Golf club head with acoustic adjuster

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body and an acoustic box. The body includes a sole, a crown, and a striking plate. An inner space is defined by the sole, the crown, and the striking plate. The acoustic box is mounted in the inner space and includes at least one resonance plate to provide a stereo resonance effect, thereby altering a resonance modes and vibration modes of the body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf club head. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf club head with an acoustic adjuster.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2004/0087388 A1 discloses a golf club head providing enhanced acoustics. The golf club head has a hollow main body including a ball-striking face, a sole, a crown, a hosel, and a side portion extending rearwardly from the face. The body further includes a heel region adjacent to the hosel and a toe region opposing the heel region, and it defines a volume of at least 100 cc. The club head further includes a stiffening member disposed within the body and attached to both the sole and the crown. The member is spaced apart from the striking face and disposed within the body in a region having a first zone extending less than half the distance from the heel region to the toe region and a second zone extending less than half the distance from a rearmost point, thereby forming a local stiffness zone in the body to influence vibration modes and acoustic properties of the club head in a prescribed manner.

However, the stiffening member only provides planar resonance. More specifically, the stiffening member could not provide a stereo resonance effect. Improvement in the acoustic properties is limited. Further, when the ball-striking face elastically deforms when striking a golf ball, the side portion, the sole, and the crown also elastically deform. At this time, since the stiffening member is welded to the sole, the crown, and the side portion and since the materials of the stiffening member, the sole, the crown, and the side portion are different from one another, the deformation extents of the stiffening member, the sole, the crown, and the side portion are different from one another. Thus, the welding sections of the stiffening member are subjected to forces of different magnitudes. As a result, cracks are apt to be generated. Thus, attachment of the stiffening member in the main body of the golf club head is not reliable and noise occurs easily while striking golf balls.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head with an acoustic box providing a stereo resonance effect.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head with a prolonged life while providing a stereo resonance effect.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head with an acoustic adjusting member to alter the vibration modes and acoustic properties of the golf club head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a golf club head comprises a body and an acoustic box. The body includes a sole, a crown, and a striking plate. An inner space is defined by the sole, the crown, and the striking plate. The acoustic box is mounted in the inner space and includes at least one resonance plate to provide a stereo resonance effect, thereby altering a resonance modes and vibration modes of the body.

The acoustic chamber may be sealed or open. The resonance plate may include at least one through-hole.

In an embodiment, the acoustic box is mounted to an inner face of the sole. The sole includes an opening that also forms an opening of the acoustic box. The acoustic box includes an inner periphery with an inner threading. An adjusting member includes an outer threading threadedly engaged with the inner threading, allowing adjustment of a volume of the acoustic chamber.

The acoustic box may be cubic, conic, truncated conic, or semi-spherical. The acoustic box may be square, semi-circular, circular, trapezoidal, or polygonal in section.

In another embodiment, the resonance plate is mounted to an inner face of at least one of a rear, a toe, and a heel of the sole.

The body further includes a plurality of side plates. In yet another embodiment, the resonance plate is mounted to an inner face of at least one of a toe and a heel of the side plates.

In still another embodiment, the golf club head further includes an inner acoustic box in the acoustic chamber. The inner acoustic box defines an inner acoustic chamber. The inner acoustic box has a shape the same as or different from that of the acoustic box.

In yet another embodiment, the inner acoustic box includes a tubular section and an enlarged head on an end of the tubular section.

In still another embodiment, the acoustic box further includes at least one partitioning plate in the acoustic chamber for separating the acoustic chamber into at least two acoustic subchambers.

In yet another embodiment, the acoustic box includes a wave-like portion. The wave-like portion has a width greater than that of said at least one resonance plate.

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 side sectional view of a first embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top sectional view of the golf club head in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along plane 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a seventh embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of an eighth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a ninth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a tenth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a first embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention comprises a body 1 and an acoustic box 2. The body 1 may be a wooden club or a utility golf club. The body 1 comprises a sole 11, a crown 12, a striking plate 13, a plurality of side plates 14, and a hosel 15. The sole 11, the crown 12, the striking plate 13, the side plates 14, and the hosel 15 can be bonded together by welding or formed by integral casting to define an inner space 10. The striking plate 13 is used to strike a golf ball and the hosel 15 is to be engaged with a shaft (not shown).

The acoustic box 2 includes a plurality of resonance plates 21 that are welded together or formed by integral casting. In assembly, the resonance plates 21 are welded to an inner face of the sole 11 of the body 1 (preferably to the inner face of a rear of the sole 1) and spaced from the crown 12, the striking plate 13, and the hosel 15. After assembly, the acoustic box 2 projects into the inner space 10 and forms a cubic resonance frame. More specifically, the resonance plates 21 and the sole 11 together define a sealed acoustic chamber 20.

Referring to FIG. 1, when striking a golf ball with the striking plate 13 of the body 1, the striking plate 1 deforms due to the momentum. After striking, residual vibrations are generated in the sole 11, the crown 12, the striking plate 13, and the side plates 14. The vibration modes of the residual vibrations decide the striking acoustics. The residual vibrations are transmitted to the resonance plates 21 forming the acoustic box 2. Thus, the resonance plates 21 and the acoustic chamber 20 provide a stereo resonance effect. More specifically, the resonance plates 21 generate sound waves in various directions that are reflected in the inner space 10 to the crown 12, the striking plate 13, and the side plates 14. Thus, the stereo resonance effect of the acoustic box 2 may effectively alter the resonance modes and the vibration modes of the body 1, providing musical striking sounds. Further, since the acoustic box 2 is merely bonded to the inner face of the rear of the sole 11 and away from the striking plate 13, an improved strength is obtained. Thus, generation of cracks in the welding areas is avoided and the life of the golf club head is prolonged accordingly.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, at least one of the resonance plates 21 includes at least one through-hole 22 that communicates the acoustic chamber 20 with the inner space 10 of the body 10, thereby altering the resonance modes and the vibration modes. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are thus altered.

FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 is substantially cylindrical and the sole 11 includes an opening 16 that also forms an opening of the acoustic box 2. An inner periphery of the acoustic box 2 includes an inner threading 17. An adjusting member 3 includes an outer threading 31 threadedly engaged with the inner threading 17. The adjusting member 3 further includes an end 32 allowing easy turning of the adjusting member 3. Thus, the position of the adjusting member 3 can be adjusted to change the volume of the acoustic chamber 20, thereby rapidly altering the resonance modes and the vibration modes of the resonance plates 21. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are thus altered.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 has a width that decreases inward. FIG. 7 illustrates a fifth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 has a width that decreases outward. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are thus altered, as the resonance mode and the vibration mode are altered.

The acoustic box 2 may have any desired geometrical shape in section, such as circular, semi-circular, square, polygonal, and trapezoidal. Further, the acoustic box 2 may be conic, truncated conic (i.e., a truncated cone), semi-spherical, or other shape. Further, the resonance plates 21 may have different thicknesses to provide different resonance modes and different vibration modes.

FIG. 8 illustrates a sixth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 includes an opening 26 that is located in the inner space 10 of the body 1. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are thus altered, as the resonance modes and the vibration modes are altered. Further, additional acoustic boxes 2′, 2″ are provided on the toe and the heel of the side plates 14. Each acoustic box 2′ and 2″ includes a plurality of resonance plates 21′, 21″ and an opening 26′, 26″ in the inner space 10 of the body 1. Further, additional acoustic boxes can be formed on the inner faces of the toe and the heel of the sole 11 of the body 1. Each opening 26, 26′, 26″ may include inclined lips to generate resonance sound waves at different angles.

FIG. 9 illustrates a seventh embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 includes a substantially semi-spherical resonance plate 21 defining an acoustic chamber 20. Further, an inner acoustic box 23 is mounted in the acoustic chamber 20 and defines an inner acoustic chamber 24. The inner acoustic box 23 may have a shape similar to the acoustic box 2. The acoustic boxes 2 and 23 provide a stereo resonance effect. The resonance modes and the vibration modes of the acoustic box 2 are altered. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are altered accordingly.

FIG. 10 illustrates an eighth embodiment modified from the seventh embodiment. In this embodiment, the inner acoustic box 23 includes a tubular section and an enlarged head 23a at an end of the tubular section. The inner acoustic box 23, the head 23a, and the inner acoustic chamber 24 provide various reflective vibration waves from various angles. The resonance modes and the vibration modes of the acoustic box 2 are altered. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are altered accordingly.

FIG. 11 illustrates a ninth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 includes at least one partitioning plate 25 for separating the acoustic chamber 20 into at least two acoustic subchambers 20a and 20b. The resonance modes and the vibration modes of the acoustic box 2 are altered by the partitioning plate 25 and the acoustic subchambers 20a and 20b. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are altered accordingly.

FIG. 12 illustrates a tenth embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the acoustic box 2 includes a wave-like portion 21a that has a width greater than that of the resonance plates 21. The wave-like portion 21a reflects vibration waves from various angles. The resonance modes and the vibration modes of the acoustic box 2 are altered. The acoustic properties of the body 1 are altered accordingly.

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 golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a sole, a crown, and a striking plate, an inner space being defined by the sole, the crown, and the striking plate; and

an acoustic box mounted in the inner space and including at least one resonance plate to provide a stereo resonance effect, thereby altering a resonance modes and vibration modes of the body.

2. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic chamber is one of sealed and open.

3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one resonance plate includes at least one through-hole.

4. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic box is mounted to an inner face of the sole, the sole including an opening that also forms an opening of the acoustic box, the acoustic box including an inner periphery with an inner threading, the golf club head further comprising an adjusting member including an outer threading threadedly engaged with the inner threading, allowing adjustment of a volume of the acoustic chamber.

5. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic box is one of cubic, conic, truncated conic, and semi-spherical.

6. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic box is one of square, semi-circular, circular, trapezoidal, and polygonal in section.

7. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one resonance plate is mounted to an inner face of at least one of a rear, a toe, and a heel of the sole.

8. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body further includes a plurality of side plates, and wherein said at least one resonance plate is mounted to an inner face of at least one of a toe and a heel of the side plates.

9. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the golf club head further includes an inner acoustic box in the acoustic chamber, the inner acoustic box defining an inner acoustic chamber.

10. The golf club head as claimed in claim 9, wherein the inner acoustic box has a shape the same as that of the acoustic box.

11. The golf club head as claimed in claim 9, wherein the inner acoustic box has a shape different from that of the acoustic box.

12. The golf club head as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inner acoustic box includes a tubular section and an enlarged head on an end of the tubular section.

13. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic box further includes at least one partitioning plate in the acoustic chamber for separating the acoustic chamber into at least two acoustic subchambers.

14. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acoustic box includes a wave-like portion.

15. The golf club head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wave-like portion has a width greater than that of said at least one resonance plate.