FR2782650A1 - Head for golf club; has cells formed around edges of club head to reduce air resistance - Google Patents

Abstract

The head (1) for a golf club has cells (6) formed at the level of the upper (2) and peripheral faces (4). The cells are positioned next to each other, to reduce the air resistance of the club head and may be curved or polygonal.

Description

The technical sector of the present invention is that of golf clubs

and more particularly that

heads.

  The search for performance has prompted numerous studies on balls and golf clubs in order to increase the accuracy and length of the shot. These performances are linked, with equal competence, to the aerodynamics of the ball and the head of the club and in

  a lesser measure of that of the handle.

  Currently, the shape of the club head of the driver and wood type is well defined to send very

  away the ball from a substantially flat area.

  In this starting phase, we understand that an improvement in the aerodynamics of the head gives an appreciable advantage over a competitor, all

  conditions being equal elsewhere.

  WO-96/16705 has thus proposed a golf club head having a concave fin integrated transversely in the upper face. This fin is supposed to cause air guidance to reduce aerodynamic drag. However, this fin seems to be difficult to control even for the experienced player because of the precise positioning of the club at the time of striking the ball. In addition, weather conditions (wind, rain, ...) modify the

  characteristics of use of such a club.

  Note EP-0 382 919 which proposes a golf club whose head and / or handle are provided with cells in order to improve the aesthetic appearance according to this invention. This document describes the process for producing the cells which necessarily remain very far apart from each other to give this aesthetic appearance. The object of the present invention is to propose a new golf club head whose aerodynamic drag is reduced and thereby provides greater kinetic energy when the ball is struck. The subject of the invention is therefore a golf club head having an upper face, a so-called striking front face, a peripheral face and a lower face called a sole, characterized in that it comprises at its upper and peripheral faces a set of cells of any shape whose edges are close to each other, to reduce its

  aerodynamic resistance to movement in air.

  Advantageously, the edges of the cells are

at least partially joined.

  The cells can be completely contiguous.

  Each cell is in the form of a bowl with a circular edge or in the form of an inverted pyramid, the base of which is a quadrilateral of at least

three sides.

  Preferably, the depth of each cell is

  at most equal to the largest dimension of its base.

  The alveoli can be made in the thickness of the head or on a fixed thin membrane

  on the upper and peripheral faces.

  The cells are produced by machining the faces

superior and peripheral.

  The cells are produced during the molding of

the head.

  A first advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the head develops a non-laminar air flow over practically its entire surface reducing

thus aerodynamic drag.

  Another advantage of the invention lies in the increase in the distance the ball travels.

  when using a club equipped with such a head.

  Another advantage of the invention is the simplicity of the technique used to produce the cells. Another advantage is that the golf club equipped with the head according to the invention has an aspect

  quite distinct from previous achievements.

  Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the

  additional description given below as

  indicative in relation to the appended drawings in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 show a golf club head seen in perspective, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the cells, FIG. 4 is a section along AA of the Figure 3, - Figure 5 is a section along BB of Figure 3, - Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the cells, - Figure 7 is a section along CC of Figure 6, - and Figure 8 is an example of realization of a

membrane.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 show a perspective of the head 1 of a golf club of the "driver" type. It is obvious that the invention can be applied to all types of heads, for example wood, wood-metal or irons. This head conventionally has an upper face 2, a front face 3 known as striking, a peripheral face 4 joining the two edges of the striking face and a lower face 5 or sole. According to the invention, cells 6 are provided on the upper 2 and peripheral 4 faces, the faces 3 and being free. These cells 6 are in the form of depressions produced in the thickness of the surface layer of the faces 2 and 4. The shape of these cells 6 can be arbitrary, for example in the form of a bowl, of an inverted pyramid with a triangular, square base, pentagonal or other, of semi-spherical or hemispherical cap, oblong, etc .... These alveoli are

  arranged close to each other, that is,

  say that there may remain between their respective edges a substantially planar surface whose width is for example less than about 5 mm. As a variant, these cells can be joined together at their peripheral edge so that very little or no material remains between them. We will preferably choose a width less than a millimeter. This arrangement is important because it allows the desired technical effect to be obtained. At the line dividing two faces, for example line 7, we

  arranges to have half cells 6 '.

  In Figure 3, there is shown an embodiment of the cells 6 in top view whose edges are circular. The cells 6a-6n are therefore substantially contiguous, but a free surface 8 remains with a quantity of projecting material. The connecting edge 9 between two adjacent cells is, on the other hand, sharp or slightly rounded. These cells 6 delimit a spherical cap, for example the depth is

adapted to the edge diameter.

  In Figure 4, there is shown a section of the cells 6 illustrating the position of these in the thickness of the face 2 or 4. The depth (p) of these cells is preferably less than the diameter (d) of their edge . In the figure, this depth is identical for all the cells 6 without this

  constitutes a limitation of the protection of the invention.

  Thus, it is possible to adopt cells of different size and / or shape on each face 2 or 4. It is also possible to provide cells 6 of a shape and / or size on the upper face 2 and cells 6 of size and / or different shape on the face 4. In Figure 5, there is shown a section BB of Figure 3 showing the modification of the free surface 8 flat or rounded may remain either between cells of identical shape, or between alveoli of different shape. The surface 8 can also be treated in order to constitute a depression 10 between the adjacent cells 6d and 6e. The shape of this depression 10 is also arbitrary and depends on the surface

  remaining 8 between the adjacent cells 6d and 6e.

  In Figure 6, there is shown another embodiment of the cells 6 which here are in the form of an inverted pyramidal depression, the base of which is here square. It can of course be triangular, pentagonal or other. The area 11 of junction between two adjacent cells is either frank to form an edge and then there is no material between them, or rounded or planar to form a surface of small width, for example less than 5 mm approximately. Of course, the length of the zone 11 is also arbitrary and the depth of the cells can be less than this length. In Figure 7, section C-C in Figure 6 shows the depression having a square base. Of course, the base 12 and the sides 13 of the pyramid can be curved and

  the top 14 of the rounded pyramid.

  As indicated above, the cells 6 can be produced on a membrane 15 in the thickness of which they are obtained by molding. This membrane shown in Figure 8 is made for example

  of a vulcanized elastomer such as a polybutadiene.

  The thickness of this membrane 15 is small, less

  for example at 5 mm. The bonding on the head 1 of the club is entirely conventional and does not require any particular description. Of course, this membrane 15 can be made of a more rigid material than an elastomer for

  be fixed by screwing on the head.

Claims (9)

  1. Head (1) of a golf club having an upper face (2), a front face (3) called striking, a peripheral face (4) and a lower face (5) called sole, characterized in that it has at its upper (2) and peripheral (4) faces a set of cells (6) of any shape whose edges are close to each other to reduce its resistance   aerodynamic to movement in the air.   2. Golf club head according to claim 1, characterized in that the edges of the cells (6) are partially joined.   3. Golf club head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cells (6) are totally joined.   4. Head of golf club according to one of the   claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each   alveolus (6) is in the form of a bowl circular edge.   5. Head of golf club according to one of the   claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each   alveolus (6) is in the form of an inverted pyramid, the base of which is a quadrilateral of at least three sides.   6. Golf club head according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the   depth of each cell (6) is at most equal to the larger dimension of its base.   7. Golf club head according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the   cells (6) are made in the thickness of the head or on a thin membrane fixed on the upper faces (2) and peripheral (4).   8. Head of golf club according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the   cells (6) are produced by machining the faces   superior and peripheral. 9. Golf club head according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cells   (6) are produced during the molding of the head.