JP2003102882A - Golf club - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high functional golf club that is not restricted by materials and provides a high degree of freedom of designing. SOLUTION: In the golf club, the head body 11 having a hosel 3 made of stainless steel such as SUS304 that is relatively easy to process, and a face plate 14 made of strong and costly titanium or titanium alloy are combined. They are joined by welding using an Ag-Mn alloy as a filler metal to form the head 2. Welding using the filler metal helps strongly join without being restricted by materials to be joined. Since the shape and size of a joint of the face plate 14 in the head 2 is not limited, the degree of freedom of designing and a high function are ensured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a golf club having a head connected to a shaft.

[0002]

It is conventionally known that a head is made highly functional by combining a plurality of different metals. For example, JP-A-53-19475 is known as a combination of different metals by screwing, and JP-A-63-16065 is known as a combination of different metals by press fitting.

In such a head formed by combining a plurality of different metals, the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravity of the different metals. In addition, a high-performance material is generally expensive, but in a head formed by combining a plurality of dissimilar metals, the cost can be reduced by partially using the high-performance material in a necessary place. Is possible.

However, there are the following problems in a combination of a plurality of dissimilar metals using plastic working such as screwing and press fitting. First, since the joint shape and size are limited, the degree of freedom in design is low, and high functionality cannot be achieved. Secondly, when plastic deformation is used, it may not be suitable for press fitting due to the nature of the material, and the type of material is limited. Thirdly, tapping is necessary in advance for screwing, and taper processing or the like is necessary for press fitting, which increases processing time and the number of steps. Fourthly, in the plastic working such as press fitting, the shape becomes unstable due to the deformation due to the working. Fifth, a gap is likely to be formed on the joint surface, which results in a poor appearance and a difficult post-process.

[0005] Further, the applicant is the Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-10992.
No. 7 proposes dissimilar metal joining by laser welding. In this example, a nickel-beryllium alloy and stainless steel such as SUS304 are joined, and in the case of this combination, good joining results are obtained. However, when titanium or a titanium alloy and stainless steel were joined by laser welding, the strength was not satisfactory.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a high-performance material can be partially used in a required place to have a high function without being restricted by the material, and the position of the center of gravity of the head can be freely adjusted. It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club having a high degree of freedom in designing the same.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a shaft is continuous with a head, the head is made of a combination of two or more kinds of metals, and these are welded by using a filler material. It is a golf club characterized by being joined.

According to the structure of claim 1, a high-performance material can be provided at a required place by combining two or more kinds of metals integrated by welding using a filler metal without being restricted by the material. The position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by providing it or by utilizing the difference in specific gravity of the metals.

A second aspect of the present invention is the golf club according to the first aspect, wherein the head is a combination of at least iron or iron alloy and titanium or titanium alloy.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravity.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a shaft is connected to the head, the head comprises a head body and a face plate provided corresponding to the face of the head body. A golf club characterized in that they are made of different metals, and the joining is performed by welding using a filler material.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the face plate integrated with the head main body by welding using the filler material has a high strength and the center of gravity of the head is not restricted by the material. Can be adjusted.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, one of the head body and the face plate is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. It is a golf club.

According to the structure of claim 4, the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravity.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a shaft is connected to a hosel of the head, the head has a separate hosel member attached to the head body, and the head body and the hosel member are made of different metals. In addition, the golf club is characterized in that the joining is performed by welding using a filler material.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the hosel member can be adjusted by the hosel member integrated with the head body by welding using the filler material without being restricted by the material. it can.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, one of the head body and the hosel member is made of iron or iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or titanium alloy. It is a golf club.

According to the structure of claim 6, the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravities.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a head is connected to a shaft, the head is provided with a separate balance weight on a head main body having a face, and the head main body and the balance weight are formed of different metals. In addition, the golf club is characterized in that the joining is performed by welding using a filler material.

According to the structure of claim 7, the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by the balance weight integrated by welding using the filler body without being restricted by the material.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, one of the head body and the balance weight is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. It is a golf club.

According to the structure of claim 8, the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravities.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the filler material is Ag-M.
The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club is an n-alloy.

According to the structure of claim 9, two or more kinds of metals can be easily fixed without being restricted by the material.

[0025]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The golf club 1 includes a golf club head (hereinafter referred to as a head) 2 and a hosel 3 of the head 2.
Shaft 4 connected to the.

The head 2 has a face 5 formed on the front surface, and the hosel 3 and the heel 6 are provided on the upper and lower portions on one side.
, The top 7 is formed on the other side, and the sole 8 is formed on the lower side. The head 2 is formed by combining two or more kinds of metals and joining them by welding using a filler material.

In the first embodiment, the head body 11 made of stainless steel such as SUS304 has a face 5 on the front surface.
And the rear surface 11 is formed on the stepped portion 12.
A window hole 13 passing through A is formed. Then, a face plate 14 made of titanium or a titanium alloy is fitted to the step portion 12 and welded using a filler material.

Next, a method of manufacturing the head 2 will be described. Hosel 3 by forging stainless steel such as SUS304
The head body 11 having the above is formed. Step of head body 11
12, the window hole 13 is formed by forging, cutting, or polishing. Further, the face plate 14 is formed by forging titanium or a titanium alloy. After this, face plate 14
After fitting the step portion 12 to the step portion 12, the boundary between the step portion 12 and the face plate 14 is made of tungsten inert gas (Tu
ngsten Inert Gas) welding (hereinafter TI
This is referred to as “G welding”), so that the stepped portion 12 and the face plate 14 are fixed to each other by the welded portion 16. still,
Reference numeral 15 denotes a welding head of a TIG welding machine, which is used for melting and welding a filler metal by an arc from a tungsten electrode contained in the welding head.

In the above manufacturing method, Ag-Mn alloy containing Ag: 85% and Mn: 15% was used as a filler material. In addition, as the filler, Ag-Pd alloy, Ti-
Cu-Ag alloy, Ti-Cu-Ni alloy, etc. can be used. The conditions for TIG welding are a current of 50 A and a shield gas of 15 l / mi from the tip of the welding head 15.
n. Ar gas was flowed, and welding was performed in an Ar gas atmosphere.
Here, although other welding methods such as laser may be used, TIG welding using a filler material can weld most industrially used metals and alloys, and has excellent welding quality and a good welding finish. It has the advantage of being beautiful.

A point to be noted during welding is that the base material is not melted too much. If the melting is excessive, the amount of intermetallic compounds is increased, resulting in embrittlement, which causes a problem in strength. On the other hand, brazing, which is a joining method that avoids melting of the base material as much as possible, is a kind of welding in a broad sense, but is inferior in strength. That is, it is preferable that the base material is also melted slightly moderately.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the head 2
Is SUS30, which is an iron or iron alloy that is relatively easy to process.
A head body 11 equipped with a hosel 3 made of stainless steel such as 4 and a face plate 14 made of high-strength and expensive titanium or titanium alloy are used in combination with two types of metals, and these are used for welding using a filler metal. Since they are joined together, it is possible to relatively easily adjust the inclination angle of the hosel 3, that is, the loft angle which is the relative angle between the axis of the shaft 4 and the face 5, and the face plate 14 has high strength. It is possible to extend the flight distance of the golf ball, etc. In addition, since titanium or titanium alloy has a very small specific gravity, face plate
By distributing the weight of 14 to other peripheral portions, for example, the sole 8 or the like, the center of gravity of the head 2 can be arranged further rearward. On the other hand, stainless steel such as SUS304 is excellent in corrosion resistance and inferior in strength to titanium and titanium alloys, but is inexpensive. By forming the head 2 by combining such two kinds of metals, it is possible to improve the flight distance of the golf ball and increase the sweet spot.

Further, since two kinds of metals, titanium or titanium alloy and stainless steel such as iron or iron alloy such as SUS304, are welded by using Ag-Mn alloy as the filler metal, no filler metal is used. In this case, even if the combination of titanium or a titanium alloy and iron or an iron alloy, which is not a satisfactory combination in terms of strength, can be firmly joined. Further, the joint shape and size of the face plate 14 in the head 2 are not limited, and the degree of freedom in design is high, and high performance can be achieved. Further, the type of material is not limited as compared with the case of utilizing plastic deformation or welding without using a filler material. Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, the shape is stable even in the finish, and no crevice is formed in the joint surface, so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the head body 21 made of titanium or a titanium alloy has the face 5 formed on the front surface, the heel 6 at the lower part of one side, and the top 7 at the other side.
And a sole 8 is formed in the lower part. And SUS304 for connecting the shaft 4 to the upper part of the heel 6
A hosel member 22 made of equal stainless steel is fixed by welding using a filler material. The hosel member 22 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the lower surface 23 of the hosel member is flat, and is abutted against a flat mounting receiving surface 24 formed on the upper portion of the heel 6, and both are welded by using a filler material. Has been done.

Next, a method of manufacturing the head 2 will be described. The head body 21 is formed by forging titanium or a titanium alloy, and the hosel member 22 is formed by forging stainless steel such as SUS304. After this, the lower surface 23 of the hosel member 22 is butted against the mounting receiving surface 24 of the head body 21, and then the TI
The welding head 25 of the G welder is brought close to the boundary between the lower surface 23 and the mounting receiving surface 24, and is welded using a filler metal to weld the two together.
The head 2 is manufactured by being fixed by. In the manufacturing method, the TIG welding method is the same as in the first embodiment.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the head 2 is the head body 21 made of high-strength titanium or titanium alloy.
And a hosel member 22 made of stainless steel such as SUS304, which is relatively easy to process, are joined together by welding using a filler material, so that the face 5 has high strength, so the golf ball The flight distance can be extended and the hosel member 22 can be machined relatively easily, so that the loft angle can be easily adjusted.

Further, since two kinds of metals, titanium or titanium alloy and stainless steel such as iron or iron alloy such as SUS304, are welded by using Ag-Mn alloy as the filler metal, no filler metal is used. In this case, even if the combination of titanium or a titanium alloy and iron or an iron alloy, which is not a satisfactory combination in terms of strength, can be firmly joined. In addition, the hosel member 22 in the head 2
The joint shape and size are not limited, and the degree of freedom in design is high, and high functionality can be achieved. Further, the type of material is not limited as compared with the case of utilizing plastic deformation or welding without using a filler material. Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, the shape is stable even in the finish, and no crevice is formed in the joint surface, so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the third embodiment, the hollow head body 31 made of titanium or a titanium alloy has the face 5 formed on the front surface, and the hosel 3 and the heel 6 are provided on one side upper and lower portions.
A top 7 is formed on the other side, a sole 8 is formed on the lower side, and a back 9 is formed on the rear surface. And this head body 31
Are formed by welding the main body member 32, the face member 33, the crown member 34, and the neck member 35 to each other. A SUS30 is provided on the lower side of the inner surface of the body member 32 on the back 9 side.
A balance weight 36 made of stainless steel such as 4 is fixed by welding using a filler material. This fixation is made by welding the peripheral portion of the back surface of the balance weight 36 to the main body member 32 using a filler material. And the balance weight 36
The back surface is processed into a curved surface having substantially the same shape as the inner surface of the back 9, and the back surface is applied to the inner surface of the back 9 without any gap. With this, the balance weight 36 is
It has a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape, and tapers from the rear surface, that is, the bonding surface to the back 9 toward the opposite side.

Next, a method of manufacturing the head 2 will be described. The main body member 32, the face member 33, the crown member 34, and the neck member 35 are formed by forging or pressing titanium or a titanium alloy, and the balance weight 36 is formed by forging from stainless steel such as SUS304. Thereafter, the back surface of the balance weight 36 is butted against the back 9 side of the lower inner surface of the main body member 32, and the peripheral edge portion of the back surface of the balance weight 36 is TIG welded to the main body member 32 by using a filler material, Are fixed by the welded portion 37. Then, the head member 2 is manufactured by welding the main body member 32, the face member 33, the crown member 34, and the neck member 35 to each other. In the manufacturing method, the TIG welding method is the same as in the first embodiment.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the head 2
Forms a head body 31 made of titanium or titanium alloy having a small specific gravity and high strength, and a balance weight 36 made of stainless steel such as SUS304 having a large specific gravity so that the center of gravity of the head 2 is located rearward. The spot can be expanded.

Further, since two kinds of metals, titanium or titanium alloy and stainless steel such as SUS304 which is iron or iron alloy, are welded by using Ag-Mn alloy as the filler metal, no filler metal is used. In this case, even if the combination of titanium or a titanium alloy and iron or an iron alloy, which is not a satisfactory combination in terms of strength, can be firmly joined. Further, the joint shape and size of the balance weight 36 in the head 2 are not limited, and the degree of freedom in design is high, and high performance can be achieved. Further, the type of material is not limited as compared with the case of utilizing plastic deformation or welding without using a filler material. Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, the shape is stable even in the finished product.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, as iron or iron alloy, SUS
Other than stainless steel such as 304, steel such as carbon steel may be used. Further, the combination of metals is not limited to titanium or titanium alloy, iron or iron alloy shown in the above embodiment, but at least 2
It is only necessary to combine different kinds of metal materials.

Further, in the above embodiment, the golf club of iron and hollow wood has been described as an example, but it is also applicable to a putter. For example, the head body of the putter and the face member are made of different metals, They may be fixed by welding using a filler material. Further, the head body of the iron having the recessed portion on the rear surface and the balance weight may be made of different metals, and the balance weight may be fitted into the recessed portion, and then these may be fixed by welding using a filler material. .

[0045]

According to the invention of claim 1, in a golf club in which a shaft is connected to a head, the head is made of a combination of two or more kinds of metals and these are joined by welding using a filler material. It is a characteristic golf club, and it is possible to adjust the position of the center of gravity of the head,
By performing the welding using the filler material, the joint shape and size of the head are not limited, the degree of freedom in design is high, and the function can be enhanced. Further, the type of material is not limited as compared with the case of utilizing plastic deformation or welding without using a filler material. Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. Further, the shape is stable even in the finished state, and no gap is formed on the joint surface, so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the golf club according to the first aspect, the head is a combination of at least iron or an iron alloy with titanium or a titanium alloy. Since the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted, the degree of freedom in design can be increased and the function can be enhanced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a shaft is connected to the head, the head is composed of a head body and a face plate provided so as to correspond to the face of the head body. It is a golf club that is formed of different metals, and its joining is welded using a filler material, and the flight distance of the golf ball can be extended by making the face plate a highly functional material, It is also possible to adjust the position of the center of gravity of the head by utilizing the difference in specific gravity between metals, and the welding shape using filler material limits the shape and size of the face plate joint. Rather, it has a high degree of freedom in design and can be highly functional. Further, the type of material is not limited as compared with the case of utilizing plastic deformation or welding without using a filler material. Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. Further, the shape is stable even in the finished state, and no gap is formed on the joint surface, so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, one of the head body and the face plate is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. Since this is a golf club and the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravity, the degree of freedom in design can be increased and the function can be enhanced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a shaft is connected to a hosel of the head, the head has a separate hosel member attached to the head body, and the head body and the hosel member are made of different metals. In addition, the golf club is characterized by welding using a filler metal, and the hosel member makes it easy to adjust the loft angle, and at the same time welds the filler metal. By doing so, the joint shape and size of the hosel member in the head are not limited, and the degree of freedom in design is high, and high performance can be achieved. Further, the type of material is not limited as compared with the case of utilizing plastic deformation or welding without using a filler material.
Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. Further, the shape is stable even in the finished state, and no gap is formed on the joint surface, so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, one of the head body and the hosel member is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. Since this is a golf club and the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravity, the degree of freedom in design can be increased and the function can be enhanced.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a golf club in which a head is connected to a shaft, the head is provided with a separate balance weight on a head body having a face, and the head body and the balance weight are made of different metals. In addition, the golf club is characterized in that the welding is performed by using a filler material, and the balance weight can be used to adjust the position of the center of gravity of the head to the rear and the like. By performing the welding used, the joint shape and size of the balance weight in the head are not limited, and the degree of freedom in design is high, and high performance can be achieved. In addition, compared with the case of using welding without plastic deformation or filler metal,
The type of material is not limited. Moreover, the processing time and the number of steps do not increase, and the cost can be reduced. Further, the shape is stable even in the finished state, and no gap is formed on the joint surface, so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, one of the head body and the balance weight is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. Since this is a golf club and the position of the center of gravity of the head can be adjusted by utilizing the difference in specific gravity, the degree of freedom in design can be increased and the function can be enhanced.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the filler material is Ag-M.
The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club is an n-alloy.

According to the structure of claim 9, two or more kinds of metals can be easily fixed without being restricted by the material.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 golf club 2 heads 3 hosel 4 shafts 5 faces 11, 21, 31 Head body 14 face plate 22 Hosel material 36 balance weight

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) A63B 53/06 A63B 53/06 B

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A golf club having a head and a shaft connected to the head, wherein the head is a combination of two or more kinds of metals, and these are joined by welding using a filler material. 2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the head is a combination of at least iron or iron alloy and titanium or titanium alloy. 3. A golf club in which a shaft is connected to a head, wherein the head comprises a head body and a face plate provided so as to correspond to the face of the head body, and the head body and the face plate are made of different metals. A golf club characterized in that the welding is performed by using a filler material. 4. The golf club according to claim 3, wherein one of the head body and the face plate is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. 5. A golf club in which a shaft is connected to a hosel of a head, wherein the head has separate hosel members attached to the head main body, and the head main body and the hosel member are made of different metals and are joined together. A golf club characterized by being welded using a filler material. 6. The golf club according to claim 5, wherein one of the head body and the hosel member is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. 7. A golf club in which a shaft is connected to a head, the head has a head main body and a separate balance weight attached to the head main body, and the head main body and the balance weight are made of different metals and are joined together. A golf club characterized by being welded using a filler material. 8. The golf club according to claim 7, wherein one of the head body and the balance weight is made of iron or an iron alloy, and the other is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. 9. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the filler material is an Ag—Mn alloy.