Oversize metal wood with power shaft

• US 5,873,791 A
• Filed: 05/19/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vardon Golf Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Allen, Dillis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US08/859,282
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 473/337, 473/336, 473/305, 473/311, 473/346, 473/345, 473/350, 473/332, 473/309
• US Class Current: 473/309
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• 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 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/0081 Substantially flexible shafts; Hinged shafts

Abstract

A wood-type golf club having an enlarged club head in the range of 250 to 300 cm.³ constructed of a material lighter than steel to maintain the total club head weight within normal limits including the weight of a novel power shaft according to the present invention. The club head, without the power shaft, is approximately 175 gms. and the power shaft weighs approximately 25 gms., so the total club head weight is approximately 200 gms. and within normal limits. The power shaft, integral with the rear of the ball striking face wall at its forward end and integral or cast into the rear of the club head at its rear end, while reinforcing the ball striking face wall, increases the resonant frequency of the face wall to synchronize face wall rebound to the player'"'"'s swing speed. Face wall resonant frequency is varied by changing the size and weight of the power shaft.

Claims

1. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force, comprising:

a golf clubhead, a shaft connected to the golf clubhead, said golf clubhead including a metallic alloy body having a ball striking face wall, a top wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a toe wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a heel wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a hosel for receiving the shaft extending into the body, all of said walls being substantially thinner in thickness than length to define a perimeter weighted clubhead, and means to increase the rigidity of, to increase the natural frequency of, and to transfer head weight to the ball striking face wall including a narrow power member constructed of a metallic alloy, and extending generally rearwardly therein, said power member being integrally connected to the clubhead at a rear portion thereof and integrally connected at a forward end thereof to the ball striking area of the face wall, an annular retainer formed integrally with and projecting a substantial distance rearwardly from the ball striking face wall, said narrow power member being seated within the retainer, and means to integrally join the forward end of the power shaft to the retainer.

2. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim 1, wherein a weldment connects the forward end of the power member to the retainer.

3. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim, 1 including a second retainer formed integrally with the rear portion and receiving the power member, said first and second retainers interfering with insertion of the power member therein, said rear portion of the body being formed separately from a front portion including the face wall, and a weldment connecting the rear portion of the body to the front portion after the power member is inserted into the first and second retainers.

4. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim 3, wherein a first weldment connects the first retainer to the power member and a second weldment connects the second retainer to the power member.

5. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim 1, wherein the clubhead body weight is in the range of 150 to 180 gms. and the power member is in the range of 10 to 60 gms with a combined weight of less than 210 g.

6. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim 1, wherein the clubhead body weight is approximately 175 gms. and the power member weight is approximately 25 gms.

7. A line of high impact golf clubs for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force that customizes the clubs to the golfer'"'"'s swing speed, comprising:

a plurality of clubs including at least one high swing speed club and one low swing speed club including a plurality of golf clubheads all having the same size and outer shape, a shaft connected to the golf clubheads, said golf clubheads including a relatively high modulus metallic alloy body having a ball striking face wall, a top wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a toe wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a heel wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a hosel for receiving the shaft extending into the body, all of said walls being substantially thinner in thickness than length to define a perimeter weighted clubhead, and means for changing the rigidity of, and means to increase the frequency of, and to transfer head weight to the ball striking face wall from one club in the line to another club in the line including a plurality of narrow power members one in each of the clubheads for varying swing speeds including first power members to provide a fixed, non-adjustable after assembly high modulus of elasticity face wall for the high swing speed club and second power members to provide a lower fixed, non-adjustable after assembly modulus of elasticity face wall for the lower swing speed club.

8. A line of high impact golf clubs for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force, comprising:

a plurality of golf clubheads, a shaft connected to the golf clubheads, said golf clubheads including a relatively high modulus metallic alloy body having a ball striking face wall, a top wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a toe wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a heel wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a hosel for receiving the shaft extending into the body, all of said walls being substantially thinner in thickness than length to define a perimeter weighted clubhead, and means to increase the rigidity of, and means to increase the natural frequency of, and to transfer head weight to the ball striking face wall including a plurality of interchangeable before assembly narrow power members for varying swing speeds including first power members to provide a high modulus of elasticity face wall for the high speed swing and second power members to provide a lower modulus of elasticity face wall for the lower speed swing, said first and second power members being annular in configuration and the first power members have a heavier wall thickness than the second power members.

9. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force, comprising:

a golf clubhead, a shaft connected to the golf clubhead, said golf clubhead including a metallic alloy body having a ball striking face wall, a top wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a toe wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a heel wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a hosel for receiving the shaft extending into the body, all of said walls being substantially thinner in thickness than length to define a perimeter weighted clubhead, said ball striking face wall having a ball striking central area, and means to transfer force from the head directly to the ball striking central area including a power member extending rearwardly from the face wall to a rear portion of the clubhead, a retainer for the power member on the face wall behind the ball striking central area, a second retainer for the power member in the rear portion of the clubhead, said first retainer being annular and projecting a substantial distance rearwardly from the face wall, said first and second retainers and the power member being constructed of substantially similar weldable metal alloys, and a weldment between the first retainer and the power member and a weldment between the second retainer and the power member, whereby heat distortion of the face wall and rear portion of the clubhead is minimized.

10. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim 9, including said first and second retainers being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the power member.

11. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force, comprising:

a golf clubhead, a shaft connected to the golf clubhead, said golf clubhead including a metallic alloy body having a ball striking face wall, a top wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a toe wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a heel wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a hosel for receiving the shaft extending into the body, all of said walls being substantially thinner in thickness than length to define a perimeter weighted clubhead, said ball striking face wall having a ball striking central area, and means to transfer force from the head directly to the ball striking central area including a power member extending rearwardly from the face wall to a rear portion of the clubhead, a retainer for the power member on the face wall behind the ball striking central area, said retainer being annular and formed integrally with the face wall and protecting a substantial distance rearwardly from the face wall, and a second retainer for the power member in a rear portion of the clubhead, the first and second retainers and the power member being constructed of substantially similar weldable metal alloys, and a weldment between the first retainer and the power member and a weldment between the second retainer and the power member, whereby heat distortion of the face wall and rear portion of the clubhead is minimized.

12. A high volume metal alloy clubhead comprising:

a clubhead body constructed of a high titanium alloy substantially lighter than ferrous alloys having a weight in the range of 150 to 180 gms. and a volume in the range of 250 to 300 cm.³, said clubhead body being oversized and including at least a face wall, a toe wall, a heel wall, a top wall and a hosel, all being relatively thin compared to their extent, said heel wall, toe wall and top wall all being connected to the front wall at the perimeter of the front wall so the clubhead body is perimeter weighted, and means for transferring a portion of the body weight behind a ball striking area of the face wall including a power member fixed at one end to a rear portion of the body and at its other end to the face wall, the mass of the power member being selected so the total weight of the clubhead is in the range of 190 to 210 gms., whereby the light-weight body enables the clubhead to be oversized while leaving a high percentage of total weight for the power member.

13. A metal alloy clubhead as defined in claim 12, wherein the power member is formed integrally with the face wall at one end and integrally with the rear portion of the clubhead at its other end, said power tube having a weight at least 20 percent of total clubhead weight to concentrate a greater weight directly behind the ball striking area.

14. A line of golf club woods designed for both lower swing speeds in the range of 60 to 85 mph and high swing speeds in the range of 85 to 110 mph, comprising:

a plurality of identical clubhead bodies having hosels, a plurality of shafts connectable to the hosels in the bodies to form golf clubs, said clubhead bodies including at least a face wall, a top wall, a toe wall and a heel wall each being relatively thin to their extent, said top wall, toe wall and heel wall being connected to the perimeter of the face wall so the clubhead bodies are perimeter weighted to enlarge the sweet spot and effective hitting area on the face wall, and means to vary the resonant frequency of the face wall to provide higher resonant frequency golf clubs for the higher swing speeds and to provide lower resonant frequency golf clubs for the lower swing speeds including a plurality of interchangeable power members connectable between the rear of the face wall and a rear portion of the clubhead bodies, said power members including power members having a lower thickness for the lower resonant frequency golf clubs and including power members having a relatively higher thickness for the higher resonant frequency golf clubs.

15. A line of golf club woods as defined in claim 14, and means to maintain the weights of the power members substantially constant while varying the natural frequency of the face wall including a plurality of power members, some having relatively thin wall thickness and some having relatively heavy wall thickness, and discrete weight means on the power members to equate the weight of the thin wall thickness power members to the relatively heavy wall thickness power members.

16. A line of golf club woods as defined in claim 14, wherein the clubhead bodies have the same weight in the range of 150 to 180 gms. each.

17. A perimeter weighted wood golf club, comprising:

a clubhead including at least a face wall, a top wall, a toe wall, and a heel wall, each of the walls being relatively thin in thickness compared to the extent, said top wall, toe wall and heel wall all connected to the perimeter of the face wall so the clubhead is perimeter weighted, a hosel in the clubhead for receiving a shaft, a shaft in the hosel, and means for reducing the weight of the hosel so the saved weight can be distributed more beneficially in the clubhead including the hosel being defined by a short annular segment in the top wall having an axis coincident with the desired lie of the clubhead, a second short annular segment in a lower portion of the clubhead having an axis coincident with the axis of the first annular segment, said first and second annular segments being spaced apart at least 0.500 inches, and means for bonding the tip end of the shaft in the first and second annular segments including a sleeve surrounding the shaft between the hosel segments, said sleeve being bonded at one end to one hosel segment and bonded at another end to the other hosel segment.

18. A method of fixing a shaft into a golf clubhead having at least a face wall, a top wall, a toe wall, and a heel wall, each of the walls being relatively thin in thickness compared to the extent, said top wall, toe wall and heel wall all connected to the perimeter of the face wall so the clubhead is perimeter weighed, a hosel in the clubhead for receiving a shaft, a shaft in the hosel, and means for reducing the weight of the hosel so the saved weight can be distributed more beneficially in the clubhead including the hosel being defined by a short annular segment in the top wall having an axis coincident with the descend lie of the clubhead, a second short annular segment in a lower portion of the clubhead having an axis coincident with the axis of the first annular segment, said first and second annular segments being spaced apart at least 0.500 inches, including the steps of applying a bonding agent to the tip end of the shaft, and inserting the tip end of the shaft first through the first segment and then into the second segment while rotating and orienting the shaft so the bonding agent is layered on the shaft between the first and second segments so the bonding layer is bonded to both segments and the shaft to reinforce the shaft.

21. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force as defined in claim 18, wherein the power member is tubular in configuration, said receptacle on the power member including an annular threaded boss integrally formed with the tubular power member, said discrete weight being generally circular and having outer threads on the power member annular threaded boss.

19. A line of golf club woods designed for both lower swing speeds in the range of 60 to 85 mph and high swing speeds in the range of 85 to 110 mph, comprising:

a plurality of clubhead bodies having hosels, a plurality of shafts connectable to the hosels in the bodies to form golf clubs, said clubhead bodies including at least a face wall, a top wall, a toe wall and a heel wall each being relatively thin to their extent, said top wall, toe wall and heel wall being connected to the perimeter of the face wall so the clubhead bodies are perimeter weighted to enlarge the sweet spot and effective hitting area on the face wall, and means to vary the resonant frequency of the face wall to provide higher resonant frequency golf clubs for the higher swing speeds and to provide lower resonant frequency golf clubs for the lower swing speeds including a plurality of power member connectable between the rear of the face wall and a rear portion of the clubhead bodies, said power members including power members having a lower frequency for the lower resonant frequency golf clubs and including power members having a relatively higher frequency for the higher resonant frequency golf clubs, and means to maintain the weights of the power members substantially constant while varying the natural frequency of the face wall including a plurality of power members, some having relatively thin wall thickness and some having relatively heavy wall thickness, and discrete weight means on the power members to equate the weight of the thin wall thickness power members to the relatively heavy wall thickness power members, the clubhead bodies having the same weight in the range of 150 to 180 gms. each.

20. A high impact golf club for compromising perimeter weighting and ball impact force, comprising:

a golf clubhead, a shaft connected to the golf clubhead, said golf clubhead including a metallic alloy body having a ball striking face wall, a top wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a toe wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a heel wall extending rearwardly from the face wall, a hosel for receiving the shaft extending into the body, all of said walls being substantially thinner in thickness than length to define a perimeter weighted clubhead, said face wall having a ball striking area and a rear surface, and means for transferring force from the body to the ball striking area, increasing the natural frequency of the face wall while maintaining acceptable overall clubhead weight including a power member fixed at one end to the rear surface of the first wall at the ball striking area and fixed at its other end to a rear portion of the clubhead, a weight receptacle on the power member, and a discrete weight connected into the receptacle to adjust overall clubhead weight to the desired value without substantially varying the natural frequency of the face wall.

22. A jumbo metal wood clubhead constructed of a lightweight hard alloy, comprising:

a clubhead constructed of a high titanium alloy having a face wall, a top wall, a toe wall and a heel wall, said clubhead having a weight in the range of 150 to 180 g., a hosel projecting upwardly from the clubhead, said clubhead being constructed of a hard metal alloy having a modulus of elasticity substantially less than steel alloys, said clubhead having an outer volume of at least 250 cm³ and wall thicknesses less than about 0.150 inches, and means to reinforce the face wall including a high titanium alloy power shaft integral with the face wall at one end and integral with a rear portion of the clubhead at its rear end, said power shaft having a weight so the combined weight of the power shaft and club-head is less than 210 g.

23. A line of golf clubs designed to customize the clubs to the players swing speeds, comprising:

a plurality of clubs including at least one high swing speed club and one low swing speed club including a plurality of clubhead bodies all having the same size and outer shape having hosels and ball striking face walls, a plurality of shafts attached to the hosels in the bodies to form golf clubs, said bodies having a perimeter wall about the face wall, and means to change the characteristics of the clubhead bodies from one clubhead body in the line to another clubhead body in the line depending upon the players swing speed including means to change the modulus of elasticity of the face walls in the line from one clubhead body in the line to another clubhead body in the line to provide a fixed, non-adjustable after assembly high modulus of elasticity face wall in some of the clubhead bodies in the line for the higher swing speed player without changing the size or outer shape of the clubhead bodies, and also to provide a relatively lower fixed, non-adjustable after assembly modulus of elasticity face wall in others of the clubhead bodies in the line for the lower swing speed player without changing the size or outer shape of the clubhead bodies.

24. A line of golf clubs as defined in claim 23, wherein the means to vary the modulus of elasticity of the face walls in the line includes a plurality of interchangeable before assembly power members connectable between the rear of the face wall and a rear portion of the clubhead bodies.

25. A line of golf clubs designed to customize the clubs to the players swing speeds, comprising:

a plurality of clubs including at least one high swing speed club and one low swing speed club including a plurality of clubhead bodies all having the size size and outer shape having hosels and ball striking face walls, a plurality of shafts attached to the hosels in the bodies to form golf clubs, said bodies having a perimeter wall about the face wall, and means to change the characteristics of the clubhead bodies from one club in the line to another club in the line depending upon the players swing speed including means to change the stiffness of the face walls in the line to provide a fixed, non-adjustable after assembly high stiffness face wall in some of the clubhead bodies in the line without changing the clubhead body size or outer shape for the higher swing speed player and a relatively lower fixed, non-adjustable after assembly stiffness face wall in others of the clubhead bodies in the line for the lower swing speed player without changing the clubhead body size or outer shape.

26. A line of golf clubs as defined in claim 25, wherein the means to vary the stiffness of the face walls includes means for varying the stiffness of the face wall without changing the weight of the clubhead bodies.