Coating for golf club head

Abstract

A coating includes a bottom paint layer coated on a surface of the golf club head and an elastomeric resin layer coated on the bottom paint layer, with the elastomeric resin layer containing quenchers. When light beams are incident on the elastomeric resin layer, the quenchers provide a double scattering effect for the light beams passing therethrough and thus reduce the intensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paint layer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a coating for a golf club head. In particular, the present invention relates to a coating on a golf club head for scattering light beams incident on the golf club head.

2. Description of Related Art

Golf is an outdoor game and the sunlight incident on the golf club head is sometimes reflected to the eyes of a golfer hitting a golf ball. Thus, the golfer might be distracted and thus miss the aim. FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a golf club head with a bottom paint layer 2 on a surface 1 thereof. The bottom paint layer 2 contains quenchers 21 to provide not only anti-rust/decoration functions but also increased light-scattering power, softening the reflected light beams and thus preventing the golfer from missing his/her aim.

However, since the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2 still reflects sunlight incident thereon and since there are only few quenchers 21 exposed at the outer face of the layer of bottom paint 2, most of light beams incident on the outer face of the layer of bottom paint 2 are directly reflected. Namely, the scattering effect is limited, as the quenchers 21 not on the outer face of the layer of bottom paint 2 are not effectively used. Further, in a case that some of the light beams are incident on the defects 22 on the golf club head, since the incident light beams are subjected to limited scattering, the reflected light beams still have sufficient brightness such that the defects 22 on the golf club head will be perceived by the golfer. Additional polishing procedure to the surface 1 of the golf club head is required or the golf club head will be treated as a disqualified one.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a coating on a surface golf club head, providing a double scattering effect for improving the surface scattering effect.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coating on a surface of a golf club head to improve the visual effect.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a coating on a surface of a golf club head to improve the touch.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coating on a surface of a golf club head with a durable bottom paint layer.

Yet another object of the present is to provide a coating on a surface of a golf club head with improved damping effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a coating includes a bottom paint layer coated on a surface of the golf club head and an elastomeric resin layer coated on the bottom paint layer, with the elastomeric resin layer containing quenchers. When light beams are incident on the elastomeric resin layer, the quenchers provide a double scattering effect and thus reduce the intensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paint layer.

The bottom paint layer is selected from the group comprising phenolic paint, alkyd paint, polyurethane paint, nitrocellulose paint, and acrylic paint. The bottom paint layer preferably has a thickness between 10 μm and 100 μm.

The elastomeric resin layer is made of a material selected from the group comprising polyurethane, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and high molecular elastomeric resin. The elastomeric resin layer preferably has a thickness between 20 μm and 200 μm.

Preferably, the quenchers are fine powders of a material selected from the group comprising silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminum stearate, calcium stearate, and low molecular thermoplastic resin.

The elastomeric resin layer may further contain a hardening agent for accelerating hardening of the elastomeric resin layer.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a conventional coating on a golf club head; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a coating on a golf club head in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are now to be described hereinafter in detail.

Referring to FIG. 2, in accordance with the present invention, a coating is coated on a surface 1 of a golf club head and includes a bottom paint layer 2 coated on the surface 1 of the golf club head and an elastomeric resin layer 3 coated on the bottom paint layer 2, with the elastomeric resin layer 3 containing quenchers 31.

The surface 1 may be any part of a golf club head of any material or shape, e.g., a crown, sole, side, striking face, or cap of a wooden club, iron club, or putter made of metal, alloy, or carbon fiber. The bottom paint layer 2 includes highly reflective paint selecting from the group comprising phenolic paint, alkyd paint, polyurethane paint, nitrocellulose paint, and acrylic paint. The bottom paint layer 2 is coated on the surface 1 of the golf club head by painting, spray painting, or immersion. The bottom paint layer 2 may have any desired color and have a thickness preferably between 10 μm and 100 μm, most preferably between 20 μm and 40 μm. As illustrated in FIG. 2, defects 22 are formed on an outer face of the bottom paint layer 2.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the elastomeric resin layer 3 is made of transparent elastomeric material with high transmissivity and low reflectivity. For example, the transparent elastomeric material is selected from the group comprising polyurethane, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and high molecular elastomeric resin. The elastomeric resin layer 3 is coated on the bottom paint layer 2 by painting, spray painting, or immersion. The elastomeric resin layer 3 has a thickness preferably between 20 μm and 200 μm, most preferably between 35 μm and 80 μm. The quenchers 31 are premixed in the elastomeric resin layer 3 and made of a material with excellent scattering effect, such as fine powders of silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminum state, calcium stearate, or low molecular thermoplastic resin.

Still referring to FIG. 2, when using a golf club head with a coating in accordance with the present invention under the sunlight, light beams are firstly incident on the elastomeric resin layer 3 and pass through the elastomeric resin layer 3, as the elastomeric resin layer 3 is transparent and made of a material with low reflectivity. The light beams passing through the elastomeric resin layer 3 are scattered by the quenches 31 in the elastomeric resin layer 3. The scattering undergoes throughout the elastomeric resin layer 3, not limited to the outer face of the elastomeric resin layer 3, providing improved scattering effect.

Then, the light beams are incident on the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2 and reflected therefrom. The reflected light beams pass through the elastomeric resin layer 3 again, during which the quenchers 31 scatter the light beams again. Thus, the quenchers 31 provide a double scattering effect irrespective of the incident angle of the incident light beams, as the light beams will pass the elastomeric resin layer 3 twice. The intensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paint layer 2 is reduced to an extent acceptable to the golfer that is looking at the golf club head while string a golf ball. Further, the defects 22 on the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2 would not be perceived by the golfer, as the intensity of the light beams reflected from the outer face of the bottom layer 2 has been reduced by the quenchers 31 in the elastomeric resin layer 3.

Wear, fading, oxidation, or peeling of the bottom paint layer 2 is prevented by the elastomeric resin layer 3 coated on the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2. Further, the elastomeric resin layer 3 provides improved touch and improved damping effect when the thickness of the elastomeric resin layer 3 is increased to an appropriate extent. In a case that the bottom paint layer 2 and the elastomeric resin layer 3 are coated on a rear side of a striking plate of a golf club head, the residual vibrations resulting from striking a golf ball can be absorbed and the deformability of the striking plate can be adjusted.

On the other hand, the surface 1 of the golf club head usually has an outline with various centers of curvatures, bent corners, or undercuts; namely, the surface 1 of the golf club head has higher sections and lower sections. When coating the elastomeric resin layer 3 on the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2, the material of the elastomeric resin layer 3 tends to flow from the higher sections toward the lower sections under the action of gravity, resulting in non-uniform distribution of the elastomeric resin layer 3. This problem is worse when the elastomeric resin layer 3 has a greater thickness. To solve this problem, hardening agent is added into the elastomeric resin layer 3 to increase the adhesion strength and to accelerate the interlinking between molecules, thereby accelerating hardening of the elastomeric resin layer 3 and providing the elastomeric resin layer 3 with a uniform thickness.

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 coating on a surface of a golf club head, the coating comprising:

a bottom paint layer coated on the surface of the golf club head for reflecting light beams incident on the bottom paint layer; and

an elastomeric resin layer coated on the bottom paint layer, the elastomeric resin layer allowing light beams to pass therethrough and including quenchers for scattering the light beams passing therethrough;

when the light beams are incident on the elastomeric resin layer, the quenchers in the elastomeric resin layer provide a double scatting effect for the light beams passing therethrough and thus reduce the intensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paint layer.

2. The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom paint layer is selected from the group comprising phenolic paint, alkyd paint, polyurethane paint, nitrocellulose paint, and acrylic paint.

3. The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom paint layer has a thickness between 10 μm and 100 μm.

4. The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastomeric resin layer is made of a material selected from the group comprising polyurethane, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and high molecular elastomeric resin.

5. The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastomeric resin layer has a thickness between 20 μm and 200 μm.

6. The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quenchers are fine powders of a material selected from the group comprising silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminum stearate, calcium stearate, and low molecular thermoplastic resin.

7. The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastomeric resin layer further contains a hardening agent for accelerating hardening of the elastomeric resin layer.