US20060276263A1

US20060276263A1 - Golf club head

Info

Publication number: US20060276263A1
Application number: US11/146,681
Authority: US
Inventors: Cho-Chen Lin; Yen-Chi Hsu
Original assignee: O Ta Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: O Ta Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-07
Filing date: 2005-06-07
Publication date: 2006-12-07

Abstract

A golf club head includes a head member having a front striking surface, a rear side, a top side, and a bottom side; a counterweight provided in at least one of the rear side and the bottom side; and a shock-absorbing member provided between the counterweight and the at least one of the rear side and the bottom side.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a golf club head, and more particularly to a golf club head having shock-absorbability and adjustability in a center of gravity thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf clubs are generally classified as wood clubs, iron clubs and putter clubs. Golfers who play a high degree of skill and using good form must use an appropriate golf club for driving the golf ball, so as to ensure that the struck ball moves in a path as far, high and straight as possible. Thus, golfers always select the clubs according to their shock-absorbability, reboundability and derivation tolerance.
The shock-absorbability of golf clubs relates to the moment of inertia (MOI) and the vibration of the head and the ball produced upon hitting the ball. When a ball is struck by a club head having a high shock absorbability, the stability of the ball is improved, the difficulties in achieving stable control of the struck ball are reduced and the distance that the struck ball travels is increased.
The reboundability relates to the time of contact between the ball and the golf club head upon hitting the golf ball as well as to the clubface's coefficient of restitution (COR). The greater the COR value, the larger the rebound force. The energy transferred from the head to the struck ball is high enough to spin the ball and to cause the ball moving in a higher path and farther distance.
Further, the center of gravity of the golf club head affects the path in which the struck ball moves. When the center of gravity of the golf club head is higher, it is much more difficult for a golfer to strike a ball so that it has a higher and farther trajectory. Further, perimeter weighted clubs are more forgiving on off-center hits. Thus, if the center of gravity of the golf club head is close to the striking surface, the golf club head might undergo twisting due to an off-center hit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a gold club head that has good shock-absorbability.
Further, another object of this invention is to provide a golf club head that has not only good shock-absorbability but also good adjustability in the center of gravity thereof.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a golf club head comprises a head member including a front striking surface, a rear side, a top side, and a bottom side; a counterweight provided in at least one of the rear side and the bottom side; and a shock-absorbing member provided between the counterweight and the at least one of the rear side and the bottom side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a golf club head in which a shock-absorbing member and a counterweight are provided on a bottom surface of the golf club head at a position adjacent to a rear surface thereof;
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the golf club head in which the shock-absorbing member and the counterweight are provided on the rear surface at a position adjacent to the bottom surface; and
FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a wood golf club head 2 of the first preferred embodiment of this invention. The golf club head 2 comprises a head member 21, a counterweight 23 and a shock-absorbing member 22. The head member 21 has a hollow shell wall 210 including a front striking surface 211, a curved rear side 212, a top side 217, and a bottom side 213. A recessed surface 214 is provided in the bottom side 213 at a position adjacent to an intersection of the rear side 212 and the bottom side 213. A plurality of venting holes 215 which extend through the recessed surface 214 are provided in said hollow shell wall 210, so as to fluidly communicate the interior of the hollow shell 210 with the environment exterior to the golf club head 2.
The shock-absorbing member 22 is provided in the recessed surface 214 and confines a cavity 216 within the recessed surface 214. The shock-absorbing member 22 is preferably made of rubber and is attached to the recessed surface 214 of the head member 21, preferably by an adhesive.
A counterweight 23 is received in the cavity 216 confined by the shock-absorbing member 22 within the recessed surface 214. As such, the shock-absorbing member 22 is provided between the counterweight 23 and the recessed surface 214.
The shock-absorbing member 22 provided in the club head 21 in this invention absorbs shock induced upon hitting a ball and thus, reduces the undesirable vibrational force transmitted to the golf club head 2. The counterweight 23 is tightly fitted in the cavity 216 confined by the shock-absorbing member 22, and is not released therefrom when the golf club head 2 hits a ball.
Preferably, the counterweight 23 originally fitted in the golf club head 2 is removable from the cavity 216 by using a special tool to thereby enable replacement by another counterweight, which is heaver or lighter than the original one. By making such replacement, the center of gravity of the golf club head 2 may be adjusted to best suit the golfer's requirements. For instance, the center of gravity of the golf club head 2 can be lowered by replacing a light counterweight with a heavy counterweight. To allow such adjustments to be made, a plurality of the counterweights 23 with different weights may be provided with the golf club head 2.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show an iron golf club head 2′ of the second preferred embodiment of this invention. The iron golf club head 2′ comprises a head member 21′ having a front striking surface 211′, a rear side 212′, a top side 217′, and a bottom side 213′; a counterweight 23′; and a shock-absorbing member 22′. In the iron golf club head 2′ of the second embodiment, the shock-absorbing member 22′ and the counterweight 23′ are provided on the rear side 212′ at a position adjacent to an intersection of the rear side 212′ and the bottom side 213′. Due to the function of the shock-absorbing member 22′, shock and vibration which would be transmitted to the iron golf club head 2′ can be reduced. The center of gravity of the golf club head 2′ can also be adjusted according to the golfer's needs.
In view of the aforesaid, the golf club head 2,2′ according to the present invention has the following advantages:

- 1. Due to the presence of the shock-absorbing member 22, 22′, shock and vibration produced upon hitting a ball with the golf club head 2, 2′ can be reduced. As such, the golfer can stably control the path of the struck ball. Risk of injury to the golfer caused by vibrations in the head club head 2, 2′ can also be reduced.
- With the further provision of the venting holes 215 on the recessed surface 216, vibrations in the golf club head 2, can be further reduced due to the fluid communication between the exterior and interior of the golf club head 2.
- 2. Because of the reduction of vibration, energy loss between the golf club head 2,2′ and the ball is decreased while the time of contact therebetween is increased. Thus, the golf club head 2, 2′ can exhibit good reboundability, and the golfer can better control the trajectory of the ball.

3. Since the counterweight 23, 23′ fitted in the head member 21, 21′ is replaceable, the center of gravity of the golf club head 2, 2′ can be adjusted according to the golfer's demands. For example, the center of gravity of the golf club head 2,2′ may be made lower and closer to the rear side 212, 212′ when a heavier counterweight 23, 23′ is fitted in the cavity 216, 216′ .
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a head member including a front striking surface, a rear side, a top side, and a bottom side;

a counterweight provided in at least one of said rear side and said bottom side; and

a shock-absorbing member provided between said counterweight and said at least one of said rear side and said bottom side.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said rear side and said bottom side has a recessed surface for receiving said counterweight and wherein said shock-absorbing member is provided between said counterweight and said recessed surface.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said counterweight is provided in said bottom side at a position adjacent to an intersection of said rear side and said bottom side.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said counterweight is provided on said rear side at a position adjacent to an intersection of said rear side and said bottom side.

5. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein said shock-absorbing member confines a cavity, said counterweight being press-fitted in said cavity and being detachable from said cavity.

6. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein said head member has a shell wall which includes said front striking surface, said rear side, said top side, and said bottom side, said shell wall including a plurality of venting holes which extend through said recessed surface.