Inertia capsule for golf club

• US 6,551,199 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony A. Viera
• Original Assignee: Anthony A. Viera
• Inventors: Viera, Anthony A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/945,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/326, 473/333, 473/334, 473/241, 473/345, 473/346, 473/409, 473/131, 473/244, 473/219, 473/226, 473/256, 473/231
• US Class Current: 473/326
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club having an inertia capsule for supporting the strike face of the club, the inertia capsule having a novel air relief channel that is partially filled with mercury and inserted in a hollow club head to transmit ball impact to transition curves cast into the club face uniformly across the club face. A feature of the inertia capsule is that it is configured to be selectively, partially filled with mercury fluid for imparting controlled force against distribution curves cast in the club face. The inertia capsule is supported in the interior chamber by a pair of saddle members.

Claims

1. A golf club head in combination with a club shaft comprising;

a shell defining a hollow interior chamber, a front strike face for striking a golf ball and a back,

the hollow chamber defining a front saddle member connected to the front strike face, a rear saddle member connected to the back,

a weighted inertia capsule disposed between said front saddle and said rear saddle member arranged in orthogonal relationship with said face wherein said inertia capsule is of tubular shape and defines a venturi shaped wall enclosing a shaped venturi space, fluid filling means for partially filling said venturi space and partially filled with fluid;

wherein said fluid imparts a dynamic internal force toward the strike face;

wherein said weighted inertia capsule imparts an internal force toward the strike face;

wherein said capsule makes contact against a transition curve to transmit ball impact uniformly across the club face; and

wherein the sweet spot of said club head defined as a ball contact area is enlarged to the area defined by the transition curve.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said inertia capsule defines a front plug defining a pilot hole, a cast venturi capsule wall member having a relief slot, a rear plug including a clearance hole associated with a filling syringe and a set screw for sealing said rear plug after liquid filling.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein said fluid filling means comprises a syringe for partially filling the cast venturi shaped inertia capsule with mercury via the rear plug clearance hole.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein said fluid filling means comprises liquid mercury.

5. A golf club head for striking a golf ball, the head comprising a strike face, a shell defining a hollow interior chamber having a front saddle member and a rear saddle member and a tubular venturi inertia capsule having fluid disposed in orthogonal relationship with said face such that the capsule makes contact against distribution curves cast in the strike face for transmitting ball impact at the sweet spot of said face uniformly across the club face.

6. A method of making a golf club head having a striking face for striking a golf ball, said method comprising the steps of;

forming a golf club head defining a hollow club head body by a lost wax casting process, said casting including integrally formed front and rear saddles;

providing a separate cover formed by casting, said cover having positioned tabs to aid in welding during final assembly between the club head body and the cover;

positioning a cast inertial capsule of tubular shape having venturi-shaped inner walls on the front and rear saddles within the hollow club head body;

providing an air relief channel in the venturi-shaped inner walls;

inserting a controlled amount of liquid mercury within, said capsule;

said air relief channel permitting the liquid mercury to move from a position at rest to an impact position for providing a secondary force against the striking face of the club head.