air gap between a front surface of the inner edge of said inserted edge frame and one of the mold facing the front surface of the inner edge of said inserted edge frame, when the pair of molds are closed;

forming a second air gap between a rear surface of the inner edge of said inserted edge frame and an other of the mold facing the rear surface of the inner edge of said inserted edge frame when the pair of molds are closed; and

filling said molten resin into said first and second air gaps.

5. A golf club comprising:

golf club head having a face on a front and formed by an outer shell member so as to be hollow;

a shaft having a bottom end connected to a neck formed on one side of said golf club head; and

a grip provided on an upper portion of said shaft,

wherein said outer shell member comprises;

an edge frame made from metal; and

a shell body made from resin and provided inwardly relative to said edge frame, said shell body enveloping and entirely covering both front and rear surfaces of an inner edge of said edge frame with the same thickness by casting manner, wherein;

said edge frame comprising a metal has an inner edge, wherein a front surface and a rear surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge form a concave portion such that the inner edge becomes thinner;

said edge frame made from metal has a plurality of first reinforced ribs each perpendicular to a face of said golf club head; and

said shell body made from resin envelops said plurality of first reinforced ribs by a casting manner, wherein said plurality of first reinforced ribs have a front surface and a rear surface that form a concave portion near an edge of said first reinforced ribs such that the edge of said first reinforced ribs becomes thinner.

6. The golf club according to claim 5, wherein:

said edge frame made from metal has a plurality of second reinforced ribs each parallel to a face of said golf club head; and

said shell body made from resin envelops said plurality of second reinforced ribs by a casting manner, wherein said plurality of second reinforced ribs have a front surface and a rear surface that form a concave portion near an edge of said second reinforced ribs such that the edge of said second reinforced ribs becomes thinner.

7. A golf club comprising;

a golf club head having a face on a front and formed by an outer shell member so as to be hollow;

a shaft having a bottom end connected to a neck formed on one side of said golf club head; and

a grip provided on an upper portion of said shaft,

wherein said outer shell member comprises;

an edge frame made from metal; and

a shell body made from resin and provided inwardly relative to said edge frame, said shell body enveloping and entirely covering both front arid rear surfaces of an inner edge of said edge frame with the same thickness by casting manner, wherein;

said edge frame made from metal has an inner edge, wherein a front surface and a rear surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge form a concave portion such that the inner edge becomes thinner;

said edge frame made from metal has a plurality of second reinforced ribs each parallel to a face of said golf club head; and

said shell body made from resin envelops said plurality of second reinforced ribs by a casting manner, wherein said plurality of second reinforced ribs have a front surface and a rear surface that form a concave portion near an edge of said second reinforced ribs such that the edge of said second reinforced ribs becomes thinner.

8. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a face on a front and formed by an outer shell member so as to be hollow;

a shaft having a bottom end connected to a neck formed on one side of said golf club head; and

a grip provided on an upper portion of said shaft,

wherein said outer shell member comprises;

an edge frame made from metal; and

a shell body made from resin and provided inwardly relative to said edge frame, said shell body enveloping and entirely covering both front anti rear surfaces of an inner edge of said edge frame with the same thickness by casting manner, wherein said edge frame has an inner edge, a front surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge forming a concave portion such that the inner edge becomes thinner.

9. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a face on a front and formed by outer shell member so as to be hollow;

a shaft having a bottom end connected to a neck formed on one side of said golf club head; and

a grip provided on an upper portion of said shaft,

wherein said outer shell member comprises;

an edge frame made from metal; and

a shell body made from resin and provided inwardly relative to said edge frame, said shell body enveloping and entirely covering both front and rear surfaces of an inner edge of said edge frame with the same thickness by casting manner, wherein said edge frame has an inner edge, wherein a rear surface of the edge frame adjacent to said inner edge forms a concave portion such that the inner edge becomes thinner.