JP2003210626A - Golf club head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the repulsion of a golf club head to a ball and to enhance its strength. <P>SOLUTION: The golf club head made of a hollow titanium alloy is formed by joining a bisected front part (1) and rear part (2), in which the front part (1) is integrally molded as a shell body having a clubface (3) by forging or precision casting of a β type titanium alloy and the rear part (2) is integrally molded by precision casting of the titanium alloy and the front part (1) and the rear part (2) are integrated as a head body by welding. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a golf club head and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-88963, Japanese Patent No. 3135396, Utility Model Registration No. 3030792, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-46231 disclose methods for manufacturing golf club heads. .

Of these, the golf club head of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-88963 promotes the resilience characteristic against the ball at the time of hitting and extends the flight distance of the ball at the time of hitting, so that the inner peripheral edge of the face plate is thin. However, there is a problem that the stress at the time of hitting tends to concentrate on the thin corner portion and there is a limit to thinning.

The golf club head disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3135396 is a titanium alloy head having excellent resilience and a small specific gravity, and is formed by forming a titanium alloy having a higher strength and a different composition than the head main body on the face plate so that the golf ball can be hit. However, when the face plate is welded to the opening of the head body, the welding bead sticks to the inner edge of the inner circumference, and the actual rebound is compared with the face area seen from the outside. There is a problem that the effective area that contributes to is reduced.

The golf club head of Utility Model Registration No. 3030792 has a U-shaped cross section in the face surface portion which is a striking surface portion as compared with the golf club head of Japanese Patent No. 3135396, so that the effective area of the face by the welding bead is Is reduced, but in this case
There is a problem in that the repulsive force is inferior to that of a titanium alloy head formed of a face plate having a thin peripheral structure such as the golf club head of No. 88963, and the flight distance of the ball at the time of hitting cannot be extended.

In the golf club head of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-46231, the rigidity is increased and the sweet spot is increased by forming the honeycomb structure on the back surface of the face plate, but the repulsive force is decreased. There is a problem that it will end up.

It is well known that a titanium alloy, which is a new material having high strength, is used to produce a trampoline effect by thinning the face plate to produce a head having a large repulsive force. If the wall thickness is made thin enough to produce the effect, there is a problem that the hitting portion of the face surface is easily cracked. As a solution to this problem, a peripheral face thin face face plate is known in which the thickness of only the hitting part in the center of the face is increased, but this golf club head with a trampoline effect causes the balls to separate too quickly when hit by the player. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to control.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head and a method for manufacturing the same, which can solve the above problems.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a hollow formed by joining a front part (1) and a rear part (2) divided into two parts. In the golf club head made of titanium alloy, the front part (1) is integrally formed by forging or precision casting a β-type titanium alloy as a shell provided with the face surface (3), and the rear part (2) is titanium alloy. The golf club head is integrally formed by precision casting and the front part (1) and the rear part (2) are integrated as a head body by welding.

The invention according to claim 2 is the golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the front portion (1) has a dimension in the front-rear direction from the face surface (3) of 8 mm or more. The formed golf club head is adopted.

According to a third aspect of the invention, in the golf club head according to the first or second aspect, the face surface (3) is provided on the back surface of the face surface (3) of the front portion (1).
A golf club head is formed in which a thin portion (5) is formed so as to surround the center and a rib (6) having a honeycomb structure in which the central portion is highest and the height gradually decreases toward the periphery is formed.

The invention according to claim 4 is the front part (1).
Is integrally formed by forging or precision casting a β-type titanium alloy as a shell having a face surface (3), and the rear part (2) is integrally formed by precision casting a titanium alloy. A method of manufacturing a golf club head in which (1) and the rear portion (2) are integrated as a head body by welding is adopted.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a wood head, which is a golf club head, has a head body formed by joining a front portion and a rear portion which are divided into two parts.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front portion 1 of the head body is integrally formed by forging or precision casting a β-type titanium alloy as a shell body having a face surface 3.

Further, the front portion 1 of the head body is preferably formed so that the dimension in the front-rear direction from the face surface 3 is 8 mm or more.

As described above, since the front portion 1 is largely divided and formed to a position further rearward than the face surface 3 of the head main body, the reduction of the effective area of the face surface 3 by the welding bead 4 is prevented. Further, since the front part 1 is formed by forging or precision casting using the β-type titanium alloy as a material, the repulsive force of the ball is enhanced.

On the back surface of the face surface 3 of the shell, which is preferably the front portion 1 of the head body, as shown in FIG.
A thin portion 5 is formed so as to surround the face surface 3. The thin portion 5 enhances the repulsive force of the face surface 3 with respect to the ball. In addition, a rib 6 having a honeycomb structure is formed on the rear surface of the face surface 3 so that the central portion is highest and the height is gradually reduced toward the periphery. The presence of the ribs 6 prevents the strength of the face surface 3 from decreasing. Further, the rib 6 is formed so that its height is highest at the center of the back surface of the face surface 3 and gradually decreases as it approaches the periphery, so that the reduction of the repulsive force of the ball due to the presence of the rib 6 is prevented and The control performance of the player when hit is improved.

As shown in FIG. 4, the honeycomb structure is formed so that the cell portion has a slender hexagonal shape in the left-right direction of the head body, but it may be formed in another shape such as a regular hexagonal shape.

The rear part 2 is integrally molded as a shell by precision casting a titanium alloy. Since it is formed by precision casting using a titanium alloy, the rear part is thin and lightweight.

The front portion 1 and the rear portion 2 which are separately formed are joined by welding to be integrated as a head main body. Since the front portion 1 and the rear portion 2 are formed as shells, the head body is a hollow golf club head. As described above, since the front portion 1 is largely cut and formed from the rear portion 2 over a wide volume range to a position far rearward of the face surface 3 of the head body, the welding bead 4 should be present at a position apart from the face surface 3. And therefore weld bead 4
It is possible to prevent the effective area of the face surface 3 from decreasing.

In addition, a hosel portion 7 to which a shaft (not shown) is attached is formed on the side surface of the head body.
The hosel portion 7 is formed integrally with the front portion 1 or the rear portion 2.

In each of the embodiments, only the wood golf club head has been described, but the present invention is applicable to various golf club heads such as irons and putters.

[0024]

According to the invention of claim 1, in a hollow titanium alloy golf club head formed by joining a divided front portion and a rear portion, the front portion has a face surface. As a shell body to be provided, integrally formed by forging or precision casting of β-type titanium alloy, the rear part is integrally formed by precision casting titanium alloy, and these front part and rear part are integrated as a head main body by welding. The golf club head is characterized in that the front portion is divided into large pieces so as to form a part of the head body, so that the reduction of the effective area of the face surface due to the weld bead is prevented, and the front portion is Since it is formed by forging or precision casting, the repulsive force of the ball is enhanced.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the golf club head of claim 1, the front portion is formed so that the dimension in the front-back direction from the face surface is 8 mm or more. And the position where the front part and the rear part of the head body are welded is 8 mm behind the face surface.
Since they are separated from each other as described above, the reduction of the effective area of the face surface due to the weld bead is prevented.

According to the invention of claim 3, in the golf club head of claim 1 or 2, a thin portion is formed on the back surface of the front face surface so as to surround the face surface, and Since the golf club head is formed with a honeycomb-shaped rib whose central portion is the highest and whose height gradually decreases toward the periphery, the thin-walled portion enhances the repulsive force of the face surface, and the honeycomb-shaped rib also increases the face portion. Is prevented from decreasing. Further, since the rib is formed so that the central portion is highest and the height gradually decreases toward the periphery, the reduction of the repulsive force of the ball due to the presence of the rib is prevented, and the control performance of the player at the time of hitting is improved. Increase.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the front part is used as a shell having a face surface to be integrally molded by forging or precision casting of β-type titanium alloy, and the rear part is precision cast of titanium alloy. Since it is a method of manufacturing a golf club head which is integrally molded by welding, and the front part and the rear part are integrated as a head body by welding, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the effective area of the face surface due to the weld bead,
Further, since the front portion is formed by forging or precision casting, the repulsive force of the ball can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a golf club head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the golf club head shown in FIG.

3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a front portion of the golf club head shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the honeycomb structure formed on the back surface of the front portion of the golf club head.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... front 2 ... rear 3 ... Face surface 5 ... Thin wall 6 ... rib

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A golf club head made of a hollow titanium alloy, which is formed by joining a front part and a rear part which are divided into two parts. In the front part, a β type titanium alloy is used as a shell having a face surface. A golf club head characterized by being integrally formed by forging or precision casting, the rear part being integrally formed by precision casting a titanium alloy, and the front part and the rear part being integrated as a head body by welding. 2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the front portion is formed to have a dimension in the front-rear direction from the face surface of 8 mm or more. 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a thin portion is formed on the back surface of the front face surface so as to surround the face surface, and the central portion is the highest and approaches the periphery. A golf club head, wherein a rib having a honeycomb structure whose height gradually decreases is formed. 4. The front part is integrally formed by forging or precision casting a β-type titanium alloy as a shell having a face surface, and the rear part is integrally formed by precision casting a titanium alloy. A method for manufacturing a golf club head, characterized in that the head portion and the rear portion are integrated as a head body by welding.