GB2305127A - A sports club - Google Patents

Abstract

A head for a club or bat, typically a golf club, comprises a shell with a striking face and defines an interior closed cavity of a size sufficient to extend over substantially the whole of the striking face. A non-rigid weight is located within the cavity and is capable of free movement in all directions therein. The weight, when concentrated in a mass has a total cross-sectional area comparable to the surface area of a ball or other projectile intended to make contact with the striking face of the club or bat when struck in normal sporting use of the head. In sporting use of the head as part of, for example, a golf club the weight will move to different locations within the cavity as the club is swung to distribute the mass of the head to counter torquing effects of the club. However, centrifugal force coupled with the inertia of the weight will tend to concentrate the weight at a location substantially behind that area of the striking face which is being swung such that it will strike the golf ball. The increased impact force from the weight will lead to a greater force being transmitted to the ball. By suitable choice of materials, the head will indicate which portion of the club face struck a ball and will permit the interior of the cavity being viewed. A suitable combination comprises a sheet of magnetic material in combination with a weight of finely divided magnetisable material.

Description

A SPORTS CLUB The present invention relates to a club or bat for use in various sports, and in particular to a golf club.

In order to execute a good golf shot, it is normally a requirement for the golfer to swing his club so that when it strikes the ball, the face of the club is substantially perpendicular to a plane passing through both the centre of the ball and the centre of gravity of the club head. Usually, there is only a small area on the face of the club where this condition can be met, and this area is termed the "sweet spot" of the head. Failure to make contact with the sweet spot typically results in the golfer slicing or hooking his shot and in a reduction in the velocity of the ball and therefore in the length of the shot.

Attempts have been made in the past, in particular for amateur players, to alter the design of golf club heads to increase the area of the sweet spot. Typically the shape of the head is altered so that the weight distribution of the head is not concentrated on the sweet spot but is more evenly spread over the striking face of the head. However, whilst this reduces the chances of a golfer slicing or hooking a shot, it also reduces the length of shot which can be achieved.

Similar problems are also encountered in other sports where clubs or bats are used to strike balls or similar projectiles, such as in cricket, hockey and baseball.

The object of the present invention is to overcome or substantially mitigate the aforementioned disadvantage.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a head for a club or bat comprising a shell with a striking face, and defining an interior closed cavity of a size sufficient to extend over substantially the whole of the striking face, and a nonrigid weight located within the cavity and capable of free movement in all directions therein, the weight when concentrated in a mass having a total cross-sectional area comparable to the surface area of a ball or other projectile which makes contact with the striking face of the club or bat when struck in normal sporting use of the head.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a club or bat comprising a head according to the first aspect of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that such a head has a mobile sweet spot which is intended automatically to "find" the ball substantially regardless of the sportsman's playing ability. In addition, the head has the advantage that it should not compromise the length of shot achievable to accuracy of direction.

Preferably, the head comprises a golf club head and the club or bat comprises a golf club.

In sporting use of the head as part of a golf club, the weight will move to different locations within the cavity as the club is swung to distribute the mass of the head to counter torquing effects of the club. However, centrifugal force coupled with the inertia of the weight will tend to concentrate the weight at a location substantially behind that area of the striking face which is being swung such that it will strike the golf ball. On impact the portion of the striking face in contact with the ball will be forced to travel slower than the rest.

Most of the weight within the cavity will, therefore, tend to impinge on the surface area in the cavity apposed to this struck area and will impinge with a greater force than any part of the weight impinging on other areas of the face. The increased impact force from the weight will lead to a greater force being transmitted to the ball than would otherwise be the case thus providing the advantage of a longer and straighter shot.

It will be appreciated that the weight is preferably a high density material in order to maximize the driving impact between the striking face and the ball. However, it is also advantageous for the weight to be fluent so that the surface area defining the cavity which is struck is comparable with the surface area of the ball or projectile which makes contact with the striking face of the club.

This also has the advantage of reducing potential damage to the club head whilst transmitting maximum force to the ball. In these circumstances, however, it is also advantageous for the weight to have cohesive properties so that it tends to move as a single entity within the cavity to ensure that the greater part of the weight impinges on the surface area defining the cavity directly apposed to the area of the face which strikes the ball.

Preferably, therefore, the weight comprises a high density cohesive material. For example, the weight could comprise one of mercury, iron filings, and a pasty or viscous plastics material Advantageously, a first portion of the head defining the cavity which is apposed to the striking face of the head comprises a means capable of temporarily indicating which area of its surface has been struck by the weight, and a second portion of the head defining the cavity is sufficiently transparent to permit said first portion to be viewed externally of the head.

If adapted in this way, the head provides a means whereby the sportsman can see the exact area of the face which has struck the ball or projectile.

Preferably, said means comprises a sheet of magnetic material which covers the surface of the first portion of the shell in combination with a weight which comprises a magnetizable material.

Preferably also, said second portion of the shell comprises a substantially transparent viewing window.

Thus, after the head has been used to strike a ball, at least a significant proportion of the weight will be held in contact with the magnetic sheet at the precise area apposed to the area of impact. After viewing this, the sportsman can simply agitate the club or bat to shake free the temporarily trapped weight material before reusing it. In this way the invention can be used to aid the sportsman by enabling him to benefit from knowing where on the striking face he is hitting his shots.

As an alternative to the magnetic entrapment of the weight, materials which are temporarily heat sensitive or impact sensitive could be used to cover the first portion of the shell.

Advantageously, the head comprises a capsule which defines the closed cavity and is secured within the shell.

In these circumstances, the capsule comprises the first and second portions of the head which are adapted to provide the strike indicator, and the back face of the shell is cut away to enable the viewing window in the capsule to be exposed.

Hence, according to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a capsule for use in a head according to a first aspect of the invention, the capsule defining the closed cavity which is of a size sufficient to extend over substantially the whole of a striking face of the head, and containing the non-rigid weight.

An example of a shell adapted to accommodate such a capsule is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the back of a golf club head; and Fig. 2 is an end view in the direction of arrow II in Fig. 1.

The golf club head shown in the drawing is of a midsize iron head and comprises a striking face 1, a back face 2, and a hose or socket 3 to which can be fitted a shaft (not shown). The interior of the head is hollowed out to form a shell, access to which is provided by a slot 4 provided in the upper edge of the head. In addition, the back face 2 of the club is substantially cut away to provide a window 5.

The head shown in the drawings can, therefore be provided with a capsule, as defined and described above, which is fitted into the hollow shell of the head and secured thereto whereby a first portion of the capsule lies apposed to the striking face 1 and comprises the means capable of temporarily indicating which area of its surface has been struck by the weight, and a second portion of the capsule comprises a transparent viewing window which can be seen through the window 5 provided in the back face 2 of the head.

It will be appreciated that the head of any club could be adapted in accordance with the invention to the advantage of the golfer. Whilst it would be expected that the invention would be advantageous when used with woods and drivers, it is also anticipated that the invention will be of particular benefit when used in a mid-sized iron head as shown in the above example, and in wedges and putters.

In addition, whilst the present invention has been exemplifed by a golf club, it will be appreciated that it can be used in connection with any club, bat or stick used in sports for striking a ball or other projectile, for example in a cricket bat, hockey stick, baseball bat, and the like.

It is also anticipated that the present invention may have wider application in any area where a driver is used in a non-replicative manner.

Claims (12)

1. A head for a club or bat comprising a shell with a striking face, and defining an interior closed cavity of a size sufficient to extend over substantially the whole of the striking face, and a non-rigid weight located within the cavity and capable of free movement in all directions therein, the weight when concentrated in a mass having a total cross-sectional area comparable to the surface area of a ball or other projectile which makes contact with the striking face of the club or bat when struck in normal sporting use of the head.

2. A head as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the weight comprises a high density cohesive material.

3. A head as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the weight comprises at least one of mercury, iron filings, and a pasty or viscous plastics material

4. A head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a first portion of the head defining the cavity which is apposed to the striking face of the head comprises a means capable of temporarily indicating which area of its surface has been struck by the weight, and a second portion of the head defining the cavity is sufficiently transparent to permit said first portion to be viewed externally of the head.

5. A head as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said means comprises a sheet of magnetic material which covers the surface of the first portion of the shell in combination with a weight which comprises a magnetizable material.

6. A head as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said second portion of the shell comprises a substantially transparent viewing window.

7. A head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, comprising a capsule which defines the closed cavity and which is secured within the shell.

8. A head as claimed Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 4, wherein the capsule comprises the first and second portions of the head which are adapted to provide a strike indicator, and a back face of the shell is cut away to expose said second portion of the capsule to view.

9. A club or bat comprising a head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8.

10. A golf club comprising a head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8.

11. A capsule for use in a head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, the capsule defining the closed cavity which is of a size sufficient to extend over substantially the whole of a striking face of the head, and containing the non-rigid weight.

12. A head for a golf club substantially as described herein with reference to Figs 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.