Golf club having stabilized air flow structure

Abstract

A golf club includes a club member having a hand grip and a club head disposed on the ends, and having two inclined surfaces formed in the front portion, and a cusp formed between the inclined surfaces. The cusp is preferably a rounded cusp for allowing the air to smoothly flow through the inclined surfaces of the club member. The club member may include one or more air passages for allowing air to flow through the air passage and to reduce eddy currents in the rear portion of the club member. The club member may include one or more depressions for vibration reducing purposes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to a golf club having a stabilized air flow or aerodynamic structure.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Typical golf clubs normally comprise a club body having a circular cross section, or oval cross section. However, while striking golf balls with the golf club, eddy currents may be generated in the rear portion of the golf club, such that the golf club may not be precisely directed toward the predetermined direction, and the golf balls thus may not be precisely stricken toward the predetermined direction and position.

[0005] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional golf clubs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a golf club including a stabilized air flow or aerodynamic structure for allowing the golf club to be precisely directed toward the predetermined direction, and for allowing the golf balls to be precisely stricken toward the predetermined direction and position.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a golf club comprising a club body including a first end having a hand grip provided thereon, and a second end having a club head provided thereon. The club body includes a front portion having a first and a second inclined surfaces formed therein that define a cusp in front of the first and the second inclined surfaces, for facing toward air, for allowing the air to smoothly flow through the inclined surfaces of the club body. It is preferable that the cusp is a rounded cusp for allowing the air to further smoothly flow through the inclined surfaces of the club body.

[0008] The club body includes a rear portion, and at least one air passage formed therein and formed through the front portion and the rear portion of the club body, for allowing air to flow through the air passage of the club body, and for reducing eddy currents in the rear portion of the club body.

[0009] For example, the air passage may be formed through either the first inclined surface or the second inclined surface and the rear portion of the club body, for allowing air to flow through the air passage of the club body.

[0010] The club body preferably includes a rear portion having a flat surface formed therein and formed between the first and the second inclined surfaces thereof.

[0011] The club body includes one or more portions each having at least one depression formed thereon that defines a reduced segment in each portion of the club body, and that defines at least one shoulder between the reduced segment and the club body.

[0012] The club body may further include one or more air passages formed through the reduced segment. The reduced segment of the club body may also include a first and a second inclined surfaces formed therein, and may also include the air passage formed through the first or the second inclined surfaces of the reduced segment of the club body.

[0013] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club in accordance with the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the golf club;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the golf club in accordance with the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the golf club as shown in FIG. 4;

[0019] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

[0020] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of the golf club in accordance with the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the golf club as shown in FIG. 7; and

[0022] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a golf club in accordance with the present invention comprises a club body 3, a hand grip 8 formed or provided or attached to one end, such as the upper end of the club body 3, and a club head 9 formed or provided or attached to the other end, such as the lower end of the club body 3. The club body 3 normally includes a width or a cross section area gradually reduced from the upper end that close to the hand grip 9, toward the lower end that close to the club head 9.

[0024] The club body 3 includes a longitudinal structure having a pair of inclined surfaces 31, 32 formed in the front portion 30 thereof that faces toward the wind (FIGS. 3, 6, 9) while swinging the club body 3, and having a cusp 33, such as a rounded cusp 33 formed or defined in the front portion of the inclined surfaces 31, 32, or formed in the leading edge of the club body 3.

[0025] As best shown in FIG. 3, the club body 3 includes a flat surface 300 formed or defined in the rear portion thereof, and includes a number of air passages 41, 42 formed therein, such as formed between the inclined surfaces 31, 32 and the flat rear surface 300 respectively, for allowing air to flow through the air passages 41, 42 of the club body 3.

[0026] The club body 3 may further include one or more depressions 34 formed therein, such as formed in one or more portions thereof, particularly formed in one or more portions of the inclined surfaces 31, 32 thereof, for forming or defining one or more reduced segments 40 that have a width or cross section area less than the other portion of the club body 3, and for forming or defining one or more shoulders 43 between the segments 40 and the other portion of the club body 3.

[0027] The reduced segments 40 each also includes a pair of inclined surfaces 35, 36 formed in the front portion thereof, and preferably parallel to the inclined surfaces 31, 32 of the club body 3. The formation or the provision of the shoulders 43 in the club body 3 may be used for reducing the vibration or oscillation from the club head 9 toward the hand grip 8.

[0028] In operation, as shown in FIG. 3, while striking golf balls with the club body 3 or while swinging the club body 3, some of the air may flow toward the rear portion of the club body 3 via the inclined surfaces 31, 32, or 35, 36 of the club body 3. In addition, the air may also flow through the air passages 41, 42 of the club body 3, in order to reduce eddy current in the rear portion of the club body 3. The golf club may thus be precisely directed toward the predetermined direction, and the golf balls may thus be precisely stricken toward the predetermined direction and position.

[0029] Referring next to FIGS. 4-6, illustrated is another embodiment of the golf club. In the golf club, without the air passages 41, 42 formed in the club body 3, the club body 3 further includes a pair of inclined surfaces 37, 38 formed in the rear portion thereof that faces away from the wind (FIGS. 6, 9) while swinging the club body 3, and a cusp 39 formed or defined in the rear portion of the inclined surfaces 37, 38, or formed in the rear portion of the club body 3. The air may also be fluently or smoothly flown through the club body 3 without generating eddy currents in the rear portion thereof.

[0030] Referring next to FIGS. 7-9, illustrated is a further embodiment of the golf club. The club body 3 may further include two curved side surfaces 45, 46 formed therein, or formed between the inclined surfaces 31, 32; and 37, 38 respectively. The air may also be fluently or smoothly flown through the club body 3 without generating eddy currents in the rear portion thereof.

[0031] Accordingly, the golf club in accordance with the present invention includes a stabilized air flow or aerodynamic structure for allowing the golf club to be precisely directed toward the predetermined direction, and for allowing the golf balls to be precisely stricken toward the predetermined direction and position.

[0032] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a club body including a first end having a hand grip provided thereon, and a second end having a club head provided thereon, and

said club body including a front portion having a first and a second inclined surfaces formed therein that define a cusp in front of said first and said second inclined surfaces, for facing toward air.

2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein said club body includes a rear portion, and at least one air passage formed therein and formed through said front portion and said rear portion of said club body, for allowing air to flow through said at least one air passage of said club body.

3. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein said club body includes a rear portion, and at least one air passage formed therein and formed through said first inclined surface and said rear portion of said club body, for allowing air to flow through said at least one air passage of said club body.

4. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein said club body includes a rear portion, and at least one air passage formed therein and formed through said second inclined surface and said rear portion of said club body, for allowing air to flow through said at least one air passage of said club body.

5. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein said club body includes a rear portion having a flat surface formed therein and formed between said first and said second inclined surfaces thereof.

6. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein said club body includes a first portion having at least one depression formed thereon that defines a reduced segment in said first portion of said club body, and that defines at least one shoulder between said reduced segment and said club body.

7. The golf club according to claim 6, wherein said club body includes at least one air passage formed through said reduced segment.

8. The golf club according to claim 6, wherein said reduced segment of said club body includes a first and a second inclined surfaces formed therein.

9. The golf club according to claim 8, wherein said club body includes a rear portion, and includes at least one air passage formed therein and formed through said first inclined surface and said rear portion of said club body, for allowing air to flow through said at least one air passage of said club body.

10. The golf club according to claim 8, wherein said club body includes a rear portion, and includes at least one air passage formed through said second inclined surface and said rear portion of said club body.