WO2007078063A1

WO2007078063A1 - Golf clubs

Info

Publication number: WO2007078063A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/005403
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeong Geun Kim; Pil Soo Kim
Original assignee: Jeong Geun Kim; Pil Soo Kim
Priority date: 2005-12-30
Filing date: 2006-12-12
Publication date: 2007-07-12
Also published as: KR100653333B1

Abstract

The present invention provides a golf club, in which a plurality of protruding ribs (1) is provided on an inner or outer surface of a shaft (100). In the present invention, because the protruding ribs (1) are provided in the shaft (100) of the golf club, the restoring force of the shaft is increased, thus increasing the ball driving force and the distance that the ball is driven. Furthermore, when executing a golf swing or striking the ball, the shaft (100) is prevented from twisting, so that the ball is driven in the correct direction. In addition, the strength of the shaft is increased.

Description

GOLF CLUBS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates, in general, to golf clubs and, more particularly, to a golf club which has an improved shaft structure such that the restoring force of the shaft is increased, thus maximizing a ball driving force, thereby increasing the distance that the ball is driven, and such that the shaft is prevented from twisting when the golf club is swung or impacts the ball so that the ball can be driven in a desired direction, and such that the strength of the shaft is increased. Background Art

[2] Generally, as shown in FIG. 1, in a typical golf club, a head 200 is coupled to the lower end of a hollow shaft 100, and a grip 300 is fitted over the upper end of the shaft 100. The shaft 100 is made of various materials, for example, metal such as titanium or tungsten, which is relatively light, carbon, carbon graphite, etc.

[3] To manufacture the shaft 100 using carbon graphite, a carbon fabric is wound around a cylindrical mold and is heated in a furnace at a high temperature. Subsequently, the shaft is cooled and is separated from the mold, thus completing the shaft 100.

[4] As such, in the conventional golf club, the shaft 100 is manufactured to have a cylindrical shape.

[5] Meanwhile, such a golf club is required to have a structure such that, when a golfer executes a golf swing and thus hits a ball, a phenomenon in which the shaft twists is minimized, so that the ball can be driven in the correct direction and the distance that the ball is driven can be increased. Furthermore, the golf club requires sufficient strength to prevent the shaft from breaking, even if the golfer mistakenly strikes the ground.

[6] However, in the case of the conventional golf club, the shaft merely has a cylindrical shape, but does not have any reinforcing structure. That is, when the head 200 of the golf club strikes a ball b, as shown in FIG. 5, at the moment that the head 200 contacts the ball b, the shaft 100 is bent, momentarily moved backwards, and returned to its original state by restoring force to thus strike and push the ball b. At this time, if the restoring force of the shaft is insufficient, the driving force of the ball b is reduced, thereby the distance that the ball b is driven is reduced. In addition, the shaft 100 may twist, so that, as shown in FIG. 17, at the moment that the head strikes the ball b, the direction in which the head impacts the ball b deviates from the correct direction, thus resulting in a slice or hook, whereby the ball b cannot be driven in a desired direction. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[7] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a golf club in which the restoring force of a shaft is increased so that the ball driving force is maximized, thus increasing the distance that the ball is driven, in which a phenomenon, in which the shaft twists when the golf club is swung or impacts the ball, is minimized so that the ball can be driven in a desired direction, and in which the strength of the shaft is increased. Technical Solution

[8] In order to accomplish the above object, in a first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of protruding ribs is provided on the circumferential outer surface or the circumferential inner surface of a shaft.

[9] In a second embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of reinforcing members is provided in a layer or on the circumferential inner surface of the shaft.

[10] In a third embodiment of the present invention, a reinforcing wire is provided at the center of the inner diameter in the shaft.

[11] In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a reinforcing wire is spirally wound around the circumferential outer surface of the shaft.

Advantageous Effects

[12] The present invention has the following advantages.

[13] First, a plurality of protruding ribs may be provided in a shaft of a golf club, so that the restoring force of the shaft is increased, thus increasing the ball driving force and the distance that the ball is driven. Furthermore, when executing a golf swing or striking the ball, the shaft is prevented from twisting, so that the ball can be driven in the correct direction. In addition, the strength of the shaft is increased.

[14] Second, a plurality of reinforcing members may be provided in a layer or on the circumferential inner surface of the shaft of the golf club, so that the restoring force of the shaft is increased, thus increasing the ball driving force and the distance that the ball is driven. Furthermore, when executing a golf swing or striking the ball, the shaft is prevented from twisting, so that the ball can be driven in the correct direction. In addition, the strength of the shaft is increased.

[15] Third, a reinforcing wire may be provided at the center in the shaft of the golf club, or a reinforcing wire may be wound around the circumferential outer surface of the shaft of the golf club, so that the restoring force of the shaft is increased, thus increasing the ball driving force and the distance that the ball is driven. Furthermore, when executing a golf swing or striking the ball, the shaft is prevented from twisting, so that the ball is driven in the correct direction. In addition, the strength of the shaft is increased.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a typical golf club;

[17] FIGS. 2 through 9 are sectional views showing shafts of golf clubs, according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [18] FIGS. 10 through 12 are sectional views showing shafts of golf clubs, according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [19] FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate shafts of golf clubs, according to a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 13 is a sectional view, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view; [20] FIG. 15 is a front view showing the operation of the head of a golf club when striking a ball; and [21] FIGS. 16 and 17 are plan views showing the operation of the head of the golf club when striking the ball.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [22] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[23] FIGS. 2 through 9 illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention.

[24] As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of protruding ribs 1 is formed in the shaft 100 of a golf club. [25] The protruding ribs 1 may be linearly formed in a longitudinal direction of the shaft

100 or, alternatively, may be formed into a spiral shape in the longitudinal direction. [26] FIG. 3 shows a golf club, in which a plurality of protruding ribs 1 is formed on the outer surface of a shaft 100 of the golf club. Also, in this case, the protruding ribs 1 may be linearly formed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 100 or, alternatively, may be formed into a spiral shape in the longitudinal direction. [27] The golf club of FIG. 4 is characterized in that the number of protruding ribs 1 formed in the circumferential inner surface of a shaft 100 is less than in the case of the golf clubs of FIGS. 2 and 3.

[28] In the case of FIG. 5, a plurality of protruding ribs 1 is provided on the circumferential outer surface of a shaft 100 of a golf club. [29] The protruding ribs 1 of FIGS. 4 and 5 may be linearly formed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 100 or, alternatively, may be formed into a spiral shape in the longitudinal direction. [30] In the golf club of FIG. 6, a pipe body 110 is provided on the circumferential inner surface of a shaft 100, and a plurality of protruding ribs 1 protrudes inwards from the circumferential inner surface of the pipe body 110.

[31] In the golf club of FIG. 7, a pipe body 120 is provided on the circumferential outer surface of a shaft 100, and a plurality of protruding ribs 1 protrudes outwards from the circumferential inner surface of the pipe body 120.

[32] In the case of FIG. 8, a pipe body 130, which has the same shape as the shaft of

FIG. 4, is provided on the circumferential inner surface of a shaft 100. Here, in the same manner as the shaft of FIG. 4, the number of protruding ribs 1, which are provided on the circumferential inner surface of the pipe body 130, is less than in the case of FIG. 6.

[33] In the case of FIG. 9, a pipe body 140, which has the same shape as the shaft of

FIG. 5, is provided on the circumferential outer surface of a shaft 100. Here, in the same manner as the shaft of FIG. 5, the number of protruding ribs 1, which are provided on the circumferential inner surface of the pipe body 140, is less than in the case of FIG. 7.

[34] In the first embodiment of the present invention having the above-mentioned construction, because the protruding ribs 1 are provided on the shaft 100, the restoring force of the shaft 100 is superior, so that, as shown in FIG. 15, when the head 200 of the golf club strikes a ball b, the shaft 100, which bends at the moment the head 200 contacts the ball b, is rapidly returned to its original state (that is, the restoration time (t) is minimized), thus maximizing the ball driving force b, thereby increasing the distance that the ball b is driven. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 16, at the moment that the ball b is struck, the direction in which the head impacts the ball b is prevented from changing, thus preventing unintentional slicing or hooking of the ball b. Therefore, the present invention helps a golfer drive the ball correctly in the desired direction.

[35] In addition, even if the golfer mistakenly strikes the ground when executing a golf swing, the shaft is prevented from breaking.

[36] Golf clubs according to according to a second embodiment of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 12.

[37] In a golf club of FIG. 10, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of reinforcing members Ia is inserted in a layer of a shaft 100. These reinforcing members Ia may be linearly provided in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 100 or, alternatively, may be provided in a spiral arrangement in the longitudinal direction.

[38] The reinforcing members Ia may be made of metal fiber, piano wires or reinforcing fiber.

[39] In the case of FIG. 11, a shaft 100 comprises a plurality of layers which are layered in a radial direction. Furthermore, a plurality of reinforcing members Ia is inserted into the layers of the shaft 100.

[40] In the case of FIG. 12, a plurality of protruding ribs 1 is formed on the circumferential inner surface of a shaft 100. Furthermore, grooves 2 are defined by the protruding ribs 1. Reinforcing members Ia are provided in the respective grooves 2.

[41] The operation and effect of the second embodiment of the present invention having the above-mentioned construction are equal to those of the first embodiment.

[42] FIGS. 13 and 14 are views showing golf clubs according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[43] The golf club of FIG. 13 is characterized in that a reinforcing wire Ib is provided at the center of the inner diameter in a shaft 100 using support members 3 and 3 a.

[44] The golf club of FIG. 14 is characterized in that a reinforcing wire Ib is spirally wound around the circumferential outer surface of a shaft 100.

[45] The reinforcing wires Ib of FIG. 13 and 14 may be made of metal fiber, piano wires or reinforcing fiber.

[46] The operation and effect of the third embodiment of the present invention, having the above-mentioned construction, are equal to those of the first embodiment.

Claims

[ 1 ] A golf club, comprising: a shaft having a hollow space therein; a grip provided on an upper end of the shaft; and a head provided on a lower end of the shaft, wherein a plurality of protruding ribs (1) is provided on a circumferential outer surface or a circumferential inner surface of the shaft. [2] A golf club, comprising: a shaft having a hollow space therein; a grip provided on an upper end of the shaft; and a head provided on a lower end of the shaft, wherein a plurality of reinforcing members (Ia) is provided in a layer or on a circumferential inner surface of the shaft (100). [3] A golf club, comprising: a shaft having a hollow space therein; a grip provided on an upper end of the shaft; and a head provided on a lower end of the shaft, wherein a reinforcing wire (Ib) is provided at a center of an inner diameter in the shaft

(100). [4] A golf club, comprising: a shaft having a hollow space therein; a grip provided on an upper end of the shaft; and a head provided on a lower end of the shaft, wherein a reinforcing wire (Ib) is wound around a circumferential outer surface of the shaft (100).