JPH08308963A - Golf club head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To ensure the strength, enlarge and lighten a head and enable effective absorption of shocks in driving the ball while setting freely the weight distribution to each part of the head. CONSTITUTION: A head 1 is composed of a sintered forged component of a united structure. For example, the density of the peripheral part 1b is made higher than that of the central part 1a of the head 1 by changing compression ration in powder molding. The sintered and forged component can be adjusted freely with respect to the density to ensure the strength while the head 1 can be lightened and thus enlarged. Also, since air bubbles exist in the head 1, shocks can be absorbed. Further, through the density distribution in the head can be freely set owing to the enlargement of a sweet area or the like, any problems of the strength as in the case of joining a separate component do not take place.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an iron club or putter golf club head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a golf club head having an integrated structure of an iron club or a putter has been manufactured by hot forging or a lost wax method using a molten material.

When a golf club head is manufactured by hot forging using a molten material as a raw material, generally, the shape of the work before forging is considerably different from the shape of the final product, so that the closed forging is difficult and divided into several times. Perform by die forging. For this reason, flash occurs at positions corresponding to the space between the molds in the work, but this flash must be removed, which reduces productivity.

A golf club head manufactured by forging or casting using an ingot as a material has a material density of substantially true density, and therefore, if the material is the same, the density is uniform.
Golf club heads produced by forging or casting such ingots have a high density ratio, and therefore the same size increases overall weight, while
If the overall weight is reduced, it will be smaller. Heavy golf club heads are difficult to swing, and small golf club heads have a large sweet area and difficult ball control, making these golf club heads difficult to handle. If the weight is appropriate and the size of the head is as large as possible, weight distribution becomes easier and the sweet area can be increased.

At the same time, the golf club head manufactured by forging or casting a molten material has a substantially true density, so that the rigidity becomes high, and accordingly, the impact at the time of hitting the ball becomes large, This makes the player uncomfortable.

By the way, in order to improve the usage characteristics of the golf club head, it is an important factor to properly set the weight distribution of each part of the golf club head. For example, in order to widen the sweet area, that is, the area in which the ball hit in the face accurately and well flies, the weight distribution of the head may be distributed to the peripheral portion with respect to the face,
Alternatively, it is known that the center of gravity of the entire head may be further separated from the face rearward. Further, in order to increase the launch of the ball, the center of gravity of the head may be lowered.

In a golf club head having the same material and a uniform density, the weight distribution of each part can be set only by the shape setting. However, if only the shape is set, the weight distribution setting is limited. . Therefore, for example, it has been conventionally performed to fix a balance weight made of a material having a density higher than that of the head body on the outer peripheral portion or the back side of the head body. However, a golf club head formed by connecting separate parts has a problem in strength, and there is a possibility that the parts may be separated during use.

[0008]

As described above, the conventional iron club or putter golf club head manufactured by the hot forging and the lost wax method using the ingot as a raw material has an increased total weight, Or, there was a problem of becoming smaller. Along with this, there is a problem that the impact when the ball is hit is large, which gives the player an unpleasant feeling. In addition, golf club heads of the same material and uniform density have limited weight distribution settings. On the other hand, golf club heads that combine separate parts for weight distribution settings have problems with strength. was there. Further, particularly in the production by hot forging with an ingot, there is a problem that flash occurs and the removal thereof reduces the productivity.

The present invention is intended to solve such problems, and it is possible to increase the size and weight while ensuring strength, and to provide a golf club excellent in shock absorption at the time of hitting a ball. The primary purpose is to provide a head. A second object is to be able to freely set the weight distribution of each part without causing a problem in strength. A third object is to expand the sweet area.

[0010]

In order to achieve the first object, the golf club head according to the invention of claim 1 is composed of a sintered forged part having an integral structure.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the golf club head according to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the second object, the entirety is made of the same material and the densities are partially different.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the golf club head according to the second aspect of the invention, in order to achieve the third object, the density of the central portion is made lower than that of the front face,
The density of the peripheral part is increased.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the golf club head of the first aspect, the density ratio is 92% or more.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the golf club head of the second or third aspect, the density ratio of the low density portion is
89 to 96%, and the density ratio of the high density part is 94% or more.

[0015]

In the production of the golf club head of the present invention, the raw material powder is compressed to form a green compact, and the green compact is heated and sintered to obtain a sintered body. Hot forging the sintered body. In such a sintering forging, since the sintered body before forging can be a near net shape, a closed forging can be performed, and a large flash does not occur due to the closed forging. Then, at least the pores exist in the sintered body, but the final density can be appropriately set by adjusting the compression ratio during molding or forging of the green compact. Increasing the density increases the strength, decreasing the density
It is possible to increase the size of the entire golf club head without increasing the weight of the entire golf club head. Further, due to the presence of the pores, the impact at the time of hitting the ball is absorbed when the golf club is used.

Further, the golf club head of the invention of claim 2 is made of the same material as a whole, but in the production thereof, the density is partially changed by, for example, partially changing the compression ratio at the time of molding the green compact. Change. As a result, the weight distribution of each part of the golf club head can be freely set even though the whole body is integrated.

Further, in the golf club head of the invention of claim 3, the density of the central portion of the front face is decreased while the density of the peripheral portion is increased to distribute the weight to the peripheral portion. We are trying to expand the area. Also, the ball hits the center of the face, but the density at this center is low and there are pores, so the impact when the ball is hit is effectively absorbed.

As in the golf club head of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the density ratio is preferably 92% or more, particularly in terms of strength.

When the golf club head according to the invention of claim 5 has a low density portion and a high density portion, both high strength and large size and light weight are achieved, and the weight distribution is set. In order to secure the effect, it is preferable that the density ratio of the low density part is 89 to 96% and the density ratio of the high density part is 94% or more.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
The golf club head of this embodiment is an iron club head. 1 and 2 showing the head 1, 2 is a face which is a front striking face, 3 is a rear back, 4 is a lower sole, 5 is an upper top, 6 is a toe on one side in the left-right direction, Reference numeral 7 denotes a heel on the other side in the left-right direction, and a hosel 9 is provided on the heel 7 side via a neck 8. The shaft 10 is connected to the hosel 9. The head 1 is composed of an iron-based sintered forged part having an integral structure, and the overall density ratio thereof is 92% or more, more preferably 96 to 99%.

The head 1 may be made of various materials such as iron, stainless steel, titanium, or copper alloy containing beryllium.

The head 1 is manufactured by a powder metallurgy sintering forging method. In this sintering forging, first, the raw material powder is compressed by a powder molding press to mold a green compact (powder molding step). Next, the green compact is heated in a sintering furnace and sintered (sintering step). Next, after this sintering step, the sintered body is cooled to a temperature suitable for hot forging, or
Reheating is performed by a reheating device (reheating step), and the sintered body is compressed by a forging press to forge (forging step). This forging is a closed forging using a die. In order to enable this closed forging, the shape of the sintered body before forging is a near net shape. Further, if necessary, after heat treatment or finishing, the surface of the sintered body is plated for rust prevention or the like. If the pores on the surface of the sintered body are crushed by the forging, the plating can be performed as it is. However, if the pores remain on the surface of the sintered body, the plating is performed after a sealing treatment such as resin impregnation.

As described above, in the sintering forging, the shape of the sintered body, which is the pre-forging work manufactured by the powder molding process and the sintering process, can be a near net shape,
There is no waste in manufacturing, and sealed forging is possible,
With closed forging, a large flash does not occur. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the flash, and the productivity is improved.

In the manufacturing process, at least the sintered body after the sintering process has pores, but the porosity is adjusted by adjusting the compression ratio during the powder molding process or the forging process. The desired density can be set appropriately. If the density is increased, the strength is improved, and if the density is decreased, the weight of the entire head 1 is increased without increasing the weight of the entire head 1, or the overall size of the head 1 is reduced without reducing the size of the entire head 1. Can be converted. In order to secure the strength required for the golf club head 1, as described above, the overall density ratio is 92% or more, more preferably 96% or more.
% Or more, and in order to increase the size and weight, the overall density ratio is less than 100%, more preferably 99% or less. The lightweight and large head 1 is convenient for the player.

Further, due to the pores remaining in the head 1,
At the time of using the golf club, the impact caused by hitting the ball is effectively absorbed. As a result, the feeling of hitting given to the player at the time of hitting the ball also becomes comfortable. In addition to the better sticking of the ball to the face 2, it becomes easier to control the hit ball.

In the production of the head 1 by the sintering forging method, the density of the head 1 can be partially different even if the entire head 1 is made of the same material and has an integrated structure. It can be adjusted freely. As a result, the weight distribution of each part of the head 1 can be freely set, and various characteristics such as the size of the sweet area and the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head can be set.

In the second embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, the density of the head 1 is partially changed. That is, although the head 1 of the second embodiment is made of a sintered forged part having the same material as the whole and having an integral structure, the head 2 has a low density portion 1a (a dotted pattern in FIG. And a peripheral portion is a high-density portion 1b having a higher density. The density ratio of the low-density part 1a is 89-96
%, And the density ratio of the high density portion 1b is 94% or more. The ratio of the density of the low density portion 1a to the density of the high density portion 1b is 94 to 96.
% Is preferable.

The density distribution is set in this manner by partially changing the compression ratio during the powder molding process in the manufacture of the head 1. The structure of the powder molding die of the powder molding press used for this is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, 21
Is a die, 22 is a lower first punch, 23 is a lower second punch, and 24 is an upper punch. The die 21 forms the peripheral surface (sole 4, toe 6, top 5 and heel 7) of the head 1. The lower cylindrical first punch 22 is fitted in the die 21 so as to be vertically movable from below, and forms the back 3 side of the peripheral portion (high density portion 1b) of the head 1. The lower second punch 23 is fitted in the lower first punch 22 so as to be vertically movable from below, and the back 3 of the central portion (low density portion 1a) of the head 1 is accommodated.
It forms the side. The upper punch 24 is fitted in the die 21 so as to be vertically movable and removable from above, and forms the face 2 side of the head 1. As shown in FIG. 4C, the hosel 9 of the head 1 is
Are formed by the die 21, the lower first punch 22 and the upper punch 24. As described above, although the powder molding die has the vertical direction as the axial direction, the face 2 of the head 1 is set in the upward horizontal plane during powder molding.

At the time of powder molding, as shown in FIG. 4A, the upper punch 24 is pulled out upward from the die 21, and the lower first punch 22 and the lower second punch 23 are opposed to the die 21. The raw material powder 26 is filled in the die 21 by a feeder (not shown) in a state where the raw material powder 26 is lowered. Then, Fig. 4
As shown in (b) and (c), the descending upper punch 24 fits in the die 21, and the lower first punch 22 and the lower second punch 23 ascend relative to the die 21. As a result, the raw material powder 26 is pressed and compressed, and a green compact having a shape close to the near net shape of the final product of the head 1 is molded. After that, the upper punch 24 rises and comes out of the die 21, and the lower first punch 22 and the lower second punch 22 with respect to the die 21.
The punch 23 further rises relatively and the molded green compact is extracted.

During the pressurization, the lower first punch 22 moves with respect to the die 21 more than the lower second punch 23 by a predetermined amount, and the raw material powder 26 is compressed more. That is, the lower first punch forming the peripheral portion of the head 1 is more than the compression ratio (filling ratio) by the lower second punch 23 forming the central portion of the head 1.
The compression ratio of 22 is larger. As a result, in the green compact, the density of the peripheral portion of the head 1 becomes higher than that of the central portion. This difference in density is maintained even after forging, and in the head 1 of the final product, as described above, the density of the peripheral portion (high density portion 1b) becomes higher than the density of the central portion (low density portion 1a). .

If the density of the peripheral portion is made higher than the density of the central portion of the head 1 as in the second embodiment, the weight of the entire head 1 is distributed to the peripheral portion, so that the sweet area can be expanded. In addition, by leaving more pores in the center where the ball actually hits, the rigidity can be reduced and the impact when the ball is hit can be effectively absorbed, and the center of the ball and the face 2 can be absorbed. Since the contact time can be extended and the contact area can be increased, the ball controllability (direction, rotation) is improved. That is, it becomes easy to perform conscious control such as giving a desired directionality to the ball or giving an appropriate spin to the ball to bend the ball into a desired trajectory.

Further, by setting the density ratio of the low density portion 1a to 89 to 96% and the density ratio of the high density portion 1b to 94% or more,
While achieving both high strength and large size and light weight, the ratio of the density of the low density portion 1a to the density of the high density portion 1b can be adjusted.
The effect of setting the weight distribution can be enhanced in combination with the setting of 94 to 96%.

The density distribution in the head 1 is not limited to that of the second embodiment, and various settings can be made.
For example, as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the toe 6 side and the heel 7 side of the head 1 may be the high density portions 1d and 1e, and the central portion may be the low density portion 1f having a lower density. After all, the sweet area can be expanded. Further, as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, if the high density portion 1g having a high density is provided on the sole 4 side, the center of gravity of the entire head 1 can be lowered. Further, as in each of the above-described embodiments, it is also preferable to increase the density of the neck 8 portion to which a strong torsional force is applied along with the impact of the ball to increase its strength.

In any of the embodiments, even if the densities of the respective parts of the head 1 are different, the head 1 as a whole has an integral structure, so that there is no problem in strength as in the case where different members are joined.

The present invention can be modified in various ways. For example, although the iron club head has been described as an example in the above embodiment, the present invention is also applicable to a putter head.

[0036]

According to the invention of claim 1, since the golf club head is made of a sintered forged component having an integral structure, the weight of the entire golf club head is reduced when pores are left while ensuring strength. The entire golf club head can be enlarged without increasing the number. Further, the remaining pores can absorb the impact when the ball is hit, and the ball controllability is improved. Further, since the sintered forging can be a closed forging, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of a large flash at the time of forging, and thus the productivity can be improved.

Further, the golf club head made of a sintered forged part may have different densities even if the golf club head is made of the same material as a whole, as in the invention of claim 2.
As a result, the weight distribution of each part of the golf club head can be set freely, and since the whole structure can be made into an integral structure, the problem of strength such as when connecting separate parts does not occur, and the position of the center of gravity can be set freely. it can.

As in the third aspect of the invention, by lowering the density of the central portion and increasing the density of the peripheral portion with respect to the front face, the sweet area can be expanded, and
Due to the pores remaining in the central portion where the ball hits, the impact when the ball is hit can be effectively absorbed.

Further, when the density ratio is 92% or more as in the invention of claim 4, the strength can be surely secured.

When there is a low density portion and a high density portion as in the invention of claim 5, the density ratio of the low density portion is 89 to 96%.
And by setting the density ratio of the high density part to 94% or more,
It is possible to achieve both high strength, large size, and light weight, and to secure the effect of setting weight distribution.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a first embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a second embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a powder molding die used for manufacturing the same head, in which (a) shows a state at the time of filling, and (b) and (c) show a state at the time of pressurization.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a third embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a fourth embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 head 1a low density part (center part) 1b high density part (peripheral part) 1d high density part (toe side) 1e high density part (heel side) 1f low density part (center part) 1g high density part (soul side) Two faces

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A golf club head comprising a sintered forged part having an integral structure. 2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the whole is made of the same material and the densities are partially different. 3. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the density of the central portion is low and the density of the peripheral portion is high with respect to the front face. 4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the density ratio is 92% or more. 5. The low-density portion has a density ratio of 89 to 96%, and the high-density portion has a density ratio of 94% or more.
Or the golf club head according to item 3.