GB2499396A

GB2499396A - A detachable golf club face plate with a fluid filled chamber

Info

Publication number: GB2499396A
Application number: GB1202501.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Woolgar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-14
Filing date: 2012-02-14
Publication date: 2013-08-21
Also published as: GB201202501D0; WO2013120971A1

Abstract

A removable face plate 201 for a golf club head comprising a face 205 for striking a ball, a chamber 211 for holding a fluid disposed behind the face and an attachment means for attaching or detaching it from a club head. A valve may be provided for charging or discharging fluid from the chamber 211 which may have a fluid tight liner. The fluid may be a liquid, gel or gas which may be argon. The attachment means may involve screws or bolts to attach cooperating lips 209. A plurality of face plates 201 with different shapes or geometry may be provided.

Description

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GOLF CLUB APPARATUS

The present invention relates to the field of golf. In particular, it relates to a removable face plate for a golf club.

A typical golfer owns a set of fourteen clubs for use in a game, usually 5 including a driver. The performance characteristics of the driver are determined by its geometry (e.g. face angle, loft), this being chosen by the player according to his ability and personal preferences. Furthermore, the shaft of the driver is usually tailor-fitted to the player, at considerable expense, according to certain factors including his height, swing speed, and 10 preferred degree of shaft flex (stiffness).

A problem faced by the golfer is that he must commit to the purchase of a driver, having a tailor-fitted shaft and a clubhead with a particular geometry, probably based on very limited experience with that driver. As a result, the player might find that he has not bought the most appropriate 15 driver. Furthermore, as the player's skills develop to the point where he is capable of playing with a more "advanced" driver having different geometry, he will have to purchase a new driver, including a new tailor-fitted shaft.

The present invention aims to alleviate at least to some extent one or more 20 of the problems of the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a removable face plate for a golf clubhead, comprising: a body, including: a face for striking a golf ball; a chamber for holding a fluid, the chamber disposed rearwardly of the face; and an attachment for attaching and 25 detaching the body to and from the golf clubhead.

The chamber may be defined in part by the face. The body may include a wall which in part defines the chamber and is disposed rearwardly of the face. The face may be outwardly convex. The wall of the body may be inwardly concave, outwardly convex, or generally flat. The body may further 30 include: a valve for charging/discharging the chamber with/of the fluid. The

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chamber may comprise a fluid-tight liner inside the body. The fluid may be a liquid, a gel, or a gas. The gas may be argon. At least one aperture may extend through the chamber. The body may be formed of titanium or titanium alloy. The attachment may comprise: a lip of the body, for 5 engaging a lip of the golf clubhead; and screws or bolts to attach the lips together.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf clubhead configured to receive a removable face plate as described above.

10 According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf club, comprising: a golf clubhead as described above. The golf club may include said removable face plate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf equipment system, comprising: a golf club as described above; and a 15 plurality of removable face plates as described above. Each of the removable face plates may have geometry different from the other removable face plates.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

20 Figures la and lb show a golf club including a clubhead and a removable face plate.

Figures 2a to 2d show embodiments of the removable face plate of Figures la and lb.

Referring to Figures la and lb, a golf club comprises a clubhead 101 and a 25 shaft 105 connected to the clubhead 101. The clubhead 101 comprises a clubhead body 103, and a face plate 201 removably fitted to the clubhead body 103. The clubhead body 103 forms a cavity 107 and, in this embodiment, includes a receiving lip 109 for fitment with the face plate 201.

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In this embodiment, the face plate 201 comprises a face plate body 203, including a front face 205 configured for striking a golf ball, and a wall 207. In this embodiment, the wall 207 extends from the front face 205 to form a chamber 211 for holding a fluid. In this embodiment, the wall 207 includes 5 an attachment lip 209 for fitment to the receiving lip 109 of the clubhead body 103.

In this embodiment, the front face 205 is generally convex.

In this embodiment, the wall 207 is generally concave.

In this embodiment, the chamber 211 is sealed and contains gas at 10 atmospheric pressure.

In this embodiment, the clubhead 101 and the faceplate 201 are of titanium alloy construction.

Turning now to aspects related to the operation of the inventive features, the attachment lip 209 is attached to the receiving lip 109 by fixings 111 15 (e.g. threaded couplings such as bolts or screws), thereby removably connecting the face plate 201 to the golf clubhead 101. The golf club is thus ready for use by a player in a game or practice session.

When the player swings the club and the front face 205 strikes a golf ball, the front face 205 undergoes elastic deformation so as to be deflected 20 inwardly toward the wall 207. The deflection of the front face 205 causes a decrease in volume of the chamber 211 and a subsequent increase of pressure of the air inside the chamber 211. A shock wave propagates through the air in the chamber from the front face 205 toward the wall 207. The wall 207 is sufficiently rigid that it does not experience any deflection 25 when it is hit by the Shockwave. Consequently, the Shockwave bounces off the wall 207 toward the front face 205, which springs back to its original shape, thereby transferring additional energy to the ball to make it travel further.

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Referring to Figure 2a, in this embodiment, the wall 207 includes apertures 213 extending therethrough to the cavity 107 of the clubhead body 103. When the front face 205 is deflected upon impact with the golf ball, a proportion of the air in the chamber 211 is able to flow through the 5 apertures 213, thereby lessening the rate of the pressure rise in the chamber 211 to provide a damping effect.

In this embodiment, the apertures 213 are holes, or optionally perforations or slots.

Referring to Figure 2b, in this embodiment, the face plate 201 includes a 10 valve 215 in the wall 207 for charging/discharging the chamber 211 with/of gas. The valve 215 may include a safety burst disc (not shown), arranged to prevent overpressure in the chamber 211 by bursting at some predetermined pressure level. In this embodiment, the chamber 211 is filled with gas at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential 15 pressure has the effect of stiffening the front face 205 to increase the coefficient of restitution (COR) of the face plate 201. This stiffening of the front face 205 is obtained without adding more material, and therefore mass, to the clubhead 101. When the front face 205 strikes a golf ball, the front face 205 will experience little or no inward deflection because such 20 deflection is resisted by the pressure in the chamber 211. Hence, less energy is lost in the impact, with the desirable result that the golf ball will travel a greater distance, this being achieved without an unwanted increase in the weight of the golf club.

Referring to Figure 2c, in this embodiment the wall 207 is generally flat. 25 Referring to Figure 2d, the wall 207 is generally concave. These variations in the shape of the wall 207 provide larger chamber capacity and, therefore, different dynamic and sound characteristics, because the gas in the chamber will be compressed to a lesser extent for a given amount of inward deflection of the front face 205.

30 In an embodiment of the present invention, a golf equipment kit comprises a golf club having a shaft 105, which may be tailor-fitted to a player, a

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clubhead 101, and a selection of removable face plates 201, as described above. The geometry (face angle, loft) of the front face 205 of each face plate 201 differs from the others. The player may change the face plate 201 as and when he chooses. Thus, he is able to enjoy the benefits of the 5 distinct performance characteristics of the various face plates 201, without incurring the expense of buying a range of complete golf clubs, each with its own tailor-fitted shaft. Advantageously, the player may practice and experiment with different face angles and lofts to develop and improve his skills. Furthermore, if a face plate 201 becomes worn or damaged, it may 10 be easily replaced, this being less expensive than replacing an entire club, including the shaft 105. Hence, the golf equipment kit is both highly versatile and cost-efficient.

In the embodiments described herein, the clubhead 101 is a driver, but the claimed invention is also suitable for other types of golf club.

15 In embodiments of the invention, any suitable gas is used in the chamber 211, for example air, nitrogen or argon.

In an embodiment of the invention, the chamber is filled with a liquid or a gel instead of a gas.

In an embodiment of the invention, the removable face plate 201 and/or 20 the clubhead 101 is formed from a material other than titanium alloy, for example steel, carbon fibre composite, or even wood.

In an embodiment of the invention, the golf clubhead body 103 is closed by a wall of the body 103.

In an embodiment of the invention, the golf clubhead body 103 is solid, i.e. 25 the cavity 107 is omitted.

In an embodiment of the invention, other suitable fixings which are apparent to a person skilled in the art are used instead of threaded couplings 111 to hold the removable face plate 201 to the clubhead body 103.

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It will be understood that the present invention has been described in relation to its preferred embodiments and may be modified in many different ways without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

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Claims

1. A removable face plate for a golf clubhead, comprising:

a body, including:

a face for striking a golf ball;

5 a chamber for holding a fluid, the chamber disposed rearwardly of the face; and an attachment for attaching and detaching the body to and from the golf clubhead.

10 2. A removable face plate according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is defined in part by the face.

3. A removable face plate according to claim 2, wherein the body includes a wall which in part defines the chamber and is disposed

15 rearwardly of the face.

4. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the face is outwardly convex.

20 5. A removable face plate according to claim 3, wherein the wall of the body is inwardly concave, outwardly convex, or generally flat.

6. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the body further includes:

25 a valve for charging/discharging the chamber with/of the fluid.

7. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the chamber comprises a fluid-tight liner inside the body.

30 8. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fluid is a liquid, a gel, or a gas.

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9. A removable face plate according to claim 8, wherein the gas is argon.

10. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein at 5 least one aperture extends through the chamber.

11. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the body is formed of titanium or titanium alloy.

10 12. A removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the attachment comprises:

a lip of the body, for engaging a lip of the golf clubhead; and screws or bolts to attach the lips together.

15 13. A golf clubhead configured to receive a removable face plate according to any of claims 1 to 12.

14. A golf club, comprising:

a golf clubhead according to claim 13.

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15. A golf club according to claim 14, including said removable face plate.

16. A golf equipment system, comprising:

a golf club according to claim 14; and

25 a plurality of removable face plates for the golf club according to any of claims 1 to 12.

17. A golf equipment system according to claim 16, wherein each removable face plate has geometry different from the other

30 removable face plates.

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18. A removable face plate for a golf club constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. A golf clubhead constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A golf club constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A golf equipment system constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.