GB2353716A

GB2353716A - Golf club head

Info

Publication number: GB2353716A
Application number: GB9920730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Archer Chin-Chi Chen
Original assignee: CHEN ARCHER CHIN CHI
Current assignee: CHEN ARCHER CHIN CHI
Priority date: 1999-09-03
Filing date: 1999-09-03
Publication date: 2001-03-07
Also published as: GB9920730D0

Abstract

A golf club head is fastened to a neck member 12 which has a flexible section 13 which enhances the flexibility between the head and the shaft.

Description

2353716 IMPROVEMENT ON GOLF CLUB HEAD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a golf club head, and more particularly to the golf club head having a neck provided with a pliable section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional metal golf club head has a neck which is intended to fasten the head with the golf club shaft. The neck is therefore structural strong and rigid. The shaft has a considerable flexibility to enable the golf club to hit the ball to travel farther. As the shaft is less rigid, the drop point of the golf club head is less stable at the time when the golf club is swung. As a result, the ball controllability of the golf club head is compromised. If the golf club shaft is more rigid, the drop point of the golf club head is more stable. In other words, the golf club head has a better ball controllability. However, the rigid golf club shaft can undermine the capacity of the golf club to hit the ball to travel farther.

1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a golf club head with a flexible section to enable the golf club head to hit the ball to travel farther and to have a good ball controllability.

In keeping with the principle of the present Invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a golf club head having a neck which is provided with a flexible section to enhance the flexibility of a golf club to which the golf club head is fastened. The flexible section of the neck compensates the lack of flexibility of the golf club shaft. The flexible section has a greater flexibility in the direction of its short axis, and a greater rigidity in the direction of its longitudinal axis. The golf club can be made to have a better flexibility in a specific direction, depending on the angle formed by the longitudinal direction of the flexible section and the ball-hitting surface of the golf club head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 2-2 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3) shows a sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the sectional view being taken in the direction similar to that of FIG. 2 FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 5-5 as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 7-7 as shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. I and 2, a golf club head 10 embodied in the present invention is made of a wooden or iron material. The head 10 is formed of a head member I I and a neck member 1.2 which is fastened at one end thereof with the head member I I by brazing. The neck member 12 is fastened at other end thereof with a golf club shaft 100. The neck member 12 is provided with a cylindrical flexible section I) of a length and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the neck member 12. The flexible section 13) is extended from the center of the neck member I? toward the shaft 100. The head member I I is rnade of a stainless steel, an aluminium alloy, a titanium alloy, or a magnesium alloy. The neck member t2 is made of a metal material. The diameter, the length and the rigidity of the flexible section 13) can affect the flexibility and the ball controllability of the golf club head 10. In other words, the flexibility of the golf club head 10 depends on the shape of the neck member 12 as well as the nature of the material of which the neck member 12 is made. In this embodiment of the present invention, a golf shaft of a greater rigidity may be used to enhance the ball controllability. The flexibility of the golf club can be compensated by the flexibility of the flexible section. The kitpoint of such a golf club is near or right in the flexible section of the neck, thereby resulting in the reduction in the amplitude in the wake of striking a golf ball.

As shown in FIG. 3, a golf club head 20 of the second preferred embodiment of the preset invention has a neck 22 which is provided with a flexible section 23. The flexible section 23 is oblong in its cross section and is provided with a greater flexibility in the direction of its short axis, and a greater rigidity in the direction of its longitudinal axis 231 indicated by a dotted line. A greater flexibility in a specific direction of a golf club is thus dependent on the angle formed by the longitudinal axis 2' 31 and a ball-striking surface 24. In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal axis 231 of the flexible section 23' is parallel to the ball-striking surface 24.

As shown in FIG. 4, a golf club head 30 of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention is formed of a head member-3) I and a neck member 332, which is fastened to the head member ") I by brazing and is provided in the center thereof with a flat flexible section 3) As shown in FIG. 5, the cross section of the flexible section 333 has a 4 longitudinal center line 3)3 1, which forms an angle of 60 degrees or so with a ball-striking surface 34 of the club head 30, as shown in the direction of one o'clock. The golf club head 30 is prone to deform in the direction toward a heel 35, thereby causing the ball to have a tendency to take off in the leftward direction. As a result, the golf club head 30 is well adapted for use by a golfer which has a propensity to strike a golf ball to take off in the rightward direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, an iron golf club head 40 of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is formed of a head member 4 t and a neck member 42, which is fastened with the head member 41 by brazing and is provided with a flexible section 43. The flexible section 43 has a cross section with a longitudinal center line 4_3) I which forms in another direction an angle of 60 degrees or so with a ball striking surface 44 of the golf club head 40, as shown in the direction of I I o'clock. The golf club head 40 is prone to deform in the direction toward a toe 46. The flexible section 43 is fitted into an elastic jacket 47 which is made of a rubber or plastic material, a composite of the rubber and the plastic materials, etc. The elastic jacket 47 is used for decorative purpose and may be so colored as to distinguish the angle of the longitudinal center line of the flexible section.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A golf club head formed of a head member, and a neck member fastened at one end thereof with the head member and at other end thereof with a golf club shaft; wherein said neck member is provided with a flexible section for enhancing flexibility between said head member and said shaft.

2. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said neck member and said head member are made integrally.

33. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible section is smaller in diameter than said neck member.

4. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible section is of a flat construction to enable said flexible section to have a greater flexibility in the direction of a short axis of said flexible section.

5. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said neck member and said head member are made of different material.

6. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible section of said neck member is covered with an elastic jacket which is made of a rubber material, a plastic material, or a composite of the rubber material and the plastic material.

6 -

7 7. A golf club head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figure 3, or Figures 4 and 5, or Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A golf club having a head as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.