TOP CROWN OF A GOLF CLUB HEAD

Abstract

A top crown of a golf club head has a crown body and multiple reinforcing ribs formed on at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the crown body. The reinforcing ribs are arranged as a mesh including multiple grids. The top crown can be hot forged to form the meshed reinforcing ribs. With the meshed reinforcing ribs on the top crown, a thickness of the crown body of the top crown can be appropriately reduced and the strength of the crown body is enhanced by the reinforcing ribs. Accordingly, elasticity of the top crown of the golf club head is increased and the top crown has low center of gravity.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a top crown of a golf club head, especially to a top crown of a golf club head that has light weight and low center of gravity.

2. Description of the Prior Art(s)

Since golf wood club heads have very specific shapes, the golf wood club heads are difficult to be formed as one piece. Therefore, the golf wood club head is usually manufactured by attaching four pieces, i.e. a top crown, a base, a strike face, and a hosel. For a conventional top crown made of titanium alloy, multiple cavities are formed on an inner surface of the conventional top crown by acidic etching to reduce weight and enhance elasticity of the golf club head. Thus, the conventional top crown of the golf club head, which has an average thickness of 1 millimeter (mm), has some portions with thickness of 0.5 mm to 0.9 mm.

When the cavities on the conventional titanium alloy top crown are formed by acidic etching, tapes should be manually adhered on the surface of the conventional titanium alloy top crown to cover portions that do not need acidic etching. Then, hydrofluoric acid is applied to other portions of the conventional titanium alloy top crown that are not covered by the tapes to form the cavities. Afterwards, the conventional top crown of the golf club head is cleaned and is formed into a predetermined shape.

However, during the acidic etching process to reduce the weight of the conventional top crown of the golf club head, it takes time and efforts to adhere the tapes on the portions of the conventional top crown that do not need acidic etching. Moreover, the hydrofluoric acid used during the acidic etching is toxic and pollutes the environment. Hydrogen ion in the hydrofluoric acid infiltrates into the titanium alloy easily to embrittle the conventional top crown. Thus, strength of the conventional top crown is weakened and the conventional top crown breaks easily. On the other hand, during the acidic etching process to reduce the weight of the conventional titanium alloy top crown, time for acidic etching and concentration of the hydrofluoric acid influence the thickness of the conventional top crown such that the thickness of the top crown is hard to be kept under control as desired. In addition, the conventional top crown being acidic etched is still too thick, so the elasticity the conventional top crown is not good enough for striking golf balls far. Furthermore, shapes of the cavities formed by the acidic etching are irregular and cannot be molded and controlled according to a required striking performance of the golf club head.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a top crown of a golf club head to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a top crown of a golf club head.

The top crown has a crown body and multiple reinforcing ribs. The crown body has an inner surface and an outer surface. The reinforcing ribs are formed on at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the crown body. The reinforcing ribs are arranged as a mesh including multiple grids.

In the above-mentioned top crown, the reinforcing ribs of the top crown are formed on the inner surface of the crown body.

In the above-mentioned top crown, the reinforcing ribs of the top crown are formed on the outer surface of the crown body.

In the above-mentioned top crown, the reinforcing ribs of the top crown are formed on the inner surface and the outer surface of the crown body.

In the above-mentioned top crown, the top crown is formed by hot processing.

In the above-mentioned top crown, a thickness of the crown body is 0.2 millimeter (mm) to 1.0 mm, and a thickness of each of the reinforcing ribs is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm.

In the above-mentioned top crown, each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is circular, elliptical, or polygonal.

In the above-mentioned top crown, each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is triangular, quadrilateral, or hexagonal.

The top crown can be hot forged to form the meshed reinforcing ribs. With the meshed reinforcing ribs on the top crown, a thickness of the crown body of the top crown can be appropriately reduced and the strength of the crown body is enhanced by the reinforcing ribs. Accordingly, elasticity of the top crown of the golf club head is increased and the top crown has low center of gravity.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the 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 perspective view of a first embodiment of a top crown of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the top crown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operational exploded perspective view of the top crown in FIG. 1, showing the top crown is attached to a base, a strike face, and a hosel to form the golf club head;

FIG. 4 is an operational cross-sectional side view of the top crown in FIG. 1, showing the top crown is attached to the base, the strike face, and the hosel to form the golf club head;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a top crown of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a third embodiment of a top crown of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a fourth embodiment of a top crown of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a fifth embodiment of a top crown of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is an operational perspective view of the golf club head having the top crown of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a top crown 1 of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention is hot forged and has a crown body 10 and multiple reinforcing ribs 20.

With further reference to FIG. 2, the crown body 10 is made of titanium alloy, and has an inner surface 11 and an outer surface 12. A thickness d1 of the crown body 10 is 0.2 millimeter (mm) to 1.0 mm. The reinforcing ribs 20 are foamed on at least one of the inner and outer surfaces 11, 12 of the crown body 10 and are arranged as a mesh. The mesh includes multiple grids 21. Each of the grids 21 of the mesh may be circular, elliptical, or polygonal.

With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the top crown 1 is welded with a base 2, a strike face 3, and a hosel 4 to form the golf club head. Then the golf club head is surface treated and the hosel 4 is attached securely to a shaft to accomplish the golf club. The meshed reinforcing ribs 20 enhance a strength of the crown body 10 and allow the top crown 1 to have a required striking performance when the golf club head strikes golf balls.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the first preferred embodiment, the reinforcing ribs 20 are formed on the inner surface 11 of the crown body 10. Alternatively, the reinforcing ribs 20 may be formed on the outer surface 12 of the crown body 10. A thickness d2 of the reinforcing rib 20 that is formed on and protrudes from the inner surface 11 or the outer surface 12 of the crown body 10 is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm. Each of the grids 21 of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs 20 is hexagonal.

With further reference to FIG. 5, in the second preferred embodiment, the reinforcing ribs 20, 20′ are formed on the inner surface 11 and the outer surface 12 of the crown body 10. A thickness d3 of the reinforcing rib 20′ that is formed on and protrudes from the outer surface 12 of the crown body 10 is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm.

With further reference to FIG. 6, in the third preferred embodiment, each of the grids 21A of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs 20A is quadrilateral.

With further reference to FIG. 7, in the fourth preferred embodiment, each of the grids 21B of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs 20B is circular.

With further reference to FIG. 8, in the fifth preferred embodiment, each of the grids 21C of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs 20C is triangular.

The top crown 1 of the golf club head as described has the following advantages. The top crown 1 is hot forged to form the meshed reinforcing ribs 20. With the meshed reinforcing ribs 20, 20′, 20A, 20B, 20C on the top crown 1, a thickness of the crown body 10 of the top crown 1 can be appropriately reduced and the strength of the crown body 10 is enhanced by the reinforcing ribs 20, 20′, 20A, 20B, 20C. Accordingly, elasticity of the top crown 1 of the golf club head is increased and the top crown 1 has low center of gravity.

With reference to FIG. 9, when the golf club head having the top crown 1 of the present invention strikes the golf ball 5, the top crown 1 with high strength and high elasticity increases the striking distance. Consequently, the striking stability of the golf club head can be utilized thoroughly.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A top crown of a golf club head comprising:

a crown body having an inner surface and an outer surface; and

multiple reinforcing ribs formed on at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the crown body, and the reinforcing ribs arranged as a mesh including multiple grids.

2. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing ribs of the top crown are formed on the inner surface of the crown body.

3. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing ribs of the top crown are formed on the outer surface of the crown body.

4. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing ribs of the top crown are formed on the inner surface and the outer surface of the crown body.

5. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top crown is formed by hot processing.

6. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a thickness of the crown body is 0.2 millimeter (mm) to 1.0 mm; and

a thickness of each of the reinforcing ribs is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm.

7. The top crown as claimed in claim 2, wherein

a thickness of the crown body is 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm; and

a thickness of each of the reinforcing ribs is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm.

8. The top crown as claimed in claim 3, wherein

a thickness of the crown body is 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm; and

a thickness of each of the reinforcing ribs is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm.

9. The top crown as claimed in claim 4, wherein

a thickness of the crown body is 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm; and

a thickness of each of the reinforcing ribs is 0.1 mm to 1.8 mm.

10. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is circular.

11. The top crown as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is circular.

12. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is elliptical.

13. The top crown as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is elliptical.

14. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is polygonal.

15. The top crown as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is polygonal.

16. The top crown as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is triangular, quadrilateral, or hexagonal.

17. The top crown as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the grids of the mesh of the reinforcing ribs is triangular, quadrilateral, or hexagonal.