Producing golf clubs

• US 7,993,215 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory E. Summers
• Original Assignee: Gregory E. Summers
• Inventors: Rentz, Marc T.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDEN, RAEANN
• Application Number:
  US11/689,623
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/334, 473/335, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head can, for example, include a striking component with a forward surface to strike golf balls and an arrow-like component, such as a stylus, behind the forward surface; a user can see the arrow-like component pointing approximately in an optimal direction for striking a ball. Also, in addition to a front part with a forward surface between its lateral ends, a club head can include two parts that extend rearward from the lateral ends and support a weight part at a distance from the forward surface. Also, to prevent twisting about a lateral center of mass when a ball is hit, the front part can include upper and lower lobe-like portions with connections at their lateral ends and with a less connected region between, such as a gap or a thin connecting portion. A hosel can be connected to the upper lobe-like portion between the end connections.

Claims

1. A club head article that can be connected to a shaft to produce a golf club, the article comprising:

a striking component with a forward surface that, in use, strikes golf balls;

the forward surface imparting momentum to a golf ball most efficiently if it is moving in an optimal direction when it strikes the golf ball; and

a conical stylus connected to the striking component behind its forward surface;

the conical stylus decreasing linearly in width from a rear end toward a front end extending approximately in the optimal direction so that a user swinging the golf club can see the conical stylus pointing approximately in the optimal direction.

2. A method of producing a golf club that includes the club head article of claim 1, the method comprising:

producing the club head article of claim 1; and

connecting the club head article to a shaft.

3. A club head article that can be connected to a shaft to produce a golf club, the article comprising:

a front part extending in a lateral direction and having first and second lateral ends and a forward surface between the first and second lateral ends, the forward surface, in use, striking golf balls;

first and second connecting parts that connect to and extend approximately rearward from the front part'"'"'s first and second lateral ends, respectively;

the first and second connecting parts being spaced apart;

an arrow-like component connected to the front part behind its forward surface;

the arrow-like component extending approximately in the optimal direction so that a user swinging the golf club can see the arrow-like component pointing approximately in the optimal direction;

a laterally extending part that is connected between the first and second connecting parts at a distance from the forward surface; and

an arc-shaped weight structure connected to the laterally extending part;

the arc-shaped weight structure having a center of curvature forward of the laterally extending part.

4. The article of claim 3 in which the laterally extending part is integrally formed with the first and second connecting parts and has an upward-facing arc-shaped recess larger than the arc-shaped weight structure, the arc-shaped weight structure being removably mounted in the arc-shaped recess.

5. The article of claim 3 in which the front part and the first and second connecting parts are integrally formed.

6. A method of producing a golf club that includes the club head article of claim 3, the method comprising:

producing the club head article; and

connecting the club head article to a shaft.

7. A club head article that can be connected to a shaft to produce a golf club, the article comprising:

a front part that extends in a lateral direction and having first and second lateral ends and a forward surface extending between the first and second lateral ends;

the front part including;

an upper bridge portion and a lower body portion behind the forward surface, each extending in the lateral direction between the first and second lateral ends;

the forward surface having a lower part on the lower body portion, the lower part, in use, ordinarily striking golf balls; and

first and second end connections between the upper bridge and lower body portions at the first and second lateral ends, respectively and, between the first and second end connections, a less connected region that intersects a lateral center of mass of the club head article; and

a hosel that is connected to the upper bridge portion between centers of the first and second end connections and that can be connected to a shaft;

an effective mass of the lower body portion being sufficiently greater than the upper bridge portion'"'"'s mass and the first and second end connections being sufficiently large relative to any connection in the less connected region that the club head has negligible twist about the lateral center of mass when, as a result of force received through the hosel, the forward surface'"'"'s lower part strikes a golf ball at a position laterally displaced from the lateral center of mass.

8. The article of claim 7 in which the front part further includes:

a connecting portion that connects the upper bridge and lower body portions in the less connected region.

9. The article of claim 8 in which the connecting portion has a thickness not exceeding approximately 0.1 inch between the upper bridge and lower body portions.

10. The article of claim 9 in which the connecting portion has a thickness between approximately 0.03 and 0.05 inch.

11. The article of claim 7 in which the upper bridge and lower body portions are integrally formed.

12. The article of claim 7 in which the upper bridge and lower body portions are separated by a gap in at least part of the less connected region.

13. The article of claim 12 in which the gap separates the upper bridge and lower body portions by approximately 0.125 inch or less.

14. A method of producing a golf club that includes the club head article of claim 7, the method comprising:

producing the club head article; and

connecting the club head article to a shaft.

15. A club head article that can be connected to a shaft to produce a golf club, the article comprising:

a body that includes a striking component that, in use, strikes golf balls, the body having a recess surface; and

a weight structure mounted on the body, the weight structure comprising;

a solid part having a mounting surface that is disposed toward the recess surface; and

a flexible layered part that has first and second opposite sides and that is on the solid part;

the first side being on at least substantially all of the solid part'"'"'s mounting surface;

the second side being disposed toward the recess surface;

the flexible layered part damping vibration when the striking component strikes a golf ball.

16. The article of claim 15 in which the flexible layered part is removable from the solid part and replaceable.

17. The article of claim 15 in which the mounting surface lies approximately in a mounting plane and the solid part has side surfaces that all extend from where they meet the mounting surface in a direction approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane;

the flexible layered part being on at least part of the side surfaces.

18. The article of claim 17 in which each of the side surfaces extends in the direction approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane to an upper end, the upper ends of the side surfaces together lying approximately in an end plane;

the solid part having, for each side surface, a respective stop surface that extends outward from the side surface'"'"'s upper end approximately in the end plane;

the flexible layered part being on substantially all of the side surfaces between the mounting surface and the stop surfaces.

19. The article of claim 17 in which at least one of the side surfaces has a side surface opening defined therein;

for each side surface opening, the flexible layered part having a respective layered part opening defined in it over the side surface opening.

20. The article of claim 15 in which the flexible layered part is sufficiently thick between the first and second sides to prevent direct contact between the solid part and the recess surface.

21. A club head article that can be connected to a shaft to produce a golf club, the article comprising:

a front part that extends in a lateral direction and having first and second lateral ends and a forward surface extending between the first and second lateral ends;

the front part including;

an upper bridge portion and a lower body portion behind the forward surface, each extending in the lateral direction between the first and second lateral ends;

the forward surface having a lower part on the lower body portion, the lower part, in normal use, striking golf balls; and

first and second end connections between the upper bridge and lower body portions at the first and second lateral ends, respectively and, between the first and second end connections, a less connected region that intersects a lateral center of mass of the club head article;

first and second connecting parts that connect to the lower body portion and extend approximately rearward from behind the first and second lateral ends of the forward surface;

a weight component connected to the first and second connecting parts at a distance from the forward surface; and

a hosel that is connected to the upper bridge portion and that can be connected to a shaft.

22. The article of claim 21 in which an effective mass of the lower body portion is sufficiently greater than the upper bridge portion'"'"'s mass and the first and second end connections are sufficiently large relative to any connection in the less connected region that the club head article has negligible twist about the lateral center of mass when, as a result of force received through the hosel, the forward surface'"'"'s lower part strikes a golf ball at a position laterally displaced from the lateral center of mass;

the effective mass of the lower body portion including the weight component'"'"'s mass.

23. The article of claim 21 in which the forward surface imparts momentum to a golf ball most efficiently if it is moving in an optimal direction when it strikes the golf ball;

the club head further comprising;

an arrow-like component extending approximately in the optimal direction from the weight component to the front part'"'"'s lower body portion behind the forward surface;

the arrow-like component being visible between the first and second connecting parts to a user swinging the golf club, pointing approximately in the optimal direction; and

connection means for connecting the weight component and the arrow-like component;

the connection means transferring negligible momentum from the weight component to the arrow-like component when the forward surface strikes a golf ball.

24. The article of claim 21 in which the weight component comprises:

a weight structure; and

a laterally extending part extending between the first and second connecting parts and having a recess larger than the weight structure, the weight structure being removably mounted in the recess.

25. The article of claim 24 in which the weight structure comprises:

a solid part having a mounting surface that is disposed toward the laterally extending part when the weight structure is mounted in the recess; and

a flexible layered part that has first and second opposite sides and that is on the solid part;

the first side being on at least substantially all of the solid part'"'"'s mounting surface;

the second side being disposed toward the laterally extending part when the weight structure is mounted in the recess.