JP2012527252A - Golf club head or other ball striking device having a face insert - Google Patents

Abstract

A ball striking device (100), such as a golf club, includes a face (112) having an outer surface configured to hit a ball, a body (108) connected to the face, and a portion of the outer surface connected to the face And an insert (140) forming a head (102). The density and / or frictional properties of the insert may be different from those of adjacent portions of the face. Depending on the size, shape and location of the insert, the moment of inertia of the head may vary, the center of gravity of the face may move, and / or the degree and direction of the spin of the ball caused by the impact may vary.

Description

  The present invention generally relates to a ball striking device having at least one face insert, such as a golf club head. A particular aspect of the present invention relates to a golf club head made of a material having desired properties and having an insert that forms at least a portion of the ball striking face of the head.

Background Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players: players of different genders and dramatically different ages and proficiency levels. Golf plays together with such a diverse group of players competing directly with each other in a golf round or event (eg, using a handed score, different tee boxes, etc.) and still playing golf rounds or It is somewhat unique in the sports world in that you can enjoy the competition. These factors, coupled with the increase in golf programs on television (eg, golf tournaments, golf news, golf history and / or other golf programs) and the emergence of prominent golf superstars, at least in part, in recent years Increased golf popularity all over the world.

  Golfers attempt to improve performance, improve golf scores, and reach the next performance “level” at all proficiency levels. Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands and have recently seen dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models are now available, some balls fly farther, more straight, provide higher or flatter trajectories, more spin, control and feel Designed to provide (especially around the green).

  Golf clubs have also been the subject of significant technical research and progress in recent years, as they are the only tool for moving a golf ball during play. For example, the market has recently seen improvements in golf club heads, shafts and grips. In addition, other technical advances have been achieved (eg, club fitting techniques, ball launch angle measurements) in an attempt to better match various golf club elements and golf ball characteristics to the swing characteristics or characteristics of a particular user. Technology).

  Despite various technical improvements, golf remains a difficult game to play at high levels. In order to fly the golf ball straight and in the desired direction, the golf club must hit the golf ball squarely (or substantially squarely) with respect to the desired target path. In addition, to ensure that the golf club flies straight and in the desired direction for the desired distance, the golf club is at or near the desired location of the club head face (ie, the “desired” or “optimal” ball contact location or You have to hit a golf ball nearby. An off-center (off-center) hit tends to “twist” the club face when it touches the ball, thereby feeding the ball in the wrong direction or applying an undesired hook or slice spin. And / or take away flight distance. Club face / ball contact that misses square contact and / or occurs at a relatively small distance away from the desired ball contact location of the club is also often undesired hook or slice spin The golf ball may be launched in the wrong direction and / or the shot distance may be lost. Thus, club head features that can help the user maintain the club face in the ball and square have been improved in a desired direction, straighter and more faithful, and in many cases, and Will show a tendency to help fly at a reliable distance.

  A golf club must make square contact with the golf ball in the desired direction or path in order to produce a straight and faithful shot in the desired direction. Even slight deviations from the squareness between the club head and the golf ball at the point of contact can cause errors. Various golf club heads are designed to improve the accuracy of the golfer by helping the golfer square the club head face that collides with the golf ball. Some golf club heads reposition the weight of the golf club head to alter the location of the club head's center of gravity. The location of the center of gravity of the golf club head is one factor that determines whether the golf ball is propelled in the intended direction. When the center of gravity is located behind the point of engagement on the contact surface, the golf ball follows a generally straight route. However, if the center of gravity is separated from one side of the engagement point, the golf ball may fly in an unintended direction and / or follow a route that turns left or right, often The ball jump is called “pull”, “push”, “draw”, “fade”, “hook” or “slice”. Similarly, if the center of gravity is spaced above or below the point of engagement, the golf ball route may be more boring or exhibiting a higher trajectory, respectively.

  Also, the degree of club head twisting during an off-center collision can depend on the moment of inertia of the club head. In general, the larger the moment of inertia, the smaller the twist of the club head at the time of collision. By momentarily distributing the club head weight towards the head edge and away from the center, the moment of inertia can be increased.

  Many off-center golf hits are caused by common mistakes that are repeatedly committed by golfers when swinging golf clubs and may also be committed by many other golfers. As a result, it is often possible to detect patterns in which a large percentage of off-center hits occur in specific areas of the club face. For example, one such pattern that has been detected is that many high hand golfers tend to hit the ball in the low heel area of the club face and / or the high toe area of the club face. Other golfers may tend to miss in other areas of the club face. Since golf clubs are generally designed to contact the ball at or near the center of the face, such off-center hits result in less energy transferred to the ball and reduced shot distance. There is a fear. Also, the energy or velocity transmitted to the ball by the golf club may be related, at least in part, to the flexibility at the contact point of the club face, a measure called “coefficient of restitution” (or “COR”) Can be used to express. The maximum COR of a golf club head is currently limited to 0.83 by the USGA. Also, as noted above, the direction of ball flight and the degree of twisting of the club head during a collision is at least partially related to the club head's moment of inertia and the location of the club head's center of gravity relative to the point of collision. There is. The energy or velocity transmitted to the ball by the golf club may also be related to the club head moment of inertia and / or the location of the center of gravity. Thus, there is a need to customize or adjust the location of the golf club face's moment of inertia and / or center of gravity to provide maximum energy transfer and minimum impact torsion in areas of the face where off-center hits are most likely to occur. Exists.

  Also, the distance and direction of the ball flight may be significantly affected by the spin imparted to the ball by collision with the club head. While the ball is in the air, the aerodynamic force caused by the speed and direction of the ball spin will cause the ball's trajectory to be higher or lower or bend to “pull”, “push”, “draw”, “fade” ”,“ Hook ”,“ slice ”, etc. In addition, the spin of the ball can change the behavior of the ball as it rolls and bounces after a collision with the ground. For example, a high backspin can cause the ball to slow down, stop, or even roll backwards during a collision, and conversely, a topspin or lower backspin can cause the ball to Proceed for longer distances. The various speeds and directions of ball spin can be the product of many factors, including the point of impact, the direction of the club head at the time of impact, the degree of twisting of the club head at the time of impact, and the location of the club head's center of gravity. Also, the coefficient of friction of the club head at the point of impact may have a significant effect on the degree of spin imparted to the ball during the impact. Thus, to achieve the desired speed and direction of ball spin upon impact in the area of the face where off-center hits are most likely to occur, the golf club face moment of inertia, location of center of gravity, and / or coefficient of friction are There is a need to customize or adjust.

  The present apparatus and method are provided to address the above-mentioned problems and other problems and provide advantages and aspects not provided by this type of conventional ball striking apparatus. A full description of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY In order to provide a basic understanding of the present invention, an overview of aspects of the present invention is presented below. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a general form as a prelude to the detailed description provided below.

  Aspects of the invention relate to a ball striking device, such as a golf club, having a head that includes a face configured to strike a ball and a body connected to the face and adapted to connect a shaft thereto. Various exemplary structures of the head described herein include an insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface. The density and / or frictional properties of the insert are different from those of the portion of the face adjacent to or in contact with the insert. The shape of the insert can be designed to increase the moment of inertia of the face and / or move the center of gravity, as well as give the ball a different spin based on the location on the face where the golfer tends to hit the ball . Thus, golf shots can experience increased “repulsive force” from the face and more straight ball jumps in the case of off-center hits, for example, due to reduced face twist during collisions at these locations. (If the off-center hit hits the face at a sufficient speed in an increased flexible location). In addition, ball flight and stroke can be modified by different spins imparted by the insert.

  According to one aspect, the insert is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face. In one embodiment where the insert has a lower density than the face material, the face has a center of gravity that is located away from the geometric center of the face as a result of the lower density of the insert.

  According to another aspect in which the insert has a lower density than the face material, the center of gravity of the insert is located away from the geometric center of the face, and the center of gravity of the face is located away from the center of gravity of the insert. In one embodiment, the center of gravity of the insert is located in one direction from the geometric center of the face, and the center of gravity of the face is located in the opposite direction from the geometric center of the face.

  According to another aspect, the face includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face, wherein at least one quadrant has a greater percentage of inserts compared to at least one other quadrant. Including. In one embodiment where the insert has a lower density than the face material, each quadrant has a weight distribution that is inversely related to the proportion of inserts located in each quadrant. In another embodiment where the insert has a lower frictional characteristic than the outer surface of the face, the average degree of spin imparted to the ball by collision in each quadrant of the face is opposite to the percentage of inserts located in each quadrant. Correlate.

  In accordance with another aspect in which the insert has a lower frictional characteristic than the outer surface of the face, the insert occupies an area of the outer surface, and when the ball hits on the outer surface area occupied by the insert, In comparison, less spin is imparted to the ball. In one embodiment, collisions on the insert impart less backspin to the ball than collisions on other areas of the outer surface.

  According to another aspect, the insert is received in a cavity that extends inwardly from the outer surface of the face.

  According to a further aspect, the density and friction properties of the insert are both lower than those of the face.

  A further aspect of the invention relates to a golf club head including a face having a ball striking surface configured to hit a ball and a body connected to the face. The face includes a first material having a first density and a first friction characteristic, and a second material having a second density and a second friction characteristic. The second density is lower than the first density, and the second friction characteristic is lower than the first friction characteristic. Each of the first material and the second material forms part of the ball striking surface.

  In accordance with one aspect, the second material is embodied in an insert as described above that is connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface of the face. The insert aspects discussed above may be equally applicable to the second material.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a face for use in a ball striking device comprising a face, a wall extending rearward from the outer periphery of the face, and an insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface of the face as described above. It relates to members. The outer surface of the face is configured to hit a ball, and the inner surface is located behind the outer surface and opposite to the outer surface.

  A further aspect of the invention relates to a method that can be used to manufacture or customize a golf club head with a face configured to strike a ball on its outer surface and a body connected to the face. The method includes connecting the insert to a face, the insert having a lower density and / or lower frictional properties than an adjacent or abutting area of the face. The method may include removing the insert and replacing it with another insert having at least one different property.

  A still further aspect of the present invention relates to a kit comprising a golf club head as described above and at least one insert configured to be connected to the face of a ball striking head. The insert has a lower density and / or lower frictional properties than the adjacent or abutting area of the face. The kit may include a plurality of inserts having different properties, and the inserts may be interchangeable with each other.

  A still further aspect of the invention relates to a golf club comprising a golf club head as described above and a shaft connected to the head.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

  In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

It is a perspective view showing an exemplary mode of a head of a hitting device of the present invention with a ball. FIG. 2 is a front view of the head of FIG. 1, showing the insert in the face of the head. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the head of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the ball striking device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front view of the head of the ball striking device of FIG. 3, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the head of FIG. 4 taken along line 6-6 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of a third exemplary embodiment of a head of the ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 7 is a front view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a head of the ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 6 is a front view of a fifth exemplary embodiment of a head of the ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 10 is a front view of a sixth exemplary embodiment of a head of the ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 10 is a front view of a seventh exemplary embodiment of the head of the ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 10 is a front view of an eighth exemplary embodiment of the head of the ball striking device of the present invention showing the insert in the face of the head. FIG. 10 is a front view of a ninth exemplary embodiment of the head of the ball striking device of the present invention showing the insert in the face of the head. FIG. 16 is a front view of a tenth exemplary embodiment of a head of a ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. FIG. 14 is a front view of an eleventh exemplary embodiment of a head of a ball striking device of the present invention, showing an insert in the face of the head. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one exemplary embodiment of a face having an insert and suitable for use in the head of the ball striking device of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of a face having an insert and suitable for use in the head of the ball striking device of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a third exemplary embodiment of a face having an insert and suitable for use in the head of the ball striking device of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a face having an insert and suitable for use in the head of the ball striking device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description of various exemplary structures of the present invention, various exemplary devices, systems, and environments that form part of this specification and that can implement aspects of the invention are illustrative. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings shown. It will be appreciated that other specific arrangements of parts, exemplary devices, systems and environments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, in this specification, terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “side”, “back” and the like are used to describe various exemplary features and elements of the present invention. These terms are used herein for convenience based on, for example, the exemplary orientation shown in the figures or orientation in normal use. Further, as used herein, the term “plurality” refers to any number greater than one, either disjunctive or connective, up to an infinite number if necessary. Nothing herein should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of the structure to fall within the scope of the invention. Also, the reader should note that the attached drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

  The following terms are used herein, and unless otherwise stated or apparent from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.

  “Hitting device” refers to any device constructed and designed to strike a ball or other similar object (eg, a hockey puck). In addition to generically including “hitting head” described in more detail below, examples of “hitting devices” include golf clubs, putters, croquet mallets, polo mallets, baseball or softball bats, crickets. Bats, tennis rackets, badminton rackets, field hockey sticks, ice hockey sticks, and the like.

  “Hitting head” includes and is adjacent to (and possibly surrounds) a portion of a “hitting device” that is designed to contact a ball (or other object) during use. Part). In some examples, such as many golf clubs and putters, the hitting head may be detached from any shaft or handle member and may be a separate entity or attached in some way to the shaft or handle. .

  The terms “shaft” and “handle” are used interchangeably and interchangeably herein and include the portion of the ball striking device that the user holds (if any) when the ball striking device swings.

  “Integral joining technology” refers to irreversible joining techniques that cannot achieve separation of the joined pieces without structural damage, such as adhesive joining, cementing, welding, brazing, soldering, etc. First, but not limited to, this refers to a technique for joining two pieces so that they are effectively one integrated piece.

  “Friction properties” refers to the degree of friction and / or traction that a material exhibits against other materials, including both static and dynamic friction, and the solid state and ambient conditions that contact the outer surface of the golf ball And can be determined with reference to the coefficient of friction (μ) of the material. In some embodiments, refer to the total contact surface area of a ball compressed during impact to calculate friction properties, since the total friction between two surfaces can depend on the total contact area between them. can do. These properties can be calculated using applicable ASTM reference surface tests including standards such as ASTM G-115 and / or ASTM G-194.

  In general, aspects of the present invention relate to ball striking devices such as golf club heads, golf clubs, putter heads, putters and the like. Such a ball striking device of at least some examples of the present invention may include a ball striking head and a ball striking surface. In the case of a golf club, the ball striking surface is a substantially flat surface on one surface of the ball striking head. While some more specific aspects of the invention relate to wood type golf clubs and golf club heads including drivers, fairway woods, wood type hybrid clubs, etc., aspects of the invention also include irons, iron type hybrid clubs, etc. Can also be implemented.

  In accordance with various aspects of the invention, without departing from the invention, the ball striking device can be made from a variety of materials such as metals (including metal alloys), ceramics, polymers, composites (including fiber reinforced composites) and wood. Or may be formed in one of various configurations. In one exemplary embodiment, some or all components of the head are made of metal, including at least a portion of the face and the body of the head. It will be appreciated that the head can include components made of several different materials including carbon fibers and other components. Further, the component may be formed by various forming methods. For example, metal components (eg, titanium, aluminum, titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, steel (including stainless steel), etc.) can be formed by forging, molding, casting, stamping, machining, and / or other known techniques. In another example, composite components, such as carbon fiber / polymer composites, can be manufactured by a variety of composite processing techniques, such as prepreg processing, powder-based techniques, mold infiltration and / or other known techniques.

  Various drawings in this application show examples of ball striking devices of the present invention. Where the same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that reference number is used consistently to refer to the same or similar parts throughout the specification and drawings.

  At least some examples of the ball striking devices of the present invention include wood type golf clubs, such as drivers, and long iron clubs (eg, driving irons, 0 irons to 5 irons and hybrid type golf clubs), short iron clubs (eg, 6 The present invention relates to a golf club head structure including a head for a number iron to a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, a lob wedge, a gap wedge and / or other wedges), and a putter. Such a device may include a one-piece configuration or a multi-piece configuration. An exemplary structure of the ball striking device of the present invention will be described in detail below in connection with FIGS. 1 and 4, which illustrates at least some examples of the ball striking device 100 in the form of a golf driver of the present invention. An example is shown and FIG. 4 shows an example of a ball striking device 200 in the form of an iron-type golf club of at least some examples of the present invention.

  1-3 illustrate a ball striking device 100 in the form of a golf driver, according to at least some examples of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a ball striking device 100 includes a ball striking head 102 and a shaft 104 connected to and extending from the ball striking head 102. In FIG. 1, the ball 106 to be used is shown at a position where it is hit by the hitting device 100. 1 has a face 112 connected to a body 108, and a hosel 109 extends from the body. Any desired hosel and / or head / shaft interconnect structure may be used, including conventional hosel and / or head / shaft interconnect structures known and used in the art, without departing from the invention can do. For reference purposes, the head 102 generally has an upper portion 116, a lower portion or sole 118, a heel 120 proximate to the hosel 109, a toe 122 remote from the hosel 109, a front surface 124 and a back surface or rear portion 126. The shape and design of the head 102 may depend in part on the intended use of the device 100. In the club 100 shown in FIG. 1, since the club 100 is designed for use as a driver or wood-type golf club for hitting the ball precisely far, the head 102 has a relatively large volume. For example, in other applications for different types of golf clubs, the head may be designed to have different dimensions and configurations. When configured as a driver, the club head may have a volume of at least 400cc, in some configurations at least 450cc or even at least 460cc. Other suitable sizes for other club heads can be readily determined by those skilled in the art.

  In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the head 102 has a hollow structure (eg, defined by the face 112 and the body 108) that defines an internal cavity. Thus, the head 102 has a plurality of inner surfaces defined therein. In one embodiment, the hollow central cavity may be filled with air. However, in other embodiments, the head 102 can be filled with another material, such as foam. In a still further aspect, the solid material of the head may occupy a relatively large percentage of the volume, and the head may have smaller cavities or no internal cavities at all. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the internal cavity may not be completely enclosed.

  The face 112 is located on the front surface 124 of the head 102, and has a ball striking face 110 located thereon, and an inner surface 111 opposite to the ball striking face 110. The ball striking surface 110 is generally the outer surface of the face 112, which is configured to face the ball 106 during use, and is adapted to strike the ball 106 when the device 100 is moved, for example, by a swing. . As shown in the figure, the hitting surface 110 is relatively flat and occupies most of the face 112. For reference, the portion of the face 112 that is closest to the face upper edge 113 and the heel 120 of the head 102 is referred to as the “high heel area” 160, and the portion of the face 112 that is closest to the face upper edge 113 and the toe 122 of the head 102 is “ The portion of the face 112 closest to the face lower edge 115 and the heel 120 of the head 102, referred to as the “high toe area” 162, and the portion of the face 112 closest to the face lower edge 115 and the toe 122 of the head 102, referred to as the “low heel area” 164. Is referred to as “routing area” 166. Conceptually, these areas 160-166 may be recognized and referred to as substantially equal sized quadrants (and / or quadrants extending from the geometric center of face 112), but not necessarily It does not have symmetrical dimensions. The face 112 may include some curve (eg, bulge and roll characteristics) in the up-down direction and / or the heel-toe direction, as is known and common in the art. In other embodiments, the surface 110 may occupy different proportions of the face 112, or the body 108 may have multiple ball striking surfaces 110 thereon. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ball striking surface 110 is slightly tilted (ie, has a loft angle) to add a slight lift and spin to the ball 106 when struck. In other exemplary embodiments, the ball striking face 110 can have different slopes or loft angles to affect the trajectory of the ball 106. Further, in some embodiments, the face 112 may have a variable thickness and / or may have one or more internal or external inserts.

  It will be appreciated that the face 112, the body 108 and / or the hosel 109 can be formed as a single piece or can be formed as separate pieces that are joined together. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the face 112 is formed as part of the face frame member 128 with a wall 125 extending rearwardly from an edge 127 of the face 112. This configuration is also known as a cup face structure. The body 108 can be formed as a separate piece joined to the wall 125 of the face frame member 128. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the body 108 is formed in part by a back body member 129, which can be a single piece or multiple pieces. The wall 125 of the face frame member 128 is combined with the back body member 129 to form the body 108 of the head 102. These pieces may be connected by an integral joining technique such as welding, cementing or adhesive joining. Other known techniques for joining these parts can be used as well, including many mechanical joining techniques, including removable mechanical engagement techniques. If desired, hosel 109 may be integrally formed as part of face frame member 128. Further, a gasket (not shown) may be included between the face frame member 128 and the back body member 129.

  4-6 illustrate a ball striking device 200 in the form of a golf iron, according to at least some examples of this invention. Many common components between the ball striking device 100 of FIGS. 1-3 and the ball striking device 200 of FIGS. 4-6 use similar reference numerals in the following description using the “200” series of reference numerals. Refer to it. The ball striking device 200 includes a shaft 204 and a golf club head 202 attached to the shaft 204. The golf club head 202 of FIG. 4 can represent any iron or hybrid type golf club head of the examples of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the golf club head 202 includes a body member 208 having a face 212 and a hosel 209 extending from the body 208 for attachment of the shaft 204. For reference purposes, the head 202 generally has an upper portion 216, a lower portion or sole 218, a heel 220 proximate to the hosel 209, a toe 222 remote from the hosel 209, a front surface 224, and a back surface or rear portion 226. The shape and design of the head 202 may depend in part on the intended use of the device 200. The heel portion 220 is attached to and / or extends from the hosel 209 (eg, as a single or integral one piece configuration, separate connected elements, etc.).

  The face 212 is located on the front surface 224 of the head 202, and has a ball striking surface 210 located thereon, and an inner surface 211 opposite to the ball striking surface 210. The ball striking surface 210 is generally the outer surface of the face 212, and this outer surface is configured to face a ball (not shown) during use and is adapted to strike the ball, for example, when the device 200 is moved by a swing. Has been. As shown in the drawing, the hitting surface 210 is relatively flat and occupies most of the face 212. The ball striking face 210 can include a groove 152 (eg, a generally horizontal groove 152 extending across the face 212 in the illustrated example) for removing water and grass from the face 212 during the ball. Of course, any number of grooves, including conventional groove patterns and / or groove configurations, desired groove patterns and / or groove configurations can be provided (or without groove patterns if desired) without departing from the invention. Even so).

  For reference, the portion of the face 212 that is closest to the face upper edge 213 and the heel 220 of the head 202 is referred to as the “high heel area” 260, and the portion of the face 212 that is closest to the face upper edge 213 and the toe 222 of the head 202 is “ The portion of the face 212 closest to the face lower edge 215 and the heel 220 of the head 202, referred to as the “height toe area” 262, and the portion of the face 212 closest to the face lower edge 215 and the toe 222 of the head 202 Is referred to as the “routing area” 266. Conceptually, these areas 260-266 may be recognized and referred to as substantially equal sized quadrants (and / or quadrants extending from the geometric center of face 212), but not necessarily It does not have symmetrical dimensions. The face 212 may include some curve (eg, bulge and roll characteristics) in the up-down direction and / or the heel-toe direction, as is known and common in the art. In other embodiments, the surface 210 can occupy a different proportion of the face 212 or the body 208 can have multiple ball striking surfaces 210 thereon. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the ball striking surface 210 is tilted (ie, has a loft angle) to add a significant amount of lift and spin to the ball when hit. In other exemplary embodiments, the ball striking face 210 may have different slopes or loft angles to affect the ball trajectory. Further, in some embodiments, the face 212 may have a variable thickness and / or may have one or more internal or external inserts. It will be appreciated that the face 212, the body 208 and / or the hosel 209 can be formed as a single piece or can be formed as separate pieces that are joined together.

  The body member 208 of the golf club head 202 is conventionally known in the art and includes a wide variety of different materials including materials used such as steel, titanium, aluminum, tungsten, graphite, polymers or composites, or combinations thereof. Can be constructed from materials. Also, if desired, the club head 202 can be used from any number of pieces (eg, having separate faceplates, etc.) and / or as known in the art for casting, forging, welding, and / or use in the art. Can be made by any construction technique including, for example, other methods.

  The ball striking device 100, 200 may include a shaft 104, 204 connected or otherwise engaged to the ball striking head 102, 202, as schematically shown in FIGS. The shafts 104, 204 are adapted to be gripped by a user to swing the ball striking device 100, 200 and hit the ball 106. The shafts 104, 204 can be formed as separate pieces connected to the heads 102, 202, for example by connecting to hosel 109, 209, as shown in FIGS. In other exemplary embodiments, at least a portion of the shafts 104, 204 may be an integral piece with the heads 102, 202 and / or the heads 102, 202 may not include the hosel 109, 209. Or may include an internal hosel structure. Still further embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. The shafts 104, 204 can be constructed from one or more of a variety of materials including metals, ceramics, polymers, composites or wood. In some exemplary embodiments, the shaft 104, 204 or at least a portion thereof can be constructed of a metal, such as stainless steel or titanium, or a composite, such as a carbon / graphite fiber-polymer composite. However, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the shafts 104, 204 can be constructed of a variety of materials, including conventional materials known and used in the art. As shown in FIG. 4, a grip element 205 can be disposed on the shafts 104, 204 to provide the golfer with a slip-resistant surface that is used to grip the golf club shafts 104, 204. Grip element 205 in any desired manner, including any conventional manner known and used in the art (eg, via glue or cement, screws, or other mechanical connectors, swaging / swaging, etc.). Can be attached to the shafts 104,204.

  In general, the heads 102, 202 of the ball striking devices 100, 200 have faces 112, 212 having at least one insert 140 connected thereto. The embodiment of the head 102 shown in FIGS. 2-3 and the embodiment of the head 202 shown in FIGS. 5-6 both include a single insert 140 that is received within the cavity 114 in the faces 112, 212, A portion of the outer surface 110, 210 of 212 is formed. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the faces 112, 212 may have any number of inserts and may include any number of cavities 114 that accommodate such inserts.

  The head 102 shown in FIGS. 2-3 and the head 202 shown in FIGS. 5-6 are shown with substantially identical inserts 140 received in their faces 112, 212. The insert 140 is substantially triangular, and more specifically has a substantial equilateral triangle. Each face 112, 212 has a cavity 114 formed complementary to the insert 140 for receiving the insert therein. In other embodiments, the cavities 114 and inserts 140 described herein may have any desired shape, but generally the cavities 114 are suitable as in the examples shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6. The insert 140 may be formed or otherwise configured to complementarily accommodate the insert 140.

  Cavity 114 and insert 140 may extend partially or completely through faces 112, 212. In one embodiment, the insert 140 extends to the outer surfaces 110, 210 of the faces 112, 212 to form a portion of the outer surfaces 110, 210, and in another embodiment, the insert 140 extends to the inner surfaces 111, 211 of the faces 112, 212. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-3, 5-6, 16 and 18-19, the inserts 140, 140J, 140L, 140M extend completely through the faces 112, 212. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17 described below, the insert 140K extends through a small portion of the face 112. In all embodiments shown herein, the inserts 140, 140J-M extend to the outer surfaces 110, 210 of the faces 112, 212, form part of the outer surface 110, and are flush with the outer surfaces 110, 210. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the insert may not extend to the outer surface 110, 210 or may not be flush with the inner surface 110, 210. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the insert 140 may have a groove 150 thereon, which is cooperatively arranged to coincide with the groove 152 on the outer surface 210 of the face 212. The

  Each insert 140 may be made of one or more different materials, and the properties of each insert 140 may affect the properties of the faces 112,212. In one embodiment, the insert 140 may be made of a material that is different from the material forming the faces 112, 212. The use of inserts 140 made of different materials and having different properties may allow customization of faces 112, 212 to achieve specific performance characteristics.

  One such property is the density of the insert 140 material. It will be appreciated that the density of the material can be affected by the inherent density characteristics of the bulk insert material, as well as other factors such as the porosity of the material. In one embodiment, the insert 140 has a density that is different from the density of the material of the faces 112, 212. By using an insert 140 having a different density than the faces 112, 212, the weight distribution, center of gravity and moment of inertia of the heads 102, 202 and the faces 112, 212 can be adjusted. For example, by connecting an insert 140 having a low density near or in the middle of the center of the face 112, 212, the weight of the face 112, 212 is distributed toward the edge of the face 112, 212, so that the face 112, 212 In addition, the moment of inertia of the heads 102 and 202 can be increased. Conversely, the use of heavier inserts 140 can distribute the weight more towards the center of the faces 112, 212. Further, an insert 140 having a different density than the face material can be used to move the center of gravity of the face 112, 212 toward a desired area of the face 112, 212, eg, an area where mishits occur frequently. That the density of the insert 140 can vary with respect to the bulk or bulk density of the faces 112, 212, or with respect to the density of a portion of the faces 112, 212 that touch or are adjacent to the insert 140, and It will be appreciated that some portions may have the same or similar density as the insert 140.

  The size, shape, location and density of the insert 140, as well as other factors, can affect how the center of gravity of the faces 112, 212 moves by connecting the insert 140 to the face. When using an insert 140 having a low density, generally the weight distribution of the faces 112, 212 moves away from the area of the face 112, 212 where the insert 140 is located. Similarly, using the low density insert 140 may move the center of gravity away from the area where the insert 140 is located, for example using an asymmetric insert relative to the geometric center of the face 112,212. it can. For example, when the low density insert 140 is located predominantly toward the heel 120 of the face 140, the face weight is more distributed toward the toe 122 and the center of gravity also moves toward the toe 122. As another example, when the low density insert 140 is located predominantly toward the upper edge 113 of the face 112, 212, the weight of the face 112, 212 is more distributed toward the lower edge 115 and the center of gravity is also the face 112, 212 Move lower on 212. Viewed another way, when the low density insert 140 occupies an area of the faces 112, 212, the weight of the faces 112, 212 is distributed inversely toward the area of the faces 112, 212 not occupied by the insert 140. ing. For example, in one embodiment, at least one quadrant of the faces 112, 212 includes a greater percentage of inserts 140 compared to at least one other quadrant, each quadrant having a respective quadrant. Having a relative weight distribution that is inversely related to the proportion of insert 140 located in Conversely, when connecting the high density insert 140 to the faces 112, 212, it may exhibit the opposite effect to that previously described for the low density insert.

  Thus, when the center of gravity 170 of the low density insert 140, 140A-I is located away from the center of gravity 172 of the face 112, 212, the center of gravity 174 of the face 112, 212 is inserted as shown in FIGS. 140, 140A-I can move away from the center of gravity 170. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 7 and 9-14, the inserts 140, 140A and 140C-H are asymmetric with respect to the geometric center 172 of the face 112,212. Accordingly, the center of gravity 170 of each of these low density inserts 140, 140A and 140C-H is located in one direction from the geometric center 172 of the face 112, 212, and the center of gravity 174 of the face 112, 212 is 112, 212 is located in a substantially opposite direction from the geometric center 172. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the center of gravity 170 of the insert 140 is located upward from the geometric center 172 of the faces 112, 212 and the center of gravity 174 of the faces 112, 212 is It moves downward from the geometric center 172. Further, the weight of the faces 112, 212 is distributed inversely proportionally towards the low heel area 164 and the toe area 166 of the faces 112, 212. Changes in the weight distribution of the faces 112, 212 and movement of the center of gravity 174 (if any) caused by the various inserts 140A-I shown in FIGS. It will be appreciated that the use of additional inserts and / or variations in the thickness of the faces 112, 212 may also affect the weight distribution and / or the movement of the center of gravity.

  The friction characteristics of the outer surface of the insert is another property of the insert 140 that may allow customization of the properties of the faces 112,212. It will be appreciated that the friction properties of the insert can be affected by the inherent friction properties (such as the coefficient of friction) of the bulk material, as well as other factors such as the smoothness or texture of the surface of the material. Further, the material can have a coating on the outer surface that can change the frictional properties of the outer surface of the insert 140. In one embodiment, the insert 140 has a friction characteristic that is different from the friction characteristics of the material of the faces 112, 212. By using an insert 140 that has different frictional properties than the faces 112, 212, the degree of spin imparted to the ball by a collision against a specific area of the faces 112, 212 can be adjusted. For example, an insert 140 having a low friction surface can impart less spin to the ball during an impact on the area of the face 112, 212 occupied by the insert 140, and conversely, has a high friction surface. The insert 140 can impart more spin to the ball. In one embodiment, an insert 140 having a low friction surface is connected to the faces 112, 212 to reduce the backspin imparted to the ball upon impact and increase the average distance traveled by the ball. Viewed another way, when the low friction insert 140 occupies an area of the faces 112, 212, the average degree of spin imparted to the ball by impact in that area is reduced. For example, in one embodiment, at least one quadrant of the faces 112, 212 includes a greater percentage of the insert 140 compared to at least one other quadrant, and is imparted to the ball by collision in each quadrant. The average degree of spin played is inversely related to the percentage of inserts 140 located in each quadrant. The friction characteristics of the insert 140 may differ for the bulk or most of the friction characteristics of the faces 112, 212, or for the friction characteristics of a portion of the faces 112, 212 that touch or are adjacent to the insert 140, and the face 112 It will be appreciated that some portions of 212 may have the same or similar friction characteristics as insert 140.

  In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the insert 140 has a lower friction surface than the other areas of the faces 112,212. Thus, center and off-center hits towards the high center, low center, and high heel area 160 and high toe area 162 will experience reduced spin due to the lower degree of friction of the insert material. The change in the degree of spin imparted to the ball by impact in the particular area of the face 112, 212 resulting from the use of the various inserts 140A-I shown in FIGS.

  The material of the insert can be selected based on density, frictional properties and / or any other properties, including metals (including metal alloys), ceramics, polymers, composites (including fiber reinforced composites), wood Or any other suitable material. In one embodiment where the club head is a wood type club head, such as the head 102 shown in FIGS. 1-3, the insert 140 is made of a polyolefin material having low density and low friction properties. In another embodiment where the club head is an iron type club head, such as the head 202 shown in FIGS. 4-6, the insert 140 is made of a titanium-aluminum alloy having low density and low friction properties. In various other embodiments, any other material having the desired density and physical properties and high lubricity can be used.

  FIGS. 7-15 illustrate various shapes of inserts 140A-I that can be used in connection with the head 102, and the face 112 is one or more formed to accommodate each insert 140A-I. It will be appreciated that other cavities 114 may be included. Each of these inserts 140A-I is shown in a particular orientation, but the orientation of the inserts 140A-I can be varied, for example, by rotating the insert to face vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. It will be understood. Some of the inserts 140A-I shown in FIGS. 7-15, such as the inserts 140A and 140C-H shown in FIGS. 7 and 9-14, are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center 172 of the face 112. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the inserts 140A-I are shown as part of the face 112, but in other embodiments these and these may be used to allow for different weight distribution and friction characteristics, as described above. Faces (eg, face 212 in FIGS. 4-6) can be constructed with inserts having other shapes. The effect that each of these inserts 140A-I may have on the weight distribution and friction characteristics of the face 112 is as follows, as if the inserts 140A-I were connected to the face 112 in the position and orientation shown. Explained. It will be appreciated that changing the orientation and / or location of each insert 140A-I can change these effects. Furthermore, in the following discussion, it is assumed that these inserts 140A-I have low density and low friction surfaces. It will be further appreciated that changing these and other properties may also change the effects that the inserts 140A-I may have on the weight distribution, friction properties, and / or other properties of the face 112.

  FIG. 7 shows an insert 140A having a triangle similar to the insert 140 of FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6, rotated 180 ° in orientation. When placing this insert 140A in the location and orientation shown, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the high heel area 160 and height toe area 162, and the center of gravity 174 is upward on the face 112. Move to. Furthermore, center and off-center hits towards the high center, low center and low heel area 164 and low toe area 166 will experience reduced spin due to the lower friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that rotating the orientation of the insert 140A 180 ° will cause these properties to be reversed upside down, and the properties will be similar to those previously described for the insert 140 shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6. .

  FIG. 8 shows an insert 140B having a substantially circular shape. When placing this insert 140B in the illustrated location and orientation, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward both the heel 120 and the toe 122, and the center of gravity 174 is substantially unaffected. . Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits within a radius around the center of the face 112 experience reduced spin due to the low friction of the insert material.

  FIG. 9 shows an insert 140C having a substantially right triangle. When placing this insert 140C in the illustrated location and orientation, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the low heel area 164, and the center of gravity 174 moves toward the low heel area 164. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits that are high on the face 112 and toward the high heel area 160, the high toe area 162 and the low toe area 166 experience a reduced spin due to the lower degree of friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that the insert 140C may be oriented and positioned on the face 112 so that the center of gravity moves toward the height toe section 162, for example by rotating the orientation of the insert 140C by 180 °.

  FIG. 10 shows an insert 140D having a substantially right triangle. When placing this insert 140D in the location and orientation shown, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the high heel area 160, and the center of gravity 174 moves toward the high heel area 160. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits that are low on the face 112 and toward the high toe area 162, the low heel area 164, and the low toe area 166 experience reduced spin due to the lower friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that the insert 140D may be oriented and positioned on the face 112 so that the center of gravity is moved toward the waxy section 166, for example by rotating the orientation of the insert 140D by 180 °.

  FIG. 11 shows an insert 140E having a substantially isosceles triangle and oriented horizontally. When placing this insert 140E in the illustrated location and orientation, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the high heel area 160 and the low heel area 164, and the center of gravity 174 is directed toward the heel 120. Moving. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits towards toe 122 experience reduced spin due to the low friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that by using the insert 140E rotated 180 °, these features can be reversed laterally (eg, the center of gravity moves toward the toe 122).

  FIG. 12 shows an insert 140F having a substantially asymmetric trapezoid. When placing this insert 140F in the illustrated location and orientation, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the low heel area 164, and the center of gravity 174 moves toward the low heel area 164. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits towards high heel area 160 and toe 122 experience reduced spin due to the low friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that the insert 140F can be used to move the center of gravity 174 toward the high heel area 160, the toe area 162 or the toe area 166, for example by flipping and / or rotating the insert 140F as appropriate.

  FIG. 13 shows an insert 140G having a substantially symmetric trapezoid. When placing this insert 140G in the location and orientation shown, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the low heel area 164 and the low toe area 166, and the center of gravity 174 is downward on the face 112. Move to. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits toward the face's low center and the entire top of the face 112 experience reduced spin due to the low friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that rotating the orientation of the insert 140G 180 ° will cause these properties to be reversed upside down (eg, weight is distributed towards the high heel 160 and height toe 162).

  FIG. 14 shows an insert 140H having a substantially T-shape. When placing this insert 140H in the location and orientation shown, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the low heel area 164 and the low toe area 166, and the center of gravity 174 is downward on the face 112. Move to. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits directed to the entire top of the face 112 experience reduced spin due to the low friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that rotating the orientation of the insert 140I by 180 ° causes these properties to be reversed upside down (eg, weight is distributed toward the high heel 160 and height toe 162).

  FIG. 15 shows an insert 140I having a substantially rectangular shape. When placing this insert 140I in the location and orientation shown, the moment of inertia of the face 112 increases, the weight is proportionally distributed toward the heel 120 and toe 122, and the center of gravity 174 does not move substantially. Furthermore, center hits and off-center hits toward the high center and low center of the face 112 experience a reduced spin due to the low friction of the insert material. It will be appreciated that different properties can be achieved by using the insert 140I in different rotated orientations.

  In further embodiments, if desired, inserts having additional properties that allow customization of other properties of the faces 112, 212 can be used. Furthermore, the faces 112, 212 can be configured to use inserts of almost any shape and size to customize the properties of the faces 112, 212.

  Connecting the insert 140 into the cavity 114 can be done in any manner that can depend on the shape and configuration of the cavity 114 and / or the insert 140, including any and all connection techniques known to those skilled in the art. . In one example shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the insert 140 is connected into the cavity using a monolithic bonding technique, such as cementing or adhesive bonding. Other joining techniques can be used in other embodiments, and several configurations using such techniques are described below and illustrated in FIGS.

  In another example, as shown in FIG. 16, the insert 140J includes an extension 144 that is housed in a notch 142 inside the cavity 114 to connect the insert 140J to the face 112. enable. The face 112 and insert 140J can include additional cutouts 142 and extensions 144, which can extend partially or fully around the cavity 114 and insert 140J.

  In another example, as shown in FIG. 17, the cavity 114 does not extend completely through the face 112, and the insert 140K uses one or more connectors 143 inserted from the inner surface 111, such as screws. Connected in the cavity 114. The face 112 can include one or more passages (not shown) that allow the connector 143 to pass through, and the connectors 143 and passages are complementarily threaded for threadable engagement. It will be understood that Further, the inner surface 111 of the face 112 may include a counterbore portion (not shown) that accommodates a portion of the connector 143, for example, a head such as a screw, bolt, nail, rivet or the like.

  In the further example shown in FIG. 18, the insert 140L is connected into the cavity 114 using a monolithic bonding technique, but may be connected by another technique such as friction or an interference fit. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, the face 112 includes supports 146 on the inner surface 111 that are designed to prevent the insert 140L from being pushed inwardly upon impact with the ball. 146 may extend partially or fully around the cavity 114.

  In yet another example shown in FIG. 19, the insert 140M includes a notch 148 that accommodates an extension 149 inside the cavity 114 to allow the insert 140M to connect to the face 112. . The insert 140M and the face 112 can include additional cutouts 148 and extensions 149, which can extend partially or completely around the insert 140J and cavity 114.

  Connect insert 140 into cavity 114 using additional connection techniques known in the art such as clamping, magnetic force, additional types of mechanical connectors, swaging / swaging (including hydraulic swaging). be able to. It will be appreciated that any of the insert configurations described herein can be connected to the face 112 using the connection techniques described herein.

  FIGS. 16-19 above show a general cross-section of the face 112 of the ball striking device having an outer surface (ball striking face) 110 and an opposite inner surface 111. Reference numerals “112”, “110”, and “111” are used to describe the features of FIGS. 16-19, but the features of the face 112 shown in FIGS. 16-19 are the same as the head 102 of the ball striking device 100 of FIGS. It will be appreciated that and can be incorporated into the head 202 of the ball striking device 200 of FIGS. 4-6, as well as any other ball striking device of an aspect of the present invention.

  In some embodiments, the insert 140 described herein can be permanently connected to the faces 112,212. In other embodiments, if desired, the insert 140 can be removably connected to the faces 112, 212 to allow replacement of the insert 140 with another insert 140 that has different properties to change the properties of the face 112. can do. An insert 140K shown in FIG. 17 represents an example of a replaceable insert 140K. In this embodiment, the connector 143 can be removed to allow one insert 140K to be removed and another connector 140K to be connected by reconnecting the connector 143. For a club head 102 having a face 112 with a replaceable insert 140, the weight distribution of the face 112 by removing the insert 140 and replacing the removed insert 140 with a different insert 140 having one or more different properties. , Center of gravity, friction properties and / or other properties can be varied. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, access to the inner surface 111 of the face 112 may be required to replace the insert 140K. When the face 112 is used in the context of the ball striking device 100 as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the head 102 may include a removable back body member 129 that provides this access. A number of different configurations for removable and / or replaceable back body members are incorporated herein by reference and are hereby incorporated by reference. This is shown and described in 12 / 192,402. However, in other embodiments, the insert 140 can be replaced from the outside of the head 112, 212 from the outer surface 110, 210 of the face 112, 212 or through access to the inner surface 111, 211 without removing a portion of the body 108, 208. It may be possible. For example, in the head 202 shown in FIGS. 4-6, the inner surface of the insert 140 can be accessed from the outside of the head 202. Other aspects of the hitting head may have portions of the head that are removable by other mechanisms using other structural configurations, and such aspects are within the scope of the present invention. Will be understood.

  Faces 112 and 212 are described above as having inserts 140 connected thereto, but faces 112 and 212 are described or described as being made of at least two different materials, each having different properties. The insert may or may not be utilized to implement this configuration. As described above, in one embodiment, the two materials have different densities and / or different friction properties. Different materials may have further different properties as well. Further, the faces 112, 212 may include more than two different materials, for example through the use of multiple inserts, inserts made of multiple materials, or multiple material faces. Any of the above inserts 140 (see below) may be made of a plurality of materials that may or may not have different properties. It will be appreciated that in inserts made of multiple materials, different portions of the insert may have different properties (eg, density or friction properties). Thus, in some embodiments of the insert 140 (see below), at least a portion of the insert 140 (see below) may have properties (density, friction, etc.) that are different from the properties of the faces 112, 212. Yes, the insert 140 (see below) may also have two or more portions that have properties that are not only different from each other but also different from the properties of the faces 112, 212. Similarly, a portion of the insert 140 (see below) may have different properties than the faces 112, 212, and another portion may have the same properties as the faces 112, 212. In other embodiments of the single material or multiple material insert 140 (see below), the entire insert may have properties that are different from the properties of the faces 112, 212. As also described above, in one embodiment, the various different materials each form the outer surface of the face 112, 212 or a portion of the ball striking surface 110, 210.

  Heads 102, 202 incorporating the inserts 140 (see below) disclosed herein may be used as a ball striking device or part thereof. For example, the golf clubs 100, 200 shown in FIGS. 1-6 may be manufactured by attaching a shaft or handle 104, 204 to a provided head, such as the head 102, 202 as described above. As used herein, “providing” a head broadly refers to making the article available or accessible for future operations performed on the article, It does not mean that the providing party has manufactured, produced or supplied the article, or that the party providing the article has ownership or control of the article. In other embodiments, various types of ball striking devices can be manufactured in accordance with the principles described herein. Manufacturing the head 102 shown in FIGS. 2-3 may include attaching the back body member 129 to the face frame member 128 as described above. Further, by customizing the weight distribution and / or friction characteristics of the faces 112, 212 by connecting inserts 140 (see below) having different densities and / or friction characteristics, the heads 102, 202, golf club 100, 200 or other hitting devices can be fitted or customized for some individuals. Such customization may include selecting an insert 140 (see below) having specific properties and placing the insert 140 (see below) into the faces 112, 212 in an arrangement that achieves the desired weight distribution of the faces 112, 212. Can include connecting. Such customization may further include removing one or more inserts 140 and replacing the removed insert 140 with one or more alternative inserts 140 having at least one different property. By exchanging the multi-material insert 140, desired properties such as higher or lower trajectory, more or less spin can be achieved.

  Heads 102, 202 incorporating inserts 140 (see below) disclosed herein include one or more inserts 140 (see below) configured to connect heads 102, 202 to heads 102, 202. Can be used as part of a kit or assembly. If the kit includes a plurality of inserts 140 (see below), each of the inserts 140 (see below) may have different properties. In one embodiment, the heads 102, 202 can have cavities 114 having a particular shape, and the kit can include one or more inserts 140 (see below) having the same shape. In another embodiment, the kit may include inserts 140 (see below) having different shapes, and the heads 102, 202 may include inserts 140 (see below) by forming cavities 114 within the faces 112, 212, for example. Further processing may be required to connect the reference) to the faces 112,212. The kit may include one or more shafts 104, 204 connected to the head. In some embodiments, the kit can include a plurality of inserts 140 (see below) that are removable and interchangeable.

  The ball striking device and the head therefor as described herein provide many benefits and advantages over existing products. For example, strategic weighting and weight distribution of inserts with various densities and weights can provide a specific weight distribution of the face. This makes it possible to change the overall moment of inertia of the head, for example by adjusting the weight distribution between the center of the face and the edge of the face. This also makes it possible to move the center of gravity of the face and / or change the relative moment of inertia at various points on the face, for example by increasing or decreasing the weight of the face in certain areas. Distributing the weight of the face in a customized manner can provide the head with an excellent ball hitting function, for example, by reducing twist during a crash. In addition, the weight distribution can be customized so that the area of the face that most frequently collides with the ball during play results in greater energy and velocity transfer, and more faithful and straighter ball jump. As another example, the degree of spin imparted to the ball during a collision in a particular area of the face can be altered by using inserts with various frictional properties. This allows the club head to be customized to give the ball specific spin characteristics during a collision in these areas. Additional benefits and advantages will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific examples including preferred forms of implementing the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the systems and methods described above. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the claims.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[Invention 1001]
A face having an outer surface configured to strike a ball;
A body connected to the face;
An insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the insert has a density lower than a density of a portion of the face that contacts the insert;
Including golf club head.
[Invention 1002]
The golf club head of the present invention 1001, wherein the insert is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face.
[Invention 1003]
The golf club head of the present invention 1002, wherein the face has a center of gravity disposed away from the geometric center of the face.
[Invention 1004]
The golf club head of the present invention 1001, wherein the center of gravity of the insert is located away from the geometric center of the face and the center of gravity of the face is located away from the center of gravity of the insert.
[Invention 1005]
The golf club head of the present invention 1004, wherein the center of gravity of the insert is located in one direction from the geometric center of the face and the center of gravity of the face is located in the opposite direction from the geometric center of the face.
[Invention 1006]
The present invention includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face and at least one quadrant includes a greater percentage of inserts compared to at least one other quadrant. 1001 golf club head.
[Invention 1007]
The golf club head of the present invention 1006, wherein each quadrant has a weight distribution that is inversely related to the percentage of inserts located in each quadrant.
[Invention 1008]
The golf club head of the present invention 1001, wherein the insert is housed in a cavity extending inwardly from the outer surface of the face.
[Invention 1009]
The golf club head of the present invention 1001, wherein the insert is made of a plurality of materials and the insert further includes a second portion having a density different from a density of a portion of the insert.
[Invention 1010]
The golf club head of the present invention 1001, wherein the entire insert has a lower density than the density of a portion of the face in contact with the insert.
[Invention 1011]
A golf club comprising the golf club head of the present invention 1001 and a shaft connected to the golf club head.
[Invention 1012]
The golf club head of the present invention 1001, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the insert has a friction characteristic that is lower than a friction characteristic of a portion of the face that contacts the insert.
[Invention 1013]
A golf club comprising the golf club head of the present invention 1012 and a shaft connected to the golf club head.
[Invention 1014]
A face having an outer surface configured to strike a ball;
A body connected to the face;
An insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface, the outer surface having an outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert has a lower friction characteristic than a portion of the outer surface of the face that contacts the insert. With insert
Including golf club head.
[Invention 1015]
The golf club head of the present invention 1014, wherein the insert is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face.
[Invention 1016]
The present invention 1014 wherein the insert occupies an area of the outer surface and the area of the outer surface occupied by the insert imparts less spin to the impacted sphere than other areas of the outer surface of the face. Golf club head.
[Invention 1017]
The golf club head of the present invention 1016, wherein an area of the surface occupied by the insert is configured to impart less backspin to the impacted sphere than other areas of the outer surface of the face.
[Invention 1018]
The present invention includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face and at least one quadrant includes a greater percentage of inserts compared to at least one other quadrant. 1014 golf club heads.
[Invention 1019]
The golf club head of the present invention 1014, wherein the insert is housed in a cavity extending inwardly from the outer surface of the face.
[Invention 1020]
The golf club head of the present invention 1014, wherein the outer surface of the insert is made of a plurality of materials and at least one of the materials has a friction characteristic that is different from another friction characteristic of the material.
[Invention 1021]
A golf club comprising the golf club head of the present invention 1014 and a shaft connected to the golf club head.
[Invention 1022]
A face having a ball striking surface configured to strike a ball;
A golf club head including a body connected to the face,
The face includes a first material having a first density and a first friction characteristic, and a second material having a second density and a second friction characteristic, the second density being the first density. Less than one density and the second friction characteristic is lower than the first friction characteristic; and
Each of the first material and the second material form part of the ball striking surface;
Golf club head.
[Invention 1023]
The golf club head of the present invention 1022, wherein the second material is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face.
[Invention 1024]
The second material forms an area of the ball striking surface, and the area of the ball striking surface formed by the second material imparts less spin to the impacted sphere than the other areas of the ball striking surface A golf club head according to the present invention 1022, comprising:
[Invention 1025]
The face includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face, and at least one quadrant includes a greater percentage of the second material as compared to at least one other quadrant. The golf club head of the present invention 1022.
[Invention 1026]
The golf club head of the present invention 1025 wherein each quadrant has a weight distribution that is inversely related to the proportion of the second material located in each quadrant.
[Invention 1027]
The second material forms an area with a face, and the center of gravity of the area of the face is located away from the geometric center of the face; and
The golf club head of the present invention 1022, wherein the center of gravity of the face is located away from the center of gravity of the area formed by the second material.
[Invention 1028]
A golf club comprising the golf club head of the present invention 1022 and a shaft connected to the golf club head.
[Invention 1029]
A face having an outer surface configured to strike a ball;
A body connected to the face;
An insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface, the outer surface having a density and a friction characteristic, wherein the density and the friction characteristic of the insert are the portion of the face that contacts the insert Of inserts with different density and friction properties
Including golf club head.
[Invention 1030]
The golf club head of the present invention 1029, wherein at least one of a friction characteristic and a density of the insert is lower than a density or friction characteristic of a portion of the face in contact with the insert.
[Invention 1031]
A golf club comprising the golf club head of the present invention 1029 and a shaft connected to the golf club head.
[Invention 1032]
Providing a golf club head comprising a face having a ball striking surface configured to hit a ball and a body connected to the face; and
A first insert having density and friction characteristics, wherein at least one of the density and friction characteristics of the first insert is lower than the density or friction characteristics of a portion of the face in contact with the first insert. Connecting one insert to the face
A method for manufacturing a golf club, comprising:
[Invention 1033]
Removing the first insert from the face; and
A second insert having density and friction properties, wherein at least one of the density and friction properties of the second insert is different from the density or friction properties of the first insert, Connecting to the face
The method of invention 1032 further comprising:
[Invention 1034]
Connecting a shaft to a golf club head to form a golf club
The method of invention 1032 further comprising:
[Invention 1035]
The method of the present invention 1032 wherein the face has a cavity therein and the first insert is connected to the face by connecting the insert within the cavity.
[Invention 1036]
A golf club head comprising a face having a ball striking surface configured to hit a ball and a body connected to the face; and
An insert configured to be connected to the face, having density and friction characteristics, wherein at least one of the density and friction characteristics of the insert is configured to contact the insert. Inserts that are lower than the density or friction properties of a portion
Including a golf club kit.
[Invention 1037]
The golf club kit of the present invention 1036, wherein the face has a cavity configured to receive the insert.
[Invention 1038]
A plurality of inserts each configured to be connected to a face, each having a density and a friction characteristic, wherein at least one of the density and the friction characteristic of each insert is configured to contact each insert Inserts that are less than the density or friction properties of a portion of the face
The golf club kit of the present invention 1036 further comprising:
[Invention 1039]
The face has a cavity having a shape, each of the plurality of inserts has the same shape as the shape of the cavity, and the cavity is configured to receive each of the plurality of inserts. The golf club kit of the present invention 1038.
[Invention 1040]
A shaft configured to be connected to a golf club head to form a golf club
The golf club kit of the present invention 1036 further comprising:

Claims (40)

A face having an outer surface configured to strike a ball;
A body connected to the face;
A golf club head comprising: an insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the insert has a density lower than a density of a portion of the face that contacts the insert.   The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face.   3. A golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the face has a center of gravity disposed away from the geometric center of the face.   2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the insert is located away from the geometric center of the face and the center of gravity of the face is located away from the center of gravity of the insert.   5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the center of gravity of the insert is located in one direction from the geometric center of the face and the center of gravity of the face is located in the opposite direction from the geometric center of the face. .   The face includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face and at least one quadrant includes a greater percentage of inserts compared to at least one other quadrant. The golf club head according to 1.   7. A golf club head according to claim 6, wherein each quadrant has a weight distribution that is inversely related to the proportion of inserts located in each quadrant.   The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is housed in a cavity that extends inwardly from an outer surface of the face.   The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is made of a plurality of materials and the insert further includes a second portion having a density different from a density of a portion of the insert.   2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the entire insert has a density that is lower than a density of a portion of the face that contacts the insert.   2. A golf club comprising the golf club head according to claim 1 and a shaft connected to the golf club head.   2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert has a friction characteristic that is lower than a friction characteristic of a portion of the face that contacts the insert.   13. A golf club comprising the golf club head according to claim 12 and a shaft connected to the golf club head. A face having an outer surface configured to strike a ball;
A body connected to the face;
An insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface, the outer surface having an outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert has a lower friction characteristic than a portion of the outer surface of the face that contacts the insert. A golf club head including an insert.   15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the insert is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face.   15.The insert occupies an area of the outer surface, and the area of the outer surface occupied by the insert is configured to impart less spin to the impacted sphere than other areas of the outer surface of the face. The described golf club head.   17. A golf club head according to claim 16, wherein the area of the surface occupied by the insert is configured to impart less backspin to the impacted sphere than other areas of the outer surface of the face.   The face includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face and at least one quadrant includes a greater percentage of inserts compared to at least one other quadrant. 14. A golf club head according to 14.   15. A golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the insert is housed in a cavity extending inwardly from the outer surface of the face.   15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the insert is made of a plurality of materials, and at least one of the materials has a friction characteristic that is different from another friction characteristic of the material.   15. A golf club comprising the golf club head of claim 14, and a shaft connected to the golf club head. A face having a ball striking surface configured to strike a ball;
A golf club head including a body connected to the face,
The face includes a first material having a first density and a first friction characteristic, and a second material having a second density and a second friction characteristic, the second density being the first density. Less than one density and the second friction property is lower than the first friction property, and each of the first material and the second material forms part of the ball striking surface;
Golf club head.   23. A golf club head according to claim 22, wherein the second material is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the geometric center of the face.   The second material forms an area of the ball striking surface, and the area of the ball striking surface formed by the second material imparts less spin to the impacted sphere than the other areas of the ball striking surface The golf club head according to claim 22, wherein the golf club head is configured as follows.   The face includes four quadrants extending from the geometric center of the face, and at least one quadrant includes a greater percentage of the second material as compared to at least one other quadrant. 23. A golf club head according to claim 22.   26. A golf club head according to claim 25, wherein each quadrant has a weight distribution that is inversely related to the proportion of the second material located in each quadrant. The second material forms an area with a face, and the center of gravity of the area of the face is located away from the geometric center of the face, and the center of gravity of the face forms the second material 24. A golf club head according to claim 22, wherein the golf club head is located away from the center of gravity of the area.   23. A golf club comprising the golf club head of claim 22 and a shaft connected to the golf club head. A face having an outer surface configured to strike a ball;
A body connected to the face;
An insert connected to the face to form a portion of the outer surface, the outer surface having a density and a friction characteristic, wherein the density and the friction characteristic of the insert are the portion of the face that contacts the insert A golf club head comprising an insert of different density and friction characteristics.   30. A golf club head according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the friction characteristics and density of the insert is lower than the density or friction characteristics of a portion of the face in contact with the insert.   30. A golf club comprising the golf club head of claim 29 and a shaft connected to the golf club head. Providing a golf club head comprising a face having a ball striking surface configured to strike a ball and a body connected to the face; and a first insert having density and friction properties, Connecting a first insert to the face, wherein at least one of the density and frictional properties of the first insert is lower than the density or frictional properties of a portion of the face that contacts the first insert. How to make a club. Removing the first insert from the face, and a second insert having density and friction characteristics, wherein at least one of the density and friction characteristics of the second insert is the density or friction of the first insert 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising connecting a second insert having different characteristics to the face. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising connecting the shaft to a golf club head to form a golf club.   33. The method of claim 32, wherein the face has a cavity therein and the first insert is connected to the face by connecting the insert within the cavity. A golf club head comprising a face having a ball striking surface configured to strike a ball and a body connected to the face, and an insert configured to be connected to the face, wherein the density and friction A golf club kit comprising: an insert having a characteristic, wherein at least one of the density and the friction characteristic of the insert is lower than a density or friction characteristic of a portion of the face configured to contact the insert.   37. A golf club kit according to claim 36, wherein the face has a cavity configured to receive the insert. A plurality of inserts each configured to be connected to a face, each having a density and a friction characteristic, wherein at least one of the density and the friction characteristic of each insert is configured to contact each insert 40. The golf club kit of claim 36, further comprising an insert that is less than a density or friction characteristic of a portion of the face.   The face has a cavity having a shape, each of the plurality of inserts has the same shape as the shape of the cavity, and the cavity is configured to receive each of the plurality of inserts. 40. A golf club kit according to claim 38. 38. A golf club kit according to claim 36, further comprising a shaft configured to be connected to the golf club head to form a golf club.

Images