US20230364477A1 - Golf club head - Google Patents
Golf club head Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20230364477A1 US20230364477A1 US18/140,810 US202318140810A US2023364477A1 US 20230364477 A1 US20230364477 A1 US 20230364477A1 US 202318140810 A US202318140810 A US 202318140810A US 2023364477 A1 US2023364477 A1 US 2023364477A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- slit
- golf club
- main body
- head
- club head
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 44
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 229920002430 Fibre-reinforced plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000011151 fibre-reinforced plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 8
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 8
- 230000000052 comparative effect Effects 0.000 description 6
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 5
- 229910001069 Ti alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 239000007769 metal material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000004918 carbon fiber reinforced polymer Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920000049 Carbon (fiber) Polymers 0.000 description 2
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titanium Chemical compound [Ti] RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000004917 carbon fiber Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005094 computer simulation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000009508 confectionery Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000010936 titanium Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052719 titanium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000013585 weight reducing agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000838 Al alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000952 Be alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Magnesium Chemical compound [Mg] FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910001240 Maraging steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000861 Mg alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000037396 body weight Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004364 calculation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006866 deterioration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002542 deteriorative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000013013 elastic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002452 interceptive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052749 magnesium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011777 magnesium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012783 reinforcing fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000005060 rubber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004088 simulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- LKJMGLFKGKSOCH-UHFFFAOYSA-N titanium Chemical compound [Ti].[Ti].[Ti] LKJMGLFKGKSOCH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B53/00—Golf clubs
- A63B53/04—Heads
- A63B53/0466—Heads wood-type
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B53/00—Golf clubs
- A63B53/04—Heads
- A63B53/0408—Heads characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B53/00—Golf clubs
- A63B53/04—Heads
- A63B53/0433—Heads with special sole configurations
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B53/00—Golf clubs
- A63B53/04—Heads
- A63B53/0437—Heads with special crown configurations
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
- A63B60/52—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like with slits
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2209/00—Characteristics of used materials
- A63B2209/02—Characteristics of used materials with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
Definitions
- the face portion is lightened by using low specific gravity material for the face member.
- a weight margin is obtained. Distributing this weight margin away from the head center of gravity can provide a golf club head with a high moment of inertia.
- low specific gravity materials such as fiber reinforced plastic generally have low durability. Therefore, the face members made of low specific gravity materials need to be thick-walled.
- a thick-walled face member has high bending rigidity, which may reduce the repulsion performance of the club head when striking a ball.
- One object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf club head capable of reducing the weight of the face portion without deteriorating repulsion performance.
- a golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head includes a main body including a crown portion and a sole portion, and a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball.
- the main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity.
- the face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity.
- the main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body, and the at least one slit extends in a head-front-back direction.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head according to an embodiment
- FIG. 2 is a front view of the golf club head according to an embodiment
- FIG. 3 is a plan view of the golf club head according to an embodiment
- FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the golf club head according to an embodiment
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines V-V of FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 7 is a plan view of a slit
- FIG. 8 is a plan view of the slit according to another example.
- FIG. 9 is a plan view of the slit according to yet another example.
- FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines X-X of FIG. 9 ;
- FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the golf club head according to another embodiment.
- FIG. 12 A is a front view of a golf club head
- FIG. 12 B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line s 1 of FIG. 12 A .
- FIGS. 1 to 4 respectively show a perspective view, a front view, a plan view, and a bottom view of a golf club head (hereinafter, simply referred to as “head”) 1 according to the present embodiment.
- an x-y-z coordinate system is associated with the head 1 .
- the x-axis is defined as the axis orthogonal to the reference vertical plane VP and parallel to the horizontal plane HP.
- the y-axis is parallel to both the reference vertical plane VP and the horizontal plane HP.
- the z-axis is defined as the axis orthogonal to both the x-axis and y-axis.
- the direction along the x-axis is defined as the head-front-back direction, the direction along the y-axis as the toe-heel direction, and the direction along the z-axis as the head-up-down direction.
- the side of the face portion 2 is the front side and the opposite side is the back side with respect to the head-front-back direction.
- the head 1 includes a hollow portion (i) therein.
- this hollow portion (i) may be used as a space as it is, or a gel agent for weight adjustment may be placed in a part of it.
- the head 1 is configured as a wood type.
- the head 1 of the wood type includes, for example, at least a driver, a fairway wood, a hybrid, and the like.
- the head 1 in this embodiment is configured as a driver.
- the head 1 includes a face portion 2 , a crown portion 3 , a sole portion 4 , a toe 5 and a heel 6 which are arranged so as to surround the hollow portion (i).
- the face portion 2 is the portion that strikes a ball and is formed on the front side of the head 1 .
- the face portion 2 includes a striking face 2 a that is in direct contact with the ball.
- the striking face 2 a may be provided with face lines.
- the face lines are grooves extending in the toe-heel direction.
- the face portion 2 includes a periphery E defining the boundary of the striking face 2 a .
- the periphery E of the face portion 2 is the ridge line if it is visible to the naked eye as a clear ridge line. On the other hand, if such a ridge line is not clearly formed, the periphery E of the face portion 2 is obtained as follows. First, as illustrated in FIG. 12 A , cross sections s 1 , s 2 , s 3 . . . , including the normal N passing the center of gravity G of the head and the sweet spot SS are specified. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 12 B , in each of the cross sections s 1 , s 2 , s 3 . . .
- the positions E where the radius of curvature r of the contour line Lf of the striking face 2 a becomes 200 mm for the first time from the sweet spot SS side toward outwardly of the face portion are specified, and a series of these positions E in the cross sections is defined as the periphery E of the face portion 2 .
- the boundary portion with the crown portion 3 is defined as the upper edge 2 b of the face portion 2
- the boundary portion with the sole portion 4 is defined as the lower edge 2 c of the face portion 2 .
- the crown portion 3 extends from the upper edge 2 b of the face portion 2 backwardly of the head so as to form an upper surface of the head.
- the hosel portion 7 is provided on the heel side of the crown portion 3 .
- the hosel portion 7 has the shaft insertion hole 7 a for fixing a shaft (not illustrated).
- the crown portion 3 is the portion excluding the face portion 2 and the hosel portion 7 in a plan view of the head shown in FIG. 3 .
- the sole portion 4 extends from the lower edge 2 c of the face portion 2 backwardly of the head so as to form a bottom surface of the head.
- the sole portion 4 is the portion excluding the hosel portion 7 in a bottom view of the head.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines V-V of FIG. 3 .
- the head 1 includes a main body 100 and a face member 200 .
- the main body 100 includes the crown portion 3 and the sole portion 4 .
- the main body 100 further includes the hosel portion 7 and a face peripheral portion 101 .
- the face peripheral portion 101 is the peripheral portion of the opening O formed in the face portion 2 .
- the face peripheral portion 101 forms the peripheral portion of the opening O formed in the face portion 2 .
- the main body 100 for example, includes the crown portion 3 , the sole portion 4 , the hosel portion 7 , and the face peripheral portion 101 integrally formed.
- the main body 100 may be formed by joining multiple members.
- the main body 100 is made of a first material having a first specific gravity.
- the first material is not particularly limited, one or more metallic materials may be suitable, for example. Examples of such metallic materials include titanium, titanium alloys, stainless steel, maraging steel, and the like.
- the first material is a metal material having a specific gravity equal to or more than 4.0, preferably equal to or more than 4.4, and titanium alloy (specific gravity of about 4.5) is particularly suitable.
- the first specific gravity may be specified by an average specific gravity obtained by weighting the specific gravity of each material by their volume.
- the face member 200 for example, has a plate-like shape. As shown in FIG. 1 , in the present embodiment, the face member 200 has a contour shape 200 e that is located inside of the periphery E of the striking face 2 a . The face member 200 is attached to an opening O formed in the main body 100 . Thus, the face member 200 constitutes at least a portion (in this embodiment, a major portion) of the striking face 2 a .
- the face member 200 is not limited to the plate-like shape of this embodiment, and may be, for example, a cup-like shape having a short length turnback portion extending behind of the head.
- the face peripheral portion 101 of the main body 100 is formed with a receiving portion 102 that supports the periphery of the back surface of the face member 200 .
- the face member 200 is more firmly attached to the face peripheral portion 101 .
- the fixing between the main body 100 and the face member 200 is not particularly limited, but may be performed using, for example, an adhesive or the like.
- the face member 200 is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity.
- the second material is not particularly limited as long as it has a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity.
- metal materials such as magnesium, magnesium alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, beryllium alloys, and the like may be employed.
- plastic materials such as fiber reinforced plastic can be adopted.
- a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material (with a specific gravity of about 1.4) is used.
- the reinforcing fibers may be fibers other than carbon fibers.
- the thickness T of the face member 200 is, for example, equal to or less than 9.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 8.5 mm, and more preferably equal to or less than 8.0 mm.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3
- FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of one of the slits 10 .
- each slit 10 has a Length L in the head-front-back direction, and a width W in the toe-heel direction.
- the length L of each slit 10 is larger than the width W of the slit 10 .
- each slit 10 is elongated in the head-front-back direction.
- the face portion 2 includes the face member 200 having the second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity of the main body 100 .
- the face portion 2 can be reduced in weight.
- the reduced weight of the face portion 2 provides a new weight margin.
- the weight margin means a discretionary and arbitrarily usable amount of weight not exceeding the weight limit set for the head 1 , usually used to adjust the center of gravity of the head 1 to a preferred location. By placing the weight margin farther from the center of gravity of the head, for example, it is possible to increase the moment of inertia around the axis passing through the center of gravity of the head.
- Such a golf club head can provide flexibility and stabilizes the direction of hit balls.
- the crown portion 3 is subjected to tensile deformation in the toe-heel direction in addition to bending deformation in the head-front-back direction.
- the sole portion 4 also shows almost the same deformation as the crown portion 3 . Therefore, if the tensile stiffness in the toe-heel direction of the main body 100 is reduced, the repulsion performance of the head 1 can be improved.
- the head 1 according to the present embodiment is composed of the face member 200 with high rigidity and the main body 100 with slits 10 extending in the head-front-back direction.
- the head 1 according to the present embodiment can reduce the weight of the face portion 2 without decreasing the repulsion performance.
- each slit 10 includes a frontmost end 10 a and a backmost end 10 b in the head-front-back direction. These frontmost end 10 a and backmost end 10 b are respectively located on the frontmost side of the slit 10 and on the backmost side of the head.
- the length L of the slits 10 is, for example, equal to or more than 10 mm, preferably equal to or more than 12 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 15 mm.
- the length L of the slits 10 is, for example, equal to or less than 40 mm, preferably equal to or less than 30 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 25 mm.
- the width W of the slits 10 is, for example, equal to or more than 0.5 mm, preferably equal to or more than 1 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 2 mm.
- a larger width W of the slits 10 may decrease the durability of the main body 100 .
- the width W of slits 10 is, for example, equal to or less than 10 mm, preferably equal to or less than 8 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 6 mm.
- the width W of the slits 10 can be constant or variable. Note that the width W of the slits 10 may be constant except at both ends, or it may vary as described below.
- each slit 10 defines a reference straight line 10 c passing through the frontmost end 10 a and the backmost end 10 b .
- the reference straight line 10 c of each slit 10 has an angle equal to or less than 15 degrees with respect to the head-front-back direction (i.e., the x-axis).
- Such a slit 10 can effectively promote the deflection of the main body 100 in the toe-heel direction when hitting a ball on the toe or heel side of the face portion.
- the angle of the reference straight line 10 c of each slit 10 is preferably equal to or less than 10 degrees, more preferably equal to or less than 5 degrees.
- the inclination direction of the reference straight line 10 c is not particularly limited.
- Each slit 10 of the present embodiment extends linearly parallel to the head-front-back direction, but one or more slits 10 may be formed in an arc, zigzag, wave, or other non-linear shape.
- each of contours on a frontmost end 10 a side and a backmost end 10 b side of the slit 10 preferably has an arc shape.
- each slit 10 does not have sharp corners near the frontmost end 10 a and/or the backmost end 10 b , which can relieve the stress concentration thereto.
- the frontmost end 10 a and the backmost end 10 b are both arc-shaped.
- FIG. 8 illustrates a plan view of another example of a slit 10 .
- a width Wb on the backmost end 10 b side of the slit 10 is preferably greater than a width Wa on the frontmost end 10 a side of the slit 10 .
- the tensile deformation of the crown portion 3 and the sole portion 4 in the toe-heel direction tends to be larger when the ball is struck as it moves away from the periphery E of the face portion 2 toward the back of the head.
- the main body 100 can be elastically deformed more effectively when the ball is struck, and the decrease in the repulsion performance can be further suppressed.
- the increase in stress near the backmost end 10 b side of the slit 10 can be effectively suppressed and the durability of the main body 100 can be improved.
- one or more slits 10 are provided in the crown portion 3 , in a plan view of the head shown in FIG. 3 , it is preferable that at least one slit 10 is provided within the projection area A 1 of the face member 200 to the back of the head.
- at least one slit 10 is provided within the projection area A 1 of the face member 200 to the back of the head.
- the thick-walled portion 11 includes, for example, an inner thick-walled portion 11 a raised on the hollow portion (i) side.
- the inner thick-walled portion 11 a is raised toward the hollow portion (i) from the inner surface of the reference thick-walled portion 3 a formed by the reference thickness tc of the crown portion 3 .
- the thickness boundary between the inner thick-walled portion 11 a and the reference thick-walled portion 3 a is a virtual boundary defined by a smooth extension of the inner surface of the reference thick-walled portion 3 a to the slit 10 .
- a thickness ta of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a is not particularly limited, it is preferably, for example, equal to or more than 0.5 mm, preferably equal to or more than 1.0 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 1.5 mm, in order to fully demonstrate the stress reduction effect in the region around the slit 10 .
- the thickness ta of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a is, for example, equal to or less than 5.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 4.0 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 3.0 mm.
- a width TW of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a and the outer thick-walled portion 11 b is not particularly limited, but it is, for example, equal to or more than 1.0 mm, preferably equal to or more than 2.0 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 3.0 mm, in order to fully demonstrate the stress reduction effect in the periphery of the slit 10 .
- the width TW of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a and the outer thick-walled portion 11 b is, for example, equal to or less than 15.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 12.0 mm, mor preferably equal to or less than 10.0 mm.
- the width TW is measured orthogonally to the edge of the slit 10 , as illustrated in FIG. 9 .
- a cover made of an elastic material such as rubber, plastic, elastomer, etc. may be provided. Such a cover can prevent foreign objects from entering the slits 10 without interfering with the deformation of the main body 100 in any way.
- the coefficient of restitution at the face center of the example was calculated by computer simulation.
- the coefficient of restitution of the golf club head whose face member is made of titanium alloy (Comparative Example 1) and the golf club head whose slits are removed from the Example (Comparative Example 2) are also calculated by the computer simulation in the same way.
- the weight member and sleeve are identical.
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Golf Clubs (AREA)
Abstract
A golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head includes a main body including a crown portion and a sole portion, and a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball. The main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity. The face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity. The main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body, and the at least one slit extends in a head-front-back direction.
Description
- This application claims the benefit of foreign priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2022-079499, filed May 13, 2022, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- The present disclosure relates to a golf club head having a hollow portion therein.
- The following
patent document 1 discloses a golf club head having a head outer shell and a face member fixed to a concave portion of the head outer shell. The face member is composed of a fiber-reinforced plastic using carbon fibers and the like. -
- Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H06-47111
- In the golf club head as described above, the face portion is lightened by using low specific gravity material for the face member. By reducing the weight of the face portion, a weight margin is obtained. Distributing this weight margin away from the head center of gravity can provide a golf club head with a high moment of inertia.
- On the other hand, low specific gravity materials, such as fiber reinforced plastic generally have low durability. Therefore, the face members made of low specific gravity materials need to be thick-walled. A thick-walled face member has high bending rigidity, which may reduce the repulsion performance of the club head when striking a ball.
- One object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf club head capable of reducing the weight of the face portion without deteriorating repulsion performance.
- In one aspect of the present disclosure, a golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head includes a main body including a crown portion and a sole portion, and a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball. The main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity. The face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity. The main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body, and the at least one slit extends in a head-front-back direction.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head according to an embodiment; -
FIG. 2 is a front view of the golf club head according to an embodiment; -
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the golf club head according to an embodiment; -
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the golf club head according to an embodiment; -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines V-V ofFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI ofFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a slit; -
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the slit according to another example; -
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the slit according to yet another example; -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines X-X ofFIG. 9 ; -
FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the golf club head according to another embodiment; -
FIG. 12A is a front view of a golf club head, and -
FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line s1 ofFIG. 12A . - Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below based on the drawings.
- Throughout the embodiments, the same elements and portions are denoted by the same reference characters, and duplicate explanations are omitted.
-
FIGS. 1 to 4 respectively show a perspective view, a front view, a plan view, and a bottom view of a golf club head (hereinafter, simply referred to as “head”) 1 according to the present embodiment. - In
FIGS. 1 to 4 , thehead 1 is in a reference state. The reference state is the state that thehead 1 is placed on a horizontal plane HP with the lie angle α (FIG. 2 ) and the loft angle (not illustrated) defined for thehead 1. In the reference state, the shaft centerline CL of thehead 1 is located in the reference vertical plane VP (FIG. 3 ). The shaft centerline CL is defined by the axis centerline of ashaft insertion hole 7 a formed in thehosel portion 7 of thehead 1. Unless otherwise mentioned herein, thehead 1 shall be placed in the reference state. - As used herein, an x-y-z coordinate system is associated with the
head 1. The x-axis is defined as the axis orthogonal to the reference vertical plane VP and parallel to the horizontal plane HP. The y-axis is parallel to both the reference vertical plane VP and the horizontal plane HP. The z-axis is defined as the axis orthogonal to both the x-axis and y-axis. For thehead 1, the direction along the x-axis is defined as the head-front-back direction, the direction along the y-axis as the toe-heel direction, and the direction along the z-axis as the head-up-down direction. The side of theface portion 2 is the front side and the opposite side is the back side with respect to the head-front-back direction. - As shown in
FIG. 3 in a partially broken section, thehead 1 according to the present embodiment includes a hollow portion (i) therein. For example, this hollow portion (i) may be used as a space as it is, or a gel agent for weight adjustment may be placed in a part of it. - The
head 1 according to the present embodiment, for example, is configured as a wood type. Thehead 1 of the wood type includes, for example, at least a driver, a fairway wood, a hybrid, and the like. Thehead 1 in this embodiment is configured as a driver. - For example, the
head 1 includes aface portion 2, acrown portion 3, asole portion 4, atoe 5 and aheel 6 which are arranged so as to surround the hollow portion (i). - The
face portion 2 is the portion that strikes a ball and is formed on the front side of thehead 1. Theface portion 2 includes astriking face 2 a that is in direct contact with the ball. Although not shown in the figure, thestriking face 2 a may be provided with face lines. The face lines are grooves extending in the toe-heel direction. - The
face portion 2 includes a periphery E defining the boundary of thestriking face 2 a. As used herein, the periphery E of theface portion 2 is the ridge line if it is visible to the naked eye as a clear ridge line. On the other hand, if such a ridge line is not clearly formed, the periphery E of theface portion 2 is obtained as follows. First, as illustrated inFIG. 12A , cross sections s1, s2, s3 . . . , including the normal N passing the center of gravity G of the head and the sweet spot SS are specified. Next, as illustrated inFIG. 12B , in each of the cross sections s1, s2, s3 . . . , the positions E where the radius of curvature r of the contour line Lf of thestriking face 2 a becomes 200 mm for the first time from the sweet spot SS side toward outwardly of the face portion are specified, and a series of these positions E in the cross sections is defined as the periphery E of theface portion 2. Of this peripheries E, the boundary portion with thecrown portion 3 is defined as theupper edge 2 b of theface portion 2, and the boundary portion with thesole portion 4 is defined as thelower edge 2 c of theface portion 2. - The
crown portion 3 extends from theupper edge 2 b of theface portion 2 backwardly of the head so as to form an upper surface of the head. Thehosel portion 7 is provided on the heel side of thecrown portion 3. Thehosel portion 7 has theshaft insertion hole 7 a for fixing a shaft (not illustrated). Thecrown portion 3 is the portion excluding theface portion 2 and thehosel portion 7 in a plan view of the head shown inFIG. 3 . - As illustrated in
FIG. 4 , thesole portion 4 extends from thelower edge 2 c of theface portion 2 backwardly of the head so as to form a bottom surface of the head. Thesole portion 4 is the portion excluding thehosel portion 7 in a bottom view of the head. -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines V-V ofFIG. 3 . As shown inFIG. 5 , thehead 1 includes amain body 100 and aface member 200. - The
main body 100 includes thecrown portion 3 and thesole portion 4. In the present embodiment, themain body 100 further includes thehosel portion 7 and a faceperipheral portion 101. The faceperipheral portion 101 is the peripheral portion of the opening O formed in theface portion 2. The faceperipheral portion 101 forms the peripheral portion of the opening O formed in theface portion 2. In the present embodiment, themain body 100, for example, includes thecrown portion 3, thesole portion 4, thehosel portion 7, and the faceperipheral portion 101 integrally formed. In another embodiment, themain body 100 may be formed by joining multiple members. - The
main body 100 is made of a first material having a first specific gravity. Although the first material is not particularly limited, one or more metallic materials may be suitable, for example. Examples of such metallic materials include titanium, titanium alloys, stainless steel, maraging steel, and the like. In some preferred embodiments, the first material is a metal material having a specific gravity equal to or more than 4.0, preferably equal to or more than 4.4, and titanium alloy (specific gravity of about 4.5) is particularly suitable. In addition, when themain body 100 is composed of multiple materials, the first specific gravity may be specified by an average specific gravity obtained by weighting the specific gravity of each material by their volume. - The
face member 200, for example, has a plate-like shape. As shown inFIG. 1 , in the present embodiment, theface member 200 has acontour shape 200 e that is located inside of the periphery E of thestriking face 2 a. Theface member 200 is attached to an opening O formed in themain body 100. Thus, theface member 200 constitutes at least a portion (in this embodiment, a major portion) of thestriking face 2 a. Theface member 200 is not limited to the plate-like shape of this embodiment, and may be, for example, a cup-like shape having a short length turnback portion extending behind of the head. - In some preferred aspects, as shown in
FIG. 5 , the faceperipheral portion 101 of themain body 100 is formed with a receivingportion 102 that supports the periphery of the back surface of theface member 200. As a result, theface member 200 is more firmly attached to the faceperipheral portion 101. The fixing between themain body 100 and theface member 200 is not particularly limited, but may be performed using, for example, an adhesive or the like. - The
face member 200 is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity. The second material is not particularly limited as long as it has a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity. As the second material, metal materials such as magnesium, magnesium alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, beryllium alloys, and the like may be employed. In addition, plastic materials such as fiber reinforced plastic can be adopted. As a preferred aspect, in this embodiment, a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material (with a specific gravity of about 1.4) is used. Alternatively, the reinforcing fibers may be fibers other than carbon fibers. - The
face member 200 is made of a material with relatively low specific gravity and thus tends to have low durability. Therefore, it is preferable that theface member 200 has a thickness enough not to impair durability. When the second material is a fiber-reinforced plastic as in the present embodiment, the thickness T of theface member 200 is, for example, equal to or more than 3.0 mm, preferably equal to or more than 4.0 mm, and more preferably equal to or more than 5.0 mm. Theface member 200, which has been thickened in this way, can exhibit high bending rigidity and exhibit sufficient durability even after repeated ball hits. On the other hand, in order to achieve desirable weight reduction in theface portion 2, the thickness T of theface member 200 is, for example, equal to or less than 9.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 8.5 mm, and more preferably equal to or less than 8.0 mm. - As shown in
FIGS. 1 to 3 , in thehead 1 according to the present embodiment, themain body 100 is provided with at least one slit 10 that penetrates themain body 100. In the present embodiment, a plurality ofslits 10 is provided on thecrown portion 3. In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 11 , one ormore slits 10 may be provided on thesole portion 4, in addition to thecrown portion 3, or except thecrown portion 3. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI ofFIG. 3 , andFIG. 7 is an enlarged view of one of theslits 10. As shown inFIG. 6 andFIG. 7 , each slit 10 has a Length L in the head-front-back direction, and a width W in the toe-heel direction. In the present embodiment, the length L of each slit 10 is larger than the width W of theslit 10. Thus, each slit 10 is elongated in the head-front-back direction. - The
face portion 2 includes theface member 200 having the second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity of themain body 100. Thus, theface portion 2 can be reduced in weight. The reduced weight of theface portion 2 provides a new weight margin. The weight margin means a discretionary and arbitrarily usable amount of weight not exceeding the weight limit set for thehead 1, usually used to adjust the center of gravity of thehead 1 to a preferred location. By placing the weight margin farther from the center of gravity of the head, for example, it is possible to increase the moment of inertia around the axis passing through the center of gravity of the head. Such a golf club head can provide flexibility and stabilizes the direction of hit balls. - As a result of the inventors' analysis, it was found that when the ball is struck with the
striking face 2 a of theface portion 2, thecrown portion 3 is subjected to tensile deformation in the toe-heel direction in addition to bending deformation in the head-front-back direction. Thesole portion 4 also shows almost the same deformation as thecrown portion 3. Therefore, if the tensile stiffness in the toe-heel direction of themain body 100 is reduced, the repulsion performance of thehead 1 can be improved. Based on these findings, thehead 1 according to the present embodiment is composed of theface member 200 with high rigidity and themain body 100 withslits 10 extending in the head-front-back direction. As a result, in thehead 1 according to the present embodiment, even if theface member 200 is made rigid, themain body 100 bends sufficiently in the toe-heel directions when the ball is struck, and the decrease in the repulsion performance of thehead 1 can be suppressed. As described above, thehead 1 according to the present embodiment can reduce the weight of theface portion 2 without decreasing the repulsion performance. - A more preferred form of the present disclosure will be described below.
- As shown in
FIG. 7 , each slit 10 includes afrontmost end 10 a and abackmost end 10 b in the head-front-back direction. Thesefrontmost end 10 a andbackmost end 10 b are respectively located on the frontmost side of theslit 10 and on the backmost side of the head. In order to effectively promote the deflection in the toe-heel direction of themain body 100, the length L of theslits 10 is, for example, equal to or more than 10 mm, preferably equal to or more than 12 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 15 mm. On the other hand, if the length L of theslits 10 is excessively large, the durability of themain body 100 may decrease. From this point of view, the length L of theslits 10 is, for example, equal to or less than 40 mm, preferably equal to or less than 30 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 25 mm. - In order to effectively promote the deflection in the toe-heel direction of the
main body 100, the width W of theslits 10 is, for example, equal to or more than 0.5 mm, preferably equal to or more than 1 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 2 mm. On the other hand, a larger width W of theslits 10 may decrease the durability of themain body 100. From this point of view, the width W ofslits 10 is, for example, equal to or less than 10 mm, preferably equal to or less than 8 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 6 mm. The width W of theslits 10 can be constant or variable. Note that the width W of theslits 10 may be constant except at both ends, or it may vary as described below. - In a head plan view, each slit 10 defines a reference
straight line 10 c passing through thefrontmost end 10 a and thebackmost end 10 b. In some preferred aspects, the referencestraight line 10 c of each slit 10 has an angle equal to or less than 15 degrees with respect to the head-front-back direction (i.e., the x-axis). Such aslit 10 can effectively promote the deflection of themain body 100 in the toe-heel direction when hitting a ball on the toe or heel side of the face portion. - In order to more effectively promote the deflection of the
main body 100 in the toe-heel direction, the angle of the referencestraight line 10 c of each slit 10 is preferably equal to or less than 10 degrees, more preferably equal to or less than 5 degrees. When the referencestraight line 10 c is inclined with respect to the head-front-back direction, the inclination direction of the referencestraight line 10 c is not particularly limited. Each slit 10 of the present embodiment extends linearly parallel to the head-front-back direction, but one ormore slits 10 may be formed in an arc, zigzag, wave, or other non-linear shape. - As shown in
FIG. 7 , in a plan view of each slit 10, each of contours on afrontmost end 10 a side and abackmost end 10 b side of theslit 10 preferably has an arc shape. In this way, each slit 10 does not have sharp corners near thefrontmost end 10 a and/or thebackmost end 10 b, which can relieve the stress concentration thereto. In the present embodiment, thefrontmost end 10 a and thebackmost end 10 b are both arc-shaped. -
FIG. 8 illustrates a plan view of another example of aslit 10. As shown inFIG. 8 , a width Wb on thebackmost end 10 b side of theslit 10 is preferably greater than a width Wa on thefrontmost end 10 a side of theslit 10. According to the inventors' experiments, the tensile deformation of thecrown portion 3 and thesole portion 4 in the toe-heel direction tends to be larger when the ball is struck as it moves away from the periphery E of theface portion 2 toward the back of the head. Therefore, if the width Wb of thebackmost end 10 b side of theslit 10 is larger than the width Wa of thefrontmost end 10 a side of theslit 10, themain body 100 can be elastically deformed more effectively when the ball is struck, and the decrease in the repulsion performance can be further suppressed. In addition, the increase in stress near thebackmost end 10 b side of theslit 10 can be effectively suppressed and the durability of themain body 100 can be improved. - The slit 8 shown in
FIG. 8 includes afirst portion 10 d extending backwardly of the head from thefrontmost end 10 a side and asecond portion 10 e having a circular contour that is connected to thefirst portion 10 d. In this embodiment, thefirst portion 10 d extends with a constant width Wa. The width Wb of thesecond portion 10 e is larger than the width Wa of thefirst potion 10 d. Such aslit 10 can effectively suppress the stress increase near thebackmost end 10 b of theslit 10, where the deformation of themain body 100 is likely to increase. In some preferred aspects, the width Wb of thesecond portion 10 e is equal to or more than 1.5 times the width Wa of thefirst portion 10 d, more preferably equal to or more than 2.0 times. - In some preferred aspects, the minimum distance D between the
frontmost end 10 a of each slit 10 and the periphery E of theface portion 2 is, for example, equal to or less than 10 mm, preferably equal to or less than 3 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 1 mm. InFIG. 3 , the minimum distance D between theupper edge 2 b which is as the periphery E of thestriking face 2 a and thefrontmost end 10 a of one of theslits 10 is shown. The periphery E of theface portion 2 is a corner where theface portion 2 and themain body 3 are connected, and the rigidity around the periphery E tends to be high, resulting in relatively small deformation when the ball is struck. Thus, there is an advantage that the increase of stress near thefrontmost end 10 a of each slit 10 is effectively suppressed by making thefrontmost end 10 a of each slit 10 closer to the periphery E. - When one or
more slits 10 are provided in thecrown portion 3, in a plan view of the head shown inFIG. 3 , it is preferable that at least one slit 10 is provided within the projection area A1 of theface member 200 to the back of the head. Similarly, when one ormore slits 10 are provided in thesole portion 4, in a bottom view of the head shown inFIG. 11 , it is preferable that at least one slit 10 is provided within the projection area A1 of theface member 200 to the back of the head. By providing the slits at such positions, the deflection in the toe-heel direction of themain body 100 can be further promoted when striking a ball. In addition, themain body 100 is deflected more effectively at the hitting point in the area near the position of at least one of theslits 10 when the ball is hit, further suppressing the deterioration of the repulsion performance. Thus, it is preferable to provide the slit(s) 10 in the region of low repulsion performance in order to further promote the toe-heel deflection of themain body 100 when a ball is struck. Alternatively, if theslit 10 is provided at two locations centered on the region of low repulsion performance, it is preferable to further promote the toe-heel deflection of themain body 100 when striking a ball over a wider range of striking points. -
FIG. 9 is a plan view of yet another example of aslit 10, andFIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines X-X ofFIG. 10 . When hitting a ball, themain body 100 is subjected to bending stress due to bending in the head-front-back direction and tensile stress due to tensile deformation in the toe-heel direction, and high stress is likely to occur around theslits 10 of themain body 100. In view of maintaining higher strength of themain body 100, a thick-walled portion 11 may be provided at least partially around at least oneslit 10. The thick-walled portion 11 can disperse stresses in the periphery of theslit 10 and suppress significant localized stress increases. - In the present embodiment, the thick-
walled portion 11 is formed into a continuous shape to surround theslit 10. Such a thick-walled portion 11 is more effective in relieving stresses around theslit 10 of themain body 100. - In the present embodiment, the thick-
walled portion 11 includes, for example, an inner thick-walled portion 11 a raised on the hollow portion (i) side. The inner thick-walled portion 11 a is raised toward the hollow portion (i) from the inner surface of the reference thick-walled portion 3 a formed by the reference thickness tc of thecrown portion 3. The thickness boundary between the inner thick-walled portion 11 a and the reference thick-walled portion 3 a is a virtual boundary defined by a smooth extension of the inner surface of the reference thick-walled portion 3 a to theslit 10. - For example, the inner thick-
walled portion 11 a is continuous around theslit 10 without interruption. This can suppress the increase in stress during ball striking over the entire circumference of theslit 10 and can improve the durability of themain body 100. - Although a thickness ta of the inner thick-
walled portion 11 a is not particularly limited, it is preferably, for example, equal to or more than 0.5 mm, preferably equal to or more than 1.0 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 1.5 mm, in order to fully demonstrate the stress reduction effect in the region around theslit 10. In order to suppress the weight increase of thehead 1, the thickness ta of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a is, for example, equal to or less than 5.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 4.0 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 3.0 mm. - In addition, the thick-
walled portion 11 may include, for example, an outer thick-walled portion 11 b raised on the outer surface of the head. The outer thick-walled portion 11 b may form the thick-walled portion 11 together with the inner thick-walled portion 11 a or in place of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a. - The outer thick-
walled portion 11 b is raised outwardly from the outer surface 4 o of the reference thick-walled portion 3 a formed by the reference thickness tc of thecrown portion 3. The thickness boundary between the outer thick-walled portion 11 b and the reference thick-walled portion 3 a is a virtual boundary defined by a smooth extension of the outer surface of the reference thick-walled portion 3 a to theslit 10. - Although a thickness tb of the outer thick-
walled portion 11 b is not particularly limited, in order to fully demonstrate the effect of reducing tensile stress in the toe-heel direction around theslit 10, for example, it may be equal to or more than 0.5 mm, preferably equal to or more than 1.0 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 1.5 mm. If the thickness tb is too thick, the bending rigidity in the head-front-back direction increases, which in turn increases the bending stress in the head-front-back direction of the head. In order to fully demonstrate the effect of reducing the bending stress in the head-front-back direction around the slit and to suppress the weight increase of thehead 1, the thickness tb of the outer thick-walled portion 11 b is, for example, equal to or less than 5.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 4.0 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 3.0 mm. - As shown in
FIG. 9 , a width TW of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a and the outer thick-walled portion 11 b is not particularly limited, but it is, for example, equal to or more than 1.0 mm, preferably equal to or more than 2.0 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 3.0 mm, in order to fully demonstrate the stress reduction effect in the periphery of theslit 10. In addition, in order to suppress the increase in weight of thehead 1, the width TW of the inner thick-walled portion 11 a and the outer thick-walled portion 11 b is, for example, equal to or less than 15.0 mm, preferably equal to or less than 12.0 mm, mor preferably equal to or less than 10.0 mm. The width TW is measured orthogonally to the edge of theslit 10, as illustrated inFIG. 9 . - A cover (not illustrated) made of an elastic material such as rubber, plastic, elastomer, etc. may be provided. Such a cover can prevent foreign objects from entering the
slits 10 without interfering with the deformation of themain body 100 in any way. - While the particularly preferable embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure have been described in detail, the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, but can be modified and carried out in various aspects within the scope of the disclosure.
- Next, more detailed example of the present disclosure will be described. A finite element model of a golf club head (example) with three slits on the crown portion having the basic shape shown in
FIGS. 1 to 5 and based on the specifications in Table 1 was created. The head is configured to include the main body, the face member, the weight member and a sleeve (a shaft-mounting part incorporated in the hosel). The head has a volume of 460 cc. The positions of the three slits are 15 mm from the geometric center of the striking face to the toe, 5 mm from the center of the striking face to the heel, and 20 mm from the center of the striking face to the heel, in the plan view ofFIG. 3 . Then, the coefficient of restitution at the face center of the example was calculated by computer simulation. For comparison, the coefficient of restitution of the golf club head whose face member is made of titanium alloy (Comparative Example 1) and the golf club head whose slits are removed from the Example (Comparative Example 2) are also calculated by the computer simulation in the same way. For each head, the weight member and sleeve are identical. - Regarding the coefficient of restitution, according to the “Interim Procedure for Measuring the Coefficient of Restitution of an Iron Clubhead Relative to a Baseline Plate Revision 1.3 Jan. 1, 2006” stipulated by the USGA (United States Golf Association), the COR was calculated. The simulation results are shown in Table 1.
-
TABLE 1 Comparative Comparative example 1 example 2 Example Main body Titanium Titanium Titanium alloy alloy alloy Specific gravity of main body 4.5 4.5 4.5 (first specific gravity) Face member Titanium CFRP CFRP alloy Specific gravity of face member 4.5 1.4 1.4 (second specific gravity) Number of slit(s) of main body 0 0 3 Face weight (g) 30 17.7 17.7 Main body weight (g) 138.8 144 144 Weight member weight (g) 10.3 10.3 10.3 Sleeve weight (g) 9.1 9.1 9.1 Total head weigh (g) 188.2 181.1 181.1 COR 0.894 0.890 0.893 - As can be seen from Table 1, in comparison with Comparative Example 1, the Example achieved a weight reduction of 12.3 g for the face portion and 6.6 g for the entire head. In addition, it was confirmed that the Example obtained a COR almost equal to that of Comparative Example 1, and that the decrease in repulsion performance was suppressed.
- The present disclosure includes the following aspects.
- A golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head comprising:
-
- a main body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion; and
- a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball, wherein
- the main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity,
- the face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity,
- the main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body, and
- the at least one slit extends in a head-front-back direction.
- The golf club head according to
disclosure 1, wherein -
- the at least one slit comprises a plurality of slits, and
- the plurality of slits is provided on the crown portion of the main body.
- The golf club head according to
disclosure -
- the second material comprises a fiber reinforced plastic.
- The golf club head according to any one of
disclosures 1 to 3, wherein -
- the at least one slit has a length in the head-front-back direction ranging from 10 to 40 mm and has a width in a toe-heel direction ranging from 0.5 to 10 mm.
- The golf club head according to any one of
disclosures 1 to 4, wherein -
- the striking face has a periphery,
- the at least one slit has a frontmost end in the head-front-back direction, and
- a shortest distance between the frontmost end and the periphery is equal to or less than 10 mm.
- The golf club head according to
disclosure 5, wherein -
- the shortest distance is equal to or less than 3 mm.
- The golf club head according to any one of
disclosures 1 to 6, wherein -
- the at least one slit has a frontmost end and a backmost end in the head-front-back direction, and
- in a plan view of the at least one slit, each of contours on a frontmost end side and a backmost end side has an arc shape.
- The golf club head according to any one of
disclosures 1 to 7, wherein -
- the at least one slit has a frontmost end and a backmost end in the head-front-back direction, and
- a width on a backmost end side of the at least one slit is greater than a width on a frontmost end side of the at least one slit.
- The golf club head according to disclosure 8, wherein
-
- the at least one slit comprises a first portion extending backwardly of the head from the frontmost end side and a second portion having a circular contour that is connected to the first portion.
- The golf club head according to any one of
disclosures 1 to 9, wherein -
- a thick-walled portion is formed at least partially around the at least one slit.
- The golf club head according to
disclosure 10, wherein -
- the thick-walled portion comprises an inner thick-walled portion raised on a hollow portion side of the head.
- The golf club head according to
disclosure -
- the thick-walled portion comprises an outer thick-walled portion raised on an outer surface side of the head.
- The golf club head according to any one of
disclosures 1 to 12, wherein -
- the at least one slit comprises a plurality of slits, and
- the plurality of slits is provided on the sole portion of the main body.
Claims (18)
1. A golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head comprising:
a main body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion; and
a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball, wherein
the main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity,
the face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity,
the main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body, and
the at least one slit extends in a head-front-back direction.
2. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one slit comprises a plurality of slits, and
the plurality of slits is provided on the crown portion of the main body.
3. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the second material comprises a fiber reinforced plastic.
4. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one slit has a length in the head-front-back direction ranging from 10 to 40 mm and has a width in a toe-heel direction ranging from 0.5 to 10 mm.
5. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the striking face has a periphery,
the at least one slit has a frontmost end in the head-front-back direction, and
a shortest distance between the frontmost end and the periphery is equal to or less than 10 mm.
6. The golf club head according to claim 5 , wherein
the shortest distance is equal to or less than 3 mm.
7. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one slit has a frontmost end and a backmost end in the head-front-back direction, and
in a plan view of the at least one slit, each of contours on a frontmost end side and a backmost end side has an arc shape.
8. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one slit has a frontmost end and a backmost end in the head-front-back direction, and
a width on a backmost end side of the at least one slit is greater than a width on a frontmost end side of the at least one slit.
9. The golf club head according to claim 8 , wherein
the at least one slit comprises a first portion extending backwardly of the head from the frontmost end side and a second portion having a circular contour that is connected to the first portion.
10. The golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein
the first portion has a portion extending with a constant width Wa, and
the second portion has a width Wb equal to or more than 1.5 times the width Wa of the first portion.
11. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
a thick-walled portion is formed at least partially around the at least one slit.
12. The golf club head according to claim 11 , wherein
the thick-walled portion comprises an inner thick-walled portion raised on a hollow portion side of the head.
13. The golf club head according to claim 11 , wherein
the thick-walled portion comprises an outer thick-walled portion raised on an outer surface side of the head.
14. The golf club head according to claim 11 , wherein
the thick-walled portion is formed into a continuous shape to surround the at least one slit.
15. The golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein
a width TW of the thick-walled portion measured orthogonally to an edge of the at least one slit ranges from 1.0 mm to 15.0 mm.
16. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one slit comprises a plurality of slits, and
the plurality of slits is provided on the sole portion of the main body.
17. A golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head comprising:
a main body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion; and
a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball, wherein
the main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity,
the face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity,
the main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body,
the at least one slit extends in a head-front-back direction,
the at least one slit has a frontmost end and a backmost end in the head-front-back direction,
the striking face has a periphery,
a shortest distance between the frontmost end and the periphery is equal to or less than 10 mm,
in a head plan view, the at least one slit defines a reference straight line passing through the frontmost end and the backmost end, and
the reference straight line has an angle equal to or less than 15 degrees with respect to the head-front-back direction.
18. A golf club head having a hollow portion therein, the head comprising:
a main body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion; and
a face member forming at least a part of a striking face for striking a ball, wherein
the main body is made of a first material having a first specific gravity,
the face member is formed of a second material having a second specific gravity smaller than the first specific gravity,
the main body is provided with at least one slit that penetrates the main body, and
the at least one slit comprises a portion extending in a head-front-back direction.
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JP2022079499A JP2023167940A (en) | 2022-05-13 | 2022-05-13 | golf club head |
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US18/140,810 Pending US20230364477A1 (en) | 2022-05-13 | 2023-04-28 | Golf club head |
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JP (1) | JP2023167940A (en) |
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