JP2010051707A - Golf club - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a golf club which has little variation in resilience, has stable resilience performance, achieves improvement in average distance and stabilization of the ball hitting direction. <P>SOLUTION: The golf club includes a metal club head 10 of hollow structure in which a face part 12 which forms a ball hitting surface is arranged on the front surface. In the golf club, an arch-like rib 34 which extends to the toe-heel direction and whose center part projects to the crown side is formed on the rear surface of the face part 12, a first area 40 and a second area 42 whose thickness is thinner than that of the first area are adjacently formed in order on the crown side of the rib 34, in the first 40, width along the crown-sole direction is formed as the largest at the center part of the toe-heel direction, and the second area is extended to the toe side and the heel side along the first area 40 along the first area 40, and also extended from the first area 40 to the crown side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a golf club having a hollow metal club head.

  In general, when a golf ball is hit with a sweet spot of a club head, the longest flight distance is obtained, but the area of the sweet spot is extremely small. For this reason, golf clubs have been developed that maintain a small difference in flight distance with respect to the maximum flight distance when a ball hits the sweet spot even if the hit point deviates from the sweet spot.

In such a golf club, a rib protrudes from the inner surface of the face portion toward the center of the club head, and a thick portion is formed in the central portion of the upper region above the rib, so that the energy at the time of hitting the ball is increased. There are some which improve the resilience by reducing the loss and increase the launch angle to improve the flight distance (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP2007-185502

  Although this conventional golf club is beneficial for improving the resilience to the golf ball, it is desired to further improve the range for improving the resilience to the toe side and the heel side. ing.

  The present invention has been made based on such circumstances, and the range for improving the resilience is expanded to a wider range in the toe-heel direction and the crown-sole direction. Providing a golf club that approximates the resilience and provides a stable resilience performance with little variation in resilience even if the striking position varies, improving the average flight distance and stabilizing the striking direction. The purpose is to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a golf club comprising a hollow metal club head having a face portion forming a ball striking face disposed on the front surface, and a toe-heel direction on the back surface of the face portion. An arch-shaped rib extending in the center and projecting toward the crown side, and a first area and a second area thinner than the first area are sequentially adjacent to the crown side of the rib. The first area is formed to have the largest width along the crown / sole direction at the center part in the toe / heel direction, and the second area is located on the toe side and the heel side along the first area. A golf club is provided that extends and extends from the first area to the crown side.

  You may arrange | position the 3rd area thinner than a 2nd area in the toe side and crown side of a said 2nd area, and a heel side and a crown side, respectively.

  The face portion is formed by welding the first area and the second area, or a face member integrally formed with the first area, the second area, and the third area, to an edge member along a peripheral portion, The edge member is preferably formed such that the thickness of the crown side portion adjacent to the face member on the crown side is thinner at the toe side portion and the heel side portion than at the intermediate portion in the toe / heel direction.

  It is preferable that the thickness of the intermediate portion of the crown side portion is thinner than the thickness of the second area.

  The face portion is formed by welding the face member together with the rib to an edge member along the peripheral portion, and the welded portion along the rib is formed as a built-up portion to the highest from the inner surface of the face member. It may be a thing.

  Further, the rib formed on the face portion is integrally connected to the rib formed on the sole portion of the club head, and the connecting portion connecting the rib of the face portion and the rib of the sole portion is the head of the club head. The height from the inner surface of the main body may be higher on the face side than on the back side.

  According to the golf club of the present invention, the first area arranged on the crown side of the arch-shaped rib is formed thicker than the second area, thereby preventing a reduction in the coefficient of restitution on the crown side of the rib. By effectively suppressing the coefficient of restitution in the region and reducing the decrease in the coefficient of restitution on the toe side and heel side in the second area, the coefficient of restitution is approximated to the center over a wide range in the toe-heel direction, and the arch -Shaped ribs suppress the decrease in the coefficient of restitution on the crown side. This minimizes the change in the coefficient of restitution across the entire face part, can provide a stable rebound performance with little difference due to variations in hit points, and there is little variation in rebound even if the hit ball position changes variously. Provided is a golf club that provides stable rebound performance, and can improve the average flight distance and stabilize the hitting direction.

  When the third area, which is thinner than the second area, is disposed on the toe side and the crown side of the second area, and on the heel side and the crown side, respectively, it is stable over a wider range in the toe and heel direction. The resilience performance can be obtained, and the average flight distance of the golf ball can be improved.

  The edge member to which the face member is welded is formed such that the thickness of the crown side portion adjacent to the face member on the crown side is thinner at the toe side portion and the heel side portion than at the intermediate portion in the toe / heel direction. Thus, the rebound performance can be stably obtained over a wide range with respect to the edge member, and the average flight distance of the golf ball can be improved.

  When the thickness of the intermediate portion of the crown side portion is made thinner than the thickness of the second area, the range where the coefficient of restitution of the face portion is high can be further expanded from the face member to the edge member.

  When the face member is welded to the edge member together with the rib, if the welded portion along the rib is formed to the highest level from the inner surface of the face member, the built-up portion enhances the function of the rib. In addition, the strength and durability can be improved, and the resilience at the center portion of the face portion can be efficiently suppressed.

  The connecting part connecting the ribs of the face part and the ribs of the sole part makes the height from the inner surface higher on the face side than on the back side, whereby the resilience can be adjusted effectively.

  1 to 4 show a golf club 8 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the golf club 8 of the present embodiment is defined with respect to a reference horizontal plane B such as the ground on which a ball is placed at the tip of a shaft 6 formed into a tubular structure with, for example, fiber reinforced resin or a metal material. The club head 10 is attached with the lie angle α and the loft angle set, and a grip formed of a soft or soft material such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber is attached to the base end. Here, the lie angle α is a mounting angle of the shaft axis 6a with respect to a sole portion or a reference horizontal plane B, which will be described later, and the loft angle is between the vertical plane R perpendicular to the reference horizontal plane B and the front surface of the face portion 12. Angle β (FIG. 4).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the metal club head 10 of the present embodiment, a face member 14 having a ball striking surface is disposed on a face portion 12, and the head body 10a supports the face member 14 from the back side. In the head body 10a, a crown portion 16 and a sole portion 18 extend from the top line 12a and the leading edge 12b of the face portion 12 to the back side, respectively. Between the crown portion 16 and the sole portion 18, the toe side side portion 20 and the heel side side portion 22 from the toe side side line 12 c and the heel side side line 12 d of the face portion 12 are the peripheral portions of the crown portion 16, respectively. And extending to the back side while being curved along the back portion 24 (see FIG. 4).

  The top line 12a between the face portion 12 and the crown portion 16 can be specified by a ridge line between them, but is specified at a portion smaller than the curvature radius of the surface portion that forms most of the face portion 12. Also good. The same applies to the ridge line portions such as the leading edge 12b and the side lines 12c and 12d.

  The toe side part 20 and the heel side part 22 of the head body 12 have large dimensions in the vertical direction, that is, the crown / sole direction on the face part 12 side, and the dimensions gradually decrease to the back part 24. Accordingly, the club head 10 substantially forms an outer shell by the face portion 12, the crown portion 16, the sole portion 18, the toe side and heel side side portions 20 and 22, and the back portion 24 at the rear portion. Is formed in the outer shell.

  The head main body 10 a is integrally formed with a cylindrical shaft fixing portion 26 (FIG. 3) for fixing the tip of the shaft 6 and protrudes into the internal space N. The shaft 6 is fixed to the shaft fixing portion 26 by inserting the tip end portion of the shaft 6 into the shaft fixing portion 26 through the opening 28a of the hosel portion 28 formed to protrude from the crown portion 16.

  Such a head main body 10a may be integrally molded, and a plurality of members can be assembled and integrated by welding or the like.

  Further, the face member 14 is formed as a plate-like member that closes the front side opening of the head body 10a including the crown portion 16, the sole portion 18, the toe side and heel side portions 20, 22 and the back portion 24. The portion is welded to the edge member 30 which is a part of the head main body 10a. The edge member 30 may be any member as long as at least a part thereof forms the face portion 12 together with the face member 14. For example, the edge member 30 can be formed in a plate shape that forms the entire region of the face portion 12 together with the face member 14. Alternatively, it may be formed into a so-called cup-shaped member together with the face member 14 to form part of the crown portion 16, the sole portion 18, and the side portions 20 and 22 on the face portion 12 side. Further, it may be formed in a plate shape that fits into an opening of a predetermined size formed in the face portion 12, and only a part of the face portion 12 may be formed together with the face member 14. In any case, the edge member 30 is preferably formed of a metal material capable of welding the face member 14.

  The head body 10a is preferably integrally formed by casting, for example, a titanium-based alloy, an iron-based alloy, or the like, except for the face member 14 provided on the face portion 12, and a ball hitting the face portion 12 on the front side thereof. An opening is formed in which the face member 14 constituting the surface is fixed by welding, adhesion or the like. Instead of such an integral structure, each member constituting the head body 10a (a member forming an outer shell such as a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion, and an edge member 30) is individually formed. Thereafter, it may be integrated by assembly, welding, adhesion, or the like.

  Further, the crown portion 16 is formed of a fiber reinforced metal, a fiber reinforced resin, a magnesium alloy, a thin titanium alloy having a thickness of 0.3 to 0.7 mm, a thin stainless steel alloy having the same thickness, or the like. It is possible to join by brazing or the like. In this case, since the crown portion 16 of the head main body is open, it is easy to insert a weight W (FIG. 4) and a rib described later into the internal space N. There is an effect.

  The face member 14 coupled to the edge member 26 of the head body 10a is, for example, a titanium alloy, an iron alloy, or the like that is pressed, forged, or cast so as to have a predetermined shape. It is also possible to integrally form by CNC processing if necessary, or to integrate them by welding a plurality of members processed in this way.

  The face member 14 of this embodiment is welded and fixed to the end face of the opening 32 formed in the edge member 30 of the head body 10a. Of course, the face portion 12 may be integrally formed (for example, cast) together with the edge member 30 of the head body 10a, instead of fixing the face member 14 as a separate member to the edge member 30.

  The face member 14 is formed of a plate-like member having a bulge with a central portion slightly bulged outward, and the front surface forms a ball striking surface for hitting a golf ball. A large number of score lines (not shown) extending in the toe-heel direction are formed on the hitting surface by a suitable means such as a shallow groove in a substantially horizontal direction. A sweet spot S, which is a point extending through the center of gravity G of the club head 10 (see FIG. 4) and extending perpendicularly to the ball striking surface of the face portion 12, is located at a substantially central position of the face portion 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the club head 10 of the present embodiment, the face portion 12 is formed by a face member 14 and an edge member 30 along the peripheral portion of the face member 14. Are integrally welded along the opening 32 of the edge member 30. On the back surface of the sole side portion 30a of the edge member 30, an arch-shaped rib 34 extending in the toe-heel direction and having a central portion protruding toward the crown side is formed.

  The arch-shaped rib 34 extends along the sole side edge of the opening 32, and is, for example, about 20 to 45% of the face height H between the top line 12a and the leading edge 12b at the center in the toe-heel direction. The sole portion 18 side toe side and heel side end portions are connected to the inner surface of the sole portion 18 via the connecting portions 34a and 34b, respectively. The toe-heel direction length of the rib 34 until the sole part 18 is continuously provided is preferably about 35 to 70% of the maximum length L in the toe-heel direction of the sole part of the head body 10a. By forming the rib 34 in an arch shape over such a range, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the center region restitution coefficient including the position of the sweet spot S.

  In order to effectively control the resilience of the arch-shaped rib 34, the height, that is, the protruding height from the inner surface of the sole side portion 30a of the edge member 30 is 2 mm to 10 mm, and 3 mm to 8 mm. The width is preferably 2 mm to 5 mm, and preferably 2.5 mm to 4 mm. The rib 34 preferably protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the front surface forming the hitting surface of the face portion 12.

  The connecting portions 34a and 34b are connected to ribs 36a and 36b extending in the face / back direction on the inner surface of the sole portion 18, and the arch-shaped rib 34 is connected to ribs 36a and 36b extending in the face / back direction of the sole portion. Connect together. The connecting portions 34a and 34b are formed on the ribs 36a and 36b of the sole portion 18 so that the height from the inner surface of the head body of the club head is higher on the face side than the back side, and the top portion is inclined from the center. Transition smoothly. As a result, the connecting portions 34a and 34b form an integral structure of the arch-shaped rib 34 and the ribs 36a and 36b of the sole portion 18 without impairing the functions of the respective ribs, and the resilience of the face portion 12 is effective. Can be adjusted.

  The height of the rib refers to the vertical distance from the inner surface. However, when the inclination changes along the extending direction as in the connecting portions 34a and 34b, the maximum height from the inner surface depends on the inclination. The height is different. The connecting portions 34a and 34b have a height higher on the face side than on the back side, whereby an arch-shaped rib 34 that rises almost vertically from the inner surface of the face portion 12, and ribs 36a and 36b inclined on the sole portion. Thus, the resilience can be effectively controlled. Reference numeral 38 in FIG. 4 indicates a rib 38 extending in the toe-heel direction on the inner surface of the sole portion 18, and the ribs 36 a and 36 b are connected to the intermediate portion by the rib 38.

  In this embodiment, three auxiliary ribs 39 are formed at substantially equal intervals on the sole side of the arched rib 34 in order to increase the resilience control efficiency of the arched rib 34. These auxiliary ribs 39 may be formed in height and width dimensions similar to the height and width of the arch-shaped ribs 34, and the dimensions are appropriately changed according to the position and number of the auxiliary ribs 39. can do. It can also be omitted.

  The face member 14 is welded to the opening 32 of the edge member 30 thus formed. In this welding of the face member 14, it is preferable to form the built-up portion Y from the inner surface along the arched rib 34 to the highest position, for example, a position higher than ½ of the height of the arched rib 34. With such a built-up portion Y, the function of the rib 34 can be enhanced, the strength and durability can be improved, and the resilience at the central portion of the face portion 12 can be efficiently suppressed.

  The face member 14 is formed by sequentially adjoining a first area 40 and a second area 42 that is thinner than the first area 40 in a portion adjacent to the crown side of the arch-shaped rib 34. is there. The first area 40 adjacent to the arch-shaped rib 34 is formed to have the largest width in the vertical direction, that is, the crown / sole direction, in the center portion in the toe / heel direction, and the toe side portion 40a and the heel side portion 40b are formed. , Each extending beyond the arched rib 34.

  The width of the first area 40 is formed at a central portion passing through the sweet spot S so as to have a size of 20 to 50%, preferably 25 to 40% of the face height H, and passing through the toe side end of the rib 34. However, it is not limited to about 10 to 30%, and it is preferably about 10 to 30% at a portion passing through the heel side end of the rib 34. Further, the maximum length of the first area 40 in the toe-heel direction can be a length extending over the entire length of the sole portion, and is preferably 50 to 80% of the total length of the sole portion.

  The second area 42 covers the crown side of the first area 40, and the toe side part 42 a and the heel side part 42 b extend beyond the first area 40 to the toe side and the heel side. Furthermore, the crown side part 42 c extends upward from the central part including the sweet spot S to the crown side part 30 b of the edge member 30. It is preferable to arrange the third areas 44 and 46 on the toe side and the heel side of the second area 42, respectively.

  In the case of providing the third areas 44 and 46, the second area 42 is formed so that the length in the toe / heel direction on the crown side is about 40 to 70% with respect to the maximum length L of the head body. The maximum side length is preferably longer than the crown side.

  The face member 14 is formed such that the thickness of the first area 40 is the largest and the thickness of the second area 42 is greater than the thickness of the third area. In particular, the thickness of the second area 42 is about 75% to 95% of the thickness of the first area, and the thickness of the third areas 44 and 46 is about 80% to 97% of the thickness of the second area 42. It is preferable to make the difference in thickness between the second area 42 and the third areas 44 and 46 smaller than the difference in thickness between the first area 40 and the second area 42. By forming the thickness of each area in this way, it is possible to suppress the resilience at the face center portion and approximate the resilience to the face center portion over a wide range in the toe-heel direction.

  The arch-shaped rib 34 formed on the inner surface of the face portion 12 has a height that is 1.5 times or more that of the first area 40 and is in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 times. It is preferable to form. Thereby, the function of the rib 34 can be suitably exerted on the first area 40 and the second area 42 of the face member 14, and the reduction in the coefficient of restitution of the first area 40 and the second area 42 can be suppressed.

  Specifically, for example, the thickness of the first area 40 is 2.7 to 3.5 mm, the thickness of the second area 42 is 2.0 to 3.0 mm, and the thickness of the third areas 44 and 46 is 1. It is preferable to form to about 8 to 2.7 mm.

  The sole side portion 30 a of the edge member 30 disposed on the sole side of the face member 14 can be formed to be thinner than the thickness of the first area 40. Thereby, the resilience of the lower face portion can be adjusted by the sole side portion 30a and the rib 34. Of course, when the auxiliary rib 39 is provided, the thickness of the sole side portion 30a can be adjusted in relation to the first area 40 together with the arched rib 34 and the auxiliary rib 39.

  The crown side portion 30b of the edge member 30 disposed on the crown side of the face member 14 has a thickness of the intermediate portion 30b1 (the portion facing the crown side portion 42c of the second area 42) with respect to the face member 14. The toe side portion 30b2 and the heel side portion 30b3 are formed thinner than the third areas 44 and 46, respectively, to improve resilience. Thereby, the range in which the coefficient of restitution of the face portion 12 is high can be further expanded from the face member 14 to the edge member 30.

  Further, in the toe-heel direction, the toe side portion 30b2 and the heel side portion 30b3 are formed thinner than the intermediate portion 30b1, and the deformation on the side portions 20, 22 side is increased to improve the resilience. As a result, the edge member 30 can stably obtain a resilience performance over a wide range, and the average flight distance of the golf ball can be improved.

  According to the club head 10 formed in this way, the first area 40 disposed on the crown side of the arch-shaped rib 34 is formed thicker than the second area 42, so that the repulsion on the crown side of the rib 34 is achieved. The rebound coefficient in the center region is efficiently suppressed while preventing the coefficient from decreasing, and the second area 42 reduces the decrease in the restitution coefficient on the toe side and the heel side, thereby repelling over a wide range in the toe-heel direction. The coefficient can be approximated to the center portion, and the decrease in the coefficient of restitution on the crown side can be suppressed by the arched rib 34. As a result, a change in the coefficient of restitution across the entire face portion 12 can be minimized, a stable rebound performance with little difference due to variation in hitting points can be obtained, and even if the hitting ball position changes variously, there is little variation in rebound characteristics. Thus, it is possible to form the golf club 8 that can obtain stable rebound performance and can improve the average flight distance and stabilize the hitting direction.

  The face member 14 can omit the third areas 44 and 46, but by providing the third areas 44 and 46, the face member 12 is stable in a wider range in the toe-heel direction. The resilience performance can be obtained, and the average flight distance of the golf ball can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the face portion 12 in which the face member 14 and the edge member 30 which are separate members are integrated by welding has been described, but the entire face portion 12 may be integrally formed by casting or forging, Furthermore, a part of the crown portion 16 and the sole portion 18 may be formed integrally with a member that forms the face portion. Further, the arched rib 34 may be formed separately and integrated by welding or the like instead of being formed as an integral member with the edge member 30 or the head main body 10a.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a club head of a golf club according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The top view of the club head of the golf club of FIG. Sectional drawing which follows the III-III line | wire of FIG. Sectional drawing which follows the IV-IV line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 ... Golf club, 10 ... Club head, 12 ... Face part, 14 ... Face member, 34 ... Rib, 40 ... 1st area, 42 ... 2nd area.

Claims (6)

A golf club comprising a hollow metal club head with a face portion forming a ball striking face arranged on the front surface,
An arch-shaped rib extending in the toe-heel direction and having a central portion protruding toward the crown is formed on the back surface of the face portion, and the first area and the wall thicker than the first area are formed on the crown side of the rib. A face portion is formed by sequentially adjoining a thin second area, and the first area is formed to have the largest width in the center direction in the toe-heel direction along the crown / sole direction, and the second area includes A golf club characterized by extending to a toe side and a heel side along one area and extending from a first area to a crown side.   2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein third areas that are thinner than the second area are disposed on the toe side and the crown side and on the heel side and the crown side of the second area, respectively.   The face portion is formed by welding the first area and the second area, or a face member integrally formed with the first area, the second area, and the third area, to an edge member along a peripheral portion, The edge member is formed such that the thickness of the crown side portion adjacent to the face member on the crown side is thinner at the toe side portion and the heel side portion than at the intermediate portion in the toe / heel direction. The golf club according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The golf club according to claim 3, wherein a thickness of an intermediate portion of the crown side portion is thinner than a thickness of the second area.   The face portion is formed by welding the face member together with the rib to the edge member along the peripheral portion, and the welded portion along the rib is formed as a built-up portion from the inner surface of the face member to the highest. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club is characterized in that:   The rib formed on the face portion is integrally connected to the rib formed on the sole portion of the club head, and the connecting portion connecting the rib of the face portion and the rib of the sole portion is formed on the head body of the club head. 6. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the height from the inner surface is higher on the face side than on the back side.

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