JP2014180540A - Golf club head with flexure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a golf club head including a flexure that alters compliance characteristics compared to known golf club heads.SOLUTION: A golf club head includes a crown 12, a sole 14, a hosel 22, a face 18 and a flexure 36. The flexure 36 provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency.

Description

  This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 720,885 filed on December 19, 2012, which is pending on Sep. 14, 2012. This is a continuation-in-part of patent application No. 13 / 618,963, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

  The present invention generally relates to an improved golf club head. More particularly, the present invention relates to a golf club head having a flexible portion.

  It is well known that golf club designs are complex. The specifications of each club component (ie, club head, shaft, grip, and these components) directly affect the performance of the club. Therefore, the design specifications can be varied to finish the golf club with special performance characteristics.

  Club head designs have long been considered. More important in club head design are loft, lie, face angle, horizontal face bulge, vertical face roll, center of gravity (CG), inertia, material selection, and overall head weight. Although this basic set of criteria is generally the focus of club head design, several other design aspects should also be considered. The internal design of the club head may be adjusted to achieve specific features such as encapsulating hosel and shaft coupling means, club head peripheral weight, and filler in the hollow club head.

  The golf club head must also be strong to withstand repeated impacts during a collision between the golf club and the golf ball. The load generated during this transient event can create a peak force in excess of 2000 pounds. For this reason, the main attempt is to design the club face and body to resist permanent deformation or failure due to material yield or crushing. Conventional hollow metal wood drivers typically manufactured from titanium involve face thicknesses in excess of 2.5 mm to ensure consistency in club head strength.

  Competitors will seek a combination of metal wood drivers and golf balls that will achieve maximum distance and maximum landing accuracy. The distance that the ball moves after impact is determined by the translation speed of the ball and the rotation speed of the ball, that is, the magnitude and direction of the spin. Environmental conditions, including environmental pressure, humidity, temperature, and wind speed, further affect the flight of the ball. However, these environmental effects are beyond the control of golf equipment manufacturers. The landing accuracy of a golf ball depends on many factors. Some of these factors are due to club head design such as center of gravity and club face flexibility.

  The United States Golf Association (USGA), an organization that manages golf rules in the United States, has specifications for golf ball performance. These performance specifications define the dimensions and weight of the conforming ball. One USGA rule limits the initial velocity of a golf ball after a given collision to 250 feet per second + 2% (or a maximum initial velocity of 255 feet per second). In order to increase the travel distance of the golf ball, the ball speed after the collision and the coefficient of restitution of the ball-club collision must be maximized while adhering to this rule.

  In general, if the influence of the environment is ignored, the flight distance of the golf ball depends on the total kinetic energy applied to the ball during the impact by the club head. In the event of a collision, kinetic energy is transmitted from the club and stored as elastic strain energy in the club head and as viscoelastic strain energy of the ball. After impact, the energy stored in the ball and club is converted back to kinetic energy in the form of translational and rotational speeds of the ball and club. Since the collision is not completely elastic, some of the energy is consumed for club head vibration and ball viscoelastic relaxation. Viscoelastic relaxation is a material property of polymer materials used in golf balls.

  Ball viscoelastic relaxation is a source of parasitic energy, which depends on the deformation rate. In order to minimize this effect, it is necessary to reduce the deformation rate. This can be realized by increasing the deformation at the time of a club face collision. Since the deformation of the metal will be purely elastic, the strain energy stored in the club face returns to the ball after the collision, resulting in an increased jumping speed of the ball after the collision.

  Various techniques can be employed to vary the deformation of the club face, including uniform face thinning, thin face with rigid members as ribs, variable thickness, and others. These designs must have sufficient structural integrity to withstand repeated impacts without permanent club face deformation. Generally, in a conventional club head, the initial ball speed after the collision changes according to the collision position of the club face. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a club head with a larger “sweet spot” or zone of large initial ball speed that is substantially uniform.

  Recent technical breakthroughs allow average golfers to achieve longer distances, for example by consistently molding the shell thinner and using a lighter material such as titanium, the same weight as before In addition, a golf club having a larger distance is provided while maintaining its shape. Also, the club face is definitely getting very thin. The thinner the face, the more the coefficient of restitution (COR) is maximized. If the face bounces back in the event of a collision, the energy applied to the ball will increase and this will increase the distance. To make the face thinner, manufacturers have moved to forged, stamped, or machined faces, which are generally stronger than cast faces. In common practice, the forging or stamping face is welded to the body or sole. As the face gets thinner, it becomes more vulnerable and more prone to failure. The present invention provides a new approach to maximizing COR by imparting the desired collision flex and bounce to the face of the club.

  The present invention relates to a golf club head including a bend that makes the compliance (flexibility) characteristics different compared to known golf club heads.

  In one embodiment, the golf club head includes a crown, a sole, a sidewall, a hosel, and a face. The crown forms the upper surface of the golf club head, the sole forms the lower surface of the golf club head, and the side walls extend between the crown and the sole. The sole includes a guide portion, a bent portion, and a rear portion. The face forms a ball striking surface and intersects the guide portion at the leading edge. The bent portion is spaced behind the ball striking surface by the guide portion. The bent portion has a front wall portion, a top portion, and a rear wall portion, the front wall portion extends into a cavity formed by the golf club head, the rear wall portion extends into the cavity, the front wall portion and The rear wall is joined at the top. The bend is 20 of the CG-Z-fc distance between the golf ball head's geometric face center and the center of gravity of the golf club head along the horizontal Z-axis extending from the front to the back of the golf club head. % And 50% apart.

  The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the specification and are to be understood in connection with the specification, wherein like reference numerals in the various drawings indicate like parts.

It is a side view of the Example of the club head of this invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the club head of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line 3-3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the portion indicated by detail A in FIG. 3 of the golf club head of FIG. It is a one part perspective view of other Examples of the club head of this invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line 6-6 in FIG. It is a back perspective view of the weight member of a golf club head. It is a side view of the other Example of the golf club head of this invention. FIG. 8 is another side view of the golf club head of FIG. 7. It is a side view of the other Example of the golf club head of this invention. FIG. 10 is another side view of the golf club head of FIG. 9. It is a side view of the other Example of the golf club head of this invention. FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the golf club head of FIG. 11. It is sectional drawing corresponding to line 13-13 of FIG. It is a side view of the other Example of the golf club head of this invention. FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the golf club head of FIG. 14. It is a perspective view of the golf club head of other examples of this invention. FIG. 17 is an exploded view of the golf club of FIG. 16. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 16. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative configuration of the golf club head of FIG. It is a perspective view of the golf club head of other examples of this invention. FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the golf club of FIG. 20. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the Example of the golf club head of this invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention. It is a bottom view of another embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention. FIG. 39 is a side view of the golf club head of FIG. 38. FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 38 taken along line 40-40. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention; 42 is a side view of the golf club head of FIG. 41. FIG. FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 41 taken along line 41-41. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a golf club head of the present invention. FIG. 56 is a bottom view of the golf club head of FIG. 55. It is a bottom view of another embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention. 1 is a front view of a golf club head illustrating dimensional features and a coordinate system used herein. FIG. FIG. 59 is a plan view of the golf club head of FIG. 58. FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the golf club head of FIG. 58.

  Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all numerical ranges, quantities, values, percentages, such as material quantities, moments of inertia, center of gravity positions, lofts, draft angles, and others in the following parts of the specification, even if Even if the term “about” is not displayed in relation to its value, amount or range, it can be read as if “about” is placed in front of it. Accordingly, unless indicated otherwise, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and claims are approximate, depending on the desired characteristics that are contemplated by the present invention. Change. At a minimum, of course, it does not limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents, but each number of parameters should be interpreted in the light of the number of significant digits recorded and the normal rounding process.

  Although the numerical ranges and parameters representing the broad scope of the invention are approximate, the numerical values shown in the examples were recorded as accurately as possible. Any numerical value still contains errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in each test measurement. Further, it should be understood that any combination of values, including the exemplified values, can be used where numerical ranges of various scopes are indicated.

The coefficient of restitution, ie, “COR”, is a measure of collision efficiency. COR is the ratio of the speed at separation to the speed at arrival. In the example of a golf ball hit from a golf tee, COR may be determined using the following equation:
(M _ball (V _ball-post -V _ball-pre ) + M _club (V _ball-post -V _ball-pre )) / M _club (V _club-pre -V _ball-pre )
here,
V _club-post indicates the speed of the club after the collision;
V _ball-post indicates the speed of the ball after the collision;
V _club-pre indicates the speed of the club before the collision (zero value in USGA COR conditions);
V _ball-pre indicates the velocity of the ball before the collision.
Since the ball is stationary on the golf tee before the collision and the initial velocity of the ball at the time of the collision is 0.0, this equation is converted as follows.
(M _ball V _ball-post + M _club (V _ball-post -V _ball-pre )) / M _club V _club-pre
COR generally depends on the shape and material properties of the impactor. The fully elastic inherent COR is 1 (1.0), indicating no energy loss, while the fully inelastic or fully plastic collision has a COR of zero (0.0), so that the impacted object will be It shows that energy loss is maximized. As a result, when the COR is large, the ball speed and the ball distance are increased.

  1-4, an embodiment of a golf club head 10 of the present invention is shown. The club head 10 includes a structure that improves the behavior of the club when hit by a golf ball, particularly when hitting the lower portion of the face. The club head 10 is a hollow body including a crown 12, a sole 14, a skirt 16, a side wall extending between the crown 12 and the sole 14, a face that realizes a ball hitting face, and a hosel 22. It should be noted that the skirt 16 may have peripheral portions of the crown 12 and sole 14 that bend toward each other to form transition portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the golf club head. The cavity forms an inner cavity 24 which may be left empty or partially filled. When filled, the inner cavity 24 is preferably filled with foam or other low specific gravity material.

  When the club head 10 is in the address position, the crown 12 constitutes the upper surface of the golf club head and the sole 14 constitutes the lower surface. A skirt 16 extends between the crown 12 and the sole 14 and forms the periphery of the club head. Face 18 provides foremost ball striking surface 20 and includes a perimeter that is coupled to crown 12, sole 14, and skirt 16 to enclose cavity 24. The face 18 includes a toe portion 26 and a heel portion 28 on opposite sides of the geometric center of the face 18. The hosel 22 extends outward from the crown 12 and skirt 16 adjacent to the heel portion 28 of the face 18 to provide a coupling structure for a golf club shaft (not shown).

  The hosel 22 may be accompanied by a through hole or a blind hosel structure. Specifically, the hosel 22 is generally a tubular member that may extend through the cavity 24 from the crown 12 to the bottom of the sole 14 of the club head 10 or at a location between the crown 12 and the sole 14. You may terminate. Further, the base portion of the hosel 22 may be flush with the crown 12 instead of extending outward from the club head as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG.

  The volume of the inner cavity 24 may be arbitrary, but is preferably greater than 100 cubic centimeters, and the golf club head may have a hybrid, fairway, or driver type structure. Preferably, the mass of the club head 10 of the present invention is greater than about 150 grams but less than about 220 grams. However, the club head may have a weight suitable for a given length to achieve the desired overall weight and swing weight. The body may be manufactured from stamped, forged, cast, and / or molded parts that are joined together by welding, brazing, and adhesive. Golf club head 10 may be constructed from a titanium alloy, any other suitable material, or a combination of different materials. Further, a weight member constructed from a high density material such as tungsten may be bonded to any portion of the golf club head, such as the sole.

  The face 18 may include a face insert 30 that is coupled to a face periphery 32, such as a face flange. The face perimeter 32 forms an opening to accommodate the face insert 30. Face insert 30 is preferably coupled to perimeter 32 by welding. For example, a plurality of chads (tabs) or tabs (claws) may be provided to form a support for positioning the face insert 30 (not shown), or the face insert 30 may be tacked at a given position. After welding, the face insert 30 and the periphery 32 may be joined together by laser or plasma welding. The face insert 30 may be manufactured by machining, casting, or stamping and may be any suitable material such as titanium, titanium alloys, carbon steel, stainless steel, beryllium copper, and carbon transition composites, and combinations thereof. May be manufactured from. Further, the crown 12 or sole 14 may be manufactured separately and joined to the rest of the body.

  The thickness of the face insert 30 is preferably between about 0.5 mm and about 4.0 mm. Further, the insert 30 may be of uniform thickness or variable thickness. For example, the face insert 30 may have a thick central portion and a thin outer portion. In other embodiments, the face 30 may be accompanied by two or more different thicknesses, and the transition between the different thicknesses may be round and stepped. Alternatively, the thickness of the face insert 30 may increase or decrease toward the toe portion 26, the heel portion 28, the crown portion 12, and / or the sole portion 14. One or both of the ball striking surface or back surface of the face 18 may have at least a portion that is bent, stepped, or flattened to vary the thickness of the face insert 30.

  As described above, the club head 10 includes a structure that improves the club's behavior when hit by a golf ball, particularly when hitting the lower portion of the face. A bend 36 is formed in the front portion of the crown, sole and / or skirt. The bent portion 36 is a long corrugation that extends from the heel to the toe as a whole and is formed at the front portion of the sole 14.

  The bend 36 is generally flexible in the forward / backward direction and provides a flexible portion at a location away from the face 18 in the club head 10 so that when the face 18 impacts the golf ball locally. In addition to bending, at least a portion of the face 18 is adapted to reciprocate and rotate as a unit, with the club head between two discrete faces of between about 3000 Hz and about 6000 Hz. The flexure is generally constructed to add a second vibration mode of the face. The first face vibration mode mainly includes local deflection of the face during a center face collision of the golf ball. The deflection profile of the second face vibration mode generally includes deflection of the entire face, similar to an accordion, to provide improved performance in the event of a collision off the center of the face and golf ball.

  The bend 36 is also generally configured to maintain the rigidity of the sole 14 in the crown / sole direction so that the sound of the golf club head is not significantly adversely affected. When the rigidity of the sole in the crown / sole direction is reduced, generally, the pitch of the sound generated from the club head is reduced, and it is generally not preferable that the pitch is reduced.

  The bend 36 allows the front portion of the club including the face 18 to bend differently than would otherwise occur without changing the size and / or shape of the face 18. . Specifically, a part of the golf club head close to the face is elastically bent at the time of collision. This bendability suppresses the reduction in ball speed and suppresses backspin, which is otherwise experienced by a ball collision below the ideal collision position. The ideal collision position is the position on the striking face surface that intersects the axis extending through the center of gravity of the golf club head in an axis perpendicular to the ball striking surface, so that the ideal collision position is common Is positioned in the information by a distance between about 0.5 mm and 5.0 mm from the geometric face center. By providing a bend 36 in the sole 14 close to the face 18, the club head reduces ball speed reduction when the face 18 impacts at a position below the ideal impact position of the golf ball. Reduce backspin. For this reason, when the ball collides with an ideal collision position and a position below the ideal collision position with the club head of the present invention, the conventional club head with the same swing characteristics is farther than when the ball collides with the same position. Will fly to. It is particularly beneficial to position the bend 36 on the sole. This is because an ideal collision position is generally positioned higher than a geometric face center in a metal wood type golf club. Therefore, a large part of the face area is generally positioned below the ideal collision position. In addition, golfers tend to hit golf balls under the face. However, a similar effect can also be found for collisions where other portions of the club head 10 are provided with bends and are located from the geometric face center toward the bend. For example, a club with a bend in the crown can improve performance against ball collisions between the crown and the geometric face center.

  In an embodiment, the bend 36 is provided to be substantially parallel to at least a portion of the leading edge 38 of the club head 10 so that it is generally bent with the leading edge and selected from the ball striking surface 20. Provided within the distance D. Preferably, the bend 36 is provided at a distance D within 30 mm from the ball striking surface 20, more preferably within 20 mm from the ball striking surface 20, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and 20.00 mm. . In the case of a small golf club head, such as a fairway wood or a hybrid golf club head, the bent portion 36 is preferably provided within 10 mm from the ball striking surface 20.

  The bent portion 36 is constructed from the first member 40 and the second member 42. The first member 40 is coupled to the rear edge of the front transmission portion 46 of the sole 14 and is bent from the sole 14 to the inner cavity 24. The second member 42 is coupled to the front edge of the rear portion of the sole 14, which also bends from the sole 14 to the inner cavity 24. The end of the first member 40 and the end of the second member 42 are spaced apart from the sole 14 and are connected to each other at the top 44. Preferably, the bend is elongated and generally extends from the heel to the toe direction.

The dimension of the bent portion 36 is selected so as to achieve a desired flexibility at the time of ball collision. The bent portion 36 has a height H, a width W, and a curl length C as shown in FIG. The height H extends between the top 44 and the outer surface of the sole 14 in the direction of the Y axis. The width W is the width of the opening formed in the sole by the bent portion 36 and extends between the bent portion 36 and the connecting portion of the sole 14 along the Z axis. The curl length C extends in the Z-axis direction and extends between the front connecting portion between the bent portion 36 and the sole and the top portion 44. Preferably, the height of the bend 36 is greater than 4.0 mm, preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, and more preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 11.0 mm. Further, the width of the bent portion 36 is greater than 4.0 mm, preferably about 5.0 mm to about 12.0 mm, and more preferably about 7.0 mm to about 11.0 mm. Also, the wall thickness of the bend is between about 0.8 mm and about 2.0 mm, and these dimensions preferably extend at least 25% of the total club head length along the X axis. . Further, the first member 40 is bent inwardly from the sole toward the inner cavity and preferably has a radius of curvature between about 20.0 mm and about 45.00 mm. Table 1 below shows the dimensions in the example of the present invention that provide more efficient energy transfer for a ball impact below the ideal impact location of the golf club head, thus achieving a large COR. Show.

This first smile example described above was explained using finite element analysis to determine the effect on the COR and vibration response of a golf club head. Specifically, a club head lacking a bent portion (that is, a baseline) was compared with the example of the invention. Table 2 summarizes this comparison.

  In the table above, “extra mode” refers to a mode shape that does not exist if there is no bend, or a natural mode of vibration. The additional mode is generally present when the face portion rotates and bends with respect to the rest of the golf club body. Specifically, an example of the invention includes a face that rotates about the face and crown interface to cause the bend to bend. The bend is adjusted so that the additional mode occurs in the frequency range of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz. This range has been analyzed as being most effective in increasing the ball speed after a collision. Practically speaking, as a result of this adjustment, the width W of the bent portion changes in a sine wave shape at a frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz immediately after the collision. If the additional mode occurs at a frequency greater or smaller than this range, the ball speed will actually be reduced compared to the baseline example without bends. For a flexure adjusted using the FEA analysis of Example 1 of the present invention to achieve an additional mode at a frequency below 2900 Hz, specifically about 2157 Hz, the ball speed is not including the flexure. It was found that it decreased to a smaller one compared to the line golf club head. Further, if it is too stiff and includes a bend, as shown by Example 5 of this invention, no additional mode is imparted to the golf club head, only resulting in a minimal increase in ball speed after impact.

  The transmission portion 46 of the sole 14 extends between the bend 36 and the leading edge 38. The transmission portion 46 is preferably constructed such that the impact force of the golf ball is transmitted to the bend 18 without the transmission portion 46 itself bending significantly. For example, the transmission unit is oriented so as not to bend easily. Specifically, the transmission plane tangent to the center of the transmission portion 46 of the sole 14 (in both forward / backward and heel / toe directions) is angled by an angle α with respect to the ground plane. The angle α is preferably less than or equal to the loft angle of the golf club head at the time of addressing, so that the angle between the transmission plane and the ball striking plane is generally less than 90 ° so that the transmission plane is less likely to bend during ball collision It has become.

  The bend 36 may be manufactured in any suitable manner. For example, the bent portion 36 may be cast as an integral part of the sole 14. Alternatively, the bend 36 may be stamped or forged into a single part. Further, the bent portion may include a thick region, and the recess may be formed by machining a recess. For example, a desired recess may be achieved using a spin milling process, which is generally described in US Pat. No. 8,240,021, issued on August 14, 2012, Although applied here to the face groove, the size of the spin mill tool may be increased and the profile of the cutter modified to use this process to machine a bend with the desired profile. Overall, this process utilizes a tool with a rotational axis parallel to the sole of the golf club head and orthogonal to its leading edge, and a cutting end adapted to form the desired profile of the bend. To do. As with other alternatives described in more detail below, individual flexure parts may be added to the flexure of the sole, as shown in FIGS.

  As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the face of the golf club head may include a face insert, which is individually formed by stamping, forging, and / or machining and coupled to the body of the golf club head. . Alternatively, the entire face may be formed as part of a uniform shell by stamping, forging, or casting, as shown in FIGS. This eliminates the need for individual face inserts to be bonded to the body or otherwise permanently attached. As yet another alternative, the face may be part of a stamped or forged face part, such as a face cup that includes a part of each of the sole, crown, and / or skirt, as shown in FIG. Good. In such an embodiment, the face piece is connected to the remainder of the club head body at a distance of about 0.2 inches to about 1.5 inches from the face. Preferably, the face component includes a transmission portion of the sole that extends to the bend, or the face component includes a transfer portion and a bend.

  5 and 6, the golf club head 60 includes a crown 62, a sole 64, a skirt 66 extending between the crown 62 and the sole 64, a face 68 forming a ball striking surface 70, and a hosel. 69 is a hollow body. The cavity forms an inner cavity 74 that may remain empty and may be completely or partially filled.

  The bend 76 is formed in the front portion of the sole, but may alternatively be formed in the crown and / or skirt. Preferably, the bend 76 is a long pleat that generally extends in the heel-to-toe direction and is formed at the front portion of the sole 64 of the body of the golf club head 60. The bent portion 76 realizes a portion that can be bent backward from the face 68 in the golf club head 60 so that at least a part of the face 68 is bent locally when the face 68 collides with the golf ball. To allow translation or rotation as a unit.

  The bend 76 allows the front portion of the club, including the face 68, to bend differently than would otherwise occur without changing the size and / or shape of the face 68. . Specifically, a part of the golf club head close to the face is elastically bent at the time of collision. This bendability reduces ball speed loss and backspin, which is otherwise experienced by a miss-hit, ie, a ball collision below the ideal collision position. . For example, by providing a bend 76 in the sole 14 in close proximity to the face 68, the club head can reduce ball speed more when the face 68 collides at a position below the ideal collision position of the golf ball. Reduce and reduce backspin. For this reason, while using this, when a ball collides with the club head of the present invention at an ideal collision position and a position below this, the conventional club head with the same swing characteristics collides at the same position. You will fly farther than you would.

  In the embodiment, the bent portion 76 is provided so as to be substantially parallel to at least a portion of the leading edge 78 of the club head 60 and is provided within a selected distance D from the ball striking surface 70. Preferably, the bent portion 76 is provided at a distance D within 30 mm from the ball striking surface 20, more preferably within 20 mm from the ball striking surface 20, and most preferably within 20 mm.

  In this embodiment, the bent portion 76 is constructed as a whole as an individual part connected to the sole 64 constructed from the first member 80, the second member 82, and the third member 83. The first member 80 is coupled to the rear edge of the front transmission portion 65 of the sole 64 and bends from the transmission portion 65 to the inner cavity 74. The second member 82 is coupled to the front edge of the rear portion of the sole 64, which also bends from the sole 64 to the inner cavity 74. The end of the first member 80 and the end of the second member 82 are spaced from the sole 64 and are coupled to each other at the top 84. Preferably, the bend is elongated and generally extends from the heel to the toe direction.

  Similar to the previous embodiment, the dimensions of the bend 76 are selected to achieve the desired flexibility in response to ball impact. The bent portion 76 forms a height H, a width W, and a curl length C. Preferably, the height of the bend 76 is greater than 4.0 mm, preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, more preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 11.0 mm, and its width is 4.0 mm. Larger, preferably about 5.0 mm to about 10.0 mm, and its wall thickness is between about 0.8 mm and about 2.0 mm, and these dimensions are preferably total along the X axis Extends at least 25% of the club head length.

  The bent portion 78 includes a third member 83 that can be used to adjust the flexibility of the bent portion 76. The third member 83 may be coupled to the inner surface (not shown) or the outer surface of the bent portion 76 to locally increase the rigidity of the bent portion 76. The third member 83 is preferably constructed from a material having a specific gravity smaller than that of at least one of the first member 80 and the second member 82. The third member 83 is bonded to the first member 80 and the second member 82 using, for example, an adhesive, and may be mechanically coupled, for example, by fastener, welding, or brazing. The third member may be constructed from any metal, such as aluminum, or a non-metallic material, such as a carbon fiber composite or polyurethane.

  The position, size, and number of bends in the golf club are selected to achieve the desired behavior. For example, as shown in the golf club head of FIGS. 7 and 8, a plurality of bent portions may be included. The golf club head 90 generally comprises a cavity structure formed from a sole 92, a crown 94, a skirt 96, a face 98 and a hosel 100. The crown bent portion 102 is disposed at the front portion of the crown 94, and the sole bent portion 104 is disposed at the front portion of the sole 92. Each of the bends 102, 104 preferably has a shape and dimensions similar to the bends described above.

  In other embodiments, a bend may be included that surrounds a portion of the golf club head body or generally surrounds the golf club head body. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the golf club head 110 has a hollow body structure formed from a sole 112, a crown 114, a skirt 116, a face 118, and a hosel 120. The bent portion 122 is formed in the front portion of the golf club head and surrounds the periphery of the golf club head. The bent portion 122 is generally formed in a plane parallel to the face plane of the golf club head 110. The distance along the length of the bend 122 and the face 118 may be varied to adjust the local effect that the bend 122 provides to the flexibility of the golf club head. For example, the bent portion 122 may be further separated from the face 118 than the other portions. As shown, in the embodiment, the heel portion and the toe portion of the bent portion 122 are spaced farther from the face 118 than the sole portion and the crown portion of the bent portion 122. Further, the dimensions of the bent portion 122 may also be adjusted to vary the local effect that the bent portion 122 imparts to the flexibility of the golf club head. As shown, each portion of the bend 122 may have a different height, width, and / or curl length to change the behavior of each portion of the bend 122.

  In additional embodiments, the flexible bend may be combined with a multi-material, low density cover member, as shown in FIGS. For example, the golf club head 130 generally comprises a cavity structure formed from a sole 132, a crown 134, a skirt 136, a face 138, and a hosel 140. The golf club head 130 also includes a bent portion 142 formed at the front portion of the sole 132 of the golf club head 130. A cover 144 is also included in the golf club head 130 and is configured to cover the outer surface of the bend.

  The cover 144 is generally a filament material that is disposed across the bend 142 and generally surrounds the bend 142. The cover 144 may be sized to partially or entirely cover the bend 142 and may extend to a portion of the golf club head 130 that does not include the bend. For example, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cover 144 extends across the bent portion 142 disposed on the sole 132 and covers the bent portion 142. Further, the cover 144 forms part of the skirt 136 and crown 134. Preferably, the cover 144 is constructed from a different material than that of the sole 132, crown 134, and skirt 136. The cover 144 is joined to the adjacent portion of the golf club head 130 by welding, brazing, or bonding to the adjacent portion. Preferably, the bend and cover are constructed from a titanium alloy, such as a beta titanium alloy, have a width between about 2.0 mm and about 20.0 mm, and a thickness of about 0.35 mm to about 2.0 mm. Have

  A cover may be provided for both purposes to assist in controlling the address position of the golf club head when placing the sole on the playing surface and to remove the undesirable appearance of the bends. Specifically, a cover may be provided to adjust each visual face of the golf club head when the head is placed on the playing surface by changing the contact surface of the golf club head. The cover may be configured to surround the golf club head to the crown, replacing a portion of the surrounding material to form a low specific gravity body structure to provide additional discretionary mass, And / or a deep center of gravity position and a large moment of inertia, thereby improving performance and distance potential.

  In fact, the cover realizes the crown side flexibility, and the bent portion realizes the sole side flexibility. As yet another alternative, the cover is simply removed from the bend to provide flexibility at the portion of the golf club head away from the sole. In such an example, the component dimensions are preferably in the ranges described in connection with FIGS.

  With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, a golf club head 150 having a bend 162 in which the spatial relationship to the face plane varies along the length direction from heel to toe will be described. The golf club head face geometry is related to the circular shape of the stress applied at the time of ball collision so that the lower part of the face is generally subjected to different amounts of stress at different locations in the heel-to-toe direction. . In general, each part of the golf club head receives less stress at the heel end and toe end than the part of the golf club head immediately below the geometric center of the face, and this stress gradient causes the stress of the sole in the bent portion 162 region. Correspond. The distance of the bend relative to the leading edge of the face plane and / or face / sole intersection is changed to accommodate the relative amount of stress in the various parts. For example, the heel and toe portions of the bends are preferably located near the face plane and leading edge of the golf club head so that these portions are more likely to bend under conditions of less stress, especially This is done when the ball hits off the core.

  Golf club head 150 includes a cavity structure formed from a sole 152, a crown 154, a skirt 156, a face 158, and a hosel 160. A bend 162 is formed in the front portion of the golf club head and generally passes through the sole and skirt across the golf club head in the heel to toe direction. The bend 162 generally includes a central portion 164, a toe portion 166, and a heel portion 168. As described above, each portion of the bent portion 162 is disposed in a spatial relationship that changes with respect to the face plane, and the central portion 164 is further rearward from the face plane than the toe portion 166 and the heel portion 168. . Further, the flexure 162 includes a heel extension 170 and a toe extension 172 that extend rearwardly along the skirt 156 from the heel portion 168 and the toe portion 166, respectively. The heel extension 170 and toe extension 172 may extend rearward and join at points on the skirt or sole.

  In an additional embodiment, the bend is mainly realized by a multi-material structure. Referring to FIGS. 16 to 18, the golf club head 180 generally has a hollow body structure formed by a sole 182, a crown 184, a skirt 186, a face 188 and a hosel 190, and includes a bent portion 192. The bend 192 is included in the front portion of the golf club head 180 and may be constructed as a cylindrical member, as shown, interposed between the face portion 194 and the rear body portion 196 to provide an intermediate A good ring may be formed. The ring has a selected stiffness so that the face can be displaced as a whole in harmony with the local deflection at the point of impact. Similar to the previous embodiment, the bend 192 is tuned so that the collision imparts vibrations across the bend at a frequency that is about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz. Ring characteristics are selected as an additional means to control and optimize COR and corresponding characteristic time (CT) values across the face, especially for ball collisions that deviate from the ideal collision position. The

  The bend 192 is constructed from a material that achieves a smaller Young's modulus than the face 194 and the adjacent portion of the back body portion 196. Preferably, the bend 192, the face portion 194, and the rear body portion 196 are constructed from materials that can be easily joined, for example, by welding. For example, the face portion 194 and the rear body portion 196 are preferably constructed from a first titanium alloy and the bend 192 is constructed from a beta titanium alloy, described in more detail below. The bend 192 may be approximately the same thickness as the adjacent portion and may be constructed so that the outer surface of the bend is flush with the outer surface of the adjacent portion, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 19, the bend 192a may be constructed such that the bend 192a has a different thickness than the adjacent portion and the outer surface of the bend 192a retracts from the adjacent portion. As another alternative, the outer surface of the bend may be constructed to protrude or swell compared to the adjacent portion.

  Alternatively, a ring of carbon composite material that provides less rigidity may be incorporated into the bend 192. Bond structure, ring geometry (eg, ring width and thickness depending on position in the ring), ring position, fiber orientation, resin type and percentage of resin content to optimize flexibility of bend 192 All the parameters selected to improve the speed of the outgoing ball over the driver's face while maintaining the durability of the golf club head. Preferably, the carbon composite bend is coupled to an adjacent metal face portion and an adjacent metal back body portion. As an example, the bend may have a ring with a width in the range of about 12.0 mm to about 20.0 mm and a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm, depending on the position along the circumference. You can change.

  The multi-material bend is incorporated in the golf club head of FIGS. The golf club head 200 includes a bend 202 that incorporates a multi-material structure, although the stiffness varies primarily depending on material properties, similar to bend 192. Golf club head 200 is typically constructed as a cavity, which is formed by a face portion 204, a bend 202, and a rear body portion 206. When face portion 204, bend 202, and rear body portion 206 are joined, they generally form face 208, crown 210, sole 212, skirt 214, and hosel 216.

  The bent portion 202 includes a front member 218, a central member 220, and a rear member 222. Preferably, the front member 218 and the rear member 222 are used and coupled to the face portion 204 and the rear body portion 206, and the central member 220 is sufficiently thin and flexible to add frequencies in the range of about 2900 Hz to about 400 Hz. The material is selected so as to realize the vibration mode. In an embodiment, the front portion 218 and the rear portion 222 are metallic and the central portion 220 is interposed between the front portion 218 and the rear portion 222 and is constructed from a carbon fiber composite. Preferably, the rear member 222 is at least 6.0 mm away from the interface of the face 208 and the front portion 218, more preferably at least 12.0 mm. The hosel 216 may be constructed from metallic and / or non-metallic materials. In an embodiment, the face portion 204 and the rear body portion 206 are constructed from a titanium alloy, and the front member 218 and the rear member 222 are constructed from a material having a lower density and preferably lower modulus than titanium, such as an alloy of aluminum or magnesium. The central member 220 is constructed from a carbon fiber composite that is thin enough and flexible to achieve the desired frequency characteristics. Further, the front member and / or the rear member may be manufactured by co-molding with the composite central member. In general, materials are selected to achieve the proper bond strength between the parts by conventional techniques such as adhesive bonding.

  The golf club head of the present invention may include a bend extending across the interface between the rear portion of the golf club head and the face, as shown in FIGS. The golf club head 230 generally has a hollow body structure, which is formed by a sole 232, a crown 234, a skirt 236, a face 238, and a hosel 240 and includes a bend 242. The bent portion 242 is included in the front portion of the golf club head 230 and is interposed between the face 238 and the sole 232, crown 234, and skirt 236.

  The bend has a stiffness selected to allow the face to deform as a whole in harmony with the deformation that occurs locally at the point of impact. Similar to the previous example, the bend 242 is adjusted so that the collision imparts a vibration frequency across the bend from about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz. Ring characteristics are selected as an additional means to control and optimize COR and corresponding characteristic time (CT) values across the face, especially for ball collisions that deviate from the ideal collision position. The

  The bend 242 is generally positioned around the periphery of the face 238, and the bend 242 itself transitions from the face of the club head 230 to the rear portion of the club head, such as the sole 232, crown 234, and skirt 236. It is positioned to extend over a typical bend. The bent portion 242 may be discontinuous as shown, and is interrupted by the hosel portion of the golf club head. The bend 242 terminates at a flange, which provides a coupling mechanism for mounting the bend 242 in the golf club head. The coupling mechanism may be a surface for forming a butt joint, lap joint, tongue joint or the like. The bent portion 242 includes a face flange 244 and a rear flange 246. The face flange 244 is connected to the peripheral edge 248 of the face 238. The portion of the rear flange 246 is connected to the peripheral edge portions of the sole 232, crown 234, and skirt 236, for example, by being connected to the crown flange 250 and the sole flange 252. Preferably, between the face and rear uranium is between about 2.0 mm and about 12.0 mm.

  The bend 242 is preferably constructed from a material that provides a Young's modulus less than the adjacent portion of the golf club head. Preferably, the bend 242, the face 238, and the rear portion of the golf club head 230 are constructed from materials that can be easily joined, for example, by welding. For example, the face 238 and the rear portion are preferably constructed from a first titanium alloy and the bend 242 is constructed from a beta titanium alloy, described in more detail below.

  Alternatively, the bend 242 may be constructed from a ring of carbon transition composite that provides low stiffness. The bond structure, ring geometry, ring position, fiber orientation, resin type, and percentage of resin content are all parameters selected to optimize the flexibility of the flexure 242 so that the golf club head It is designed to improve the speed of the outgoing ball across the driver's face while maintaining durability. Preferably, the carbon composite bend is joined to an adjacent metal face and an adjacent metal back portion.

  In another embodiment, the bend is coupled to the face at the transition between the face and the rear portion of the golf club head, as shown in FIG. For example, the golf club head 260 generally has a hollow body structure that is formed by a sole 262, a crown 264, a skirt 266, a face 268, a hosel, and a bend 272. The bent portion 272 is included in the front portion of the golf club head 260, and is generally constructed by an annular member, and the annular member is interposed between the face 268, the sole 262, the crown 264, and the skirt 266.

  Similar to the previous embodiment, the bend 272 is adjusted to provide a vibration frequency of about 2900 Hz to about 4000 Hz across the bend. The bend 272 is generally positioned around the periphery of the face 268 and the bend 242 itself transitions from the face of the club head 260 to the rear portion of the club head, such as the sole 262, crown 264, and skirt 266. It is positioned to extend over a typical bend. The bend 242 terminates at a flange, which provides an example of a coupling mechanism for mounting the bend 272 in a golf club head. Specifically, the bent portion 272 includes a face flange 274 and a rear flange 276. The face flange 274 is connected to the peripheral flange 278 of the face 268. The portion of the rear flange 276 is connected to the peripheral edge portions of the sole 262, crown 264, and skirt 266, for example, by being connected to the crown flange 280 and the sole flange 282.

  The bend 272 is preferably constructed from a material that achieves a smaller Young's modulus than the adjacent portion of the golf club head. Preferably, the bend 272, the face 268, and the rear portion of the golf club head 260 are constructed from materials that can be easily joined, for example, by welding. For example, the face 268 and the rear portion are preferably constructed from a first titanium alloy and the bend 272 is constructed from a beta titanium alloy, described in more detail below.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 25, golf club head 290 includes an interface member that is included in adjacent portions of golf club head 290 and that is used to couple bend 292 to these adjacent portions. A front interface member 294 is interposed between the bent portion 292 and the face member 296. Similarly, the rear interface member 298 is inserted between the bent portion 292 and the rear main body member 300.

  In the current embodiment, the front interface member 294 and the rear interface member 298 are both constructed as annular members that are interposed between adjacent components. The front interface member 294 includes a face flange 302 and a bend flange 304 that are coupled to the face member 296 with a lap joint and the bend flange 304 is coupled to the bend 292 with a lap joint. A portion of the front interface member 294 is exposed to form the front surface of the golf club head 290. The interface member 294 separates the front edge of the bent portion 292 from the peripheral edge of the face member 296. The rear interface member 298 includes a rear body flange 306 and a bend flange 308 that is coupled to the rear body member 300 and the bend flange 308 is coupled to the bend 292. The rear interface member 298 separates the rear body member 300 and the bent portion 292 from each other.

  Golf club head 290 has a multi-material structure. In one example, the rear body member 300 and the face member 296 are constructed from a titanium alloy, both of which may be constructed from the same titanium alloy, such as Ti6-4. The front interface member 294 is constructed from a material selected to bond with the material of the face member 296, the bend 292, and the rear body member 300. In one example, the interface member is constructed from an aluminum alloy and the bend is constructed from a carbon fiber composite. Note that interface member 298 need not be constructed with a constant cross-sectional shape.

  The golf club head 320 includes an interface member used to couple the bend 322 to an adjacent portion of the golf club head 320 as shown in FIG. The front interface member 324 is interposed between the bent portion 322 and the face member 326. Similarly, the rear interface member 328 is interposed between the bent portion 322 and the rear main body member 330.

  Both the front interface member 324 and the rear interface member 328 are constructed as annular members that are interposed between adjacent components. The front interface member 324 includes a face flange 332 that is coupled to the face member 326 with a lap joint. The front interface member 324 also includes a bend flange 334 that is coupled to the front flange 340 of the bend 322 with a lap joint. A portion of the front interface member 324 is exposed to form the front surface of the golf club head 320. The interface member 324 separates the front edge of the bent portion 332 from the peripheral edge of the face member 326. The rear interface member 328 includes a rear body flange 336 and a bend flange 330 that is coupled to the rear body member 330 and the bend flange 338 is coupled to the bend 322. The rear interface member 328 separates the rear body member 330 and the bent portion 322.

  Golf club head 320 has a multi-material structure. In one example, the rear body member 330 and the face member 326 are constructed from a titanium alloy, both of which may be constructed from the same titanium alloy, such as Ti6-4. The front interface member 324 and the rear interface member 328 are constructed from materials selected to bond with the material of the face member 326, the bend 322, and the rear body member 330. In one example, the interface member is constructed from an aluminum alloy and the bend is constructed from a carbon fiber composite.

  Referring to FIG. 27, the golf club head 350 includes a bend 352 that is spaced from the transition between the rear portion of the golf club and the face 354. In general, the golf club head 350 has a hollow body structure formed from a sole 356, a crown 358, a skirt 360, a face 354, a hosel, and a bend 352.

  The bent portion 352 is interposed between the face 354 and the rear portion of the golf club head 350. The bent portion is generally an annular member having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape, and includes a front flange 362 and a rear flange 364. The front flange 362 is coupled to the face flange 366 of the face 354, and the rear flange 364 is coupled to a flange in the rear portion of the golf club head, which includes a crown flange 368 and a sole flange 370.

  The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 28 and 29, respectively, is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 27, but includes an alternative flange structure. As shown in FIG. 28, the golf club head 380 has a hollow body structure formed by a sole 382, a crown 384, a skirt 386, a hosel, and a bent portion 390. Bend 390 is interposed between face 388 and the rear portion of the golf club head, which includes a sole 382 and a crown 384. The bend 390 is generally an annular member and includes a front coupling portion 392 and a rear flange 394. The front coupling portion 392 is a portion of the bent portion 390 that wraps around and is coupled with the face flange 396 and accommodates at least a part of the face flange 396. A portion of the rear flange 394 abuts against and is connected to the sole flange 398 and the crown flange 400.

  As shown in FIG. 29, the golf club head 410 has a hollow body structure formed by a sole 412, a crown 414, a skirt 416, a hosel, and a bent portion 420. The bend 420 is interposed between the face 418 and the rear portion of the golf club head, which includes a sole 412 and a crown 414. The bend 420 is generally an annular member and includes a front flange 422 and a rear flange 424. The front flange 422 hits the face flange 426 and is connected. A portion of the rear flange 424 abuts against and is connected to the sole flange 428 and the crown flange 430.

  The structure of each bend in the embodiments may be selected from a variety of alternative configurations to achieve adjustment behavior upon impact of the golf ball. 30-34 illustrate various alternative multi-piece structures of bends. Specifically, the illustrated bend includes a plurality of bend parts with various alternative device shapes. For example, the bent portion 440 of FIG. 30 includes an annular cross-sectional shape including a bent part 442 formed as an L-shaped member as a whole. The bent part 442 is connected to the front flange 444 and the rear flange 446 of the golf club body 448. As shown, the front flange 444 and the rear flange 446 are convergent flanges that are angled relative to each other. The front flange 444 and the rear flange 446 are generally integrated into the sole 450 of the golf club head body 448 at a location near the face 452 of the golf club head. As noted above, the bend 440 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 452, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. The flexure 442 may be used with any mechanical bonding process, such as welding, brazing, mechanical fasteners, diffusion bonding, liquid interface diffusion bonding, superplastic formation, and diffusion bonding and / or adhesives, A front flange 444 and a rear flange 446 may be coupled. With the structure for crafting in the internal cavity of the golf club head at the time of manufacture, such as a crown pull structure or a face pull structure, the bonding process can be easily achieved.

  In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 31, the bend 460 has a corrugated or wrinkled cross-sectional shape and is included in the golf club head 462. The bent part 464 is connected to the front flange 466 and the rear flange 468 of the golf club 462. The front flange 466 and the rear flange 468 are generally integrated with the sole 472 of the golf club head body 462 at a location near the face 470 of the golf club head. As noted above, the bend 460 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 470, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. The flexure 464 may be coupled to the front flange 466 and the rear flange 468 using any mechanical coupling process, such as welding, brazing, mechanical fasteners and / or adhesives.

  In an additional embodiment, the bend is formed from flanges and a generally groove-shaped bend. Referring to FIG. 32, the golf club head 480 includes a bend 482, which is formed by a bend piece 484, which is preferably located within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 494, and more The flexure 484 is coupled to the flange of the sole 492 of the golf club head 480 by, for example, welding, brazing, and / or adhesive. Preferably it is located between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. Specifically, the flexure component 484 is a generally groove-shaped member that includes retracted portions 486 (multiple) that accommodate portions of the front flange 488 and the rear flange 490. The recess 486 is spaced apart by a portion of the flexure 484, which is selected to form the desired spacing between the front flange 488 and the rear flange 490.

  In a similar embodiment, as shown in FIG. 33, the golf club head 500 includes a bend 502, which is formed from a bend piece 504 having a groove-shaped cross section. The bent part 504 is connected to the flanges formed on the sole 506 of the golf club 500 by, for example, welding, brazing, and / or adhesive. The bend 502 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 508, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. Specifically, the flexure component 504 is a generally groove-shaped member that forms a slot that accommodates portions of the front flange 510 and the rear flange 512.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 34, the golf club head 520 includes a bent portion 522, which is formed from a bent part 524 having a groove-shaped cross section. The bent part 524 is generally constructed to have a toothed cross section, and specifically includes a first bent portion and a portion that is generally flat and meets the apex. The flexure 524 is coupled to the flanges formed on the sole 526 of the golf club 520 by, for example, welding, brazing, and / or adhesive. The bend 522 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 528, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm. Specifically, the bent component 524 is a generally groove-shaped member that forms a slot that accommodates portions of the front flange 530 and the rear flange 532.

  Referring to FIG. 35, another embodiment of the golf club head 540 includes a bend 542 that is similar in shape to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 34, but the bend 542 is outward from the sole 546 of the golf club head. It extends to. The bent portion 542 is formed from a bent part 544 having a cross section that forms a groove. The bent part 544 is generally constructed to have a toothed cross section, and specifically has a first bent portion and a portion that is generally flat and meets the apex. The flexure component 544 is coupled to the flange (s) formed on the sole 546 of the golf club 540 by, for example, welding, brazing, and / or adhesive. The bend 542 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 548, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm.

  In other embodiments, the golf club head 560 includes a bend 562, as illustrated in FIG. The bent portion 562 is generally formed of a bent part 564 having a cylindrical cross section. Note that the flexure 564 is constructed to have a generally cylindrical cross-sectional shape, which is illustrated as having an annular cross-sectional shape, but may involve any cross-sectional shape. The flexure component 564 is coupled to flanges 568 formed on the sole 566 of the golf club 560 by, for example, welding, brazing, and / or adhesive. The bent part 564 has an external shape complementary to the flange 568, and forms a coupling surface so that the bent part 564 can be connected to the flange 568. The bend 562 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 568, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm.

  Referring to FIG. 37, in an additional embodiment, the golf club head 580 has a bend 582. Although the bend 582 is similar in shape to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 34, the bend 582 is oriented so that the overall profile of the toothed shape is reversed. Specifically, the bent portion of the bent portion 582 is more backward than the other illustrated embodiments. As shown, the bend 582 is formed from a bend piece 584 having a cross-section that forms a groove, but it is noted that the bend 582 may be formed as an integral structure with the sole 586 of the golf club head 580. I want. By changing the orientation of the bent portion with respect to the other part of the golf club head, it is applied in the direction opposite to the stress applied to the bent portion, the behavior of the bent portion is different, and the bent portion is effectively hardened. As a result, the bent portion can be adjusted with respect to the golf club head by changing the orientation. The flexure 584 is connected to the flange (s) formed on the sole 586 of the golf club 580 by, for example, welding, brazing, and / or adhesive. The bend 582 is preferably positioned within about 20 mm from the ball striking surface of the face 588, more preferably between about 5.0 mm and about 20.0 mm, and its thickness is preferably about 0.35 mm and about Between 2.0 mm.

  Referring to FIGS. 38-40, the golf club head 600 includes an elongated cavity that provides a bend 602 that can be adjusted to achieve the desired compliance. For example, golf club heads include a flexible tube that is filled or partially filled with a flexible material to adjust sound, feel, and flexibility, or is left empty. Golf club head 600 includes a crown 604, a sole 606, a skirt 608, a face 610 that forms a ball striking surface 611, and a hosel 612 that joins to form a hollow body golf club head structure that forms an internal cavity 614. Including. The bend 602 is an elongated tubular structure that generally extends from the heel to the toe aroma and forms 613 a bend cavity. In an embodiment, the bend 602 extends across the golf club 600 so that it passes through the geometric center of the face of the golf club head 600 when the golf club head 600 is in the address position and intersects the vertical front and back planes.

  An opening 616 is provided, which provides for inward operation of the bend 602 and may be closed by a cover 618, which is preferably removably coupled to the bend 602 at the opening 616. As an example, the opening 616 may be threaded, the cover 618 is screwed into the opening 616, and the opening 616 includes a tool engagement mechanism that allows the cover 618 to be installed and removed.

  As another alternative, the bend 602 may be completely or partially filled with an insert 603, eg, a high density elastic insert. For example, one of the other embodiments described herein that includes a resilient material injected with a high density material, such as tungsten, to form a high density insert, in a cylindrical bend, or with an open slot. One is inserted behind the face. The insert may be used to fill the bends or fill partial points to change the acoustic behavior of the golf club head. Different masses and weights so that multiple inserts constructed with different densities and / or with different weight distributions can be realized to select the final weight and mass distribution of the golf club head Inserts that fit the bend in the distribution may be made. Further, the bent portion may include an opening extending into the internal cavity, and the insert may be used as a plug to close the opening so that the internal cavity is not exposed to the environment and dust and water do not enter the cavity. Exemplary suitable materials include polyurethanes, rubbers, thermosetting polymers, thermoplastic polymers, epoxies, foams, and neoprene. The selected materials are selected to bond with the bends and have a hardness that combines to provide flexibility. Preferably, the hardness of the selected material is generally in the range of 30-95 durometer A, or in the range of 45-85 durometer D.

  With reference to FIGS. 41-43, another example golf club head 620 is described that includes a bend 622 extending outwardly from a sole 624 of the golf club head. The golf club head 620 includes a crown 626, a sole 624, a skirt 628, a face 630 that forms a ball striking surface 631, and a hosel 632 that forms an internal cavity 634 and joins to form a hollow body structure. In this embodiment, the bend 622 extends continuously across the sole 624, across the skirt 628, and further across the crown 626 to wrap around the toe portion of the skirt 628 of the golf club head 620. .

  In additional embodiments, the sole plate is integral with the golf club head and at least partially integral with the bend. As shown in FIG. 44, the golf club head 640 includes a crown 642, a sole 644, a face 646, a skirt 648, and a sole plate 650 that couples to build a hollow body that forms an inner cavity 651. The sole 644 and the sole plate 650 are combined to form a bent portion 652. The bend 652 is a groove-shaped mechanism that generally extends from the heel to the toe and is formed from a first member 654, a second member 656, and a sole plate 650. The first member 654 is coupled to the rear end of the front connecting portion 658 of the sole 644 and bends from the sole 644 to the inner cavity 651. The second member 656 is coupled to the front end of the rear portion of the sole 644 and bends from the sole 644 to the inner cavity 651. The ends of the first member 654 and the second member 656 are coupled to each other at the top 660, spaced from the sole 644. The other lower end of the second member 656, together with the front portion of the sole plate 650, completes the rear portion of the bend 652, which extends from the top 660 to the lower and outer sole of the golf club head 640. It extends to the surface, and the depth of the bent portion 652 is larger than the thickness of the sole plate 650.

  Fairway wood or hybrid embodiments are generally constructed to provide a ground contact surface, in which the sole 644 has a generally stepped structure, with only the forward communication portion of the sole 644 being the ground surface. A contact surface is formed, and the rest of the ground contact surface is realized by the lower surface of the sole plate 650. Preferably, the bent portion is long and generally extends in the direction from the heel to the toe.

  Further, in this example, and in the following examples, the sole plate material is selected to achieve the desired mass distribution in the golf club head, and the material has a density greater or less than the rest of the body material. May have. For example, since the sole plate is generally integral with a bend relatively close to the face of the golf club head, a high density material is employed for fairway or hybrid embodiments to provide the golf club head's face. It is beneficial to keep the center of gravity low, while low density materials are beneficial in driver embodiments. This is because the material mass can be dispersed around the golf club head, although the material mass would otherwise concentrate on the sole structure. The material of the sole plate is preferably selected from aluminum, titanium, magnesium, zirconium, steel, tungsten, and the sole plate is a golf club head by fastener, brazing, welding, bonding, or any other suitable bonding method May be combined with the body. In one example, the fairway wood may use titanium as the main part of the body, while a steel or tungsten sole plate is brazed to the titanium body.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 45, the golf club head 670 is constructed similar to that of FIG. 44, so that the golf club head 670 includes a sole plate 672 that forms part of the bend 674; Nevertheless, in this embodiment, the sole plate 672 is housed in the recessed portion of the sole 676 of the golf club head 670. The golf club head 670 is generally hollow and is constructed from a crown 678, a sole 676, a face 680, a skirt 682, and a sole plate 672 that combine to form a hollow body that forms an inner cavity 684.

  The bent portion 674 is generally formed of a first member 686, a second member 688, and a sole plate 672. The first member 686 is coupled to the rear end of the front connecting portion 690 of the sole 676 and bends from the sole 676 to the inner cavity 684. The second member 688 is coupled to the front end of the rear portion of the sole 676 and bends from the sole 676 to the inner cavity 684. The ends of the first member 686 and the second member 688 are coupled to each other at the top 692, spaced from the sole 676. The other lower end of the second member 688, together with the front portion of the sole plate 672, completes the rear portion of the bend 674, which is from the top 692 to the lower and outer sole of the golf club head 670. Extends to the surface.

  The sole 676 and the second member 672 combine to form a recess in the lower wall portion of the golf club head 670 that houses the sole plate 672. Specifically, the lower end of the second member 688 extends below the connection between the second member 688 and the sole 676 to form a shoulder such as a tab 689 that is adjacent to the sole 676. Extends down to the lower surface. As a result, in a fairway wood and hybrid embodiment where the lower surface is used for ground contact, the front contact portion 658, the sole plate 650, and the rear portion of the sole 676 provide the ground contact lower surface of the golf club head 670.

  Referring to FIG. 46, another example golf club head including a sole plate is shown. Golf club head 700 includes a sole plate 702 that is coupled to sole 704 and forms a portion of bend 706. The bent portion 706 is constructed from a part of the first member 708, the second member 710, and the sole plate 702. The first member 708 and the second member 710 extend into the internal cavity of the golf club head 700 and meet at the top 712. The lower end of the second member 710 extends below the joint of the second member 710 and the sole 704 to form a shoulder, i.e., a tab 689, which engages complementarily with the shoulder 716 of the sole plate 702. To do. The sole 704 has a step-like structure, so that the sole plate 702 realizes the lowermost surface of the golf club head 700.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 47, the golf club head 720 includes a sole plate 722 that is included in the sole 726 of the golf club head 720, covers the opening 724, and forms part of the bend 730. The opening 724 provides access to the inner cavity of the golf club head and to position the sole plate 722 and / or while maintaining the overall outer shape of the golf club head 720. It may be employed to make the mass significantly adjustable. For example, the sole plate 722 may include a protrusion 728 that increases the mass of the sole plate 722 and extends into the opening 724 and / or the interior of the inner cavity.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 48, the golf club head 740 covers an opening 744 included in the sole 746 of the golf club head 740 and includes a weight port for coupling the weight member 748 to the golf club head. A sole plate 742 to be realized is included. Preferably, the weight port is positioned such that the weight port does not change the center of gravity of the combination of the sole plate 742 and the weight member 748 even if the weight member 748 is altered and removed, and the golf port including the golf club head 740 A more effective mechanism for changing the swing weight is realized. Specifically, the sole plate 742 includes a mounting mechanism such as a screw hole that is coupled to a removable weight member 748.

  As another alternative, any of the open bends described herein may be fully or partially filled with an insert, such as insert 743, which may be a high density elastic insert. For example, one of the other embodiments described herein that includes a resilient material injected with a high density material, such as tungsten, to form a high density insert, in a cylindrical bend, or with an open slot. One is inserted behind the face. The insert may be used to fill the bends or fill partial points to change the acoustic behavior of the golf club head. Different masses and weights so that multiple inserts constructed with different densities and / or with different weight distributions can be realized to select the final weight and mass distribution of the golf club head Inserts that fit the bend in the distribution may be made. Further, the bend may include an opening extending into the internal cavity, and the insert may be used as a plug to close the opening so that the internal cavity is not exposed to the environment and dirt and water do not enter the cavity. Exemplary suitable materials include polyurethanes, rubbers, thermosetting polymers, thermoplastic polymers, epoxies, foams, and neoprene. The selected materials are selected to bond with the bends and have a hardness that combines to provide flexibility. Preferably, the hardness of the selected material is generally in the range of 30-95 durometer A, or in the range of 45-85 durometer D.

  Referring to FIG. 49, an embodiment of a golf club head including a sole plate and a bent portion will be described. Golf club head 750 includes a crown 752, a sole 754, a skirt 756, a face 758, and a sole plate 760. A recess 762 is included in the sole 754, which houses the sole plate 760, but the recess 762 has a gap between the front wall of the recess 760 and the front end of the sole plate 760 when the sole plate 760 is installed. The shape is such that As a result, the gap forms a bend 766 in the lower portion of the golf club head near the face 758.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 50, the golf club head 770 includes a stepped sole 772 and a sole plate 774 that combine to form a bend 775. Sole 772 includes a front guide portion 778 that extends rearward from face 776 toward transition wall 780 of sole 772, which forms the front wall of bend 775. The sole plate 774 is connected to the sole 772, so that the sole plate 774 is separated from the transition wall portion 780 to form a bent portion 775. The sole plate 774 extends rearward from the transition wall 780 by a desired distance, and this distance is indicated by a dotted line.

  Another embodiment of a golf club head includes a sole on a recess and a sole plate that combine to form a bend, a portion of which is shown in FIG. The golf club head 790 includes a sole 792 that forms a recess 794 that accommodates a sole plate 796, and the sole and sole plate combine to form a bend 800. Specifically, the sole 792 includes a front guide portion 798 that extends between the face 802 and the transition wall 804 of the golf club head, the transition wall 804 extending inwardly from such a front eve 798 to the recess 794. Form part. The sole plate 796 is received in the recess 794 and coupled to the sole 792, so that the front portion of the sole plate 796 is separated from the guide portion 798, and a generally V-shaped gap is formed in the bent portion 800.

  Referring to FIG. 52, the golf club head 810 of the embodiment includes a bent portion 812 and a bent portion adjusting mechanism. Golf club head 810 includes a crown 814, a sole 816, a skirt 818, and a face 820 that forms a ball striking surface. The sole 816 includes a front guide portion 824 that extends rearward from the face 820 to the front wall 826 of the bend 812. The front wall portion 826 is combined with the rear wall portion 828 at the top portion 830 to form a bent portion 812. A rear portion of the sole 816 extends rearward from the rear wall 828 and forms the remaining portion of the sole 816. As shown in the figure, the thickness of the rear portion of the sole 816 may be changed. For example, the thickness may be changed to include the thick portion 832 separated from the bent portion 812 rearward by the isolation portion 834.

  The bent portion 812 is long and extends from the heel to the toe, and forms an outer groove in the sole 816. The thickness of the guide portion 824, the front wall portion 826, the top portion 830, the rear wall portion 828, and the isolation portion 834 is selected to adjust the bend 812 to a desired vibration frequency upon golf ball collision. The thicknesses t1-t7 are defined to have a special relationship so that the guide portion 824 transitions from a first thickness t1 adjacent to the face to a second thickness 22 adjacent to the front wall 826. To do. The front wall 826 changes its thickness from about t2 at the portion joining the guide portion 824 to a central thickness t3 and further to a thickness approximately equal to the thickness t4 of the top 830. Similarly, the rear wall 828 changes its thickness from about t4 where it joins the top 830 to the thickness t5 of the central portion, and is further approximately equal to the thickness t6 of the isolation portion 834. To change. Behind the isolation portion 834, the thickness of the sole 816 changes from the thickness t6 of the isolation portion to the thickness t7.

  As described above, in the golf club head according to the present invention in which the bent portion is disposed on the sole, flexibility is added, so that the backspin is reduced with respect to the ball impact positioned below the ideal impact position. Since backspin is reduced, the curvature of the ball striking surface of the golf club head varies above and below the ideal impact location and golf ball launch may be adapted to reduce backspin. The curvature of the ball striking surface between the top edge of the golf club head face and the leading edge of the golf club is defined as the “roll” of the face. In the golf club head of the present invention, the roll radius above the ideal impact position is preferably different from the roll radius below the ideal impact position. Alternatively, the roll radius above the geometric face center of the golf club head is different from the roll radius below the geometric face center of the golf club head. Further alternatively, the roll radius of the upper 2/3 of the face of the golf club head is different from the roll radius of the lower 1/3 of the face. Preferably, the roll radius of the portion of the ball striking surface near the bent portion is larger than the portion of the face far from the bent portion, so that the portion of the ball striking surface near the bent portion is flatter than the other portions. Yes. For example, in the golf club head 810, the bent portion 812 is located on the lower surface of the golf club head, and the roll radius R1 of the portion of the ball hitting surface below the ideal impact position is higher than the ideal impact position. Is larger than the roll radius R2 of the ball hitting surface portion. Preferably, the roll radius of the portion of the ball striking surface near the bend is greater than about 12.0 inches, more preferably greater than 12.5 inches.

  Similarly, the curvature of a golf club's ball striking surface between the heel and toe of the face is defined as the “bulge” of the face. The golf club head of the present invention includes a bend extending into the skirt of the golf club head so that the side spin of the golf ball struck against an off-center hit is similarly reduced, and thus the bend is applied to the skirt. It has a larger bulge radius than a golf club head without it. Larger bulge radii make the face flatter and reduce tilt against off-center strikes to achieve more efficient energy transfer between the golf club head and the ball, thereby providing a golf club face Increase the hot spot area. Preferably, the bulge radius of the portion of the ball striking surface closest to the bend in the skirt of the golf club head is greater than about 12.0 inches, more preferably greater than 12.5 inches.

  Alternative examples of thickness transitions are shown in FIGS. The thickness relationship employed here is used to achieve the desired bend distribution through the bend and the portion of the golf club head adjacent to the bend. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 52, the guide portion thicknesses t1 and t2 are at least 50% of the minimum face thickness, more preferably at least 60% of the minimum face thickness, and preferably the thickness. t1 is larger than t2 (t1> t2). Furthermore, the thickness t3 of the front wall portion of the bent portion and the thickness t5 of the rear wall portion differ by less than 40%, more preferably by less than 30%, and even more preferably by less than 20%. Further, the thickness t3 of the front wall portion and the thickness t5 of the rear wall portion of the bent portion are preferably smaller than 90% of the minimum thickness of the face, and the thickness of the bent wall portion of the bent portion is preferably a guide. Less than or equal to part thickness t1, t2. The thickness of the top of the bent portion is preferably greater than or equal to the minimum thickness of the front wall thickness t3 and the rear wall thickness t5 of the bent portion. Further, the top thickness t4 is preferably in the range of 30% of the larger of the front wall thickness t3 and the rear wall thickness t5, more preferably 15 of these larger thicknesses. %.

  If the thickness of the portion of the sole within the range of 30.0 mm from the rear wall portion of the bent portion is larger than the thickness of the guide portion in front of the front wall portion of the bent portion, the thickness of the sole adjacent to the rear wall portion of the bent portion The thickness is preferably reduced. For example, if the thickness t7 of the sole is larger than the minimum thickness of the guide portion within the range of 30.0 mm from the rear wall portion of the bent portion, the thickness of the sole portion immediately after the bent portion is preferably that of the guide portion. It is thinner than the minimum thickness and thinner than the minimum face thickness. Preferably, the thickness t6 is less than 60% of the minimum face thickness, more preferably less than 50% of the minimum face thickness.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 53, the guide portion is modified to include a portion that varies in thickness over its length L. The relationship regarding the thickness of the bent portion and the other portions of the sole described above is the same as in the previous embodiment, and will not be repeated. The thickness of the guide portion is substantially constant over at least 60% of its length L, and more preferably is substantially constant over at least 70% of the length L of the guide portion. Further, the maximum thickness of the guide portion is near the face of the golf club head and not near the front wall of the bend. The maximum thickness is generally in the portion of thickness t1, and the minimum thickness is generally in the portion of thickness t2, as shown in FIG. Preferably, the minimum thickness of the guide portion is greater than or equal to the minimum thickness of the golf club head sole. The minimum thickness of the guide part is preferably less than 70% of the maximum thickness of the guide part, more preferably less than 60% of the maximum thickness of the guide part.

  In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 54, the guide portion is modified to include a portion that varies in thickness over its length L, and as shown, the top thickness is non-frontal. It is thicker than the minimum thickness t3 of the base portion and the thickness t5 of the rear wall portion, and the thickness of the sole behind the bent portion is substantially constant as illustrated, and is generally smaller than the maximum thickness of the guide portion. In this embodiment, the thickness of the guide portion is an overall linear taper from the adjacent portion of the face toward the front wall portion of the bent portion. This linear taper or linear decrease in thickness is preferably greater than about 4% (ie a decrease in thickness of 0.4 mm over a length of 10.0 mm), more preferably adjacent to the face. Greater than about 5% from to the bend. In this embodiment, the thickness t6 of the sole portion connected to the rear wall portion of the bent portion and the thickness t7 of the sole portion further rearward from the bent portion are substantially equal to or thinner than the maximum thickness of the guide portion. .

  In an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention having a loft angle in the range of about 13 ° to 30 °, as in the case of fairway wood and hybrid type golf club heads, the thickness is generally as follows: It is. t1 / 1.4 to 2.0 mm; t2 / 1.2 to 1.6 mm; t3 / 1.2 to 1.7 mm; t4 / 1.2 to 2.0 mm; t5 / 1.2 to 1.7 mm; t6 / 0.6-1.2 mm; and t7 / 0.6-4.0 mm. Similarly, in an embodiment of a golf club head according to the present invention having a loft angle in the range of about 6 ° to 12 °, as in the case of a driver type golf club head, the thickness is generally as follows: It is. t1 / 1.4 to 2.0 mm; t2 / 0.6 to 1.6 mm; t3 / 0.5 to 1.7 mm; t4 / 0.5 to 2.0 mm; t5 / 0.5 to 1.7 mm; t6 / 0.5-1.2 mm; and t7 / 0.5-3.0 mm.

  Referring now to FIGS. 55 and 56, the golf club head 840 includes a bend 842 that is at least partially covered by a removable member 844. The golf club head 840 includes a crown 846, a sole 848, a skirt 850, a face 852 that forms a ball striking surface, and a hosel 856 that, in the assembled golf club, is coupled with a long golf club shaft and grip.

  Bend 842 is positioned in front of sole 848, generally adjacent face 852, and includes a mounting portion for removable member 844. The bend 842 includes a front wall 858 that joins the rear wall 860 at the top 862. The mount 864 includes a retracted support portion 866 that houses the removable member 864, and the lower surface of the removable member 844 is flush or retracted relative to the adjacent outer surface of the sole 848. As such, the removable member 844 is positioned. A coupling mechanism 868 is included so that the removable member 864 can be removably coupled to the golf club head 840. For example, the coupling mechanism 868 is a screw hole and the removable member 844 is a weighted sole plate that is coupled to the screw hole using a screw fastener.

  Removable member 844 is dimensioned to just fit into retracted mount 864 and is spaced from front wall 858 of bend 842 to form gap 870. Gap 870 forms an opening to bend 842, which forms a path to cavity 872 formed by removable member 844 and the bend. The gap 870 forms a space so that the bend 842 can be bent during impact with the golf ball, and the gap 870 is such that the front wall 858 is anteroposterior to the removable member 844. It can be moved.

  Referring to FIG. 57, the golf club head 880 includes a bend 882 that intersects the mount of the removable member 884 and the replaceable shaft system 886. In this example, the golf club head 880 includes a hollow body structure, which is formed by a crown, a sole 888, a skirt, and a hosel. Golf club head 880 includes a removable member 884, such as a weight member, and a portion of sole 888 includes a mounting mechanism for the weight member. In this embodiment, the mounting mechanism includes a generally cylindrical receiver 892 that extends from the outer surface of the sole into the interior of the golf club head 880.

  The golf club head 880 also includes a bend 882 that extends from the heel to the toe direction across the forward portion of the sole 888. The bend 882 may involve any of the specific structures described in connection with the other embodiments described herein.

  Golf club head 880 includes a replaceable shaft system that includes a fastener that engages the head from the sole side. An access hole 896 is provided that receives the fastener 894 and extends from the sole 888 to the hosel 890.

  The sole structure consisting of the receiver 892, the bend 882 and the access hole 896 intersect so that this structure is formed by the common part. Specifically, the side wall of the receiver 892 intersects the side wall of the bent portion 882, so that the structure is coupled at the toe portion of the golf club head 880. Similarly, the side wall of the access hole 896 intersects the side wall of the bend 882 so that the structure is bonded at the heel portion of the golf club head 880. The sole structure consisting of receiver 892, bend 882 and access hole 896 reduces the mass required solely for the extra structure by joining the structures.

The physical characteristics of the golf club head are generally controlled to achieve the required behavior upon impact of the golf club head. In a metal wood golf club head, the mass distribution is controlled so that the center of gravity is at a desired position and a desired moment of inertia is achieved. As illustrated in FIGS. 58-60, the center of gravity of a golf club head may be related in size to any number of features of the golf club head. The desired dimensional range of the golf club of the present invention is shown in the following table, where the negative values shown in parentheses indicate the direction relative to the reference mechanism (eg, fc is face, g is ground) .

  The bent portion of the present invention is also sized according to the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head, thereby realizing a desired behavior. It should also be noted that the width W, height H, and distance D to the ball striking surface are measured as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 in all examples described herein. Preferably, the distance D from the ball striking surface to the bend is less than or equal to 30.0 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 20.0 mm, most preferably between 5.00 mm and 20.00 mm. It is. Furthermore, the distance D is preferably between 20% and 50% of the CG-Z-fc distance, more preferably between 25% and 45% of the CG-Z-fc distance. Furthermore, the sum of the height and width of the bends is preferably within +/− 30% of the CG-Y-g distance, more preferably +/− 20% of the CG-Y-g distance. Is within.

  The reduction of backspin realized by the bent portion of the present invention gives the mass distribution flexibility and increases the moment of inertia of the golf club head. Specifically, when the bent portion of the present invention is incorporated in the sole of the golf club head, a ball impact that has a low center of gravity and emulates the launch condition of the golf club head without the bent portion is realized. According to the analysis, when the bent portion of the present invention was incorporated, the same effect as that obtained when the center of gravity of the golf club without the bent portion was lowered by about 3.0 mm was obtained. However, in order to lower the center of gravity, it is necessary to arrange a lower mass in the golf club head, and due to restrictions on the shape of the golf club head, the mass that can be arranged around is restricted in order to increase the moment of inertia. Therefore, the bent portion of the present invention is used to achieve the behavior of a golf club head having a lower center of gravity, and then an additional mass is arranged around the golf club head to increase the moment of inertia and It can be moved backward.

  As described above, the bent portion of the present invention locally reduces the rigidity in a part of the golf club head. In general, by changing the shape and / or cross-sectional thickness of the bent portion and / or selecting the material of each portion of the bent portion, the geometric shape of the bent portion is selected to reduce the rigidity. Can do. Materials that may be selected to achieve small stiffness include low Young's modulus beta (β), or quasi-β beta, titanium alloys.

This beta titanium alloy is preferred because it achieves a material with a relatively low Young's modulus. The deflection of the surrounding supported plate is a function of the stiffness of the plate under applied stress. The stiffness of the plate is directly proportional to the Young's modulus and the cube of thickness (ie, t ³ ). Therefore, when comparing two material samples with the same thickness and different Young's moduli, a material with a low Young's moduli is deflected more than when the same force is applied. As long as the material behaves elastically and the stored energy is released immediately after the applied stress is released, the energy stored in the plate is directly proportional to the deflection of the plate. Therefore, it is desirable to use materials that change more and consequently store more elastic energy.

  The structure of the bend typically extends the material into the golf club cavity and generally raises the CG when the bend is positioned on the sole or crown of the golf club head. The increase in the height of CG is more important when the bent portion is included in the crown. Preferably, in the embodiment employing the crown bent portion, the crown portion behind the bent portion is made lower than the crown portion in front of the bent portion so that the overall CG of the golf club head is lowered. Eggplant. Specifically, the height of the front end of the crown bent portion is made higher than the height of the rear end of the crown bent portion. Preferably, the height difference is greater than 1.0 mm, more preferably greater than 2.0 mm, and the position of the crown with the maximum height from the ground is between the face and bend of the golf club head .

As shown in the previous embodiment, the golf club head comprises one or more removable weight mounting mechanisms in addition to the bends, and the overall weight of the golf club head is rotted. It is also possible to change the position of the center of gravity. In an embodiment, the value of CG-C-sa of a golf club head having a bent portion in its sole is greater than 18.0 mm behind the shaft axis, and preferably the value of CG-Z-fc is 33. Greater than 0 mm and / or the value of the moment of inertia about the Y-axis of the golf club head is at least 450 kg-mm ² . Furthermore, the golf club head includes at least one weight mounting mechanism and at least one removable weight, which can change the CG of the golf club head in at least 2.0 mm in one direction.

  Furthermore, in order to maximize the golf ball speed when leaving the face after a collision, it is preferable to match the vibration frequency of the golf club face with the vibration frequency of the golf ball. The vibration frequency of the face depends on face parameters such as the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of the material and the face geometry. Alpha-beta (α-β) Ti alloys typically have a rate (modulus) in the range of 105-120 GPa. On the other hand, current β-Ti alloys have Young's modulus in the range of 48-100 GPa.

  In selecting a material for the golf club head, the durability of the golf club head against many collisions with the golf ball must also be considered. As a result, the fatigue life of the face must be taken into account, and this fatigue life depends on the strength of the selected material. Therefore, for golf club heads, a material must be selected that provides adequate strength to achieve maximum ball speed from face impact and to achieve acceptable fatigue life.

  Although β-Ti alloys generally achieve low Young's modulus, they are usually accompanied by low material strength. Although β-Ti alloys can generally be heat treated to increase rigidity, heat treatment generally also results in an increase in Young's modulus. However, β-Ti alloys can be cold worked to increase strength without a significant increase in Young's modulus, and the alloys generally have a body-centered cubic crystal structure, so A wide range of cold working is possible.

  Preferably, a material having a strength in the range of about 900-1200 MPa and a Young's modulus in the range of about 48-100 GPa is employed for each part of the golf club head. For example, it may be preferred to use such materials for golf club head faces and / or bends and / or bend covers. Materials with such a range of properties include titanium alloys commonly referred to as rubber metal (Gum Metal).

  Although not preferred, heat treatment may be employed for β-Ti to achieve a balance of acceptable strength and Young's modulus in the material. Previous applications in β-titanium alloys have generally required heat treatment to maximize material strength without controlling Young's modulus. When heated, the titanium alloy undergoes a phase transition from α along the hexagonal close-packed crystal structure to the β-phase of the body-centered cubic. The temperature at which this conversion occurs is called the β transition temperature. Alloy elements added to titanium generally exhibit either tendency to stabilize the α or β phase and are therefore referred to as α or β stabilizers. By alloying titanium with a predetermined amount of β stabilizer, it is possible to stabilize the β phase even at room temperature. However, when such an alloy is heated up to a high temperature lower than the β transition temperature, the β phase decomposes and deforms into the α phase according to the laws of thermodynamics. These alloys are called metastable beta titanium alloys.

  Although the laws of thermodynamics only predict the formation of the α phase, in practice many non-equilibrium phases appear during the decomposition of the β phase. These non-equilibrium phases are termed α ′, α ″, and ω. Each of these phases has a different Young's modulus, and the magnitude of Young's modulus is generally β <α ″ <α <ω. Has been reported to satisfy. Thus, if it is desired to increase the strength of β-titanium through heat treatment, the material will include α "as a decomposition product with favorable decomposition, in a manner that eliminates and minimizes the formation of α and ω phases, It is speculated that heat treatment is beneficial. The formation of the α "phase is promoted by quenching from the α + β region, based on the material phase diagram, which causes the alloy to quench from below the β transition temperature. It means that it should be. Therefore, preferably, a β-Ti alloy that has been heat treated to maximize the formation from the β phase to the α "phase is used for the golf club head portion.

  A heat treatment process is selected to achieve the desired phase transition. Heat treatment variables such as maximum temperature, mean time, heating rate, and quench rate are selected to form the desired material composition. Furthermore, the quench rate is unique to the alloy because the effects of different β-stabilizing elements are not identical. For example, a Ti—Mo alloy behaves differently from a Ti—Nb alloy, a Ti—V alloy, or a Ti—Cr alloy. Mo, Nb, V, and Cr are all α stabilizers, but their effects are different. The β-transition temperature range of the metastable β-Ti alloy is about 700 ° C to about 800 ° C. For such alloys, the melt processing temperature range is about 25 ° C. to 50 ° C. below the β transition temperature, and in practice the alloys range from about 650 ° C. to about 750 ° C. Dissolved. Following water quenching, the β-Ti alloy can be aged at low temperatures to further increase strength. When the strength of the melt-treated material was measured, it was about 650 MPa, whereas the strength of the heat-treated alloy was 1050 MPa.

  Examples of suitable beta titanium alloys are Ti-15Mo-3Al, Ti-15Mo-3Nb-0.3O, Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al, Ti-13Mo-7Zr-Fe, Ti-13Mo, Ti-12Mo-6Zr. -2Fe, Ti-Mo, Ti-35Nb-5Ta-7Zr, Ti-34N-9Zr-8Ta, Ti-29Nb-13Zr-2Cr, Ti-29Nb-15Zr-1.5Fe, Ti-29Nb-10Zr-0.5Si Ti-29Nb-10Zr-0.5Fe-0.5Cr, Ti-29Nb-18Zr-Cr-0.5Si, Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr, Ti-Nb, Ti-22V-4Al, Ti-15V -6Cr-4Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-13V-11Cr, Ti-10V-2Fe-3A Ti-5Al-5V-5Mo-3Cr, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr, Ti-1.5Al-5.5Fe-6.8Mo, Ti-13Cr-1Fe-3Al, Ti-6.3Cr -5.5Mo-4.0Al-0.2Si, Ti-Cr, Ti-Ta alloy, gum metal family alloy, and the gum metal family alloy is Ti + 25 mol% (Ta, Nb, V) + (Zr , Hf, O), for example, Ti-36Nb-2Ta-3Zr-0.35O (weight%). The quasi-β titanium alloy may include SP-700, TIMET 18, and the like.

  In general, the face cup or face insert of the golf club head of the present invention has Ti-64, Ti-17, ATI425, TIMET 54, Ti-9, TIMET 639, VL-Ti, KS ELF, because of its high strength. It is preferably constructed from an α-β or quasi-β titanium alloy, such as SP-700. Further, the rear portion of the golf club body, that is, the portion other than the face cup, the face insert, the bent portion, and the bent portion cover is preferably Ti-8Al-1V-1Mo, Ti-8Al-1Fe, Ti-5Al-. Manufactured from α, α-β, or β titanium alloys such as 1Sn-1Zr-1V-0.8Mo, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti-3Al-2V, etc.

  As explained above, the bends may be constructed as separate parts and combined with the rest of the golf club head body. For example, the bent part may be stamped, formed from a wrought sheet, and the remainder of the body may be constructed as one or more cast parts. Stamping of the bent part is preferable to casting of the bent part. This is because casting introduces mechanical defects. For example, casting materials have the disadvantage that they often have more mechanical properties when compared to the same material in a forged form. For example, the mechanical properties of cast form Ti-64 are about 10% to 20% lower than forged Ti-64. This is because the particle size of the casting is remarkably larger than that of the forging form. In general, the finer the particle size, the greater the mechanical properties of the metal material.

  Furthermore, the casting of titanium forms a surface layer called an “alpha casing”, ie, a region on the surface that is mainly accompanied by an alpha phase of titanium derived from titanium rich in interstitial oxygen. Although the alpha phase itself is not detrimental, it tends to be very hard and brittle for fatigue applications, such as repeated impact of a golf ball that repeatedly bends, and the alpha case impairs the durability of the part Tend to.

  Most titanium alloys are almost impossible to form at room temperature. Therefore, the titanium alloy needs to be heated to a high temperature in order to form it. The temperature required to form the alloy depends on the composition of the alloy, and alloys with high beta phase transition temperatures typically require high formation temperatures. High temperature exposure degrades mechanical properties when the material is lowered to ambient temperature. Furthermore, exposure to high temperatures causes an oxide layer to form on the surface. This oxide layer is substantially similar to the “alpha case” discussed above, except that it typically does not extend deep into the material. For this reason, it is beneficial if the formation temperature can be lowered.

  In general, Ti-64 is widely used to construct metal wood type golf club heads, so when used on the basis, alloys having a beta phase transition temperature smaller than Ti-64 are significantly beneficial. . For example, one such alloy is ATI425, which has a beta phase transition temperature in the range of about 957 ° to 971 °, while Ti-64 has a phase transition temperature of about 995 °. For this reason, it is considered that ATI 425 can be formed at a lower temperature than Ti-64. Since the mechanical properties of ATI425 are equivalent to Ti-64, a sole made from ATI425 alloy is considered stronger than a sole made from Ti-64. Further, ATI 425 is generally better in formability than Ti-64, and in one example, the bend is formed from ATI 425 sheet material and compared to the bend formed from Ti-64 sheet material. Difficult to undergo cross-section thinning. Furthermore, the ATI 425 can be cold formed and can form stronger parts.

  In one example, a multi-material golf club head is constructed from multiple parts constructed from Ti-64 and ATI425. The body including the crown, sole or partial sole, skirt, hosel, and face flange may be cast from Ti-64. A portion of the sole may then be formed by a local part constructed from ATI 425 sheet material so that the cast Ti-64 body has a slot or recess, such as the structure shown in FIGS. To be welded. The forged face insert is then welded to the cast Ti-64 face flange to complete the head.

  Various manufacturing methods may be employed to construct various portions of the golf club head of the present invention. Preferably all of the parts are connected by welding. Welding may be manual, such as TIG or MIG, or automated, such as laser, plasma, e-beam, ion beam, or combinations thereof. Other bonding processes such as brazing and adhesive bonding may be employed if necessary or due to material selection.

The part may be manufactured using stamping and forming processes, casting processes, molding processes, and / or forging processes. As used herein, forging is a process that substantially changes the shape of a sample, for example, starting from a bar and converting into a sheet, characteristically involving changes in both size and shape. . Furthermore, forging is generally performed at high temperatures and may include changes in the microstructure, eg, particle shape, in the material. Forming is generally used to describe the process of forming a material while maintaining the overall dimensions of the material, which begins with, for example, a sheet material and does not significantly change the thickness. It forms a sheet. The following is an example of material selection for a portion of a golf club head that employs a stamping and forming process.
(A) α-β face member + β bent portion + α-β rear body (b) β face member + α-β face insert + β bent portion + α-β rear body (c) β face member + α-β face insert + β bent portion + β Rear body (d) β face member + α-β face insert + β bent part + α-β rear body (heat treatment)
The following is an example of material selection for a golf club head portion employing cast parts.
(A) Cast α-β face member + cast β bent portion + cast α-β rear body (b) Forming α-β face member + cast β bent portion + cast α-β rear body (c) Forming α-β face Member + Casting β-bending part + Forming α-β Rear body (d) Casting α-β face member + Casting β-bending part + Forming α-β Rear body The following is a selection of materials for the golf club head part employing forged parts It is an example.
(A) Forged α-β face member + cast β bent portion + cast α-β rear body (b) Forged α-β face member + cast β bent portion + forming α-β rear body

  The density of β alloys is generally greater than the density of α-β alloys or α alloys. As a result, when β alloy is used in various parts of the golf club head, the mass of those parts increases. A lightweight alloy is used in the rear part of the book so that the overall golf club head mass is maintained in the desired range, for example, between about 170 g and about 210 g for a drive type golf club head. good. Materials such as aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, carbon fiber composites, carbon nanotube composites, glass fiber composites, reinforced plastics, and combinations of these materials may be used.

  Although various details of the invention have been described above, it should be noted that the various advantages of each embodiment can be utilized alone or in any combination. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited to the specific preferred embodiments shown herein. Furthermore, it should be noted that various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the face insert may vary in thickness in a continuous manner on the steps. Further, the shape and position of the slots are not limited to those disclosed. Therefore, any convenient modifications that can be easily made by those skilled in the art from the contents disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention are included in other embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is as defined in the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Golf club head 12 Crown 14 Sole 16 Skirt 18 Face 20 Ball hitting surface 22 Hosel 24 Inner cavity 26 Toe part 28 Heel part 30 Face insert 36 Bending part 38 Leading edge 40 First member 42 Second member 44 Top part

Claims (20)

A golf club head,
A crown forming an upper surface of the golf club head;
A sole that forms a lower surface of the golf club head, the sole having a guide portion, a bent portion, and a rear portion;
A side wall extending between the crown and the sole;
A hosel that extends from the crown and includes a shaft hole;
A face that forms a ball striking surface and intersects the guide portion at the leading edge;
The bent portion is spaced behind the ball hitting surface by the guide portion, the bent portion has a front wall portion, a top portion, and a rear wall portion, and the front wall portion is formed by the golf club head. The rear wall extends into the cavity, the front wall and the rear wall are joined at the top,
The bent portion is CG-Z-between the ball striking surface, the center of the geometric face of the golf club head, and the center of gravity of the golf club head along the horizontal Z-axis extending from the front to the rear of the golf club head. A golf club head characterized by being separated by a distance between 20% and 50% of the distance of fc.   The bent portion is CG-Z-between the ball striking surface, the center of the geometric face of the golf club head, and the center of gravity of the golf club head along the horizontal Z-axis extending from the front to the rear of the golf club head. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is separated by a distance between 25% and 45% of the distance of fc.   The sum of the height and width of the bend is within 30% of the CG-Yg distance between the ground plane and the center of gravity of the golf club head along the vertical Y-axis. Golf club head.   The sum of the height and width of the bends is within 20% of the CG-Yg distance between the ground plane and the center of gravity of the golf club head along the vertical Y-axis. Golf club head.   2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the guide portion is at least 50% of the minimum face thickness.   The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the guide portion decreases from a portion adjacent to the face toward the bent portion.   The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the thickness of the guide portion decreases in a tapered manner by at least 4%.   2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the guide portion is substantially constant over at least 60% of the length of the guide portion.   2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the front wall portion and the thickness of the rear wall portion differ by less than 40% of the thickness of the front wall portion.   The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein each of the thickness of the front wall portion and the thickness of the rear wall portion is thinner than 90% of the minimum face thickness.   The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the top portion differs from the thicker one of the thickness of the front wall portion and the thickness of the rear wall portion by less than 30%.   The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a minimum thickness of the guide portion is less than 70% of a maximum thickness of the guide portion.   The thickness of the sole portion within 30.0 mm behind the bent portion is thicker than the minimum thickness of the guide portion, and the thickness of the sole immediately after the rear wall portion of the bent portion is the minimum thickness of the guide portion. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is thinner.   2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the sole immediately after the rear wall portion of the bent portion is less than 70% of the minimum thickness of the guide portion.   The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the thickness of the sole immediately after the rear wall portion of the bent portion is less than 60% of the minimum thickness of the guide portion.   The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the ball striking surface includes an upper portion forming a first roll radius and a lower portion forming a second roll radius that is larger than the first roll radius.   The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the flexure is at least partially filled with a flexible insert, the flexible insert having a material having a density of at least 12.0 g / cc.   The golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising a sole plate coupled to the sole in a retracted portion, wherein the retracted portion is formed at least partially by a bent portion.   The golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising a weight member coupled to the golf club head and intersecting the bent portion. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the distance of the CG-Z-fc is at least 33.0 mm, and the moment of inertia about a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity is at least 450 kg-mm ² .

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