Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club shaft and a golf club head connected to the golf club shaft. The golf club head includes a body having a forward surface and a striking member connected to the forward surface of the body. The striking member includes predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball. In some embodiments, the golf club head may include a spacer or neck connecting opposing medial portions of the body and the striking member. In other embodiments, the striking member may include a first layer and a second underlying layer disposed over the body.

Abstract: A golf club having a ball-contacting surface formed by a very thin layer of lubricant for reducing the spin imparted to a golf ball. By maintaining the thickness of lubricant exposed at the ball-contacting surface to be less than 20 microns, the integrity of the lubricant layer is improved and the mechanical locking effect between the soft lubricant and the golf ball is minimized. The thin lubricating layer may be supported by a reinforcing structure to convey the force of the golf ball impact to the club head without indentation of the thin lubricating layer.

Abstract: A golf includes a golf club shaft and a golf club head connected to the golf club shaft. The golf club head includes a body having a forward surface and a striking member connected to the forward surface of the body. The striking member includes predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball. In some embodiments, the golf club head may include a spacer or neck connecting opposing medial portions of the body and the striking member. In other embodiments, the striking member may include a first layer and a second underlying layer disposed over the body.

Abstract: A golf club having a ball-contacting surface formed by a very thin layer of lubricant for reducing the spin imparted to a golf ball. By maintaining the thickness of lubricant exposed at the ball-contacting surface to be less than 20 microns, the integrity of the lubricant layer is improved and the mechanical locking effect between the soft lubricant and the golf ball is minimized. The thin lubricating layer may be supported by a reinforcing structure to convey the force of the golf ball impact to the club head without indentation of the thin lubricating layer.

Abstract: A laser welding apparatus includes a fixture for supporting a plurality of bellows diaphragms in side-by-side relation to define pairs of adjacent outer edges to be welded adjacent a laser. The apparatus also includes a reference point determining device for determining at least one reference point relating to locations of the outer edges. A positioner and controller are provided to position the laser relative to the fixture and to control the direction of the laser beam to weld edges based on the at least one reference point.

Abstract: A golf club, such as a driver, includes a head designed for reducing spin imparted to a golf ball struck by the club head. The club head has a face portion for contacting a golf ball that is formed of a relatively hard material having a generally slippery characteristic. The golf ball slips on the face portion when a plane of the face portion at a point of contact between the ball and face portion is not generally normal to a direction of travel of the club head. The slippery characteristic may be obtained by forming the face of the club head from a sintered material impregnated with a lubricant such as PTFE. The club head may also include a plastic insert with a self-lubricating filler.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for welding the inside diameter and the outside diameter of bellows diaphragms for forming a bellows without using chill rings or spacers. This universal welding fixture consists of at least one drive wheel and at least one idler wheel for holding and aligning different size bellows diaphragms. A concentrated heat source such as a laser beam is applied at the edge for joining diaphragms together.

Abstract: A laser welding apparatus is for laser welding an inner joint between first and second bellows diaphragms. The apparatus preferably includes a first clamp having an opening therein and having portions adjacent the opening defining a first clamping surface; and a second clamp having portions defining a second clamping surface, and wherein the first and second clamps are relatively movable to clamp the first and second metal bellows diaphragms together between the first and second clamping surfaces so that the openings in the bellows diaphragms are generally aligned with the opening in the first clamp. The apparatus also preferably includes a laser for generating a laser beam, and a beam directing element positioned in the opening of the first clamp and the openings of the first and second bellows diaphragms for directing the laser beam to weld the inner joint between the first and second bellows diaphragms.

Abstract: A golf ball having a lubricating material on its surface for reducing the spin imparted by a striking golf club. The lubricating material may be a dry lubricant coating or it may be a lubricating material forming part of the cover of the golf ball.

Abstract: A laser welding apparatus is for laser welding an inner joint between first and second bellows diaphragms. The apparatus preferably includes a first clamp having an opening therein and having portions adjacent the opening defining a first clamping surface; and a second clamp having portions defining a second clamping surface, and wherein the first and second clamps are relatively movable to clamp the first and second metal bellows diaphragms together between the first and second clamping surfaces so that the openings in the bellows diaphragms are generally aligned with the opening in the first clamp. The apparatus also preferably includes a laser for generating a laser beam, and a beam directing element positioned in the opening of the first clamp and the openings of the first and second bellows diaphragms for directing the laser beam to weld the inner joint between the first and second bellows diaphragms.

Abstract: A laser welding machine includes an arbor for rotating a plurality of bellows diaphragms positioned together in side-by-side relation adjacent the laser. An optical tracker is provided for optically tracking a position of a rotating outer joint of the diaphragms as the arbor rotates. In addition, a low inertia beam steering mechanism is used for directing the laser beam to form a weld in the rotating outer joint responsive to the optical tracker. The laser may be an Nd:YAG, a diode laser, or carbon dioxide laser, for example. The optical tracker preferably includes a solid state camera and an illumination source positioned on opposite sides of the rotating outer joint to capture a shadow image of the joint. The welding machine may further include a processor and associated display operatively connected to the camera and to the beam steering means. The display may be used for displaying the shadow image of the rotating outer joint.

Abstract: A golf ball having a reduced spin rate is provided for minimizing the tendency of the golf ball to hook or slice in response to a sliding blow from a golf club. The golf ball may have a cover that is constructed to have a slippery surface such that when the club strikes the ball the club slides on the surface rather than imparting spin to the ball. In addition, the cover may be isolated from the inner core of the golf ball by an intervening lubricating layer which allows the cover to slip on the core so that any spin imparted to the cover is only minimally transferred to the core thereby minimizing spin of the golf ball. The golf ball may also be constructed with a fluid core either of a liquid or gelatinous substance which will not respond to any initial spin imparted to the outer cover of the golf ball and will thereby retard the spin rate of the ball.

Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring of the progression and the quality of laser material processing. Sensors and detectors are placed in the vicinity of reaction area to capture the signatures of material processing. The signals include light, temperature, sound, gas, smoke, vapor, particles, etc. emanating from the reaction area. The intensity and the timing of certain signals indicate the stages of the processing and the processing quality. One example of this invention is the use of photodiode sensors to monitor the progression of laser spot welding of a certain electronic component. Three photodiode sensors are used to monitor the laser pulse, the reflected beam, and the transmitted beam. A computer analyzes these signals in real time to determine the progressive stages of the laser welding process and the expected weld quality.

Abstract: A method for forming a welded joint as between first and second electrical conductive members by the use of a radiant energy source, wherein the first member has a higher reflectivity with respect to the radiant energy than the second member, the method comprising the steps of preselecting respective areas of the first and second members for the welded joint, forming an aperture extending fully through a portion of the selected area of the first member, the portion being selected to be of an area less than the selected area of the second member, placing the first member in overlying relation to the second member with the first member portion disposed interiorly of the perimeter of the selected area of the second member and issuing the radiant energy directly onto the first member and concurrently through the first member apertured portion onto the second member. Assemblies for effecting welding operations are provided.

Abstract: A method of soldering electrical lead strands (of a width at least 0.3 inch) to a printed electrical path is disclosed. The path is planted on an alumina ceramic substrate and a solder pad is attached to a portion of the path. A flat surface portion of each lead strand is forced into full interengagement with a pad, a CO.sub.2 defocused laser beam is directed onto the soldering assembly with the beam controlled to have a beam power of at least 100 watts, a beam spot diameter no less than the width of the lead strand and no greater than the width of the pad, and a beam on-time effective to exert a controlled thermal radius on the soldering assembly to reflow only a preselected portion of the pad and effect a solder joint between the pad and strand portion, the joint having a strength of at least 400 grams. The parameters of the beam power, beam spot diameter, and beam on-time are optimally correlated by the following equation: ##EQU1## where: C is the critical thermal radius, a is the Gaussian radius at 1/e.