JP2007236941A - Iron-type golf club - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To retain a continuous aesthetic look and feel through a club set and also to make fine adjustment possible in gravity and moment of inertia properties. <P>SOLUTION: The mass of the insert is systematically varied through the set such that the mass distribution properties of the set may be systematically varied while retaining a continuous look and feel through the set. The mass of the insert is varied by altering the volume or the density of the insert through the set. Additional design parameters for the set may also be systematically varied through the set, such as groove type and depth, loft angle, cavity volume, hitting face roughness, and sole width. In one embodiment, the mass control insert comprises a dense insert and a lightweight cover. The density of the dense insert can be easily varied to change the mass distribution properties of the club head. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates generally to golf clubs, and more specifically to sets of iron-type clubs.

  The individual club heads in the set typically increase their face surface area and weight as the club progresses from long irons to short irons and wedges. Therefore, the face surface area of a club head of a long iron is narrower than that of a short iron, and it becomes more difficult for an average golfer to hit well consistently. For normal club heads, this is due at least in part to the smaller the face surface area, the smaller the sweet spot.

  A number of golf clubs with increased cavity weight are available to allow the average golfer to consistently and successfully hit the sweet spot. Also, weighting the periphery increases the rotational moment around the center of gravity of the club head. In a club head having a large rotational moment, the degree of rotation due to a hit off the center is reduced accordingly. Another recent product trend is to increase the overall size of the club head, especially with long irons. Each of these features increases the size of the sweet spot, and as a result, hits slightly off-center hit the sweet spot and fly far and straight. One of the golf club designers' efforts when maximizing the size of the club head is to maintain the desired beneficial overall weight of the golf club. For example, as the size and weight of a 3 iron club head increases, the average golfer has difficulty swinging correctly.

  In general, the center of gravity of these clubs is moved toward the bottom and back of the club head to increase the sweet spot. This allows the average golfer to release the ball faster into the air and hit further. In addition, by increasing the club head's moment of inertia, distance and accuracy penalties associated with off-center hits can be minimized. Material and weight are moved from one area of the club head to another in order to move the weights downward and backward without increasing the overall weight of the club head. One solution has been to take material from the club face and create a thin club face. Examples of this type of processing are disclosed in Patent Document 1 (US Pat. No. 4,928,972), Patent Document 2 (US Pat. No. 5,967,903) and Patent Document 3 (US Pat. No. 6,045,456). Can be found.

  However, for iron sets, the performance characteristics required for long irons are generally different from those for short irons. For example, long irons are more difficult to accurately depress even with professional non-golfers, and as a result, long irons preferably have a larger sweet spot. Similarly, short irons can be hit relatively accurately and the size of the sweet spot is not so important. However, it is often required to make the workability of short irons more satisfactory.

It is difficult to fine-tune the center of gravity and moment of inertia characteristics while maintaining a continuous aesthetic look and feel throughout the club set. Currently, in order to achieve the best overall game results, golfers have to buy clubs one by one, which is not preferable because the difference in play through the set becomes too large. In addition, with different clubs from different manufacturers, any club in the set may fall into the exact play standard, but lack a favorable feeling for the golfer. Therefore, in the industry, for club sets that design the individual clubs in the set to maximize the overall continuity of the set's performance as a whole, while maintaining aesthetic appearance and feel consistency during play. There is a request.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,972 US Pat. No. 5,967,903 US Pat. No. 6,045,456

  According to one aspect of the present invention, the iron-type golf club set has at least one long iron, and the long iron has a first striking face and a first groove formed therein. A back face and a first insert disposed on the back face of the first striking face. The set also includes at least one short iron, the short iron having a second striking face, a second back face having a second groove formed therein, and a second striking face. And a second insert disposed on the back surface of the. The mass of the first insert on the long iron and the mass of the second insert on the short iron have a systematic difference.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, an iron-type golf club head has a main body manufactured from a forging material having a first density, and a striking face is integrally formed on the main body. A back flange is integrally coupled with the striking face, and a groove is formed in the back flange between the back flange and the striking face. The insert is configured to contact the back flange and the striking face, the insert being manufactured from a second material of a second density, the second density being less than the first density.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for customizing a golf club head includes:
(I) supplying a golf club head;
(Ii) supplying a plurality of mass adjusting inserts;
(Iii) providing means for attaching the mass adjusting insert to the golf club head;
(Iv) testing a golf club head with each of a plurality of mass adjusting inserts; and
(V) attaching one of the plurality of mass adjusting inserts to the golf club head.

  The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the specification and are to be understood in connection therewith, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts.

  As shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below, the present invention is directed to a set of iron-type golf clubs. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 1 shows a reference iron type club head 10 in which various design parameters of the present invention are defined. These design parameters for the club are chosen to distort in a predetermined manner from long irons to short irons throughout the set. Club head 10 is coupled to a shaft (not shown) in any manner known in the art.

  The club head 10 generally has a body 12 and a hosel 14. The body 12 has a striking face 16 and a back face 20. The body 12 is coupled to the hosel 14 at an angle, a loft angle 30 is defined between the hosel centerline 18 and the striking face 16, and the relative structure between the body 12 and the hosel 14 allows for the base of the striking face. There is an offset 34 between the tip 22 and the forefront point 15 of the hosel.

  In a typical set of golf clubs, the area of the striking face 16, the heel-to-toe length of the body 12, the loft angle 30 and the offset 34 will vary from club to club in the set. For example, when a normal count is used, the long iron of No. 2 or No. 3 typically has a relatively long shaft, a relatively large hitting face 16 area, and a relatively small loft angle 30. Similarly, when a normal count is used, the short iron of No. 8 or No. 9 typically has a relatively short shaft, a relatively small hitting face 16 area, and a relatively large loft angle 30. In the present invention, such parameters are specifically selected to maximize performance according to each club application. In addition, these parameters vary in a predetermined manner throughout the set.

  Similarly, in many typical sets of golf clubs, the loft angle 30 increases as the set progresses from long irons (2, 3, 4) to short irons (8, 9, PW). In a long iron, the loft angle 30 changes linearly. That is, it changes by about 3 degrees. Similarly, it is a short iron and changes linearly by about 4 degrees. Other aspects of the loft angle 30 are within the scope of the present invention, and the selection of the loft angle 30 depends on various other design considerations, such as selection of materials and aesthetics.

  Another such parameter in club design is the structure of the back face 20. In a typical golf club set, the back face is a "cavity back", i.e., where a significant portion of the mass of the club head is located on the back side around the periphery 32, or a "muscle back", i.e. The club mass is relatively evenly distributed along the heel-toe length of the body 12. Cavity back clubs tend to have a larger sweet spot, lower center of gravity, and greater inertia. In other words, the cavity back club is easy to produce a good hit. In long irons, sweet spots are often difficult to hit accurately. Therefore, it is preferable to adopt a cavity back structure in the long iron. Muscle back clubs tend to have a relatively small sweet spot, high center of gravity, and low inertia around the shaft axis 18. If the hit is accurate, the muscle back club will have better overall performance and workability due to the mass behind the sweet spot (ie muscle), but the average golfer will have a smaller sweet spot. It is difficult to hit accurately. Although it is easy for a short iron to be hit accurately even by an average golfer, the short iron is preferably a muscle back feature because it may affect workability.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, as disclosed in the “631” parent application, the structure of the back face 20 is gradually changed so that the cavity back is dominant with a long iron and the muscle back is dominant with a short iron. Let the continuity of set performance be maximized. According to another aspect of the present invention, as disclosed in the “745” parent application and shown in FIGS. 2-7, the structure of the back face 20 has a long iron oversized channel back predominance and a short iron. Gradually changing the standard size channel back to prevail, maximizing the continuity of the set's performance. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-7 and discussed in detail below include, in part, an extremely thin striking face (element 1017 of FIG. 4) reinforced by a lightweight core (element 1052 of FIG. 4), vibration, and Performance continuity is achieved by a sandwich structure employing a damper (element 1052 in FIG. 4). According to yet another aspect of the present invention, as can be seen in FIGS. 8A-C, the channel back long iron is gradually changed from one with a back face structure having a cavity back club feature, Achieve continuity of club performance. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A-C, in part, provides the sandwich structure with a thin striking face (element 1316 in FIG. 9), with or without a striking face insert, and further behind the striking face. By providing a mass adjusting insert (element 1360 in FIG. 9), performance continuity is achieved. However, the weight of the mass adjustment insert changes so that it is heavier with a long iron and lighter with a short iron.

  Furthermore, it is integrated into the vibration damping insert channel back club. In addition, long iron and oversized club heads, i.e. larger or substantially larger club heads than standard or traditional club heads, are moved to intermediate or standard sizes as they go to short irons. To promote the continuity of In this aspect, with a long iron, accurate hitting is relatively easy, and the workability of a short iron is maintained.

The parent application, U.S. Patent Application No. 11/105631, was previously referenced and incorporated herein, but this application shows a set of examples with a continuous performance. In the embodiment, the long iron has a cavity back structure, which gradually changes into a muscle back structure in the short iron. In other words, as the club changes throughout the set, the back structure begins as a cavity back in the longest iron, eg, the 2nd iron, and is a feature of muscle back in mid-irons that have less mass around the club head. Expands and finally becomes a muscle back at the 8th iron or similar. Table 1 shows details of an example face area, an example offset, an example body length, and an example loft angle as the set of the “631” application transitions from a long iron to a short iron.

  Systematic transition from long iron cavity back in set to mid-range iron intermediate cavity muscle back to short iron pure muscle back, resulting in a smoother overall performance of the set as a whole Sex is realized. Long irons are easy to hit accurately with a cavity back design, while short irons are improved with a muscle back design.

  As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the position of the center of gravity can be changed by other means throughout the set, such as a high density as disclosed in US patent application Ser. It can be changed by inserts and can be changed by changing the material thickness of the striking face 16 as described in US Pat. No. 6,605,007. These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

The rotational moment of inertia ("inertia") of golf clubs is well known and has been fully discussed in many references, including US Pat. No. 4,420,156, incorporated herein by reference. If the inertia is too small, it tends to rotate excessively due to a blow off the center. The greater the inertia, the greater the rotating mass and the less the rotation caused by off-center hits, so that off-center hits can fly farther and closer to the intended path. it can. Inertia is measured around the vertical axis (I _yy ) through the club head center of gravity (I _yy ) and around the horizontal axis (I _xx ) through the club head center of gravity (CG). The tendency of the club head to rotate about the y-axis through the CG indicates the amount of rotation due to a strike off the y-axis. Similarly, the tendency of the club head to rotate about the x-axis through the CG indicates the amount of rotation due to a strike off the x-axis. Most off-center hits tend to rotate around both the x and y axes. When I _xx and I _yy are large, the tendency to rotate is reduced, and the off-center hit is more tolerated.

Inertia is also measured around the shaft axis (I _sa ). First, the face of the club is set at the address position, then the face is straightened, and the loft angle and lie angle are set. Then, measure. Any hit with a golf ball tends to cause the club head to rotate about the shaft axis. A blow off the center to the toe is most likely to rotate around the shaft axis, and a blow off the center to the heel is most unlikely. When I _sa is large, the rotation tendency is small, and the hitting face is easily controlled.

Also, Table 2 is cited from the “631” parent application, and how the center of gravity of the body increases systematically as an example with the systematic transition of the set parameters shown in Table 1 as an example. Is shown. The center of gravity is measured from the ground when the club head is placed at the address position, and the address position is the position where the club is placed with the sole of the club in contact with the ground before the golfer starts swinging.

  2-7 show another embodiment of a club set with continuity of performance through the set as shown and discussed in the parent application US Pat. No. 11/193745, incorporated herein by reference. Yes. Various design parameters of the club head in the set gradually change systematically throughout the set to achieve continuity of performance and aesthetics. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-7, the club heads 1010, 1110, 1210 are preferably used from long iron oversized channel backs (shown in FIGS. 2-5) to mid-iron medium size channel backs (shown in FIGS. After that, the process proceeds to a cavity back of a standard size of a short iron (shown in FIG. 7). In other embodiments, all clubs in the set may have oversized, medium sized, or standard sized striking faces 16, or any combination thereof.

  2-5 show a long iron, preferably a club head with 2, 3, or 4 irons in a normal count. FIG. 2 is a front view of a club head 1010 in which a hosel 1014 is coupled to a body 1012 at a loft angle 1030. For long irons, the loft angle 1030 is preferably in the range of about 18 degrees to about 27 degrees. The body 1012 includes a striking face 1016 and a back face 1020 shown in FIG. The structure of the back face 1020 is preferably of the type known in the art as “channel back” as shown in FIG. 3, where the channel 1042 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A) is the club head 1010. Formed by a flange 1040 in the sole portion of the. As shown, the channel back is employed with a cavity back design. Club head 1010 may be manufactured from any material known in the art and in any manner known in the art. However, preferably, the club head 1010 is forged from stainless steel and chrome plated. A review of this and other manufacturing techniques as well as suitable materials can be found in US patent application Ser. No. 10 / 640,537 filed on Aug. 13, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. .

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 4A and 5, the striking face 1016 preferably has a sandwich-type structure that includes a striking face insert 1017, a damping element 1050, and a lightweight core 1052 that reinforces the striking face insert. Contains. The striking face insert 1017 is preferably thin and lightweight, so that the weight of the striking face 1016 can be repositioned on the flange 1040 and is strong enough to withstand repeated impacts. In this sandwich structure, the core 1052 strengthens the impact zone of the striking face insert 1017, so that the striking face insert 1017 can be made extremely thin. Since the striking face 1017 is thin and therefore lighter than a conventional striking face made from a thicker material, the center of gravity of the club head 1010 moves to the rear, which results in the ball flying higher. The damping element 1050 helps improve the vibration characteristics of the club head 1010.

  The striking face insert 1017 is preferably made from a lightweight material with a density of less than about 5 g / cc and a hardness in the range of about 20 to about 60 on the Rockwell Hardness C Scale (HRC). Suitable materials include titanium, titanium alloys, plastics, urethanes, and magnesium. More preferably, the striking face insert 1017 has a hardness of about 40 in HRC. The striking face insert 1017 is preferably dimensioned to be press fit into a corresponding recess in the striking face 1016 and secured by any technique known in the art, such as gluing or fusing. The front side of the striking face insert 1017 preferably includes a surface pattern, such as a rough surface and a continuous groove 1056 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 5). The striking face insert can be manufactured by any technique known in the art, for example, sheet metal machining, forging, molding, etc.

  Since the striking face insert 1017 is thin, the core 1052 is placed behind the striking face insert 1017 to reinforce the striking face insert 1017. Core 1052 is preferably made of a lightweight material such as aluminum. The core 1052 is structured to be at least partially inserted into the channel 1042, for example, by press fitting, and is preferably secured within the channel 1042 to face the striking face insert 1017, for example, An adhesive such as epoxy is used. In other embodiments, the channel 1042 may be filled with other materials such as epoxy or foaming agent.

  A damping element 1050 is disposed between the striking face insert 1017 and the core 1052. Damping element 1050 may be any type of elastic material known in the art for vibration damping, such as rubber or urethane having a hardness of about 60 on the Rockwell Hardness Shore A scale (HRA). The damping element 1050 is preferably structured to be press fit into a recess (not shown) formed in the core 1052 and secured thereto by an adhesive such as epoxy. Preferably, the damping element 1050 has a generally quadrilateral shape, and the surface area of one of the surfaces of the damping element 1050 is between about 0.1 cubic inches and about 2.5 cubic inches, more preferably 0. .15 cubic inches to 1.2 cubic inches. The thickness of the damping element 1050 is preferably from about 0.050 inch to about 0.45 inch, preferably about 0.1 inch. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the dimensions of the damping element 1050 chosen for any individual club head will depend on many factors, including the area of the striking face and the material of the damping element. The dampening element 1050 is preferably located behind the striking face insert 1017 at a high probability that the ball will hit, for example, about 0.75 inches from the sole. The damping element 1050 absorbs a part of the shock of the collision and reduces the vibration of the club during play to achieve a good feeling.

  As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, adopting a sandwich-type structure to strengthen the striking face and impart damping is suitable for use with any iron-type club. Furthermore, the damping element 1050 and the core 1052 can also be employed when the striking face insert 1017 is not provided, that is, when the striking face 1016 is provided directly behind the striking face 1016. However, in a preferred set in which the club head transitions from a long iron channel back to a short iron normal cavity back, the use of a sandwich-type structure with the striking face insert 1017 is preferably limited to long irons.

  The design of the mid iron club head 1110 is shown in FIG. In club head 1110, hosel 1114 is coupled to body 1112 at loft angle 1130. Loft angle 1130 is preferably from about 27 degrees to about 40 degrees, more preferably from about 29 degrees to about 37 degrees. Club head 1110 is preferably manufactured as a single piece from a material such as forged stainless steel or titanium. In other words, the mid-iron club may have a high center of gravity, so that the lightweight striking face insert or sandwich type structure may be omitted. However, in other embodiments, the striking face 1116 may be thin, or a sandwich type structure may be employed. However, preferably a striking face insert is not used. Preferably, the mid-iron club in the set has a back cavity volume less than that of the short iron. This is because the volume of the cavity is increased throughout the set to achieve continuity of performance as described above.

  The design of the short iron club head 1210 is shown in FIG. In club head 1210, hosel 1214 is coupled to body 1212 at loft angle 1230. Loft angle 1230 is preferably from about 40 degrees to about 52 degrees, more preferably from about 41 degrees to about 50 degrees. Similar to the club head 1110 discussed above with reference to FIG. 6, the club head 1210 is preferably fabricated as a single piece from a material, such as forged stainless steel. Again, a muscle back or channel back, such as channel 1042, may be employed, but preferably the club head 1210 is a traditional cavity back design. Preferably, in the short iron, the volume of the rear cavity is less than that of the mid iron. This is because the volume of the cavity is increased throughout the set to achieve continuity of performance as described above.

In this embodiment, the striking faces 1016, 1116, 1216 are preferably substantially constant throughout the set. However, in addition to changing the club head type throughout the set, other design parameters are systematically varied throughout the set to derive the best performance from the set. This is shown in Table 3.

  These design parameters preferably vary approximately linearly throughout the set. Similar equations for the design example in Table 3 can be expressed for each design parameter shown in Table 3. This is as discussed in the parent application “745”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  In another embodiment, mass distribution control is performed using the sandwich structure shown in FIGS. 3-5 as shown in FIGS. In this embodiment, each of the iron club heads 1310a-c has a body 1312 having a hosel 1314 and a back face 1320. This is shown in FIG. The body 1312 and the striking face 1316 are preferably integral members, such as forged stainless steel or cast titanium members. However, as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 3-5, the striking face 1316 may be a striking face insert (not shown) made from a different material, or an emergency made of the same material as the remainder of the body 1312. You may have a thin member.

  The back face 1320 preferably has a channel back structure similar to that shown above with reference to FIGS. 3-5, with a channel 1342 provided between the striking face 1316 and the lower flange 1340. Preferably, at least a portion of the mass control insert 1360 is disposed within the channel 1342 and is basically disposed between the rear of the striking face 1316 and the lower flange 1342. The mass control insert 1360 may be made from any material known in the art including, but not limited to, aluminum, titanium, plastic, manganese, steel, tungsten, and other materials. And alloys. The material density of the mass control insert 1360 is preferably greater than or less than the density of the body 1312 material. For example, if the body 1312 is made of forged stainless steel, the mass control insert 1360 may be made of aluminum or titanium, both of which are significantly less dense than steel. In this case, the mass of the club head 1310 shifts in the circumferential direction. Alternatively, if the body 1312 is made of forged stainless steel, the mass control insert 1360 may be made of tungsten to increase the weight behind the strike face 1316.

  The mass control insert 1360 is preferably secured in the channel 1342 to the back of the striking face 1316 by any means known in the art, such as welding or adhesive. Epoxy may be used, and the epoxy layer is also the original vibration damping element. In addition, an optional plate-like cover 1366 surrounds the mass control insert 1360 as shown in FIG. 9, so that the mass control insert 1360 can be used when the mass control insert 1360 is made from a soft or fragile material. Can protect. The plate cover 1366 is preferably manufactured from the same material as the body 1310 and is secured to the back face 1320 by any means known in the art, such as welding or adhesive.

  The mass control insert 1360 reinforces the striking face 1316 so that the striking face 1316 can be very thin, so that the mass of the club head 1310 can be distributed to the edges and bottom. The mass control insert 1360 can be used to fine tune the characteristics of the club head 1310 in club design, as previously discussed. A damping element (not shown) similar to the damping element 1050 previously discussed with reference to FIGS. 3-5 may optionally be disposed between the mass control insert 1360 and the striking face 1316.

  8A-C show three club heads 1310a-c in the club set. 8A is a long iron club head such as No. 2, 3, or 4, FIG. 8B is a mid iron club head such as No. 5, 6 or 7, and FIG. A short iron club head like No. 9 or a pitching wedge. Preferably, the mass control inserts 1360a-c vary systematically throughout the set to maximize mass distribution characteristics depending on the type of club while maintaining a uniform aesthetic appearance and feel throughout the set. A systematic change is to shift the mass to the periphery. This change can be realized in many ways, for example, using different materials for the mass control insert 1360, or changing the volume, eg, length, while keeping the mass control insert 1360 material the same throughout the set. It can be realized by changing it.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 8A-C, the mass control inserts 1360a-c are manufactured from a material with a density less than the density of the body 1312 and use the same material for the mass control inserts 1360a-c throughout the set. In a long iron, the mass control insert 1360a extends along substantially the entire length of the flange 1340, as shown in FIG. 8A. In a midiron, as shown in FIG. 8B, the length of the mass control insert 1360b is shorter and therefore its volume is smaller than the mass control insert 1360a. As a result, the mass distributed around the mid-iron club head 1310b is less than the mass distributed around the bottom and bottom by the long iron club head 1310a. In a short iron, as shown in FIG. 8C, the length of the mass control insert 1360c is shorter and therefore its volume is smaller than the mass control insert 1360a or the mass control insert 1360b. As a result, the mass distributed to the periphery and bottom of the short iron club head 1310c is even smaller than the mass distributed to the periphery and bottom of the midiron club head 1310b.

  Thus, the desired characteristics of the individual clubs can be maximized while maintaining the look and feel continuity throughout the set. When the amount of mass distributed around the club head 1310a is large, the workability of the long iron is maximized, the tolerance is further increased, and the flight distance is longer. In other words, the club head 1310a acts as a cavity back club with a relatively large cavity. Similarly, when the mass distributed around the club head 1310c is small, the shot control of the short iron can be maximized. In other words, the club head 1310c operates much like a muscle back club. In other embodiments, the same insert 1360 may be used for all clubs. In other words, in such an embodiment, the mass control insert 1360 does not change throughout the set.

  As will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-7, preferably at least one additional club design parameter, both loft angle, is systematically varied throughout the set. Club design parameters to be systematically changed are offset, face area, club head size, top line width, sole width, center of gravity position from the ground, depth of center of gravity, coefficient of restitution, club head material, striking face hardness, club head It may include the thickness of the face, the texture roughness of the striking face surface, or the groove shape. Some of these parameters are described in additional detail below in the examples. Furthermore, preferably at least one club in the set has an oversized club head, which is preferably one of a long iron.

  9 is a cross-sectional view of the club head 1310 of FIGS. 8A-C, taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8A, showing the general shape of the mass control insert 1360. FIG. In this example, the mass control insert 1360 has a lower tail 1368 that completely fills the channel 1342. The front edge 1380 is angled to be flush with the back of the striking face, and the back edge 1382 of the mass control insert 1360 is also smooth and extends over the flange 1340. However, many other configurations are suitable for use in the present invention. FIG. 10 shows an alternative arrangement, in which the tail 1368d completely fills the channel 1342 and the front edge 1380d is smooth and flush with the back of the striking face 1316, which is shown in FIG. It is the same. However, the back edge 1382d is not smooth, has a stepped ridge 1381 and increases the mass of the bottom of the mass control insert 1360d, which strengthens the striking face 1316 in that region.

  Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 11, in which the club head 1310e includes a striking face insert 1360e similar to the insert 1360d, except that the second insert 1370 is disposed within the mass control insert 1360d. It has. The second insert 1370 is preferably a mass of high density material, such as tungsten or tungsten filled plastic. The density of the second insert 1370 can be varied throughout the set to adjust the mass distribution characteristics of the set at an additional level.

  Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 12, in which the channel 1342f of the club head 1310f is larger than the club heads 1310a-d. The lower tail 1368f of the mass control insert 1360f does not completely fill the channel 1342f. Also, the back edge 1382f extends over the flange 1340 but does not enter the channel 1342f. The second insert 1370f is similar to the second insert 1370 described above with reference to FIG. 12, and is disposed within a portion of the channel 1342f, with the remaining portion of the channel 1342f remaining hollow. Alternatively, the second insert 1370f is integrally formed with the insert 1360f.

  Yet another embodiment is shown in FIG. 13, in which the club head 1310g is similar to the club heads 1310a-d discussed above and discussed in FIGS. 8A-C. In this embodiment, the mass control insert 1360g has a tail 1368g and a back edge 1382g to form a continuous smooth surface so that no portion of the back edge extends or contacts the flange 1340.

  Yet another embodiment is shown in FIG. 14, in which the mass control insert 1360h has a similar structure to the mass control insert 1360g shown in FIG. However, the mass control insert 1360g has a cavity 1372 formed therein. The cavity 1372 may be filled with a wealth of which the density is changed through the set, or may be left as it is. The mass of the mass control insert 1360h may be adjusted by changing the size of the cavity 1372 throughout the set.

  15A-E show additional embodiments of mass control inserts 1360i-m, each having a flat bottom surface 1384i-m instead of a tail. The flat bottom surface 1384i-m is preferably not inserted into the channel 1342, thereby leaving the channel 1342 hollow. Also, the bought mass control insert 1360i-m includes a non-smooth back edge 1382i-m. The mass control insert 1360i shown in FIG. 15A is similar to the mass control insert 1360d previously shown in FIG. 10, and the back edge 1382i has steps. The mass control insert 1360j shown in FIG. 15B and the mass control insert 1360k shown in FIG. 15C have convex ribs 1386j, 1386k. The mass control insert 1360l shown in FIG. 15D and the mass control insert 1360m shown in FIG. 15E have recesses 1386l and 1386m.

  Yet another example mass control insert 1460 is secured to the back of the striking face 1416 of the golf club head 1410, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. In this example, the mass control insert 1460 has two members: a lightweight shell 1490 and a high density insert 1492. Lightweight shell 1490 and high density insert 1492 may use any technique known in the art for striking face 1416, such as adhesives, welding, or provide a tab or flange for attaching mass control insert 1460 to striking face 1416. And is secured to the striking face 1416. As shown in FIG. 16B, the mass control insert 1460 preferably has a striking face 1416 such that the high density insert 1492 is flush with the back of the striking face 1416 and the lightweight shell 1490 is a cover for the high density insert 1492. It is fixed to. In this way, only the lightweight shell 1490 can be seen when the club head 1410 is completed.

  Preferably, the lightweight shell 1490 is made from plastic, polymeric material, or low density metal, such as aluminum. The lightweight shell 1490 is configured to receive the high-density insert 1492 in the center with a relatively thin plate-like member so as to basically surround the high-density insert 1492 on three sides. Lightweight shell 1490 can be manufactured by any technique known in the art, for example using injection molding when plastic materials are used, or using a single layer or stamping when metals are used. You can. Since the lightweight shell 1490 is visible when the club head 1410 is completed, the lightweight shell 1490 is preferably aesthetically pleasing, for example, a surface treatment such as paint or other coating, or a texture such as a stamped logo. Or, coloring the material, etc.

  The high density insert 1492 is sized and shaped for insertion into the lightweight shell 1490. The high density insert 1492 may be secured within the lightweight shell 1490 by any technique known in the art, such as gluing or welding. Alternatively, the high density insert 1492 may be secured only to the striking face 1416, in which case the lightweight shell 1490 is also secured only to the striking face 1416.

  The high density insert 1492 is preferably manufactured from a material that is less dense than the material forming the striking face 1416 so that the mass control insert 1416 moves the central mass of the striking face 1416 to its periphery. Although any material known in the industry is suitable as a high density insert, it allows the density of the high density insert 1492 to be easily changed, making it easy to make multiple different density high density inserts 1492 during manufacture. To be able to manufacture. Such materials are tungsten-containing plastics, and the overall material density depends on the amount of tungsten added to the plastic matrix. Preferably, the high density insert 1492 is made from a tungsten-containing plastic having a density of about 1.5 g / cc to about 11 g / cc for a mass control insert having an overall weight of about 2 g to about 9 g. Other suitable materials for the high density insert 1492 include aluminum and tungsten.

An advantage of readily available multiple density high density inserts 1492 is that the club head can be easily customized to adjust the overall club head weight according to customer preferences. For example, when sending the club head 1410 to a pro shop, tour van, or similar point of sale and / or distribution, the lightweight shell 1490 and the various density high density inserts 1492 and the lightweight shell 1490 and high density insert 1492 may be attached to the club head. A material for securing to 1410, for example epoxy, may be sent separately. Customers can experiment with different densities and select the preferred density for the high density insert 1492. For example, a club head 1410 may be provided with a slot on the back of the striking face 1416 that can temporarily accommodate the mass control insert 1460 when a customer tries different densities, each with a different mass control insert. A club may be provided, and an apparatus for removing the epoxy or similar adhesive used to secure the mass control insert 1460 to the striking face 1416 may be provided. Once the customer has selected a preferred mass control insert 1460, a local technician can secure the selected mass control insert 1460 to the club head 1410. In addition, a special lightweight shell 1490 may be selected that imparts various colors, logos, or other aesthetic features, for example. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this customizability can be combined with any of the mass control inserts described herein.

[Example]
A set of three clubs, 3 irons, 6 irons, and 9 irons related to the present invention was manufactured according to the current example of FIG. 8A-C. The club body was made from stainless steel and the mass control insert was made from aluminum. Although the height, width and position of the mass control insert were made constant throughout the set, the length of the mass control insert and thus its volume was systematically varied throughout the set. In one example, the mass of the insert was gradually reduced throughout the set. That is, the insert with the largest mass based on the volume is placed on the 3 iron, the insert with the next largest mass based on the volume is placed on the 6 iron, and the insert with the smallest mass based on the volume is the 9 iron. Arranged. In this example, the mass of the insert varies throughout the set as shown in Table 4. The club was designed to systematically vary many parameters including loft angle, face area, and offset. A summary of the selected design parameters is shown in Table 4 below.

  The inserts disclosed in Table 4 were made from aluminum (2.8 g / cc density). In the full set of iron clubs, 5.15 g inserts are also used for 2 and 4 irons. The 3.75 g insert is also used for the # 5 and # 7 irons and the 4.09 g insert is also used for the # 8 and pitching wedges.

The work and fine tuning of the distribution of mass in the club head using the mass control insert 1360 can be seen from Table 5. Both the CG depth and the shaft axis CG are shifted by using the mass insert 1360.

The spin parameters may be adjusted by changing the groove geometry. This is as discussed in US Pat. No. 5,591,092, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The front side of the striking face insert 1017 preferably includes a surface texture, eg, a rough surface, a series of grooves 1056 (FIGS. 2 and 5-7). Surface texture groove and roughness designs preferably vary systematically throughout the set, as discussed in the “745” parent application.

  Similarly, the striking face (1016, 1116, 1216) is roughened by any means known in the art, such as spin milling or fly cutting the surface. A rough surface may be generated when the face is manufactured as a whole, for example, by textured casting or forging, and after the face is manufactured, the surface texture may be generated, for example, milling, sandblasting, shots. It may be formed by peening or any other technique known in the art. Surface roughness is typically measured by Roughness Average (RA), measured as a deviation expressed in microinches measured perpendicular to the center line, ie, the position of the surface that is not patterned at all. Is done. As discussed in the “745” parent application, the surface roughness is smoothest for long irons and can be systematically increased throughout the set.

  Other parameters may also be systematically varied throughout the set. For example, toe height, top angle, sole thickness, material alloy and / or hardness, insert type and hardness, face thickness and / or material, and coefficient of restitution. Moreover, you may change the depth of a gravity center through a set. This is because the flight characteristics are affected by the depth of the center of gravity, which is disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,290,607, which is incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, all equations discussed here are examples only and may be modified as desired for continuity of performance throughout the set. In other words, the specific equations derived here can be altered or modified to adjust the relationship between the offset and loft angle, for example, so that the design parameters change in the opposite manner described here. May be. The design tolerances discussed here are preferences and are due to various materials, aesthetics, and others.

  It will be apparent that the illustrative embodiments of the invention disclosed herein accomplish the above objects, but it will be appreciated that various modifications and other embodiments can be derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and embodiments and fall within the spirit of this invention.

It is the figure seen from the toe of the club head. It is a front view of the club which comprises a vibration damper. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the club head of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a vibration damper in which the club head of FIG. 2 is cut along line 4-4. It is an expanded sectional view of the vibration damper of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the long iron according to the Example of this invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a midiron according to the embodiment of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a short iron according to the embodiment of FIG. 2. 1 is a partially cutaway rear view of a long iron club head in a set of golf clubs having a mass control insert according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway rear view of a mid iron club head of a set of golf clubs having a mass control insert according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway rear view of a short iron club head of a set of golf clubs having a mass control insert according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the club head of FIG. 8 taken along line 9-9 of FIG. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the club head of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the club head of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the club head of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the club head of FIG. 8A. FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the club head of FIG. 8A. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an insert for use in the club head of FIGS. 8A-C. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an insert for use in the club head of FIGS. 8A-C. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an insert for use in the club head of FIGS. 8A-C. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an insert for use in the club head of FIGS. 8A-C. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an insert for use in the club head of FIGS. 8A-C. FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial view of a club head with a mass control insert according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16B is a partial cross-sectional view of the club head of FIG. 16A taken along line 16B-16B of FIG. 16A.

Explanation of symbols

1310 Iron-type club head 1312 Body 1314 Hosel 1316 Strike face 1320 Back face 1340 Flange 1342 Channel 1360 Mass control insert 1366 Plate-like cover 1368 Lower tail 1370 Insert

Claims (25)

A first striking face, a first back face forming a first channel therein, and a first insert of a first length L1 and a first volume V2 disposed on the back face of the first striking face Having at least one long iron,
A second striking face, a second back face forming a second channel therein, and a second insert of a second length L2 and a second volume V2 disposed on the back of the second striking face When,
A third striking face, a third back face forming a third channel therein, and a third insert of a third length L3 and a third volume V3 disposed on the back of the third striking face An iron-type golf ball having at least one long iron, wherein the mass of the first insert, the mass of the second insert, and the mass of the third insert are systematically different from each other A set of clubs.   2. The set of clubs according to claim 1, wherein L1> L2> L3 and V1> V2> V3.   The club set according to claim 1, wherein the first back face has a cavity back structure.   The set of clubs of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional club design parameter of the set depends on the loft angle.   The club design parameters are offset, face area, club head size, toe line width, sole width, center of gravity from the ground, depth of center of gravity, coefficient of restitution, club head material, hitting face hardness, club head face thickness, hitting face. 5. The set of clubs of claim 4 comprising a surface texture roughness or groove shape.   The set of clubs of claim 1, wherein at least one club has an oversized club head.   2. The set of clubs of claim 1, wherein at least one club has a vibration dampening member. A body manufactured from a forging material of a first density;
A striking face integrally formed on the body;
A rear flange coupled to the striking face;
A channel formed in the back flange between the back flange and the striking face;
An insert formed to contact the back flange and the striking face, the insert being manufactured from a second material of a second density, wherein the second density is less than the first density. An iron type golf club head characterized by the above.   The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the insert comprises at least one of aluminum, titanium, plastic, magnesium, steel or tungsten.   The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the body is made of stainless steel.   The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the insert includes a solid member.   The golf club head of claim 8, wherein a cavity is formed in the insert.   The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein a mass adjusting material is disposed in the airway.   The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the insert has at least one structure on a back surface thereof.   The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the structure is at least one of a rib, a step, and a cavity.   The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the insert has a lightweight shell configured to accommodate a high density insert therein.   The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the high density insert comprises a tungsten-containing plastic. (I) supplying a golf club head;
(Ii) providing a plurality of mass control inserts;
(Iii) providing means for attaching the mass control insert of 1 to the golf club head;
(Iv) testing the golf club head on each of the plurality of mass control inserts;
(V) securing one of the plurality of mass control inserts to the golf club head; and customizing the golf club head.   19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (iv) comprises testing a demonstration set of golf clubs. Step (iv) above is
(Vi) temporarily attaching one of the plurality of mass control inserts to the golf club head;
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of: (vii) removing the provisionally attached mass control insert to add another of the plurality of mass control inserts to the golf club head. In a set of iron-type golf clubs having at least one long iron, one mid iron, and one short iron, each club has a striking face and a back face;
The back face has a wall portion that is arranged around the back face and distributes the weight of the club head to the periphery of the club head, and a support that is arranged inside the surrounding wall portion, The support reinforces the lower portion of the striking face, and the support forms a channel configured to receive an insert;
Iron type in which the insert changes systematically throughout the set, the long iron club acts substantially similar to the cavity back iron, and the short iron acts substantially similar to the muscle back iron A set of golf clubs.   The set of iron-type golf clubs according to claim 21, wherein the density of the insert varies.   The set of iron-type golf clubs according to claim 21, wherein the volume of the insert varies.   The set of iron-type golf clubs according to claim 21, wherein the distance from the toe to the heel of the insert varies.   The set of iron-type golf clubs according to claim 21, wherein the mid-iron club has play characteristics of both a cavity back club and a muscle back club.

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