KR102063070B1 - Golf club head with flexure - Google Patents

Abstract

Golf club heads include crowns, soles, hosels, faces and bends. The bends provide flexibility during the impact between the golf club head and the golf ball and are adjusted to vibrate at a predetermined frequency immediately after the impact.

Description

Golf Club Head with Curves {GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH FLEXURE}

This invention is a partial continuing application of US patent application Ser. No. 13 / 618,963, filed September 14, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to an improved golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club having a compliant portion.

The complexity of golf club design is well known. The specification of each component of the club (ie club head, shaft, grip and its subcomponents) directly affects the performance of the club. Thus, by changing the design specifications, the golf club can be customized to have certain performance characteristics.

The design of the club head has been studied for a long time. Among the more prominent considerations of club head design are loft, lie, face angle, horizontal surface elevation, vertical roll, center of gravity, inertia, material selection and overall head weight. While this set of basic criteria is generally the focus of golf club processing, many other design aspects must also be addressed. The internal design of the club head, such as the inclusion of a hosel or shaft attachment means, the weight of the periphery of the club head, and the filler in the hollow club head, can be customized to achieve certain properties.

In addition, the golf club head must be strong enough to withstand the repetitive impact that occurs during the impact between the golf ball and the golf club. The load generated during this momentary event can produce a maximum force in excess of 2,000 lbs. Therefore, an important challenge is to design the club face and body to withstand permanent damage or deformation caused by material yield and destruction. Conventional hollow metal wood drivers made of titanium typically have a face thickness in excess of 2.5 mm to ensure structural integrity of the club head.

Competitors typically seek a combination of metal wood drivers and golf balls to derive maximum distance and landing accuracy. The distance the ball travels after impact is determined by the ball's transition speed and the ball's rotational speed or the magnitude and direction of the spin. Environmental conditions, including atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature and wind speed, further affect the ball's flight. However, these environmental impacts are beyond the control of the golf equipment manufacturer. Golf ball landing accuracy is likewise obtained by a number of factors. Some of these factors are due to club head design such as center of gravity and club face flexibility.

The US Golf Association (USGA), a government agency for golf rules in the United States, has specifications for golf ball performance. These performance specifications specify the weight and size of the golf ball to be matched. One USGA rule limits the initial speed of a golf ball to 250 feet per second + 2% (or a maximum initial speed of 255 feet per second) after a specified impact. To achieve greater golf ball travel distances, post-impact ball speed and recovery coefficient of ball-club impact must be maximized while meeting these rules.

In general, golf ball travel distance is a function of the total kinetic energy imparted to the ball during impact with the golf club, ignoring environmental impact. During the impact, kinetic energy is transmitted from the club and stored as elastic strain energy in the club head and viscoelastic strain energy in the ball. After the impact, the energy stored in the ball and club is converted back into kinetic energy in the form of translation and rotational speed of the ball and club. Since the impact is not completely elastic, part of the energy is dissipated by vibration of the club head and viscoelastic relaxation of the ball. Viscoelastic relaxation is a material property of the polymeric material used in all manufactured golf balls.

Viscoelastic relaxation of the ball is a parasitic energy source, which depends on the rate of deformation. In order to minimize this effect, the strain rate must be reduced. This can be achieved by allowing more club face deformation during impact. Since the metallic strain is completely elastic, the strain energy stored at the club face is returned to the ball after the impact, thereby increasing the outbound velocity of the ball after the impact.

In particular, various techniques may be used to vary the deformation of the club face, including uniform face thinning, thinned face with ribbed reinforcement, and variable thickness. These designs must have sufficient structural integrity to withstand repeated impacts without permanent deformation of the club face. Also, conventional club heads generally exhibit large fluctuations in initial ball speed after impact, depending on the impact location on the face of the club. Thus, there remains a need in the art for club heads having a substantially uniform high initial ball velocity zone or larger “sweet zone”.

Recent technological advances, such as manufacturing larger head clubs while keeping weight constant or even lighter by increasingly thinner shell thickness casting and progressing to lighter materials such as titanium, provide more distance to the average golfer. To provide. The club's face is steadily becoming extremely thin. Thinner faces maximize the recovery coefficient (COR). The greater the face recoil at impact, the more energy can be given to the ball, increasing the distance. To make the face thinner, manufacturers are generally moving to forged, stamped or machined metal faces that are stronger than the cast face. A common practice is to attach a forged or stamped metal face to the body or sole by welding. The thinner the face, the more susceptible to breakage. The present invention provides a novel method of providing a club face that maximizes COR by having desirable bending and recoil upon impact.

The present invention relates to a golf club head comprising a flexure that changes compliance characteristics when compared to known golf club heads.

In one embodiment, the golf club head includes a crown, sole, side wall, hosel, face, and bend. The crown defines the upper surface of the golf club head, the sole defines the lower surface of the golf club head, and a sidewall extends between the crown and the sole. The hosel extends from the crown and includes a shaft bore. The face defines a ball-hit surface and intersects the bottom surface at the leading edge. The bend is spaced forward of the ball-hit surface and generally extends in the heel-toe direction and parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head. The sole is composed of a first material having a first Young's modulus, and the curved portion is composed of a second material having a second Young's modulus lower than the first Young's modulus. The bend is deformed so that the width across the bend in the face to back changes in a sinusoidal shape, and immediately after impact, at a frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz, at least a portion of the bend consists of a β-Ti alloy.

In another embodiment, the golf club head includes a crown, sole, side wall, hosel, face, and bend. The crown defines the upper surface of the golf club head, the sole defines the lower surface of the golf club head, and a sidewall extends between the crown and the sole. The hosel extends from the crown and includes a shaft bore. The face defines a ball-hit surface and intersects the bottom surface at the leading edge. The bend is spaced forward of the ball-hit surface and generally extends in the heel-toe direction and parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head. The sole is composed of a first material having a first Young's modulus, and the curved portion is composed of a second material having a second Young's modulus lower than the first Young's modulus. The bend is deformed so that the width across the bend in the face to back changes immediately after the impact into a sinusoid at a frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz. At least a portion of the bend is comprised of a β-Ti alloy and the bend generally extends across the body in the heel-toe direction and in a range from about 5.0 mm to about 20.0 mm from the leading edge of the golf club head, Intersect at least part of it.

Preferred features of the present invention are described in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like elements in the various figures.
1 is a side view of an embodiment of a club head of the present invention;
2 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the club head of FIG. 1, FIG.
3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
4 is a detailed view A of the golf club head of FIG.
5 is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of a club head of the present invention;
6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line 6-6 of FIG. 5;
7 is a side view of another embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention;
8 is another side view of the golf club head of FIG.
9 is a side view of another embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention;
10 is another side view of the golf club head of FIG. 9;
11 is a side view of another embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention;
12 is a bottom plan view of the golf club head of FIG. 11;
13 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line 13-13 of FIG. 12;
14 is a side view of another embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention;
15 is a bottom plan view of the golf club head of FIG. 14.
16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
17 is an exploded view of the golf club of FIG. 16.
18 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club of FIG. 16.
19 is a sectional view of an alternative configuration of the golf club head of FIG. 16.
20 is a perspective view of a golf club head of the present invention.
21 is an exploded view of the golf club of FIG. 20.
22 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
Figure 23 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
24 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
25 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
26 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
Figure 27 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
28 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
29 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
30 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
31 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
32 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
33 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
34 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
35 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
36 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.
37 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.

Unlike in the operating examples or specifically described hereinbelow, all numerical ranges, amounts, values and values such as the amount of material, moment of inertia, location of the center of gravity, loft and draft angles, and the like described hereinbelow Percentages etc. may be read as if the term "about" is not expressly stated in value, amount and range, but the term "about" is preceded. Thus, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the good properties obtained by the present invention. It is not intended to be minimal and to limit the scope of the claims and equivalent doctrines, and each numerical parameter should be made in terms of many reported significant digits and by applying to conventional rounding techniques.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. However, since any numeric value is necessarily required to have some error, a standard deviation is found in each testing measurement. In addition, when describing the numerical ranges of various regions herein, it is contemplated that any combination of values encompassing the recited values may be used.

The recovery coefficient or "COR" is a measure of the impact coefficient. COR is the ratio of the separation speed to the approach speed. By way of example, a COR, such as a golf ball hitting a golf tee, can be determined using the formula below.

(M _ball (V _{ball - post} -V _{ball - pre} ) + M _club (V _{ball - post - V club - pre)) /} M club (V club - pre -V _{ball - pre} )

Where V _{club - post} represents the speed of the club after impact,

V _{ball - post} represents the speed of the ball after impact,

V _{club - pre} indicates the speed of the club before impact (zero value in USGA COR state),

V _{ball - pre} indicates the speed of the ball before impact.

Since the initial velocity of the ball is 0.0 during the strike and the golf tee is stationary, the above equation can be reduced to the following equation.

(M _ball V _{ball - post} + M _club (V _{ball - post} -V _{club - pre} )) / M _club (V _{club - pre} )

In general, COR depends on the shape and material properties of the striking body. A perfectly elastic impact has a COR of 1.0 indicating no energy, but a perfectly inelastic or perfectly plastic impact has a COR of zero indicating maximum energy loss since the striking body is not spaced after the impact. After all, high COR values represent large ball speeds and distances.

1-4, an embodiment of the golf club head 10 of the present invention is shown. The club head 10 has a structure that improves the behavior of the club when hit by a golf ball, especially when the bottom of the face is hit. Club head 10 provides a crown 12, sole 14, skirt 16 or sidewalls extending between crown 12 and sole 14, ball striking surface 20 A hollow body including a face 18 and a hosel 22. It should be noted that the skirt 16 may include the periphery of the crown 12 and sole 14 curved towards each other to form a transition between the top and bottom surfaces of the golf club head. The hollow body forms an internal cavity 24 that can be left empty or partially filled. When filled, the inner cavity 24 is preferably filled with foam or other low specific gravity material.

When the club head 10 is in an address position, the crown 12 provides the top surface of the golf club head and the sole 14 provides the bottom surface. The skirt 16 extends between the crown 12 and the sole 14 and forms the periphery of the golf head. The face 18 provides a front-ball striking surface 20 and includes a periphery coupled to the crown 12, the sole 14, and the skirt 16 to surround the cavity 24. The face 18 includes a toe 26 and a heel 28 on opposite sides of the geometric center of the face 18. The hosel 22 extends outward from the skirt 16 and crown 12 adjacent the heel 28 of the face 18 and provides an attachment structure for the club head shaft (not shown).

The hosel 22 may have a through bore or blind hosel structure. In particular, the hosel 22 is generally a tubular member and can extend the through cavity 24 from the crown 12 of the club head 10 to the bottom in the sole 14 or the crown 12 and the sole 14. May terminate at a position between In addition, the proximal end of the hosel 22 may terminate at the same height as the crown 12 as opposed to extending outward from the club head away from the crown 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The inner cavity 24 has any volume, but preferably greater than 100 cubic centimeters, the golf club head may have a hybrid, fairway or driver type structure. Preferably, the club head 10 of the present invention is greater than about 150 grams and less than about 220 grams, although the club head may have any suitable weight for a given length to provide the desired overall weight and swing height. The body may be formed from stamped, forged, cast and / or molded parts that are welded, soldered, and / or attached together. Golf club head 10 may be constructed from a titanium alloy, any other suitable material, or combination of other materials. In addition, a weight member composed of a high density mater, such as tungsten, may be coupled to any portion of the golf club head, such as a sole.

Face 18 may include face insert 30 coupled to face perimeter 32, such as a face flange. Face periphery 32 forms an opening to receive face insert 30. The face insert 30 is preferably connected to the periphery 32 by welding. For example, a plurality of chads or tabs (not shown) may be provided to form a support for positioning the face insert 30, or the face insert 30 may be secured in place and then face insert 30. ) And the periphery 32 can be integrally connected by laser or plasma welding. The face insert 30 is formed by milling, casting, forging, or stamping and from any suitable material such as, for example, titanium, titanium alloys, carbon steel, stainless steel, beryllium copper and carbon fiber composites and combinations thereof. It can be prepared by. In addition, the crown 12 or sole 14 may be formed separately or coupled to the rest of the body.

The thickness of the face insert 30 is preferably between about 0.5 mm and about 4.0 mm. In addition, the insert 30 may be of uniform thickness or of variable thickness. For example, face insert 30 may have a thick center section and a thin outer section. In other embodiments, face insert 30 may have two or more different thicknesses and the change between the thicknesses may be radial or cascaded. Alternatively, the thickness of face insert 30 may be increased or decreased towards toe portion 26, heel portion 28, crown 12 and / or sole 14. It will be appreciated that one or both of the co-hit surface or the back surface of face 18 may have at least a portion that is curved, stepped or flat to vary the thickness of face insert 30.

As described above, the club head 10 has a structure that improves the behavior of the club when hitting the golf ball, particularly when the bottom of the face impacts the golf ball. The bend 36 is formed in the front portion of the crown, sole and / or skirt. The curved portion 36 is an elongated pleat that extends entirely from the heel in the toe direction and is formed in the front portion of the sole 14.

The bend 36 is globally flexible in all / rear directions, and the face 18 such that at least a portion of the face 18 bends locally as the unit bends and rotates as the face 18 impacts the golf ball. Provide a flexible portion within the club head 10 away from it. The golf club head is designed to have two distinct vibration modes between about 3000 Hz and about 6000 Hz, and the bend is generally configured to add a second distinct vibration mode of the face. The first face oscillation mode mainly involves local deflection of the face while the central face impacts the golf ball. The deflection profile of the second face vibration mode includes a full surface deflection similar to an accordion, and provides improved performance for off-center impact between the face and the golf ball.

The bend 36 is also configured to maintain the stiffness of the sole 14 substantially in the crown / sole direction so that the sound of the golf club head is not significantly affected. Low stiffness of the sole in the crown / sole direction lowers the pitch of the sound produced by the club head as a whole, with low pitches being generally undesirable.

The bend 36 allows the front portion of the club, including the face 18, to bend as differently as possible without changing the size and / or shape of the face 18. In particular, the portion of the golf club head body adjacent the face is designed to bend elastically during impact. This flexibility reduces the speed of the ball and reduces the backspin generated for the impact of the ball located below the ideal impact position. The ideal impact location is a location on the ball-hit surface that intersects an axis perpendicular to the ball-hit surface and extends through the golf club head's center of gravity, with the result that the ideal impact location is generally a distance between about 0.5 mm and 5.0 mm. It is located above the geometric face center. By providing the bend 36 in the sole 14 close to the face 18, the club head reduces ball speed, lower backspin when the face 18 impacts the golf ball at a position below the ideal impact position. To provide. Thus, the ball impact at the low side at the ideal impact position and at the club face of the club head of the present invention will be greater than at the same impact position on a conventional club head for the same swing characteristics. Positioning the bend 36 in the sole 14 is particularly advantageous because the ideal impact location is located generally higher than the geometric face center in the metal wood-type golf club. Thus, most of the area of the face is generally located below the ideal impact location. In addition, golfers tend to hit the bottom of the face of the golf ball. However, similar results can be obtained for a club head 10 having a bend provided on another portion of the club head 10 with respect to an impact located from the geometric face center towards the bend. For example, a club having bends disposed in the crown can improve performance against ball impact between the crown and the geometric face center.

In one embodiment, the bent portion 36 is provided to be substantially parallel to at least a portion of the leading edge 38 of the club head 10, curved with the leading edge, and selected from the ball-hit surface 20 ( D) is provided. Preferably, the bend 36 is provided at a distance D within 30 mm of the ball-hit surface 20, more preferably provided within 20 mm of the ball-hit surface 20, more preferably about 5.0 mm to 20.0 mm. For smaller golf club heads, such as those having fairway wood or hybrid configurations, it is desirable that the bend 36 be provided within 10 mm of the ball striking surface 20.

The curved portion 36 is composed of a first member 40 and a second member 42. The first member 40 is coupled to the rear edge of the front transfer portion 46 of the sole 14 and curves from the sole 14 into the inner cavity 24. The second member 42 is coupled to the front edge of the rear portion of the sole 14 and is also curved from the sole 14 into the inner cavity 24. The ends of the first member 40 and the second member 42 spaced apart from the sole 14 are joined to each other at apex 44. Preferably, the bend is elongate and extends generally in the heel to toe direction.

The dimensions of the bend 36 are selected to provide the desired flexibility during ball impact. Curved portion 36 has a height H, a width W, and a curl length C, as shown in FIG. 4. The height H extends in the Y-axis direction between the vertex 44 and the outer surface of the sole 14. The width W is the width of the hole in the sole formed by the bend 36 and extends in the Z-direction between the junctions of the sole 14 and the bend 36. The curl length C extends in the direction of the Z-axis and extends between the vertex 44 and the front junction of the sole 14 and the bend 36. Preferably, the bend 36 has a height greater than 4.0 mm, preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, more preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 11.0 mm. In addition, the bend 36 preferably has a width greater than 4.0 mm, preferably about 5.0 mm to about 12.0 mm, more preferably about 7.0 mm to about 11.0 mm. The bends also have a wall thickness of about 0.8 mm to about 2.0 mm, and these dimensions extend over a length that is preferably at least 25% of the total club head length along the X-axis. In addition, the first member 40 is bent inwardly from the sole into the inner cavity and preferably has a radius of curvature of about 20.0 mm to about 45.0 mm. Table 1 below shows the dimensions of the embodiments that provide more efficient energy transfer and thus higher COR for ball impact below than the ideal impact position of the golf club head.

Bend Dimensions Height [mm] Width [mm] Curl Length [mm] Example 1 10.0 10 13 Example 2 6.5 10 13 Example 3 10.0 8 13 Example 4 6.5 8 13 Example 5 5.0 8 13

The above examples were analyzed using finite element analysis to determine the impact on the COR and vibration response of the golf club head. In particular, a club head (ie baseline) having no bends was compared with the embodiments. Table 2 summarizes such comparisons.

compare Weight penalty
[g] Ball speed
[mph] Extra mode
[Hz] Mode 2
[Hz] Mode 3
[Hz] Mode 4
[Hz] Baseline N / A 160.67 N / A 3409 3538 3928 Example 1 7.0 157.16 2157 3608 3767 3907 Example 2 5.4 161.28 3196 3639 3840 4002 Example 3 7.6 no data 2186 3559 3706 3895 Example 4 5.6 161.28 3406 3603 3796 4019 Example 5 4.1 160.87 N / A 3540 3675 4163

In the table above, the "extra mode" refers to the mode shape, or to the natural vibration mode that does not exist unless the bend is present. The extra mode generally exists as a face portion that itself rotates and flexes relative to the rest of the golf club body. In particular, embodiments include a bend extending across a portion of the sole, and the extra mode includes a face that rotates about the interface between the face and the crown to bend the bend. The bend is tuned to cause the extra mode to occur in the frequency range of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz, more preferably about 3600 Hz, which is analyzed to be most effective for increasing ball speed after impact. Practically speaking, tuning results in the width W of the bend varying along a sinusoid at a frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz immediately after the impact. If the extra mode occurs at frequencies above or below this range, the ball speed may be lower than the baseline example, which in fact does not include bends. The ball speed was determined to be reduced below the baseline golf club head without the bend using the finite element analysis of Example 1, which was bent tuned to provide an extra mode with a frequency of less than 2900 Hz, in particular approximately 2157 Hz. In addition, including too stiff curves provides a golf club head that does not include an extra mode, as shown in Example 5, and provides only minimal increase in ball speed after impact.

The delivery portion 46 of the sole 14 extends between the bend 36 and the leading edge 38. The transmission portion 46 is preferably configured such that the force of the golf ball impact is transmitted to the curved portion 18 without much bending of the transmission portion 46. For example, the delivery portion is arranged to be less bent. In particular, the transmission surface abutting the center of the transmission portion 46 (both before and after and heel / toe) of the sole 14 is angled with respect to the ground by an angle α. The angle α is preferably equal to or less than the loft angle of the golf club head at address so that the angle between the transfer surface and the ball striking surface is typically no greater than 90 degrees such that the transmission 46 is less curved during the ball impact.

Curved portion 36 may be formed in any suitable manner. For example, the bend 36 may be cast as an integral part of the sole 14. Alternatively, the bend 36 may be stamped or forged from the sole component. Moreover, the bend may comprise areas that are thickened, and may be formed by machining recesses in those areas to form the bend. For example, a spin milling process can be used to provide the desired recess, and a spin milling process is described in US Pat. No. 8,240,021, issued August 14, 2012, which is typically applied to face grooves, but with curved portions having a desired contour. Can be machined using the process by increasing the size of the spin mill tool and changing the contour of the cutter. Typically, the process uses a tool having a rotational axis parallel to the sole and perpendicular to the leading edge of the golf club head, and a cutting end contoured to form the desired contour of the bend. The tool is then moved along a cutting path that is typically parallel to the leading edge. As another variation described in more detail below, a separate bend may be added to the bend of the sole to further adjust the bend of the sole, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the face of the golf club head may include a face insert that is separately stamped, forged and / or machined to couple to the body of the golf club head. Alternatively, the entire face may be stamped, forged or cast as part of a uniform shell as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, thereby eliminating the need to glue or permanently secure a separate face insert to the body. Can be. As another alternative, the face may be part of a stamped or forged part, such as a face cup that includes a part of the sole, crown and / or skirt. In this embodiment, the face part is coupled to the rest of the club head body spaced apart from the face face by a distance of about 0.2 inches to about 1.5 inches. Preferably, the face part comprises a delivery of the sole extending into the bend, or the face part comprises both the delivery and the bend.

In other embodiments, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, golf club head 60 includes crown 62, sole 64, skirt 66 extending between crown 62 and sole 64, ball striking surface. A hollow body comprising a face 68 that provides 70, and a hosel 69. The hollow body forms an internal cavity 74 that can be empty or fully or partially filled.

The curved portion 76 is formed in the front portion of the sole, but may alternatively be formed in the crown and / or skirt. Preferably, the curved portion 76 is an elongate corrugation that extends approximately in the toe direction from the heel and is formed in the front portion of the sole 64 of the body of the golf club head 60. The curved portion 76 provides the flexible portion to the club head 60 rearward from the face 68 such that at least a portion of the face 68 is locally curved when the face 68 impacts the golf ball. In addition, it translates or rotates as a unit.

The curved portion 76 causes the front portion of the club comprising the face 68 to bend differently than without the curved portion, without changing the size and / or shape of the face 68. This flexibility results in less ball speed reduction experienced when missed, that is, when the ball impact is positioned away from the ideal impact position, and less spin occurs when impacted below the ideal impact position. For example, by providing the bend 76 in the sole 64 in close proximity to the face 68, the club head causes less ball speed reduction when the ball impact is located below the ideal impact position. Thus, in use, when a ball impact occurs below the club face of the club head of the present invention, it will go farther when compared to the same impact position on the club face of a conventional club head in normal swing characteristics.

In one embodiment, the curved portion 76 is provided substantially parallel to at least a portion of the leading edge 78 of the club head 60 and is provided within any distance D from the ball striking surface 70. Preferably, the bend 76 is provided at a distance D within 30 mm of the ball striking surface 70, more preferably within 20 mm of the ball striking surface 70, most preferably within 10 mm.

In the present embodiment, the curvature 76 is constructed from a first member 80, a second member 82, and a third member 83, generally as a separate component coupled to the sole 64. do. The first member 80 is coupled to the rear edge of the forward transmittal portion 65 of the sole 64 and is curved from the transfer portion 65 into the interior cavity 74. The second member 82 is coupled to the front edge of the rear portion of the sole 64 and also curved from the sole 64 into the inner cavity 74. The ends of the first member 80 and the second member 82 spaced apart from the sole 64 are joined to each other at apex 84. Preferably, the bend extends approximately in the toe direction in the heel.

Similar to the previous embodiment, the dimensions of the curved portion 76 are selected to provide the desired elastic flexure in response to ball impact. The curved portion 76 defines a height H, a width W, and a curl length C. Preferably, the curved portion 76 has a height greater than 4 mm, preferably about 5 mm to about 15 mm, a width greater than 4 mm, preferably about 5 mm to about 10 mm, and about 0.8 mm to about With a wall thickness of 2.0 mm, this dimension extends beyond the length, which is preferably at least 25% of the total club head length along the X axis.

The curved portion 76 includes a third member 83 that may be used to adjust the flexibility of the curved portion 76. The third member 83 may be connected to an inner surface (as shown) or an outer surface of the curved portion 76, and locally increases the rigidity of the curved portion 76. The third member 83 is preferably composed of a material having a specific gravity lower than at least one of the first member 80 and the second member 82. The third member 83 may be bonded to the first member 80 and the second member 82 using an adhesive, or may be mechanically connected by fastening, welding or brazing, for example. The third member may be composed of a metal material such as aluminum, or a non-metal material such as carbon fiber composite material or polyurethane.

The location, dimensions, and number of bends in the golf club head may be selected to provide the desired behavior. For example, a plurality of curved portions may be included as shown in golf club head 90 of FIGS. 7 and 8. Golf club head 90 has a hollow body structure generally defined by sole 92, crown 94, skirt 96, face 98 and hosel 100. The crown bend 102 is disposed in the front position of the crown 94, and the sole bend 104 is disposed in the front position of the sole 92. Each of the bends 102, 104 is preferably shaped and dimensioned as a predetermined bend.

In other embodiments, a bend may be included that covers a portion of the golf club head body or the entirety of the golf club head body. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, golf club head 110 has a hollow body structure defined by sole 112, crown 114, skirt 116, face 118 and hosel 120. Have The bend 122 is formed in the front portion of the golf club head and wraps around the periphery of the golf club head. Curvature 122 is generally formed in a plane parallel to the face plane of golf club head 110. The distance between bend 122 and face 118 may vary along its length such that bend 122 adjusts the local effect of providing flexibility of the golf club head. For example, portions of the curved portion 122 may be further spaced from the face 118 compared to other portions. As shown, in an embodiment, the heel and toe portions of curved portion 122 may be further spaced from face 118 than the sole and crown portions of curved portion 122. In addition, the dimensions of the bend 122 may also be modified to adjust the local effect that the bend 122 provides flexibility of the golf club head. As shown, portions of curved portion 122 may have different heights, widths, and / or curl lengths to alter the behavior of portions of curved portion 122.

In other embodiments, the flexible bend may be combined with a light density cover member of multiple materials, as shown in FIGS. 11-13. For example, golf club head 130 generally has a hollow body structure formed by sole 132, crown 134, skirt 136, face 138, and hosel 140. Golf club head 130 also includes a bend 142 formed in the front portion of sole 132 of golf club head 130. Cover 144 is also included in golf club head 130 and is configured to cover the outer surface of the bend.

Cover 144 is generally a strip material disposed across curve 142 so as to generally surround curve 142. The cover 144 may be dimensioned such that the cover covers some or all of the bend 142, and the cover may extend to a portion of the golf club head 130 that does not include the bend. For example and as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, cover 144 covers across curve 142 disposed on sole 132. Cover 144 also forms part of crown 134 and skirt 136. Preferably, cover 144 is made of a material different from the material of sole 132, crown 134, and skirt 136. The cover 144 is coupled to an adjacent portion of the golf club head 130 by welding, brazing or attaching to the adjacent portion. Preferably, the bend and cover are made of a titanium alloy, such as a beta-titanium alloy, have a width between about 2.0 mm and about 20.0 mm, and a thickness between about 0.35 mm and 2.0 mm.

The cover may be included to help control the address position of the golf club head or to eliminate the appearance of unwanted curves when the sole is positioned on the playing surface. In particular, the cover may be included to adjust the visual face angle of the golf club head when the head is positioned on the playing surface by changing the contact surface of the golf club head. The cover may be configured to enclose the periphery of the golf club head with respect to the crown and replace a portion of the material of the periphery to create a low density body structure, resulting in additional high discretionary mass, low and And / or provide a deep center of gravity location, high moment of inertia, thereby improving performance and distance potential.

In fact, the cover provides crown compliance, and the bend provides brush compliance. As a further alternative, the cover may be removed from the bend to provide compliance at the portion of the golf club head away from the sole. In this example, the dimensions of the components are shown in FIG. It is preferable to exist in the range described in 11-13.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, a golf club head 150 that includes curved portions 162 having various spatial relationships in the face plane along the toe length in the heel. Due to the structure of the golf club head coupled to the circular shape with the stress imposed on the face during ball impact, the lower portion of the face is generally subjected to different magnitudes of stress at different heel to toe positions. In general, at the heel and toe ends, a portion of the golf club head receives less stress than the portion of the golf club just below the geometric center of the face, and the stress gradient changes to stress on the sole in the area of the bend 162. The length of the curvature with respect to the leading edge and / or face plane of the face / sole intersection varies in response to the relative amount of stress in the various portions. For example, since the heel and toe portions of the bends are preferably located closer to the leading edge and face plane of the golf club head, these portions are particularly suitable for lower stress conditions, especially off-center ball impact. ) Tends to be more curved.

Golf club head 150 has a hollow body structure formed of sole 152, crown 154, skirt 156, face 158, and hosel 160. The bend 162 is formed in the front portion of the golf club head and generally extends across the golf club head in the heel to toe direction through the sole and skirt. Curved portion 162 generally includes central portion 164, toe portion 166 and heel portion 168. As noted above, the central portion 164 is forward from the face plane relative to the toe portion 166 and the heel portion 168 because some of the curved portions 162 are arranged in various spatial relationships with respect to the face plane. Curve 162 also includes heel and toe extensions 170 and 172 extending from heel and toe portions 168 and 166 respectively along skirt 156. Heel and toe extensions 170 and 172 also extend forward and meet in a skirt or sole position.

For further embodiments, the bends are provided primarily by the multi-material construction. Referring to FIGS. 16-18, golf club head 180 generally has a hollow body configuration formed by sole 182, crown 184, skirt 186, face 188, and hosel 190. And a curved portion 192. The curved portion 192 is included in the front portion of the golf club head 180 and, as shown, may be composed of a tubular member interposed between the face portion 194 and the rear body portion 196 to form an intermediate ring. have. In addition, the curved portion may have a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. The ring has a stiffness selected such that the face can be bent entirely in cooperation with locally occurring bends at the point of impact. Similar to the previous embodiment, the bend 192 is tuned such that the strike causes a frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz across the bend. The characteristic of the ring is chosen as an additional means for the control and optimization of COR and the corresponding characteristic time (CT), the value across the face, especially for ball impacts distant from the ideal striking position.

Curve 192 is comprised of a material that provides lower Young's modulus than adjacent portions of rear body portion 196 and face portion 194. Preferably, the bend 192, face portion 194, and rear body portion 196 are comprised of a material that can be easily joined by welding or the like. For example, as described in more detail below, face portion 194 and rear body portion 196 are preferably comprised of a first titanium alloy, and curved portion 192 is comprised of a beta-titanium alloy. The curved portion 192 can be configured to have a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the adjacent portion, and the outer surface of the curved portion to be flush with the outer surface of the adjacent portion, as shown in FIG. 18. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 19, the curved portion 192a may be configured such that the thickness is different from the adjacent portion, and the outer surface of the curved portion 192a is recessed relative to the adjacent portion. Alternatively, the bend may be configured such that the outer surface of the bend is proud or raised relative to the adjacent portion.

Alternatively, a carbon composite ring may be included for the bend 192 that provides lower stiffness. Joint shape, ring geometry (such as ring width and thickness that can vary depending on the ring's position), ring position, fiber orientation, resin type, and resin content percentages help maintain the driver's face while maintaining golf club head durability. All parameters are selected to optimize the flexibility of the bend 192 so that the speed of the ball leaving across is improved. Preferably, the carbon composite bend is coupled to the adjacent metallic face portion and the adjacent metallic rear body portion. In one example, the bend may have a width of about 12.0 mm to about 20.0 mm and a thickness in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm, the thickness may vary depending on the position around the perimeter.

Multi-material curvatures may be included within the golf club head of FIGS. 20 and 21. Golf club head 200 includes curvature 202 that primarily depends on material properties to change stiffness, similar to curvature 192, but includes a multi-material configuration. Golf club head 200 consists entirely of a hollow body formed by base portion 204, bend 202, and rear body portion 206. When the face portion 204, the bend 202, and the rear body portion 206 are joined, they are generally the face 208, crown 210, sole 212, skirt 214, and hosel 216. To form.

The curved portion 202 includes a front member 218, a central member 220, and a trailing member 222. Preferably, the material is such that the front member 218 and the trailing member 222 are easily coupled to the face portion 204 and the rear body portion 206 and the central member 220 has a frequency ranging from about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz. It is selected to be thin and flexible enough to provide an extra vibration mode. In one embodiment, the front member 218 and the tail member 222 are metallic, and the central member 220 is interposed between the front member 218 and the tail member 222 and consists of a carbon fiber composite. Preferably, the trailing member 222 is spaced at least 6.0 mm, more preferably at least 12.0 mm from the interface between the face 208 and the front member 218. The hosel 216 may be composed of metallic and / or nonmetallic materials. In one embodiment, face portion 204 and rear body portion 206 are comprised of a titanium alloy, and front member 218 and tail member 222 are less dense than titanium, preferably of lower Young's modulus, aluminum Or a material such as a magnesium alloy, and the central member 220 is composed of a carbon fiber composite that is thin enough and flexible to provide the desired frequency response. Additionally, the front member and / or tail member can be co-molded with the composite central member. In general, the material is selected to provide adequate bond strength between the components using common methods such as adhesive bonding.

The golf club head of the present invention may include a bend extending across the interface between the face and the rear portion of the golf club head, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. Golf club head 230 generally has a hollow body configuration formed by sole 232, crown 234, skirt 236, face 238, and hosel 240, and includes bend 242. . The bend 242 is included in the front portion of the golf club head 230 and is interposed between the face 238 and the sole 232, the crown 234, and the skirt 236.

The bend has a stiffness selected such that the face can be bent entirely in cooperation with the bend locally occurring at the point of impact. Similar to the previous embodiment, the bend 242 is tuned such that the strike causes a frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz across the bend. The characteristic of the ring is chosen as an additional means for the control and optimization of COR and the corresponding characteristic time (CT), the value across the face, especially for ball impacts distant from the ideal striking position.

Curvature 242 is generally located around the periphery of face 238 and from the face of golf club head 230 across the transition curvature to the rear of the golf club head, such as sole 232, crown 234, and skirt. Extends to 236. The bend 242 may be discontinuous as shown, so it is blocked by the hosel portion of the golf club head. The bend 242 terminates at a flange that provides a coupling feature to the mounting bend 242 at the golf club head 230. It will be appreciated that the coupling features may be surfaces provided to form butt joints, overlap joints, tongue and groove joints, and the like. The bend 242 includes a face flange 244 and a rear flange 246. Face flange 244 is coupled to peripheral edge 248 of face 238. A portion of the rear flange 246 is coupled to the portions of the peripheral edges of the sole 232, crown 234, and skirt 236 as by engagement of the crown flange 250 and the sole flange 252. Preferably, the face and rear flange are between about 2.0 mm and about 12.0 mm.

Flexure 242 is preferably made of a material that provides a lower Young's modulus than the proximal portion of the golf club head. Preferably, the bend 242, face 238 and the rear of golf club head 230 are constructed from materials that can be easily joined, such as by welding. For example, the face 238 and the rear portion are preferably composed of a first titanium alloy and the curved portion 242 is constructed from a beta titanium alloy as described in more detail below.

Alternatively, the bend 242 may be constructed from a carbon fiber composite ring that provides lower stiffness. The joint configuration, ring shape, ring position, fiber orientation, resin type and percentage resin content are selected to capture the flexibility of the bend 242 so that the face of the driver is maintained while the golf club head is durable. All factors that improve the speed of the ball leaving across. Preferably, the carbon composite bend is attached to an adjacent metal face and an adjacent metal rear body portion.

In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 24, the bend is coupled to the face member at the transition between the face and the back of the golf club head. For example, golf club head 260 has a generally hollow body structure defined by sole 262, crown 264, skirt 266, face 268, hosel and bend 272. The bend 272 is comprised of the front portion of the golf club head 260 and consists of a generally annular member interposed between the face 268 and the sole 262, crown 264, and skirt 266.

Similar to the previous embodiments, the bend 272 is adjusted to convey an oscillation frequency of approximately 2900 Hz to approximately 4000 Hz at which the impact traverses the curved portion. Curvature 272 is located around the periphery of face 268 and from the face of golf club head 260 across the transition curvature to the rear of the golf club head, such as sole 262, crown 264, and skirt ( 266). The bend 272 terminates at a flange that provides an example of a coupling feature to the mounting bend 272 at the golf club head 260. In particular, the bend 272 includes a face flange 274 and a rear flange 276. Face flange 274 is coupled to peripheral flange 278 of face 268. A portion of the rear flange 276 is coupled to the portions of the peripheral edges of the sole 262, crown 264, and skirt 266 as by engagement with the crown flange 280 and the sole flange 282.

The bend 272 is preferably made of a material that provides a lower Young's modulus than the adjacent portion of the golf club head. Preferably, the bend 272, face 268 and back of golf club head 260 are constructed from materials that can be easily joined, such as by welding. For example, face 268 and rear portion are preferably constructed from a first titanium alloy and curved portion 272 is constructed from beta titanium alloy as described in more detail below.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 25, golf club head 290 includes an interface member used to couple flexure 292 to an adjacent portion of golf club head 290. The front interface member 294 is interposed between the curved portion 292 and the face member 296. Similarly, the trailing interface member 298 is interposed between the curved portion 292 and the trailing body member 300.

In the present embodiment, the front interface member 294 and the trailing interface member 298 are both configured as annular members interposed between adjacent components. The front interface member 294 includes a face flange 302 coupled to the bent portion 292 by overlapping a face flange 302 coupled to the face member 296 by an overlap joint. A portion of the front interface member 294 is exposed and forms part of the front surface of the golf club head 290. The interface member 294 spaces the front edge of the curved portion 292 from the periphery of the face member 296. The trailing interface member 298 includes a rear body flange 306 coupled to the trailing body member 300 and a curved flange 308 coupled to the curved portion 292. The trailing interface member 298 spaces the trailing body member 300 from the curved portion 292.

Golf club head 290 has a multi-material structure. For example, the trailing body member 300 and face member 296 are composed of a titanium alloy and may be composed of a similar titanium alloy such as Ti6-4. The front interface member 294 and the rear interface member 298 are comprised of materials selected to couple to the materials of the face member 296, the curved portion 292, and the tail body member 300. In an example, the interface member is comprised of an aluminum alloy and the bend is comprised of a carbon fiber composite. It will also be appreciated that the interface member 298 need not be configured in a constant cross-sectional shape.

As shown in FIG. 26, golf club head 320 includes an interface member that is used to couple flexure 322 to an adjacent portion of golf club head 320. The front interface member 324 is interposed between the bend 322 and the face member 326. Similarly, the trailing interface member 328 is interposed between the bend 322 and the trailing body member 330.

Both front interface member 324 and trailing interface member 328 consist of an annular member interposed between adjacent components. The front interface member 324 includes a face flange 332 coupled to the face member 326 with an overlap joint. The front interface member 324 also includes a curved flange 334 coupled to the front flange 340 of the curved portion 322. A portion of the front interface flange 324 is exposed and forms part of the front surface of the golf club head 320. The interface member 324 spaces the front edge of the bend 322 from the peripheral edge of the face member 326. The trailing interface member 328 includes a rear body flange 336 coupled to the trailing body member 330 and a curved flange 338 coupled to the curved portion 322. The trailing interface member 328 spaces the trailing body member 330 from the curved portion 322.

Golf club head 320 has a multi-material structure. In one example, the trailing body member 330 and face member 326 may be made of a titanium alloy and may be made of the same titanium alloy, such as Ti6-4. The front interface member 324 and the trailing interface member 328 are composed of a material selected to couple to the materials of the face member 326, the bend 322, and the trailing body member 330. In one example, the interface member is comprised of an aluminum alloy and the bend is constructed from a carbon fiber composite.

Referring to FIG. 27, the golf club head 350 includes a bend 352 spaced from the transition between the back of the golf club and the face 354. Generally, golf club head 350 has a hollow body structure formed by sole 356, crown 358, skirt 360, face 354, hosel, and bend 352.

Flexure 352 is interposed between face 354 and the rear portion of golf club head 350. The bend 352 is an annular member having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional shape, and thus includes a front flange 362 and a tail flange 364. The front flange 362 is coupled to the face flange 366 of the face 354, and the tail flange 364 is coupled to the flange of the rear of the golf club, including the crown flange 368 and the sole flange 370.

Embodiments are shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 similar to the embodiment of FIG. 27 but including an alternative flange configuration. As shown in FIG. 28, golf club head 380 has a hollow body structure formed by sole 382, crown 384, skirt 386, face 388, hosel, and bend 390. . The bend 390 is interposed between the face 388 and the rear portion of the golf club head that includes the sole 382 and the crown 384. The bend 390 is generally an annular member that includes a front coupling 392 and a tail flange 394. The front coupling 392 is a portion of the bend 390 that wraps around and is coupled to the face flange 396, thus receiving at least a portion of the face flange 396. Portions of the trailing flange 394 abut and engage the sole flange 398 and crown flange 400.

As shown in FIG. 29, golf club head 410 has a hollow body structure formed by sole 412, crown 414, skirt 416, face 418, hosel, and bend 420. . The bend 420 is interposed between the face 418 and the back of the golf club head that includes the sole 412 and the crown 414. The bend 420 is generally an annular member that includes a front coupling 422 and a tail flange 424. Front engagement portion 422 abuts and engages face flange 426. A portion of the trailing flange 424 abuts and couples to the sole flange 428 and the crown flange 430.

The structure of the bend of each embodiment can be taken from many different alternatives to provide coordinated behavior during impact with the golf ball. 30-34 illustrate various alternative multi-fragment structure curves. In particular, the curved portions shown include curved components having various alternative geometries. For example, the curved portion 440 of FIG. 30 includes an angled cross-sectional shape that includes a curved component 442 that is generally formed of an L-shaped member. The curved component 442 is coupled to the front flange 444 and the rear flange 446 of the golf club body 448. As shown, the front flange 444 and the tail flange 446 are converging flanges angled towards each other. The front flange 444 and the rear flange 446 are integrated into the sole 450 of the golf club head body 448 at a location generally adjacent to the face 452 of the golf club head. As noted above, the bend 440 is preferably located within about 20 mm of the ball-hit surface of the face 452, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. Curved component 442 may be bonded to and / or by using an optional mechanical bonding process such as welding, soldering, mechanical fastening, diffusion bonding, liquid phase interface diffusion bonding, super plastic forming, and diffusion bonding. It may be coupled to the front flange 444 and the rear flange 446. Structures such as crown pull structures or face pull structures allow access to the internal cavities of the golf club head during manufacture, so that the joining process can be easily achieved.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 31, the bend 460 has a wavy or corrugated shape and the cross-sectional shape is included in the golf club head 462. Curvature 460 consists of curvature element 464 coupled to front flange 466 and rear flange 468 of golf club head 462. The front flange 466 and the tail flange 468 are integrated into the sole 472 of the golf club head body 462 at a location near the face 470 of the golf club head as a whole. As noted above, the bend 460 is preferably located within about 20 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 470, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. Curve element 464 may be coupled to front flange 466 and tail flange 468 by any mechanical bonding process, such as, for example, welding, brazing, mechanical fastening, and / or using adhesive.

In a further embodiment, the bend is formed from a flange and an overall channel-shaped bend element. According to FIG. 32, golf club head 480 is formed by bend element 484 coupled to the flange of sole 492 of golf club head 480, for example by welding, brazing and / or adhesives. A curved portion 482 to be included. The bend 482 is preferably located within about 20 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 494, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. In particular, the flexure element 484 is an overall channel shaped member including a recess 486 that receives a portion of the front flange 488 and the rear flange 490. The recesses 486 are spaced apart by a portion of the bend element 484 that is selected to provide the desired spacing between the front flange 488 and the rear flange 490.

In a similar embodiment, as shown in FIG. 33, golf club head 500 includes a bend 502 formed by bend element 504 having a channel-shaped cross section. Flexure element 504 is coupled to a flange formed in sole 506 of golf club head 500 by, for example, welding, brazing and / or adhesive. The bend 502 is preferably located within about 20 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 508, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. In particular, the flexure element 504 is an overall channel-shaped member that forms a slot for receiving portions of the front flange 510 and the rear flange 512.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 34, golf club head 520 includes a bend 522 formed by bend element 524 having a channel-shaped cross section. The curvature element 524 is configured to have a shark tooth-shaped cross-section in its entirety, and in particular includes an overall planar portion and a first bent portion that meet at the vertex. Flexure element 524 is coupled to a flange formed in sole 526 of golf club head 520 by, for example, welding, brazing and / or adhesive. The bend 522 is preferably located within about 20 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 528, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. In particular, the flexure element 524 is an overall channel-shaped member that forms a slot for receiving portions of the front flange 530 and the rear flange 532.

Referring to FIG. 35, another embodiment of golf club head 540 includes a bend 542 similar to the shape of the embodiment shown in FIG. 34, while bend 542 is outward from sole 546 of the golf club head. To extend. Curve 542 is formed by curve element 544 having a cross section forming a channel. The curvature element 544 is configured to have a shark tooth cross-sectional shape as a whole, and in particular includes an overall planar portion and a first bend that meet at the vertex. Flexure element 544 is coupled to a flange formed in sole 546 of golf club head 540 by, for example, welding, brazing and / or adhesive. The bend 542 is preferably located within about 20.0 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 548, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 36, golf club head 560 includes bend 562. Curve 562 is formed by curve element 564 having an overall tubular cross section. Curve element 564 is configured to have an overall tubular cross-sectional shape and is shown as having an annular cross-sectional shape, but it should be understood that it may have any cross-sectional shape. Flexure element 564 is coupled to flange 568 formed in sole 566 of golf club head 560 by, for example, welding, brazing and / or adhesives. The bend element 564 has an outer shape that complements the flange 568 and provides a mating surface such that the bend element 564 can be coupled to the flange 568. The bend 562 is preferably located within about 20.0 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 570, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm.

Referring to FIG. 37, in a further embodiment, golf club head 580 includes curvature 582. The curved portion 582 is similar to the shape of the embodiment shown in FIG. 34, but the curved portion 582 is oriented so that the cross section of the shark tooth shape as a whole is reversed. In particular, the bend of the curved portion 582 is further rearward than the other embodiment shown. As shown, the curved portion 582 is formed by the curved element element 584 having a cross section forming a channel, but the curved portion 582 may be formed integrally with the sole 586 of the golf club head 580. It should be understood that it can. By changing the orientation of the bend to the remainder of the golf club head, the stress acting on the bend is applied in an alternating direction and the bend of the bend is different so that the bend is effectively hardened. As a result, the bend can be adjusted relative to the golf club head by changing the orientation. Flexure element 584 is coupled to a flange formed in sole 586 of golf club head 580 by, for example, welding, brazing and / or adhesive. The curved portion 582 is preferably located within about 20.0 mm of the ball striking surface of the face 588, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm, and preferably between about 0.35 mm and 2.0 mm in thickness.

As noted above, the curvature of the present invention provides locally lower stiffness at portions of the golf club head. Lower stiffness is generally achieved by partial material selection of the bend and / or by shape selection of the bend, such as deformation of shape and / or cross-sectional thickness. Materials selected to provide lower stiffness bends include low Young's modulus beta (β), or adjacent beta (adjacent β) titanium alloys.

Beta titanium alloys are preferred because they provide a relatively low Young's modulus. The displacement of the plate supported around it under stress application is a function of the stiffness of the plate. The rigidity of the plate is directly proportional to the Young's modulus and the cube of thickness (ie, t ³ ). Thus, when comparing two material samples having different Young's modulus and the same thickness, the material with the lower Young's modulus is displaced more under the application of the same force. The energy stored in the plate is directly proportional to the displacement of the plate as long as the material behaves elastically and the stored energy is released immediately when the applied stress is removed. Therefore, it is desirable to use a material that can displace more and thus store more elastic energy.

It is also desirable to match the vibration frequency of the golf club face to the vibration frequency of the golf ball to maximize the speed of the golf ball off the face after impact. The oscillation frequency of the face depends on the material's Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio, and face variables such as face shape. Alpha beta (α-β) Ti alloys typically have coefficients ranging from 105 to 120 GPa. In comparison, conventional β-Ti alloys have a Young's modulus in the range of 48 to 100 GPa.

The material selection for the golf club head must also take into account the durability of the golf club head through the impact of many golf balls. After all, the fatigue life of the face must be taken into account, and the fatigue life depends on the strength of the selected material. Thus, the material for the golf club head should be selected to provide sufficient strength to provide maximum ball speed and satisfactory fatigue life from face impact.

β-Ti alloys generally provide low Young's modulus, but are also usually accompanied by low material strength. β-Ti alloys can generally be heat treated to obtain an increase in strength, but also heat treatment generally results in an increase in Young's modulus. However, β-Ti alloys can be cold worked to increase the strength without a significant increase in Young's modulus, and since the alloys generally have a body-centered cubic crystal structure, they can generally be cold worked extensively.

Preferably, a material having a strength in the range of about 900-1200 MPa and a Young's modulus in the range of about 48-100 GPa is used for the portion of the golf club head. For example, it is desirable to use such materials for the front and / or bend and / or bend cover of a golf club head. Materials characterized by such a range include titanium alloys, generally referred to as rubber metals.

Although less preferred, heat treatment may be used for β-Ti to obtain an acceptable balance of strength and Young's modulus of the material. In general, conventional applications of β-titanium alloys require heat treatment to maximize the strength of the material without controlling the Young's modulus. The titanium alloy undergoes a phase transition from the hexagonal dense crystal structure α phase to the body centered cubic β phase when heated. The temperature at which this deformation occurs is called β-transfer temperature. As a rule, the alloying elements added to titanium exhibit a preference for stabilizing the α phase or β phase, and thus are referred to as α stabilizers or β stabilizers. The β phase can be stabilized even at room temperature by an alloying element having any amount of β stabilizer. However, when such an alloy is reheated to a high temperature below the β-transfer temperature, the β phase decomposes and changes to the α phase as defined by the thermodynamic law. Such alloys are called metastable β titanium alloys.

Although the laws of thermodynamics predict the formation of the α phase, in practice, many non-equilibrium phases appear upon decomposition of the β phase. These non-equilibrium phases are represented by α ', α "and ω. Each of these phases has a different Young's modulus, and it is generally reported that the magnitude of the Young's modulus corresponds to β <α" <α <ω. Thus, if it is desired to increase the strength of β-titanium through heat treatment, it is speculated that it is advantageous to eliminate or minimize the formation of the α and ω phases in such a way that the material comprises the α ″ phase as the preferred decomposition product. "The formation of the phase is facilitated by quenching from the α + β region of the material state diagram, which means that the alloy must be quenched from below the β-transfer temperature. Therefore, it is preferable that a β-Ti alloy heat treated to maximize the formation of the α ″ phase from the β phase is used for the portion of the golf club head.

The heat treatment process is selected to provide the desired phase change. Heat treatment variables such as maximum temperature, holding time, heating rate, quench rate are selected to produce the desired material composition. In addition, the heat treatment process can be specified for selected alloys because the effects of different β stabilizing components are not the same. For example, Ti-Mo alloys behave differently than Ti-Nb alloys or Ti-V alloys or Ti-Cr alloys, and Mo, Nb, V and Cr are all β stabilizers but have varying degrees of effect. . The β-transus temperature range for metastable β-Ti alloys is from about 700 ° C to about 800 ° C. Thus, for such alloys, the solubilization temperature range is approximately 25-50 degrees Celsius below the β-transfer temperature, and practically this alloy is solvated within the range of approximately 650 ° C to approximately 750 ° C. After water quenching is performed, the β-Ti alloy may be aged at low temperature to further increase the strength. The strength of the solid solution treatment material is measured to be approximately 650 MPa and the heat treated alloy has a strength of 1050 MPa.

Examples of suitable β titanium alloys include: Ti-15Mo-3Al, Ti-15Mo-3Nb-0.3O, Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al, Ti-13Mo-7Zr-3Fe, Ti-13Mo, Ti-12Mo -6Zr-2Fe, Ti-Mo, Ti-35Nb-5Ta-7Zr, Ti-34Nb-9Zr-8Ta, Ti-29Nb-13Zr2Cr, Ti-29Nb-15Zr-1.5Fe, Ti-29Nb-10Zr-0.5Si, Ti -29Nb-10Zr-0.5Fe-0.5Cr, Ti-29Nb-18Zr-Cr-0.5Si, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr, Ti-Nb, Ti-22V-4Al, Ti-15V-6Cr-4Al, Ti -15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-13V-11Cr, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-5Al-5V-5Mo-3Cr, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr, Ti-1.5Al- 5.5 Fe-6.8Mo, Ti-13Cr-1Fe-3Al, Ti-6.3Cr-5.5Mo-4.0Al-0.2Si, Ti-Cr, Ti-Ta alloys, for example Ti-36Nb-2Ta-3Zr-0.35O Gum Metal Family of alloys represented by Ti + 25 mol% (Ta, Nb, V) + (Zr, Hf, O) such as (weight percent). Near-beta titanium alloys may include: SP-700, TIMET 18, and the like.

In general, face cups or face inserts on creative golf club heads, due to the high strength of Ti-64, Ti-17, ATI425, TIMET 54, Ti-9, TIMET 639, VL-Ti, It is preferably made of α-β or pseudo-β titanium alloy such as KS ELF, SP-700 and the like. In addition, the rear portion of the golf club body, i.e. parts other than face cups, face inserts, bends and bend covers, are preferably Ti-8Al-1V-1Mo, Ti-8Al-1Fe, Ti-5Al-1Sn-1Zr-. It is made of α, α-β or β titanium alloys such as 1V-0.8Mo, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti-3Al-2V, Ti-64 and the like.

As described above, the bend may be configured as a separate component and attached to the rest of the golf club head body. For example, the bend component may be stamped or formed from a wrought sheet material and the remainder of the body may be configured as one or more casting components. Stamping the bend component may be preferable to casting the bend because casting can lead to mechanical defects. For example, casting materials often have lower mechanical properties than the same materials that are often in the form of lots. For example, Ti-64 in cast form has about 10% to 20% lower mechanical properties than lot Ti-64. This is because the particle size of the casting is significantly larger than the lot shape, and generally finer particle sizes result in higher mechanical properties in the metal material.

Titanium castings also develop a surface layer called an "alpha case", which is a zero of a surface primarily having alpha phase titanium resulting from titanium with rich interstitial oxygen. The alpha phase itself is not harmful, but it has high hardness and brittleness, and therefore the alpha case can compromise the durability of the component in fatigue applications such as repeated golf ball strikes causing repeated bending.

Most titanium alloys are nearly impossible to mold at room temperature. Thus, the titanium alloy must be heated to elevated temperatures for shaping. The temperature required to mold the alloy will depend on the composition of the alloy, and alloys with higher beta transus temperatures generally require higher forming temperatures. Exposure to elevated temperatures results in lower mechanical properties when the material is cooled to ambient temperature. In addition, exposure to elevated temperatures results in the formation of oxide layers on the surface. This oxide layer is generally similar to the "alpha case" described above, except that it generally does not extend deep into the material. Therefore, it is advantageous if the molding temperature can be lowered.

In general, if Ti-64 is generally used in the construction of metal wood type golf club heads and used as a baseline, alloys with beta transus temperatures lower than Ti-64 can provide significant gains. For example, one such alloy is ATI 425, which has a beta transus temperature in the range of about 957-971 ° C., while Ti-64 has a beta transus temperature of about 995 ° C. Thus, it can be expected that ATI 425 can be molded at lower temperatures compared to Ti-64. Because ATI 425 has mechanical properties comparable to Ti-64 at room temperature, it is expected that a sole made of ATI 425 alloy will be stronger than a sole made of Ti-64. In addition, ATI 425 generally has better formability compared to Ti-64, so that, for example, the bend will be formed of ATI 425 sheet material and will be less thinner in cross section than the bend formed of Ti-64 sheet material. In addition, the ATI 425 is cold moldable to enable stronger components.

For example, a multi-material golf club head is constructed from components consisting of Ti-64 and ATI 425. The body, including the crown, sole or partial sole, skirt, hosel and face flange, may be a casting of Ti-64. A portion of the sole may then be formed by the bend component comprised of ATI 425 and welded to the Ti-64 body cast in a slot or recess, as in the configuration shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The forged face insert is then welded to the face flange of the cast Ti-64 to complete the head.

Various manufacturing methods can be used to manufacture various elements of the golf club head of the present invention. Preferably, all the elements are joined by welding. The welding process may be done manually, such as TIG welding or MIG welding, or may be done by laser, plasma, e-beam, ion beam, combinations thereof, or the like. Other bonding processes may be used, such as soldering and adhesive bonding, if desired, depending on the material selection.

The components may be formed using stamping and forming processes, casting processes, molding processes, and / or forging processes. As used herein, forging is a process that causes a substantial change in the shape of a specimen, such as starting at a bar and changing it into a sheet, and characteristically includes both dimensional and shape changes. In addition, forging is generally performed at high temperatures and may include changes in the microstructure of the material, such as changes in particle shape. Molding is generally used to describe the process by which the shape of the material is made while maintaining the dimensions of the material, starting with the sheet material and giving the sheet a shape without significant thickness variation. The following are examples of selecting a material for a portion of a golf club head using a stamping and forming process.

a) α-β face member + β-curve + α-β rear body

b) β face member + α-β face insert + β curve + α-β rear body

c) β face member + α-β face insert + β bend + β rear body

d) β face member + α-β face insert + β bend + α-β rear body (heat treatment)

An example of material selection for parts of a golf club head using a casting is as follows.

a) Casting α-β face member + Casting β bend + Casting α-β rear body

b) Molded α-β face member + casting β bend + casting α-β rear body

c) Molded α-β face member + casting β bend + molded α-β rear body

d) Casting α-β Face Member + Casting β Curve + Molded α-β Rear Body

An example of material selection for parts of a golf club head using forgings is as follows.

a) forging α-β face member + casting β bend + casting α-β rear body

b) forging α-β face member + casting β bend + forming α-β rear body

The concentration of β alloy is generally greater than the concentration of α-β or α alloy. As a result, the use of the β alloy in the various parts of the golf club head results in parts with greater mass. A light alloy may be used at the rear of the body such that the entire golf club head can be kept within a predetermined range, such as between approximately 170 g and 210 g relative to the driver type golf club head. Materials such as aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, carbon fiber composites, carbon nanotube composites, glass fiber composites, reinforced plastics, and combinations of these materials may be used.

While various descriptions of the invention have been disclosed above, it should be understood that various features of each embodiment may be used alone or in combinations thereof. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to only the specific preferred embodiments described herein. Furthermore, it should be understood that variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art. For example, the face insert may have a thickness change in a cascading continuous manner. In addition, the shape and position of the slot is not limited to that disclosed in the text. Accordingly, all suitable modifications can be readily achieved in the art from the disclosures disclosed in the text that fall within the scope and spirit of the invention, which are included as further embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by what is described in the appended claims.

Claims (20)

Is a golf club head,
A crown forming the upper surface of the golf club head,
A sole that forms the lower surface of the golf club head,
Sidewalls extending between crown and brush,
A hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore,
A face that forms a ball striking surface and intersects the bottom surface at the leading edge,
A bend spaced apart in the trailing direction of the ball striking surface and extending parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head in the heel to toe direction,
The sole is composed of a first material having a first Young's modulus, the curved portion is composed of a second material having a second Young's modulus lower than the first Young's modulus,
The bend is adjusted so that the width across the bend immediately after the impact changes to a sinusoidal shape at a frequency of 2900 Hz to 4000 Hz from the face to the tail,
The golf club head, at least part of which the bend consists of a β-Ti alloy. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the curved portion is annular and has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the curved portion is recessed from at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the curved portion forms a transition between at least one of the crown and the sole and the face. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the curved portion comprises a plurality of components. 6. The curved portion of claim 5 wherein the curved portion comprises a front member, a central member and a trailing member, wherein the central member is composed of a first material and at least one of the front member and the trailing member is composed of a second material different from the first material. Being, golf club head. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the front and tail members are metallic. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the curved portion includes a curved component coupled to the front flange and the rear flange of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the front flange and the rear flange extend from the sole toward the interior of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the curved component extends from the front flange and the rear flange toward the interior of the golf club head. Is a golf club head,
A crown forming the upper surface of the golf club head,
A sole that forms the lower surface of the golf club head,
Sidewalls extending between crown and brush,
A hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore,
A face that forms a ball striking surface and intersects the bottom surface at the leading edge,
A bend spaced apart in the trailing direction of the ball striking surface and extending parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head in the heel to toe direction,
The sole is composed of a first material having a first Young's modulus, the curved portion is composed of a second material having a second Young's modulus lower than the first Young's modulus,
The bend is adjusted so that the width across the bend immediately after the impact changes to a sinusoidal shape at a frequency of 2900 Hz to 4000 Hz from the face to the tail,
At least a portion of the curved portion is composed of a β-Ti alloy,
The bend extends across the body from 5.0 mm to 20.0 mm from the leading edge of the golf club in the toe direction at the heel and intersects at least a portion of the sidewall of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the curved portion is annular and has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the bend is recessed from at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the bend forms a transition between at least one of the crown and the sole and the face. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the curved portion comprises a plurality of components. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the curved portion comprises a front member, a central member and a trailing member, wherein the central member is comprised of a first material and at least one of the front member and the trailing member is comprised of a second material different from the first material. Being, golf club head. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the front and tail members are metallic. 12. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the bend comprises a bend component coupled to the front flange and the rear flange of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the front flange and the rear flange extend from the sole towards the interior of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the curved component extends from the front flange and the rear flange toward the interior of the golf club head.

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