Iron club head

Abstract

An iron club head includes a body including a loop portion defining a compartment therein, a striking plate mounted to a front face of the loop portion, and a gasket mounted between the striking plate and the loop portion for providing a regular flat outer surface. In another embodiment, an iron club head comprises a body, a striking plate, and a gasket. The body includes a stepped portion and a notched portion together defining a compartment therein, a lip being formed outside the stepped portion. The striking plate is mounted to a front face of the loop portion and retained in place by the lip of the body. The striking plate includes a protruded portion embedded in the notched portion of the body. A gasket is mounted between the protruded portion of the striking plate and the notched portion of the body for providing a regular flat outer surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an iron club head. In particular, the present invention relates to an iron club head including a gasket made of metal of high extensibility, the gasket being mounted between a body and a striking plate of the iron club head, thereby filling gaps and recesses therebetween and thus providing a flat surface at the position where the gasket is mounted.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a conventional iron head comprising a body 10 and a striking plate 20. The body 10 is made by means of forging or casing steel or iron to form a compartment 11 and a neck 12. Further, a lip 13, a stepped portion 14, and a notched portion 15 are formed. Alternatively, the body 10 is forged or cast to form a loop portion 16 defining a compartment, as shown in FIG. 2. The striking plate 20 is mounted to the body 10 and closes the compartment 11. The striking plate 20 is made by means of forging, pressing, or machining a sheet made of stainless steel, iron, or titanic alloy. A plurality of channels 21 are formed in a front side of the striking plate 20 for increasing fiction while striking a golf ball. When used with the club head in FIG. 1, the striking plate 20 includes a protruded portion 22 that is engaged in the notched portion 15 of the body 10. The striking plate 20 mates with the stepped portion 14 and is retained in place by the lip 13. When used with the club head 1 in FIG. 2, the striking plate 20 lies on the loop portion 16 and closes the compartment. Then, the striking plate 20 is fixed in place by soldering.

[0005] One of the benefits of the above arrangements is that when the striking plate 20 is made of titanic alloy having a comparatively low density, the overall area of the striking plate 20 may be increased (e.g., by means of providing a striking plate 20 having a larger area) to lower the center of gravity of the overall club head, thereby increasing the effective arm of force between the club head and a grip (not shown) of the iron club. The flying distance of the golf ball stricken by the iron club is thus increased.

[0006] However, irregular gaps and recesses are generated when the protruded portion 22 of the striking plate 20 in is inserted into the notched portion 15 of the body 10 in FIG. 1. The appearance is poor, and the good product rate is reduced. Similarly, irregular gaps and recesses are generated when the striking plate 20 is directly fixed to the loop portion 16 due to flatness tolerance of the front face of the looped recessed potion 16.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an iron club head including a gasket made of metal of high extensibility, the gasket being mounted between a body and a striking plate of the iron club head, thereby filling gaps and recesses therebetween and thus providing a flat surface at the position where the gasket is mounted.

[0008] In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an iron club head comprises a body including a loop portion defining a compartment therein, a striking plate mounted to a front face of the loop portion, and a gasket mounted between the striking plate and the loop portion for providing a regular flat outer surface in a position where the striking plate and the loop portion engage with each other.

[0009] In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, an iron club head comprises a body, a striking plate, and a gasket. The body includes a stepped portion and a notched portion together defining a compartment therein, a lip being formed outside the stepped portion. The striking plate is mounted to a front face of the loop portion and retained in place by the lip of the body. The striking plate includes a protruded portion that is embedded in the notched portion of the body. A gasket is mounted between the protruded portion of the striking plate and the notched portion of the body for providing a regular flat outer surface in a position where the protruded portion of striking plate and the notched portion of the body engage with each other.

[0010] Other objects, specific advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferable embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional iron club head.

[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of another conventional iron club head.

[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an iron club head in accordance with the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the iron club head in accordance with the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along plane 5-5 in FIG. 4.

[0016] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the iron club head in accordance with the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the iron club head in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 5, an iron club head in accordance with the present invention generally includes a body 10 and a striking plate 20. The body 10 includes a neck 12, a compartment 11 that is defined by a stepped portion 14 and a notched portion 15, and a lip 13 formed outside the stepped portion 14, which are similar to that of the prior art iron club head. The notched portion 15 is formed at a level higher than the stepped portion 14. Nevertheless, the notched portion 15 can be at a level the same as the stepped portion 14.

[0020] The striking plate 20 is also similar to the conventional striking plate 20 in FIG. 1 and includes a plurality of channels 13 in a front side thereof and a protruded portion 22. The striking plate 20 is pressed and embedded in the stepped portion 14 of the body 10 inside the lip 13. The protruded portion 22 of the striking plate 20 is inserted in the notched portion 15 of the body 10 with the remaining portion of the striking plate 20 being retained in place by the lip 13.

[0021] Of more importance, the present invention provides a gasket 30 mounted in the notched portion 15 and located between the notched portion 15 and the protruded portion 22 of the striking plate 20. The gasket 30 is made of metal of high extensibility, such as copper, aluminum, or stainless steel, to fill the gaps and recesses between the notched portion 15 and the protruded portion 22. Thus, a flat surface is provided in the position where the protruded portion 22 of the striking plate 20 and the notched portion 15 of the body 10 are engaged with each other.

[0022] One of the benefits of the above arrangements is that when the striking plate 20 is made of titanic alloy having a comparatively low density, the overall area of the striking plate 20 may be increased (e.g., by means of providing a striking plate 20 having a larger area) to lower the center of gravity of the overall club head, thereby increasing the effective arm of force between the club head and a grip (not shown) of the iron club. The flying distance of the golf ball stricken by the iron club is thus increased.

[0023] In a modified embodiment, the notched portion 15 for receiving the gasket 30 may be a recessed portion lower than the stepped portion 14 such that when the gasket 30 is embedded in the portion, the protruded portion 22 of the striking plate 20 would not be located at a level higher than the remaining portion of the striking plate 20.

[0024] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the iron club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the gasket 30 is used with an iron club head including a body 10 with a loop portion 16 and a striking plate 20.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 6, the iron club head 10 includes a loop portion 16 defining a compartment 11 therein. A plurality of pegs 17 are formed on a front side of the loop portion 16. The striking plate 20 includes a plurality of holes 23 for tightly holding the pegs 17. The gasket 30 is a loop-like member having a plurality of holes 31. The pegs 17 are extended through the holes 31 of the gasket 30 and the holes 23 of the striking plate 20, thereby increasing the engaging strength of the iron club head. The gasket 30 is made of metal of high extensibility (such as copper, aluminum, or stainless steel) to fill the gaps and recesses between the loop portion 16 and the striking plate 20, thereby providing a regular flat outer surface at the position where the striking plate 20 and the loop portion 16 engage with each other.

[0026] The body 10 may include an upright wall 18 projecting from the loop portion 16 at a position adjacent to the neck 12 of the body 10. A shaft (not shown) is engaged to the neck 12 and includes an upper end (not shown) to which a grip (not shown) is mounted. The upright wall 18 provides a support for an end edge of the striking plate 20 when the striking plate 20 is engaged on the loop portion 16. Thus, the engaging area and the engaging strength between the striking plate 20 and the body 10 are both increased. The pegs 17 on the loop portion 16 and the holes 23 of the striking plate 20 can be replaced with other engaging members that are complimentary to each other.

[0027] According to the above description, it is appreciated that the gaps and recesses between the striking plate 20 and the body 10 of the iron club head are filled by the gasket 30 in accordance with the present invention. The appearance of the iron club head is improved, and the good production rate is increased. Further, the engaging strength of the iron club head is increased.

[0028] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An iron club head comprising:

a body including a loop portion defining a compartment therein;

a striking plate mounted to a front face of the loop portion; and

a gasket mounted between the striking plate and the loop portion for providing a regular flat outer surface in a position where the striking plate and the loop portion engage with each other.

2. The iron club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gasket is made of metal of high extensibility.

3. The iron club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gasket is made of one of copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.

4. The iron club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front face of the loop portion includes a first engaging member, and wherein the striking plate includes a second engaging member for complimentarily engaging with the first engaging member.

5. The iron club head as claimed in claim 4, wherein the front face of the loop portion includes a plurality of pegs formed thereon, and wherein the striking plate includes a plurality of holes for tightly holding the pegs.

6. The iron club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is made of metal with high density.

7. The iron club head as claimed in claim 6, wherein the body is made of one of stainless steel and iron.

8. The iron club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the striking plate is made of metal with low density.

9. The iron club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the striking plate is made of titanic alloy.

10. The iron club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body further includes a neck for engaging with a shaft.

11. The iron club head as claimed in claim 10, wherein the loop portion of the body further includes an upright wall adjacent to the neck, the upright wall being engaged with an end edge of the striking plate to thereby increase an engaging area and an engaging strength between the striking plate and the body.

12. An iron club head comprising:

a body including a stepped portion and a notched portion together defining a compartment therein, a lip being formed outside the stepped portion;

a striking plate mounted to a front face of the loop portion and retained in place by the lip of the body, the striking plate including a protruded portion that is embedded in the notched portion of the body; and

a gasket mounted between the protruded portion of the striking plate and the notched portion of the body for providing a regular flat outer surface in a position where the protruded portion of striking plate and the notched portion of the body engage with each other.

13. The iron club head as claimed in claim 12, wherein the gasket is made of metal of high extensibility.

14. The iron club head as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gasket is made of one of copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.

15. The iron club head as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body is made of metal with high density.

16. The iron club head as claimed in claim 15, wherein the body is made of one of stainless steel and iron.

17. The iron club head as claimed in claim 12, wherein the striking plate is made of metal with low density.

18. The iron club head as claimed in claim 16, wherein the striking plate is made of titanic alloy.