JP2016214742A - Golf club head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a golf club head enabling providing a low rigidity part in a desired position in a face part.SOLUTION: Low rigidity parts 11-18 are provided in a face part 2 of a golf club head 1 integrally formed by metal. The low rigidity parts 11-18 and a high rigidity part 19 are equal in thickness. The low rigidity parts 11-18 are provided with a large number of hollow space parts 10. The face part 2 is produced by molding a face part blank 5P or 5P' having many holes 9 and 9' by a metal powder molding method followed by pressing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a golf club head, and more particularly to a hollow golf club head.

  Hollow metal golf club heads such as drivers and fairway woods are widely used. In general, a hollow wood-type golf club head includes a face portion for hitting a ball, a crown portion constituting the upper surface portion of the golf club head, a sole portion constituting the bottom surface portion of the golf club head, and a golf club. It has a side part constituting a side part on the toe side, back side and heel side of the head, and a hosel part. A shaft is inserted into the hosel part and fixed with an adhesive or the like. Recently, many golf clubs referred to as utility clubs are also commercially available, and one type of utility golf club is similar to the wood-type golf club head (that is, the face portion, the sole portion, the side portion, and the like). Various golf clubs having a hollow head (having a crown portion and a hosel portion) are also commercially available.

  As a metal constituting the hollow golf club head, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or titanium alloy is used, but in recent years, a titanium alloy is particularly widely used.

  As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is known that the thickness of the central part of the face part is made larger than that of the peripheral part.

  Patent Document 3 describes a golf club head in which a number of cells are provided on a face plate.

  Patent Documents 4 and 5 describe that the stress of a golf club head is analyzed by simulation using a finite element method.

JP 2002-45445 A JP 2013-234 A Special table 2014-526366 gazette JP 2006-181189 A Japanese Patent No. 5009525

  An object of the first invention is to provide a golf club head capable of providing a low rigidity portion at a desired position of a face portion.

  A second object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head in which the entire face portion has the same rigidity and the overall coefficient of restitution is constant.

  A golf club head according to a first aspect of the present invention is a hollow golf club head having a face portion, a sole portion, a crown portion, and a hosel portion. The face portion includes a first rigid portion having a first rigidity, a material, and a thickness. Is the same as the first rigid portion, but has at least two different portions of rigidity from the second rigid portion which is lower in rigidity than the first rigid portion.

  In one aspect of the first invention, the face portion is press-worked.

  In one aspect of the first invention, the face portion is composed of a single member without a joint.

  In one aspect of the first aspect of the present invention, the golf club head is composed of a single member that is seamless.

  In one aspect of the first invention, the second rigid portion has a porous shape.

  In one aspect of the first invention, the second rigid portion has a hollow shape.

  In one aspect of the first invention, the second rigid portion has a stiffness of 60 to 90% of the first rigid portion.

  A golf club head according to a second aspect of the present invention is a hollow golf club head having a face portion, a sole portion, a side portion, a crown portion, and a hosel portion, wherein the face portion has a first thickness portion having a first thickness. The second thickness portion having a second thickness different from the first thickness and at least two different thickness portions, and the first thickness portion and the second thickness portion have the same rigidity. It is characterized by being.

  In one aspect of the second invention, the rigidity of the entire face portion is the same. In one aspect of the second invention, the strengths of the first and second thickness portions are the minimum necessary.

In the present invention, that the rigidity is the same means that it is substantially the same. Specifically, when the rigidity of a certain part is K ₁ and the rigidity of another part is K ₂ , the difference in rigidity (K ₁ −K ₂ ) is the average rigidity value of both (K ₁ + K ₂ ) K ₁ and K ₂ are defined to be the same if they are 10% or less of / 2. As for the thickness, if the difference (T ₁ −T ₂ ) between the thickness T _{1 of one} part and the thickness T ₂ of another part is 10% or less of (T ₁ + T ₂ ) / 2, T ₁ the a T ₂ is defined as the same.

  In the golf club head of the first invention, the face portion is provided with the second rigid portion having the same material and thickness as the first rigid portion but having a lower rigidity than the first rigid portion. It is possible to perform a design in which the part is arranged at a desired position.

  In the golf club head according to the second aspect of the present invention, the first thickness portion and the second thickness portion of the face portion have the same rigidity, so that the entire face portion has the same rigidity and the overall coefficient of restitution is constant. be able to.

(A) is a perspective view of a golf club head according to an embodiment of the first invention, and (b) is a front view thereof. It is sectional drawing which follows the II-II line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the III-III line of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the face part base plate before a press work. It is sectional drawing of the face part base plate before a press work. 1 is a front view of a golf club head according to an embodiment of the first invention. 1 is a front view of a golf club head according to an embodiment of the first invention. It is a front view of the golf club head concerning an embodiment of the 2nd invention. It is the IX-IX sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the XX sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the golf club head which concerns on another embodiment of 1st invention.

  Hereinafter, golf club heads according to embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A golf club head 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a hollow driver head having a face portion 2, a sole portion 3, a side portion 4, a crown portion 5, and a hosel portion 6. The golf club head 1 is integrally formed of metal. Examples of the metal include titanium, a titanium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and stainless steel. A titanium alloy is preferable. A decorative material or nameplate made of synthetic resin, rubber, elastomer, or the like may be provided on a part of the golf club head 1, for example, a sole portion or a side portion.

  The face portion 2 is a surface for hitting a ball. The sole portion 3 constitutes the bottom surface portion of the golf club head, and the crown portion 5 constitutes the top surface portion of the golf club head. The side portion 4 connects the sole portion 3 and the crown portion 5 and extends from the toe side to the heel side via the back side. A shaft is fixed to the hosel portion 6.

  In this embodiment, low rigidity portions (second rigidity portions) 11 to 14 and 15 to 18 are provided on the toe side 2t and the heel side 2h of the face portion 2, respectively. Except for the low-rigidity portions 11 to 18, a high-rigidity portion (first rigid portion) 19 is provided.

  The thickness t of the face portion 2 is the same in any of the low rigidity portions 11 to 18 and the high rigidity portion 19. The central part 2m of the face part 2 is also equal in thickness to the toe side 2t and the heel side 2h.

  The face portion 2 is made of the same material (for example, titanium alloy) as a whole. The low-rigidity portions 11 to 18 have the same thickness as that of the high-rigidity portion 19, but the rigidity is smaller than that of the high-rigidity portion 19 by having the vacant portion 10. The stiffness of the low stiffness portions 11-18 is preferably 60-90%, especially 65-85% of the stiffness of the high stiffness portion 19.

  In this embodiment, the vacant portion 10 has a flat disk shape. The diameter of the vacant part 10 in a state where the face part 2 is viewed from the front is preferably 0.5 mm or more, particularly 1 mm or more, and 10 mm or less, particularly 5 mm or less. The thickness of the vacant part 10, that is, the dimension in the thickness t direction of the face part 2 is preferably 10% or more, particularly 20% or more, and 50% or less, particularly 30% or less, of the thickness t of the face part 2.

  The plurality of vacant portions 10 are arranged at intervals in the toe-heel direction, so that the low rigidity portions 11 to 18 are formed. The arrangement pitch a in the toe-heel direction between the vacant chambers 10, 10 is preferably 0.5 mm or more, particularly 1 mm or more, and 30 mm or less, particularly 10 mm or less.

  The low-rigidity portions 11 to 14 and 15 to 18 are provided in four rows in this embodiment, but may be three rows or less or may be five rows or more. When a plurality of rows of low rigidity portions are provided, the arrangement pitch b of the low rigidity portions in the crown / sole direction is preferably 1 mm or more, particularly 3 mm or more, and 20 mm or less, particularly 30 mm or less. A similar low-rigidity part may be provided in the crown part.

  The length of the low rigidity portions 11 to 18 in the toe-heel direction is preferably 3 mm or more, particularly 5 mm or more, and 30 mm or less, particularly 20 mm or less.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the vacant portion 10 presses (including rolling and forging) a face portion base plate 5P or 5P ′ having a hole 9 or 9 ′ having an arbitrary shape. It is formed by. The holes 9 of the face part base plate 5P have a uniform diameter, but the diameters of the holes 9 'of the face part base plate 5P' are widely distributed. When the face part base plate 5P is pressed, the vacant part 10 has a uniform size. When the face base plate 5P 'is pressed, the size of the vacant portion 10 has a large and small distribution. In addition, the thickness is reduced by pressing, and the strength is increased by work hardening in the solid portion (high rigidity portion 19). Since the thickness can be reduced by the increase in strength, the weight can be reduced as a result.

  In the golf club head 1 configured as described above, the face portion 2 has the same thickness as a whole, and low rigidity portions 11 to 18 are provided on the toe side 2t and the heel side 2h of the face portion 2. Therefore, when the golf ball is hit, the toe side 2t and the heel side 2h of the face portion 2 are easily bent. Therefore, when a golf ball is hit with this golf club head 1, the initial velocity of the golf ball increases and the flight distance increases.

  In the above embodiment, the shape, size, and distribution of the vacant portion 10 can be arbitrarily determined by using the face portion base plates 5P, 5P ′ having holes 9 or 9 ′ having a desired shape or size. Accordingly, various golf club heads can be easily manufactured in which the toe side 2t and the heel side 2h of the face portion 2 are easily bent as desired.

  In the above-described embodiment, all of the low-rigidity portions 11 to 18 extend in the toe-heel direction, but may extend in another direction. An example is shown in FIGS.

  In the golf club head 1 </ b> A of FIG. 6, the low rigidity portions 21 and 22 extending in the crown / sole direction are disposed on the toe side of the face portion 2. Further, low rigidity portions 23 and 24 extending in the crown / sole direction are arranged on the heel side of the face portion 2. Although illustration is omitted, the extending direction of the low-rigidity portions 21 to 24 may be an oblique direction with respect to the crown / sole direction. Note that the number of the low-rigidity portions 21 to 24 is two on the toe side and the heel side as illustrated, but may be one or three or more. The face part 2 has the same thickness as a whole.

The golf club head 1B of FIG. 7 is provided with concentric elliptical low-rigidity portions 25 and 26 that are long in the toe-heel direction. The center of each concentric ellipse is near the center (near the center) of the face portion 2 in the toe / heel direction and the face / back direction. The number of the low rigidity portions 25 and 26 may be 1 or 3 or more. The face part 2 has the same thickness as a whole.

  The configuration of the golf club heads 1A and 1B other than the face part 2 is the same as that of the golf club head 1, and the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

  FIGS. 8 to 10 show a golf club head 1 </ b> C having a face portion 2 having a first thickness portion and a second thickness portion according to the embodiment of the second invention.

  This golf club head 1C also has a face portion 2, a sole portion 3, a side portion 4, a crown portion 5 and a hosel portion 6, and is integrally formed of metal as a whole.

Crown portion 5 includes a first thickness portion 31 thickness t ₁ is greater, and a second thickness portion 32 which thickness t ₂ is less than. In this embodiment, the first thickness portion 31 occupies the center portion 2 m of the face portion 2. The second thickness portion 32 surrounds the first thickness portion 31, and extends over the toe side 2t, the crown side 2c, the heel side 2h, and the sole side 2s.

The first thickness portion 31 is provided so that the vacant chamber portions 10 are distributed substantially uniformly, whereby the first thickness portion 31 and the second thickness portion 32 have substantially the same rigidity. It has become. The thickness t ₂ of the second thickness portion 32 is preferably about 50 to 80% of the thickness t ₁ of the first thickness portion 31.

  The golf club head 1C can be designed so that the strength of the face portion 2 is the minimum necessary. The required minimum strength of the golf club head 1C, particularly the face portion 2, can be obtained by a finite element method (FEM) analysis described in Patent Documents 4 and 5 and the like. That is, the minimum required rigidity can be realized by designing the part where the stress is small to be low rigidity by FEM analysis.

  For example, for a model of a golf club head 1C having no vacant part, the rigidity difference between the first thickness part and the second thickness part due to the thickness and the shape (curvature) of the face part is obtained by FEM analysis. A design is made in which the vacant portion 10 is arranged in the first thick portion 31 having a large thickness so as to be eliminated.

  Since the entire face portion 2 has the same rigidity, the rebound coefficient of the entire face portion 2 can be made constant. Moreover, the stress at the time of impact is simulated, and the design is made such that the vacant portion 10 is arranged so that the face portion 2 has the necessary minimum rigidity capable of withstanding this stress.

  Although at least the face part 2 of the golf club heads 1 to 1C is obtained by pressing the face part base plates 5P and 5P ', the pressing process may be omitted.

  The face portion base plates 5P and 5P '(or the face portion 2 in the case of no press work) can be manufactured as a seamless member, preferably by a metal powder molding method. According to this metal powder shaping method, a desired three-dimensional shape can be produced by irradiating a metal powder with a high energy beam such as an electron beam or a laser beam to sinter the metal powder.

  In the above description, the vacant portion 10 has a flat disk shape, but is not limited thereto. According to the metal powder molding method, it is possible to easily form a face part base plate or face part having vacant parts of any shape, size and number. Other than the face portion, the metal powder molding method may be used. When press working is not performed, the entire golf club head can be integrally formed by a metal powder molding method. In this case, the molded golf club head is composed of a single seamless member as a whole.

  The molded product formed by the forming process including the metal powder molding method is then processed into a golf club head product through heat treatment and surface grinding / polishing as well as finish processing such as painting and plating.

  The above description represents an example of the present invention, and the present invention may have a configuration other than the above.

  In the present invention, as in the golf club heads 1 to 1C, instead of partially reducing the rigidity of the face portion by providing a large number of minute cavities 10 and making them porous, a single or a few large The rigidity of the face portion may be partially lowered by providing a hollow portion and making it hollow. FIG. 11 shows a golf club head 1D according to an example thereof, and shows a cross section of the same portion as that in FIG. In this golf club head 1D, a single low-rigidity portion 11 is formed by providing a single vacant chamber 10 'that is elongated in the toe-heel direction. Although not shown, the other low-rigidity parts 12 to 18 are configured in the same manner.

  The present invention can also be applied to fairway woods and utility club heads other than drivers.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A-1D Golf club head 2 Face part 3 Sole part 4 Side part 5 Crown part 5P, 5P 'Face part base plate 6 Hosel part 9, 9' Hole 10, 10 'Empty part 11-18, 21-26 Low rigidity part (second rigidity part)
19 High rigidity part (1st rigidity part)
31 1st thickness part 32 2nd thickness part

Face portion 2 has a first thickness portion 31 thickness t ₁ is greater, and a second thickness portion 32 which thickness t ₂ is less than. In this embodiment, the first thickness portion 31 occupies the center portion 2 m of the face portion 2. The second thickness portion 32 surrounds the first thickness portion 31, and extends over the toe side 2t, the crown side 2c, the heel side 2h, and the sole side 2s.

Claims (9)

In a hollow golf club head having a face portion, a sole portion, a crown portion and a hosel portion,
The face portion includes a first rigid portion having a first stiffness,
A golf club head characterized by having at least two portions having different rigidity from a second rigid portion having the same material and thickness as the first rigid portion, but having a lower rigidity than the first rigid portion. .   The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the face portion is pressed.   3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the face portion is constituted by a single member without a joint.   4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is constituted by a single member having no joints. 5.   5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the second rigid portion has a porous shape. 6.   5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the second rigid portion has a hollow shape.   7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the second rigid portion has a rigidity of 60 to 90% of the first rigid portion. In a hollow golf club head having a face portion, a sole portion, a side portion, a crown portion and a hosel portion,
The face portion has a first thickness portion having a first thickness;
Having at least two different thickness portions with a second thickness portion having a second thickness different from the first thickness;
A golf club head, wherein the first thickness portion and the second thickness portion have the same rigidity.   9. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the rigidity of the entire face portion is the same.

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