Combination of a golf club head and a weight member
A golf club head includes a recession in a sole thereof. A weight member is mounted in a recession of the golf club head for adjusting the center of gravity of the golf club head. A filling material seals the recession and buries/fixes the weight member in the recession. The filling material simplifies the process for mounting the weight member and absorbs vibrations generated as a result of striking a golf ball.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination of a golf club head and a weight member.
2. Description of Related Art
Nevertheless, when bonding the golf club head 10 and the weight member 20 made of different materials together by welding, heat cracks and poor welding bead solidifying patterns are apt to be generated. Therefore, brazing is usually used in the golf club head industry to bond the golf club head body 10 and the weight member 20 together. Nevertheless, the cost for brazing is high, as brazing includes use of a welding material containing expensive ingredients, such as silver, copper, titanium, nickel, etc. Further, metallographic arrangement and crystalline microstructure are adversely affected, as the golf club head 10 and the brazing material must be heated simultaneously. The overall structural strength and toughness of the golf club head are thus adversely affected. Further, it is difficult to control the amount of the welding material, the engaging relationship between the wall delimiting the recession 11 and the weight member 20, and the force for inserting the weight member 20. Further, a paste that is generally included in the brazing material comprises organic materials that easily volatilize when heated, resulting in outflow of the brazing material, unreliable filling of a gap between the weight member 20 and the wall delimiting the recession 11, generation of voids, and waste of the brazing material. The bonding strength for the weight member 20 by welding is adversely affected, and the operational difficulty of the brazing process is increased.
In addition to welding and brazing, the weight member 20 can be engaged with the golf club head 10 by pressing, insertion, or screwing. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,592,468 and 6,616,547 both disclose use of a bronze plate on which a plurality of weight members are formed. Although this arrangement is simpler than the welding process and the brazing process, surface crack, twist, and deformation are apt to occur to the golf club head, adversely affecting the appearance of the golf club head. Thus, this arrangement is not suitable for a golf club head having a small thickness, such as a golf club head of an XL-size wooden club.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is to provide a combination of a golf club head and a weight member, wherein a filling material is used for fixing the weight member in the golf club head, providing a rapid and simplified process for mounting the weighting member into the golf club head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination of a golf club head and a weight member, wherein a filling material is used for fixing the weight member in the golf club head, providing improved vibration-absorbing effect, improved striking stability, and improved gripping comfort.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a combination of a golf club head and a weight member, wherein a filling material is used for reliably fixing the weight member in the golf club head.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with an aspect of the invention, a golf club head includes a recession in a sole thereof, and a weight is securely mounted in the recession to adjust a center of gravity of the golf club head. A filling material is provided to seal the recession and to bury and fix the weight member. The filling material simplifies the process for fixing the weight member in the golf club head and receives vibrations generated as a result of striking a golf ball.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are now to be described hereinafter in detail, in which the same reference numerals are used in the preferred embodiments for the same parts as those in the prior art to avoid redundant description.
Referring to
The weight member 20 is made of a material having a high specific gravity, such as a W—Fe—Ni alloy. The weight member 20 has a sectional area substantially the same as that of the recession 101 of the golf club head 10. Thus, when the weight member 20 is mounted in the recession 11, a perimeter of the weight member 20 is in contact with a perimeter wall delimiting the recession 11, and a bottom face of the weight member 20 is in intimate contact with a bottom wall delimiting the recession 11.
The filling material 30 fills the opening of the recession 11 by means of heat pressing or injection molding, thereby burying and fixing the weight member 20 in the recession 11. Thus, the weight member 20 is reliably fixed in the recession 11. This burying process can be performed at room temperature. The welding process, heating process, or high pressure applying process required in the prior art process for mounting a weight member into a recession of a golf club head is avoided; namely, the process for assembling the weight member 20 is expedited and simplified.
The filling material 30 is preferably made of a light material. Particularly suitable material includes a light material having a specific gravity smaller than 4.0. For example, the light material may be selected from a group consisting of resins (e.g., epoxy resin), high molecular polymer materials, rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane elastomeric filling materials, carbon fibers, light alloys (e.g., titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, etc.), and adhesive composite powders thereof. The filling material 30 also provides a vibration-absorbing function. Thus, the vibrations resulting from striking a golf ball are absorbed by the filling material 30, improving the vibration-absorbing effect, improving the striking stability, and improving the gripping comfort. The filling material 30 fills the opening of the recession 11 by means of heat pressing or injection molding and provides improved bonding strength and improved burying effect. Further, the center of gravity of the golf club head 10 can be advantageously shifted downward by means of selecting a filling material 30 having an appropriate specific gravity, allowing flexible adjustment in the center of gravity of the golf club head 10.
Further, as illustrated in
While the principles of this invention have been disclosed in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that any modification and variation without departing the spirit of the invention is intended to be covered by the scope of this invention defined only by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A combination of a golf club head and a weight member, comprising:
- a golf club head including a recess proximate a sole thereof, the recess having an opening;
- a weight member mounted in the recess of the golf club head; and
- a vibration-absorbable filling material filled in the recess of the golf club head, the vibration-absorbable filling material sealing the opening of the recess, the vibration-absorbable filling material burying and fixing the weight member, the vibration-absorbable filling material being made of a light material selected from a group consisting of resins, high molecular polymer materials, rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane elastomeric filling materials, carbon fibers, light alloys, and adhesive composite powders thereof.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in a perimeter wall delimiting the recess and located adjacent to the opening of the recess, the grooves improving bonding reliability of the filling material.
5. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the recess faces upward.
6. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the recess faces rearward.
7. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the recess faces downward.
8. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a club head of an iron club.
9. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a club head of a wooden club.
10. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibration-absorbable filling material fills the opening of the recess by one of heat pressing and injection molding to bury and fix the weight member in the recess.
11. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of grooves fail to encircle the perimeter wall.
12. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, wherein a weight member is mounted in the recess of the golf club head via the opening and the weight member has an end in contact with the recess.
13. The combination of a golf club head and a weight member as claimed in claim 1, the vibration-absorbable filling material seals the opening of the recess such that the weight member is irremovable and sandwiched in between the recess and the vibration-absorbable filling material.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 30, 2003
Publication Date: May 5, 2005
Inventors: Wen-Ching Hou (Kaohsiung), Chan-Tung Chen (Kaohsiung)
Application Number: 10/695,778