Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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GOLF CLUBS AND GOLF CLUB HEADS INCLUDING CELLULAR
STRUCTURE METALS AND OTHER MATERIALS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[02] The present invention relates to golf clubs and golf club heads and
to methods for making such structures.
BACKGROUND
[03] Various golf club heads have been designed to improve a golfer's
accuracy by assisting the golfer in squaring the club head face at impact with
a
golf ball. A number of golf club heads position weight of the golf club head
in
order to alter the location of the club head's center of gravity and/or to
increase
the club head's moment of inertia (e.g., resistance to twisting). The location
of the
center of gravity of the golf club head and its moment of inertia are factors
that, at
least in part, determine whether a golf ball is propelled in the intended
direction.
When the center
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of gravity is positioned behind the point of engagement on the contact surface
and the
club head is square to the intended target line, the golf ball follows a
generally straight
route. When the center of gravity is spaced to a side of the point of
engagement
and/or the club head is not square at impact, however, the golf ball may
follow a route
that curves left or right or simply fly to the left or right, ball flights
that often are
referred to as "draws," "fades," "hooks," "slices," "pulls," or "blocks."
Similarly,
when the center of gravity of the club head is spaced above or below the point
of
engagement with the ball, the route of the golf ball may exhibit more boring
or
climbing trajectories, respectively.
[04] Golf club heads, such as cavity back club heads, assist the golfer by
locating much of
the weight of the golf club head around the golf club head perimeter.
Generally, these
golf club heads are more forgiving than non-cavity golf club heads thereby
allowing a
golf ball to be struck somewhat off center or miss-hit, while still providing
relatively
good distance and accuracy. Cavity back club heads have helped the average
golfer
reduce mis-hits and improve scoring.
[05] While golf club technology has improved in recent years, there is room in
the art for
still further advances and improvements in golf club technology.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[06] This invention relates to golf club heads and golf clubs including such
golf club
heads, such as putters, irons (including all types of wedges), hybrid type
clubs,
fairway woods, drivers, and the like. Golf clubs and golf club heads according
to at
least some example aspects of this invention may include: (a) a club head body
member constructed, at least in part, from a cellular structure metal or other
material;
(b) a ball striking face engaged or integrally formed with the club head body
member;
and/or (c) a shaft member engaged with the club head body member. Optionally,
if
desired, the club head body member may be of a multi-piece construction, and
any
one or more of these multiple pieces may be formed from a cellular structure
metal or
other material without departing from this invention. Weight savings realized
through
the use of lightweight cellular structure metal or other materials as part of
a club head
structure according to at least some examples of this invention allow
additional
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weight to be placed at other desired locations in the club head structure,
such as
around the club head perimeter, toward the rear and/or bottom of the club head
structure, toward the heel and/or toe edges of the club head structure, etc.
In
some example structures, weight members may be selectively placed at and/or
moved to different locations in the club head structure to enable
customization of
the club head's weighting, e.g., for better use by a particular golfer or a
golfer
having particular swing characteristics. By adjusting and selectively placing
weight in the club head structure, the club head's center of gravity, moment
of
inertia, and/or stability characteristics may be favorably affected and/or the
resulting ball flight, when struck by the club head, may be influenced to
assist in
providing a more controlled, more consistent, and/or straighter ball flight.
[07] Additional aspects of this invention relate to methods of making
and/or using golf club heads and golf clubs that include cellular structure
metal or
other materials forming at least a portion of the club head structure. Such
methods may include engaging one or more weight members with the club head
structure, moving the weight member(s) with respect to the club head
structure,
and/or removing the weight member(s) from the club head structure and
replacing
them with different weight members (e.g., of different mass).
[07a] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
golf club head, comprising: a club head body member including a shell defining
an
interior chamber, wherein at least a portion of the shell is constructed from
a
foamed cellular structure metal material; and a ball striking face engaged or
integrally formed with the club head body member.
[07b] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a golf club, comprising: the club head body member as described above
or below; and a shaft, member engaged with the club head body member.
[07c] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of forming a golf club head, comprising: forming a club head
body member to include a shell defining an interior chamber, at least a
portion of
the shell being formed from a cellular structure metal material; and providing
a ball
striking face on the club head body member.
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[07d] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of forming a golf club, comprising: forming a club head body
member according to the method as described above or below; and engaging a
shaft member with the club head body member.
[07e] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a golf club head, comprising: a club head body member forming a head
structure and comprising a foamed cellular structure metal material; and a
ball
striking face engaged or integrally formed with the club head body member;
wherein the foamed cellular structure metal material forms a major portion of
the
club head body member; and wherein at least a portion of pores of the foamed
cellular structure is impregnated with a polymeric material.
[07f] According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a golf club, comprising: a golf club head as described above or
below;
and a shaft member engaged with the club head body member.
[07g] According to still a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of forming a golf club putter head comprising: forming a
golf
club head as described above or below.
[07h] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided.a method of forming a golf club, comprising: forming a golf club head
as
described above or below; and engaging a shaft member with the club head
putter
body member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[08] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not
limited in the accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals indicate
similar elements throughout, and in which:
[09] Figure 1 illustrates an example cellular structure metal material that
may be used in golf club head manufacture in accordance with at least some
examples of this invention;
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[10] Figure 2 illustrates an example cellular structure metal material
including a surface element that may be used in golf club head manufacture in
accordance with at least some examples of this invention;
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[11] Figures 3A through 3E illustrate an example of a putter structure that
incorporates a
cellular structure metal material in accordance with some examples of this
invention;
[12] Figures 4A and 4B illustrate an additional example of a putter structure
that
incorporates a cellular structure metal material in accordance with some
examples of
this invention;
[13] Figure 5 illustrates another example of a putter structure that
incorporates a cellular
structure metal material in accordance with some examples of this invention;
[14] Figures 6A through 11 illustrate examples of iron type golf club head
structures that
incorporate cellular structure metal materials in accordance with some
examples of
this invention;
[15] Figures 12A through 13B illustrate examples of wood type golf club head
structures
that incorporate cellular structure metal materials in accordance with some
examples
of this invention; and
[16] Figure 14 illustrates an example face plate member of a golf club
structure that
includes cellular structure metal materials in accordance with at least some
examples
of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[17] The following description and the accompanying figures disclose features
of golf
clubs and golf club heads in accordance with the present invention (e.g.,
woods, irons,
hybrids, putters, etc.).
1. General Description of Aspects of the Invention
[18] Aspects of this invention relate to golf club heads and golf clubs
including such golf
club heads. Golf club heads according to at least some example aspects of this
invention may include: (a) a club head body member constructed, at least in
part, from
a cellular structure material (e.g., a cellular structured metal materials
(also called
"metal foam" materials, including cellular structured alloys, amorphous metal
or alloy
materials, etc.), semi-metal. materials, ceramic materials, glass materials,
polymer
materials (e.g., polyurethanes, etc.), rubber materials, etc.); and (b) a ball
striking face
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engaged or integrally formed with the club head body member. Optionally, if
desired,
the club head body member may be of a multi-piece construction, and any one or
more of these multiple pieces may be formed from a cellular structure material
without departing from this invention.
[19] Any desired type of golf club head may be constructed including cellular
structure
materials, including, for example, putters, irons (including all types of
wedges),
hybrid type clubs, fairway woods, drivers, and the like. Moreover, any desired
portion or amount of the club head structure may be made from the cellular
structure
material without departing from the invention, such as the entire club head
body (e.g.,
including a solid body, a body shell, etc.), the ball striking face member, a
crown
portion, a body ribbon portion, a sole portion, etc. As some more specific
examples,
if desired, a major portion of the overall club head body (e.g., a majority of
its volume
and/or surface area) may be provided as cellular structure material.
[20] The use of cellular structure materials as part of a golf club head
structure can be
advantageous, at least in part, because of the relative lightweight nature of
these
materials. The weight savings realized through the use of cellular structure
materials
(e.g., cellular structure metals including amorphous metals and alloys, etc.)
for at least
a portion of the club head body member allows club designers, club fitters,
users, and
the like to position weight (e.g., weight members (optionally movable,
removable, or
otherwise customizable weight members) and weighting systems, etc.) at desired
locations within the overall club head structure. As examples, if desired,
club heads
may be provided with one or more weight members housed at least partially
within a
shell or enclosure of the club head body member, attached to the club head
body
member, movably and/or removably mounted to and/or at least partially within
the
club head body member, etc. If desired, suitable receptacles may be formed in
the
club head body member for permanently, movably, and/or removably engaging with
and/or attaching one or more weight members with the club head body member.
[21] Various ways of providing the ball striking face on the club head body
member may
be used without departing from this invention. For example, if desired, the
ball
striking face may be provided as a metal (or other material) face plate member
engaged with the cellular structure material of the club head body member,
e.g., by
welding, soldering, brazing, adhesives, casting, forging, etc. As another
example, if
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desired, the ball striking face may be provided as an integral part of the
cellular
structure material making up the club head body member, e.g., by integrally
forming a
solid metal face (or other material) on the cellular structure material body;
by at least
partially filling, impregnating, or coating the cellular structure material
body with a
metal and/or polymeric material, such as an epoxy, the material making up the
cellular structure material, a different material, a different cellular
structure material,
etc.; etc.
[22] Additional aspects of this invention relate to golf clubs. Golf clubs
according to at
least some examples of this invention may include: (a) a club head body member
constructed, at least in part, from a cellular structure material (e.g.,
cellular structured
metal materials (also called "metal foam" materials, including cellular
structured
alloys, amorphous metal or alloy materials, etc.), cellular structured semi-
metal
materials, cellular structured ceramic materials, cellular structured glass
materials,
cellular structured polymeric materials (e.g., polyurethane foams), cellular
structured
rubber materials, etc.); and (b) a shaft member engaged with the club head
body
member. The shaft member may or may not be directly engaged with the cellular
structure material. The club head body member further may include a ball
striking
face engaged or integrally formed with the cellular structure material or
other portion
of the club head body member structure. Additionally, golf clubs in accordance
with
at least some examples of this invention may include a grip member engaged
with the
shaft member. Golf clubs in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention
may be formed as putters, irons (including all types of wedges), hybrid type
clubs,
fairway woods, drivers, and the like, optionally with an additional weighting
system,
e.g., with one or more permanent, fixed, movable, removable, or otherwise
customizable and/or selectable weight members.
[23] Still additional aspects of this invention relate to methods of forming
golf club heads,
e.g., of the various types described above. Such methods may include, for
example:
(a) forming a club head body member, at least in part, from a cellular
structure
material; and (b) providing a ball striking face on or as part of the club
head body
member. Optionally, if desired, the club head body member may be formed as a
multi-piece construction, and any one or more of these multiple pieces may be
formed
from a cellular structure material without departing from this invention. As a
more
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specific example, if desired, separate face plate members, sole plate members,
crown
members, body ribbon members, and the like may be constructed from the
cellular
structure material and/or attached to the cellular structure material portion
of the club
head body member without departing from this invention.
[24] Yet additional aspects of this invention relate to methods of forming
golf clubs. Such
methods may include, for example: (a) forming a club head body member, at
least in
part, from a cellular structure material; and (b) engaging a shaft member with
the club
head body member (e.g., directly with the cellular structure material,
partially with the
cellular structure material, with a part of the club head material not made
from
cellular structure material, etc). Any of the various types and variations on
the club
head body member, the methods of making it, and the structures and methods for
weighting it, as described above, may be used in making golf club structures
without
departing from these aspects of the invention. Moreover, methods according to
at
least some examples of these aspects of the invention further may include: (c)
forming
a ball striking face on the club head body member (e.g., on at least a portion
of the
cellular structure material, on another portion of the club head body member,
etc.),
and/or (d) engaging a grip member with the shaft member.
[25] Given the general description of aspects of the invention provided above,
more
detailed descriptions of various specific examples of golf clubs and golf club
head
structures according to the invention are provided below.
II. Detailed Description of Example Golf Club Heads and Golf Club
Structures According to the Invention
A. Cellular Structure Materials
[26] Fig. 1 generally illustrates a block of a cellular structure material 100
(e.g., a cellular
structure metal (which includes within its scope, unless otherwise noted,
individual
metals, alloys, amorphous metals, amorphous alloys, and/or combinations
thereof),
etc.) that may be used in golf club head construction in accordance with at
least some
examples of this invention. Cellular structure metal materials, as are known
in the art,
may include a metallic base member 102 with numerous cells or voids 104 formed
therein (also called "pores" in this specification). As is known, cellular
structure
materials (also called "cellular foams") may have a density as low as 10%, 5%,
3%, or
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lower, based on the density of the same base metal material without the
cellular
structure, and they may have an open cellular structure or a closed cellular
structure.
Regarding the other end of the spectrum, cellular metal or other materials
used in
accordance with some examples of this invention may have a density as high as
50%,
75%, 85%, or even 90% or higher, based on the density of the same base metal
material without the cellular or foam structure. Nonetheless, despite the
reduced
amount of structural materials, weight, density, and the presence of openings
in the
cellular material structure, the resulting materials maintain very desirable
physical
properties (e.g., strength, rigidity, deformation resistance or return, etc.).
Any desired
pore size range may be used in the cellular structure materials without
departing from
this invention. Also, any degree or percentage of weight density may be used
in golf
club head structures without departing from the invention, e.g., provided the
resulting
club head structures and/or portions thereof have adequate strength and other
suitable
physical properties, e.g., when the club head strikes a ball and/or is
otherwise used in
the manner intended for the club structure. Suitability of a specific cellular
structure
metal or other material for use in a golf club structure can be readily
determined
through routine experimentation.
[27] If desired, cellular structure materials, including cellular structure
metal materials,
additionally or alternatively may be used in other parts of the golf club
structure
without departing from the invention, such as in the hosel area, in the shaft,
in the
grip, etc.
[28] While any desired type of metal or other material may be used as the base
member
102 without departing from the invention, more specific examples of suitable
metal
materials include aluminum, titanium, nickel, copper, zinc, carbon, zirconium,
tungsten, lead, molybdenum, and/or combinations and alloys thereof (such as
nickel-
aluminum alloys, pewter, brass, etc.). Also, any desired method of making the
cellular structure material may be used without departing from the invention,
including conventional ways that are known and used by commercial vendors of
cellular structure materials, such as: ALM (Applied Lightweight Materials)
GmbH of
Saarbriicken, Germany; Alulight International GmbH of Ranshofen, Austria;
Cymat
Corporation of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; ERG Materials and Aerospace
Corporation of Oakland, California; Foamtech Co., Ltd. of Seoul, Korea;
FiberNide
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Ltd. of Ontario, Canada; Gleich GmbH of Kaltenkirchen, Germany; Htitte Klein-
Reichenbach Ges.m.b.H of Schwarzenau, Austria; Inco Ltd. of Toronto, Ontario,
Canada; Korea Metalfoam of Choenan, Korea; Mitsubishi Materials Corporation of
Okegawa-shi, Japan; M-Pore GmbH of Dresden, Germany; Porvair Advanced
Materials of Hendersonville, NC; Recemat International B.V. of the
Netherlands;
Reade Advanced Materials of Providence, RI; Spectra-Mat, Inc. of Watsonville,
CA;
SAS Solea of Boussens, France; and Ultramet Corporation of Pacoima, CA. Note
also, for example, the various materials and methods of making them described
in
U.S. Patent Nos. 6,932,146; 6,866,084; 6,840,301, 6,706,239; 6,592,787;
5,951,791;
5,700,363; and 4,957,543.
Furthermore, the cellular structure materials may be produced into strictures
used in
golf club heads or other golf club parts (such as shafts, hosels, etc.)' in
any desired
manner, including through conventional machining, grinding, forging, casting,
molding, and/or other processing techniques known and used in the golf club
art,
optionally before, during, and/or after the cellular forming process has been
completed.
[29] Cellular structured metal materials that may be used in accordance with
at least some
examples of this invention include individual metals as well as alloys,
combinations
of metals, combinations of metals with other materials, etc. In at least some
examples
of this invention, the cellular structure material may include an amorphous
metal or
alloy material, such as those produced by and/or available from LiquidMetal
Technologies, Inc. of Lake Forest, California. Such amorphous metal materials
(including metal alloys) and their formation into various structures are
known, for
example, as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,446,558; 6,771,490; 6,818,078;
6,843,496; 6,875,293; and 6,887,586, and the documents cited therein.
These amorphous metal materials
may be formed into cellular metal (or foamed) structures in various ways,
e.g., by at
least some of the various processes described in the preceding paragraph.
[30] As generally illustrated in Fig. 1, if desired, the pores 104 may be
generally formed
throughout the three dimensional structure of the base member 102 (e.g., a
metal alloy
base). One or more porous surfaces (such as surface 106) may remain exposed
when
the cellular structure material 100 is formed into at least a portion of the
golf club
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structure. Alternatively, if desired, one or more of the porous surfaces may
be
covered or enclosed, e.g., before, during, or after the cellular structure
material 100 is
formed into a portion of a golf club structure. Fig. 2 illustrates an example
cellular
structure material 200 in which the cells or pores 104 of the base member 102
are
enclosed in or covered by a layer of material 202, e.g., coated, impregnated,
filled,
and/or overlaid with one or more layers of material the same as or different
from the
base material 102. In this manner, an exposed surface of the material or the
resulting
club structure will not include open voids or pores, thereby presenting a
smooth,
consistent surface and/or appearance to the club structure. This type of
filled structure
also may be referred to herein as a "cellular structure material composite."
The fill
layer 202 may have any desired thickness, e.g., from 10 Angstroms to 4 cm or
even
more, or even a varying thickness. The fill layer 202 also may directly follow
the
shape or contours of the underlying base member 102 (if any), or it may
provide an
independent exterior or exposed shape from that of the underlying base member
102.
The fill layer 202 itself also may be porous or non-porous without departing
from the
invention.
[31] The layer 202 may be formed on the cellular structure base member 102 in
any
desired manner and at any desired time in the cellular structure material
and/or club
making process without departing from this invention. Additionally, the layer
202
may be made from any desired material without departing from the invention. As
more specific examples, if desired, the layer 202 may be integrally formed
with the
cellular structure base member 102, e.g., as a thin, solid sheet of the same
metal
material as that making up the cellular structure base member 102 (e.g., layer
202
may be a thin aluminum layer integrally formed as a one piece construction
with a
cellular aluminum base member 102, etc.), it may be formed of a different
metal
material, etc. If desired, a molten metal material (the same as or different
from the
base member 102) may be used to fill all or some of the exterior pores 104
and/or
provide a smooth exterior surface. As additional examples, if desired, layer
202 may
be a separate piece of material engaged with the base member 102 in any
desired
manner, such as by adhesives, cements, welding, soldering, brazing, or other
bonding
or fusing techniques, or via mechanical connectors. As still additional
examples, if
desired, layer 202 may constitute a polymeric material coating, such as an
epoxy, a
polyethylene, polyurethane, polystyrene; a glass coating; a ceramic coating; a
rubber
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coating; or the like, that is coated over (and optionally into at least some
of the voids
104 and/or at least partially filling at least some of the voids 104) and/or
forms a solid
layer atop the metal base member 102. As still additional examples, if
desired, some
or all of the voids or pores 104 of the overall metal base member 102 may be
filled or
at least partially filled with a polymeric material, such as the various
polymeric
materials described above (e.g., the polymeric material may be provided to
fill or
impregnate the pores 104 at least at or near one or more exterior surfaces 106
of the
cellular structure material 100 so as to provide a smooth finish at the
various surfaces,
etc.). Of course, still other ways of providing a smooth exterior surface
(e.g.,
including a smooth ball striking exterior surface), if desired, may be
provided without
departing from the invention. Coating, impregnating, and/or filling a cellular
structure base material 102 with polymeric or metal (or other) material may
take place
at any desired time in the cellular structure material and/or club production
process
without departing from this invention (e.g., before, during, or after foaming;
before,
during, or after club head production; before, during, or after shaft
formation or
attachment; etc.).
[32] The cellular structure materials may have any desired pore sizes, pore
size
distributions, multiple pore size distributions, or no readily discernable
pore size
distribution without departing from this invention. Additionally, if desired,
a given
golf club head structure and/or individual component may contain multiple
different
cellular structure materials, e.g., different portions of the club made of
different
materials (e.g., different metals), different portions of the club having
different
densities or pore distributions, etc. (generically called "multiple cellular
structure
materials" herein), a different fill material in the pores at different
locations, etc.
[33] In view of the above description of the cellular structure materials,
more specific
examples of golf club structures including such materials are provided below.
B. Example Putter Structures
[34] One example aspect of this invention relates to putter structures that
include one or
more parts made, at least in part, from cellular structure metal or other
materials, e.g.,
aluminum, nickel, titanium, or other cellular materials. Cellular structure
raw
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materials and/or cellular structure parts for use in the club structure may be
obtained,
for example, from one or more of the various vendors identified above.
[35] Figs. 3A through 3E illustrate examples of parts for a putter structure
300 that may be
made from a cellular structure material (e.g., a cellular structure metal
material) in
accordance with at least some examples of this invention. The first structural
member
302 (also called a "body member" in this specification), as illustrated in
Fig. 3A,
includes a first surface 304 that faces a golf ball (or other ball) when the
club head is
used. The body member 302 in this illustrated example essentially is
rectangular
cubic shaped such that a second surface 306 is located opposite the first
surface 304.
Of course, a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and orientations of body member
302
and/or other putter head designs may be used without departing from the
invention.
[36] The second surface 306 of this example body member structure 302 has an
opening
308 defined therein. Opening 308 in this example structure extends completely
through the body member 302, from the second surface 306 to the first surface
304.
In other examples, if desired, the opening 308 need not extend all of the way
through
the club head portion of body member 302. For example, if desired, the opening
308
could begin at surface 306 and extend part way through the club head portion
of body
member 302 but terminate before it reaches the first surface 304. As another
example, if desired, the opening 308 may be provided in the top surface 310 or
another surface of the club head portion of the body member 302 without
departing
from the invention, optionally with or without an opening provided in the
front
surface 304. As still another example, if desired, in some structures, no
opening will
be required (e.g., the insert member 350, as described in more detail in
conjunction
with Fig. 3B, may be integrally formed with or attached to the body member 302
in
some manner).
[37] The body member 302 of this example structure further includes a base
member 312
that extends in a direction behind the club head face and away from the first
surface
304 and the second surface 306. The base member 312 may take on a wide variety
of
different structures and shapes without departing from the invention. In the
illustrated
example, the base member 312 includes a lowered flat region 314 immediately
adjacent the opening 308 to provide easy access to the opening 308 (for
reasons that
will become more apparent in the description to follow). From the lowered flat
region
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314, the base member 312 forms an angled portion 316 that extends back away
from
the club head portion of the body member 302 and upward, and then the base
member
312 of this example structure further provides a handle or shaft mounting
system 318.
Any suitable or desired manner of mounting a shaft or handle to the club head
body
member 302 may be used without departing from the invention, including
conventional manners known and used in the art. For example, a shaft may be
screwed or threaded into a suitable receptacle region 318 on the base member
312, it
may be secured via adhesives, mechanical connectors, and/or the like.
[38] The base member 312 of this example structure extends back further and
provides a
securing region 320. The securing region 320 is used in this example structure
to
secure the body member 302 to another portion of the overall club head
structure 300,
as will be described in more detail below.
[391 The base member 312 may be included as part of the club head portion of
the body
member 302 in any suitable or desired manner without departing from the
invention.
For example, the entire structure 302 may be a unitary, one-piece
construction, e.g.,
formed by casting, forging, molding, machining, etc. As another example, the
base
member 312 may be welded, soldered, press fit, inserted into, adhesively
applied to,
and/or otherwise attached to the club head portion of the body member 302. The
base
member 312 and the club head portion of the body member 302 may be made from
any suitable or desired material without departing from the invention,
including
conventional materials known and used in the art. Examples of suitable
materials
include: aluminum, titanium, nickel, steel, brass, pewter, carbon fiber,
polymers,
glasses, ceramics, rubber, etc. Also, if desired, the base member 312 and/or
the club
head portion 302 may be constructed from a cellular structure material,
including
cellular structure metal materials, as described above, optionally with a
coating or
other layer to provide a smooth exterior or at least the ball striking
surface.
[401 The base member 312 also may be attached to or otherwise included as-part
of the
club head portion of the body member 302 at any desired position or location
without
departing from the invention. In this illustrated example, the base member 312
extends from the bottom center of the club head, below opening 308.
Alternatively, if
desired, as additional examples, the base member 312 may extend from the top
of the
club head (e.g., above opening 308), from the top surface 310, from along one
or both
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sides of the opening 308, from the side and/or bottom surfaces of the club
head
portion, and/or from any other desired location without departing from the
invention.
As another example, if desired, the base member 312 may extend from and/or be
included as part of the insert portion 350, which is described in more detail
below in
conjunction with Fig. 3B. In still other examples, if desired, no base member
312 is
required in the overall body member structure 302 and/or the overall putter
structure.
[411 Notably, the base member 312 in this example has a very open or "truss-
like"
structure, with open areas 322 defined in it at various locations. These open
areas
322, along with the potential construction of all or some portion of the body
member
302 from a cellular structure material, help reduce the overall weight of the
body
member 302, which allows additional weight to be distributed elsewhere in the
overall
club head structure, while still maintaining an overall strong and stable
structure and
avoiding an excessively heavy structure. The material(s) making up the body
member
302, including the base member 312, also may be selected so as to avoid
creating an
excessively heavy club head structure. The potential re-distribution of weight
in the
overall club head structure and its advantageous effects on the club head's
moment of
inertia, center of gravity, and/or other characteristics will be described in
more detail
below. -
[421 Fig. 3B illustrates an example of a second piece of a putter head in
accordance with at
least some examples of this invention. This second member 350 (also called an
"insert member" in this specification) includes an insert portion 352 that is
sized and
shaped so as to be received in the opening 308 defined in the body member 302
(e.g.,
press or friction fit. into the opening 308, adhesively engaged within the
opening 308,
etc.). This example insert member 350 further includes a body portion 354 that
extends in a direction away from the insert portion 352. The insert portion
352 and
the body portion 354 may be of a unitary, one-piece construction, or
alternatively, if
desired, the insert portion 352 may be separate from and engaged with the body
portion 354 in any desired manner without departing from the invention, such
as via
welding, soldering, brazing, adhesives, mechanical connectors, inserts, press
fitting,
and the like. Moreover, the insert member 350, optionally including the insert
portion
352 and the body portion 354, may. be formed of any suitable or desired
materials
without departing from the invention, including conventional materials known
and
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used in the art. As more specific examples, the various portions of insert
member 350
may be constructed from one or more. of. aluminum, titanium, steel, brass,
pewter,
nickel, carbon fiber, polymers, glasses, ceramics, rubbers, etc. If desired,
in at least
some examples of this invention, at least some portion(s) of the insert member
350
(e.g., the insert portion 352 and/or the body portion 354), or even all of it,
may be
constructed from a cellular structure material (optionally a cellular
structure material
such as a cellular structure metal material that displays a smooth exterior
surface, e.g.,
due to filling, coating, impregnating, or layering, as described above).
[43] The insert member 350, including the insert portion 352 and/or the body
portion 354,
may take on any desired shape or form without departing from the invention. In
at
least some examples of the invention, the body portion 354 will be constructed
and
shaped so as to form an open area 356 (or another central area of reduced
mass). In
this illustrated example, the body portion 354 is generally triangular shaped
including
a base side 358 and two side arms 360 and 362, wherein the open area 356 is
defined
between the base side 358 and the side arms 360 and 362. The base side 358, in
this
example, extends in a direction parallel to (or substantially parallel to) a
front surface
364 of the insert portion 352 (and it will extend parallel to (or
substantially parallel to)
the front surface 304 of base member 302, when the insert member 350 is joined
with
base member 302). Of course, any desired arm lengths, arm widths, arm
thicknesses,
base side lengths, base side thicknesses, relative arm angles, and the like
may be used
in the insert member 350 without departing from the invention. Also, shapes
other
than the generally triangular shape shown in Fig. 3B may be used for the
insert
member 350 without departing from the invention, such as rectangular shaped,
elliptical-shaped, round-shaped, trapezoidal-shaped, etc.
[44] The open area 356 helps reduce the overall weight of the insert member
350. To
further reduce the weight of the insert member 350, if necessary or desired,
interior
portions of its structure (e.g., its arms 360 and 362 or base side 358) may be
hollowed
out, formed into an open or "truss-like" structure (e.g., similar to the
structure for the
base member 312 shown in Fig. 3A) and/or formed from a cellular structure
material.
As still another example, the insert portion 352 is shown in Fig. 3B as
including two
cut out or hollowed out regions 352a and 352b, which may extend completely
through
the insert portion 352 (if desired, these hollowed out regions 352a and 352b
could
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partially extend through the insert portion 352). Of course, such cut out or
hollowed
out regions may be provided along the side arms 360 and 362 and/or along the
base
side 358 without departing from the invention. Also, if desired, the
material(s) for
constructing the insert member 352 may be selected so as to control the
overall weight
of the device (e.g., lightweight aluminum or titanium materials, etc.).
[45] The cut out or hollowed out regions 352a and 352b (if any), as well
as,the open area
356 (if any) and the open structure 322 of the base member 312, as well as the
structure of the materials used to make up at least some of these elements
(e.g.,
lightweight materials made from, for example, aluminum, titanium, nickel,
polymers,
glasses, ceramics, rubbers, etc.), help reduce the overall weight of the
entire club
head. The reduced weight enables club makers and designers to apply additional
weight at other selected locations in the overall club head structure without
excessively increasing the club head's total weight. Weight distribution and
control
of this type allows one to change and/or control the swing characteristics of
the
overall club head (e.g., increase the club head's moment of inertia, etc.).
Any desired
way of redistributing and/or weighting the club head 300 may be used without
departing from the invention. For example, the insert member 350 may include
receptacles 366 and 368 for receiving weighted members 370 and 372,
respectively,
such as weighted inserts including lead, tungsten, or other heavy metals or
materials.
If desired, the weighted members 370 and 372 may be removably mounted to the
insert member 350, e.g., by removable adhesives, threads, turnbuckles, clamps,
clasps, set screws, or other mechanical connections, so that the weighted
members
370 and 372 may be easily removed from their receptacles 366 and 368,
interchanged
for other weighted members, etc. This feature enables customization of,the
swing
characteristics of the overall club head to better suit an individual user's
swing
characteristics, preferences, and the like.
[461 The receptacles 366 and 368 (and hence the weighted inserts 370 and 372)
may be
provided at any desired location on the overall club head structure 300
without
departing from the invention. In at least some examples of the invention, as
illustrated in Figs. 3B and 3E, the receptacles 366 and 368 are located on the
insert
member 350, and even more particularly, on the body portion 354 of the insert
member 350, e.g., at locations remote from the insert portion 352 and/or away
from
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the center of the ball striking surface. Using the triangular shaped body
portion 354
shown in Fig. 3B, the weighted member receptacles 366 and 368 (and hence the
weighted members 370 and 372 themselves) may be located-at the corner regions
of
the triangular shaped body portion 354, generally at the locations where the
base side
358 meets each of the side arms 360 and 362. This arrangement provides the
weighted members 370 and 372 behind the ball striking face and toward the club
head's heel and toe, which increases the club head's moment of inertia
characteristics
(e.g., its resistance to twisting during a swing and/or during contact with a
ball).
[47] Figs. 3C and 3D illustrate different perspective views of an example
overall putter
structure 300 including the body member 302 and the insert member 350 as
illustrated
in Figs. 3A and 3B. As shown in Fig. 3C, the insert portion 352 of the insert
member
350 fits into the opening 308 provided in the back surface 306 of the body
member
302. The flattened region 314 and the angled region 316 of the base member 312
provide sufficient room to allow insertion of the insert portion 352 into the
opening
308. The insert member 350 and the body member 302 may be secured together at
the insert portion 352/opening 308 location, if desired, in any desired manner
without
departing from the invention, including in conventional manners known in the
art,
such as via welding, adhesives, mechanical connections, spring-loaded detents
or
other mechanical engaging systems, other bonding techniques, other fusing
techniques, or the like. If desired, the insert member 350 and the body member
302
may be secured together in a removable manner (e.g., via bolts, nuts, screws,
set
screws, clamps, clasps, or other mechanical connectors) without departing from
the
invention so that different parts of the overall putter structure 300 can be
interchanged, e.g., by a user, a club repair person, by a club fitter, etc.,
e.g., to allow
changes to the club's swing characteristics, to customize the club head 300 to
a user's
preferences, to change the club head 300 based on play conditions (e.g., fast
greens v.
slow greens, wet conditions v. dry conditions, etc.), etc. As another example,
the
insert member 350 and the body member 302 may be press fitted together at the
insert
portion 352/opening 308 (e.g., sized and shaped so as to tightly fit together)
and/or
mechanical attachments may be used to hold the pieces together, without
permanently
fixing the insert portion 352 into the opening 308. Figs. 3C and 3D further
illustrate a
shaft or handle 380 mounted to the base member 312 at the shaft mounting
region
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318. If desired, the shaft or handle 380 may be made, at least in part, from a
cellular
structure material.
[48] Additional features present in structures according to at least some
examples of the
invention are shown in Figs. 3C and 3D. As shown in these figures, the body
member
302 and the insert member 350 may be secured to one another at a location
where the
base member 312 meets the body portion 354 of the insert member 350. While any
manner of securing these members 302 and 350 together may be used without
departing from the invention, in the illustrated example, one or-more bolts,
screws;
rivets, or other connectors 382 pass through securing region 320 of body
member 302
and through securing region 374 of insert member 350 (see also Figs. 3A and
3B).
Alternatively (or additionally), if desired, the base member 312 of the body
member
302 may be secured to the body portion 354 of the insert member 350 at the
securing
region 320 by adhesives, welding, soldering, set screws, clamps, clasps,
spring-loaded
detent mechanisms, other mechanical connectors, and/or in any other desired
manner
without departing from the invention, including in conventional manners known
and
used in the art.
[491 As further illustrated by Fig. 3D, the opening 308 in this example
structure extends all
of the way through the body member 302, ending at the front surface 304 of the
body
member 302. Accordingly, when the insert member 350 is inserted into the
opening
308 in this example structure, the front face 364 of the insert member 350 is
exposed
through the front surface 304 of the body member 302. In the illustrated
example, the
front surfaces 304 and 364 of the body member 302 and the insert member 350,
respectively, are flush or substantially flush with one another in the final
club head
structure 300, and these surfaces 304 and 364 together form the ball striking
surface
of this example putter structure 300.
[50] Fig. 3E illustrates an overhead view of the club head structure 300 of
Figs. 3A
through 3D. Various "hidden" features of the insert member 350 in this view
are
shown in broken lines to help provide a more complete picture of the club head
structure 300 according to this example of the invention.
[51] As generally described above, the combination of the use of lightweight
materials
(such as the cellular structure materials for at least portions of the insert
member 350,
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the base member 302, and/or the shaft member 380) and/or the open areas in the
club
head structure (e.g., areas 322, 352a, 352b, 356, and the like) reduce the
mass of the
overall club head structure 300 and allow the club designer or manufacturer to
place
that mass at other locations in the design (e.g., using permanent weights,
removable
weighted members 370 and 372, etc.) and thereby change and/or control the
swing
characteristics of the club. In the example illustrated in Figs. 3A through
3E, much of
this mass is redistributed at the outer regions of the club head 300, behind
the ball
striking face and toward the club head's heel and toe (e.g., at the external
corners or
external perimeter of the triangular shaped insert member's body portion 354,
between arms 360 and 362 and the base member 358)_ Using additional weighting
of
a club head, e.g., of the type illustrated in Figs. 3A through 3E, the overall
club head
design (i.e., the combination of body member 302, insert member 350, and any
weighted inserts) may be structured and weighted so that the club head will
have a
high moment of inertia, e.g., at least 10,000 g/cm2 about the center of the
ball striking
face 304 and 364. The moment of inertia provides a measure of a club head's
resistance to twisting, e.g., both during a swing and/or during contact with
an object to
be hit (e.g., such as a golf ball). A twisted or twisting club head, either
during a swing
or during contact, will tend to send a ball off-line, with undesired spin,
and/or miss the
club's desired ball contact location, e.g., resulting in a loss of distance or
a mis-
directed hit. Therefore, the high moment of inertia associated with club head
structures according to at least some examples of the invention may help
prevent club
head twisting and/or mis-hits.
[52] Of course, many variations in the design of the various parts of a putter
structure are
possible without departing from the invention. For example, if desired, the
connection between the base side 358 of the insert member 350 and the base
member
312 can be omitted, and thus the base member 312 need not extend all the way
to the
base side 358. Also, if desired, any of the open areas 322, 352a, 352b, and/or
356
may be omitted, may be covered, and/or may be made larger or smaller without
departing from the invention.
[53] Figs. 4A and 4B provide perspective views of another example putter
structure 400 in
accordance with this invention. In this example, a body member 402 provides a
ball
striking portion 404 and a base member 406 extending away from the ball
striking
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portion 404 (and toward the rear of the club structure 400). An opening 408 is
defined in the rear surface 410 of the ball striking portion 404, and this
opening 408
extends from the rear surface 410 through to the front surface 412, which
faces the
ball during use. If desired, of course, the opening 408 could begin at rear
surface 410
and extend part way through the ball striking portion 404 of body member 402
and
terminate before it reaches the front surface 412. As another example, if
desired, the
opening 408 may be provided in another surface of the ball striking portion
404, or
not at all, without departing from the invention. Also, if desired, the ball
striking
portion 404 may take on any desired form (and is not limited to a generally
cubic
rectangular form in all examples of the invention).
[54] The base member 406 of this example structure 400 includes a flattened
portion 414
and an angled portion 416 to allow room for insertion of an insert member 450
into
the opening 408, which will be described in more detail below. A shaft or
handle
receptacle 418 is provided along the angled portion 416 of the base member
406, in an
off-set manner. Of course, this shaft or handle receptacle 418, or other shaft
mounting means, may be provided at any desired location or in any desired
orientation without departing from the invention. Additionally or
alternatively, the
shaft or handle may be mounted to the putter structure 400 at any desired
location on
the structure 400 (including on the insert member 450 or on both the body
member
402 and the insert member 450) without departing from the invention.
[55] Insert member 450 includes an insert portion 452 and a body portion 454.
The insert
portion 452 is inserted into the opening 408 of the body member 402, and the
body
portion 454 extends in a direction rearward and away from the ball striking
portion
404. In this example, the base member 406 of the body member 402 does not
attach
to the body portion 454 of the insert member 450, although the body member 402
may be attached to the insert member 450 at the insert portion 452/opening 408
interface (e.g., using adhesives, welding, set screws, bolts, clamps, clasps,
other
mechanical connectors, a tight friction fit, press fitting, etc.). Optionally,
the body
member 402 and the insert member 450 may be removably attached to one another
such that repairs may be made, the swing characteristics of the overall club
head 400
may be changed, etc., e.g., by interchanging body members 402 and insert
members
450. This feature may allow users or club fitters to freely customize the club
by
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interchanging body members 402 and/or insert members 450, e.g., to suit their
swing
characteristics or preferences, to match play conditions (e.g., fast greens v.
slow
greens, wet conditions v. dry conditions, etc.), etc.
[56] In this illustrated example, the body portion 454 of insert member 450 is
generally
triangular shaped, with two side arms 456 and 458 and a base side 460. The
body
portion 454 has a reduced weight area, in this example embodied as an open
area 462
defined in the body portion. Also, if desired, all or at least some portions
of the insert
member 450 (and/or the body member 402) may be constructed from a cellular
structure material (e.g., a cellular structure metal, semi-metal, amorphous
metal,
polymer, rubber, ceramic, etc.), to further reduce the weight of the main body
portion(s) of the overall club head structure 400. Additional weighted areas
464 and
466 may be provided at the corner regions of the triangular base structure
(i.e., where
the base side 460 meets the two side arms 456 and 458), to thereby re-
distribute
weight (e.g., saved via use of the cellular structure material and/or open
area 462
structures) to the rear, heel,.and toe regions of the club head structure 400.
Rather
than providing selectively removable weighted members (like those shown in
Figs.
3B and 3E), in this example structure 400, the weighted areas 464 and 466 are
provided by not extending the open area 462 all the way to the corners of the
triangular structure (e.g., at least some of the metal, cellular structure
material,
polymeric, or other structural material of the body portion 454 is left at the
areas of
the body portion remote from the ball striking portion 404, and optionally,
these areas
464 and 466 may be made from and/or constructed to include a denser or
weighted
material, such as lead or tungsten materials). If desired, additional weights
may be
fitted and received in the weighted areas 464 and 466, optionally in a
selectively
removable manner, without departing from the invention. The additional
weights, if
present, may be in the form of metal or weighted inserts (e.g., lead,
tungsten, etc.),
weighted adhesive (e.g., lead tape), or any other form without departing from
the
invention.
[57] As shown in Fig. 4A, the front surface 468 of the insert member 450 is
exposed
through the opening 408 and forms at least a part of the ball striking surface
of the
putter structure 400. While the front surface 468 of the insert member 450 and
the
front surface 412 of the body member 402 are shown flush (or substantially
flush) in
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this illustrated example (and together form the overall ball striking face of
the putter
structure 400), if desired, these surfaces need not be flush. For example, if
desired,
the front surface 468 of the insert member 450 may extend out of the opening
408 and
in front of the front surface. 412 of the body member 402 (e.g., such that the
front
surface 468 exclusively forms the ball striking face of the putter structure
400).
Various sizes and/or shapes of front surface 468 exposed through the opening
408 (if
any) may be used without departing from the invention.
[58] The putter structure 400 of this example includes additional features.
For example, as
illustrated, the base side 460 is curved and provides an indicia area 470.
These
features provide an interesting aesthetic design to the club head 400. If
desired, a club
maker, manufacturer, or another may provide a logo, model name, model number,
owner's name, and/or.other indicia or data in the indicia area 470.
[59] The putter structure 400 of Figs. 4A and 4B also differs from the
examples illustrated
in Figs. 3A through 3E in that the base member 406 of the body member 402
extends
from the top area of the ball striking head 404, rather than the bottom area.
Thus, the
flattened area 414 of the base member 406 extends away from the ball striking
surface
412 and the insert member 450 fits underneath the base member 406. This
structure
400 also provides the angled portion 416 and the handle mount 418 extending in
different directions as compared to the structures described above in
conjunction with
Figs. 3A through 3E. Of course, the base member 406 may be provided at other
locations, including beneath opening 408, along side opening 408, and/or
elsewhere,
without departing from the invention. Numerous other structural modifications
and
the like are possible without departing from the invention. Also, if desired,
the
overall putter head structure 400 may be formed as a one piece construction
without
departing from the invention.
[60] Fig. 5 illustrates another example of a putter structure 500 according to
some example
aspects of this invention. In this example structure, the putter head 500
includes a ball
striking front surface 502 and a body member 504 extending in a direction away
from
the ball striking surface 502. Putter heads of this general design may have a
moment
of inertia about a center of the ball striking surface 502 of at least 20,000
g/cm2, and
in at least some examples the moment of inertia will be at least 25,000 g/cm2,
and
even at least 28,000=g/cm2 in some examples.
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[61] As with the various examples described above, the material that makes up
all or at
'least some portions of the golf club head 500 may help provide the desirable
moment
of inertia characteristics described above. For example, all or at least some
of the
body portion 504 may be made of a lightweight material, such as a lightweight
polymeric material (e.g., a polyamide or nylon material, a polymeric cellular
structured material, etc.), a lightweight metal material (e.g., such as a
cellular
structure aluminum, titanium, and/or nickel material), or the like. In at
least some
examples, the body portion 504 and the ball striking portion 506 of the club
head
(e.g., the portion of the club head including the ball striking surface 502)
may be
integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece construction, e.g., from a cellular
structure
material as described above. If desired, however, the body portion 504 may be
designed as an insert that fits into one or more openings provided in the ball
striking
portion 506, as described above in more detail in conjunction with Figs. 3A
through
4B. As still another option, the body portion 504 may be attached to a
separate ball
striking portion 506 in any desired manner without departing from the
invention (e.g.,
using adhesives, mechanical connectors, welding, etc.). If desired, the ball
striking
portion'506 may be made of a different material as compared to the body
portion 504
without departing from this invention (e.g., each made from different cellular
structure materials, etc.).
[62] The ball striking front surface 502 may take on various forms without
departing from
the invention. For example, the ball striking surface 502 may be integrally
formed as
simply the front-most surface of the ball striking portion 506. As another
alternative,
if desired, the ball striking surface 502 may be a metal plate, polymeric
coating, or
other material that is attached to or formed on the front of the ball striking
portion
506, e.g., using adhesives, screws, mechanical connectors, coating technology,
etc.
As still another option, the ball striking surface 502 and/or the ball
striking portion
506 may be integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece construction with the
remainder
of the body portion 504 without departing from the invention. As yet another
option,
at least a portion of the ball striking surface 502 may be provided as an
insert portion
attached to or formed as part,of the body member 504 (or another structural
member)
that is inserted into an opening defined in the ball striking portion 506,
e.g., as
generally described above in connection with Figs. 3A through 4B. Other ways
of
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69275-276
providing the ball striking surface 502 may be utilized without departing from
this
invention.
[631 Additional features of the structure of the club head 500 may help
produce the
favorable moment of inertia characteristics described above. For example, the
body
member 504 may be designed so as to extend behind and outside the ball
striking
surface 502. For example, side arms 508 and 510 of the body member 504 may
extend back and outside of the ball striking portion 506. The body member 504
further may include a base member 512 that extends behind the ball striking
portion
506, in a manner parallel to (or essentially parallel to) the ball striking
surface 502.
Thus, the overall club head structure 500. may have a generally trapezoidal or
triangular appearance (e.g., depending on the location where the arms 508 and
510
meet the ball striking portion 506), with an optionally open area 514 defined
in its
center. The arms 508 and 510 are illustrated as being shorter than the ball
striking
portion 506 (into and out of the page of Fig. 5), and the base member 512 has
an even
thinner portion 516. These reduced sizes, as well as the open area 514, help
reduce
the overall weight of the, body member 504. (and optionally make that weight
available for redistribution elsewhere in the club head structure 500, as will
be
described in more detail below). If desired, the arms 508 and 510 and/or the
base
member 512 may be hollowed out and/or produced in a "truss-like" manner and/or
formed at least partially from a cellular structure material, to further
reduce their
weight (and to further make that weight available for redistribution
elsewhere).
[641 In at least some examples of the invention,'the club head 500 may be
relatively large
sized, e.g., at or near the limits permitted by current United States Golf
Association
(USGA) regulations and guidelines. Currently, the USGA guidelines limit putter
head
designs to: (a) a maximum overall width (e.g., dimension "A" in Fig. 5) of
seven inches
(A < 7 inches); (b) a maximum overall depth (e.g., dimension "C" in Fig. 5) of
less
than dimension "A" (A > C); (c) a minimum face width (e.g., dimension "B" in
Fig. 5)
of at least 2/3 of dimension "C" and at least '/2 of dimension "A" (B > 2/3 C
and
B > '/2 A); and (d) a maximum overall height (e.g., into and out of the page
of Fig. 5)
of 2.5 inches.
[65] In this illustrated example, the body member 504 includes a pair of
weighted member
receptacles 518 and 520 located behind the ball striking surface 502 and at
least
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partially outside of this surface 502 (e.g., toward the club head's heel and
toe
directions). More specifically, at least some portions of the weighted member
receptacles 518 and 520 are located outside of a plane oriented perpendicular
to the
ball striking surface 502 and located at the respective ends 502a and 502b of
the ball
striking surface 502 (see planes P, and P2 in Fig. 5). If desired, in at least
some
examples, the entire weighted member receptacles 518 and 520 may be located
outside of these planes without departing from the invention. Weighted members
522
and 524 (e.g., lead, tungsten, or other heavy material inserts) may be
provided in the
receptacles 518 and 520, respectively, to provide extra weighting behind and
generally at the outer perimeter or at the heel and toe portions of the club
head
structure 500. Thus, at least some portions (or all) of the weighted members
522 and
524 also are located outside of the planes P, and P2 described above.
[661 The example structure 500 illustrated in Fig. 5 further includes a base
portion 526
extending away from the ball striking surface 502 and toward the rear of the
club head
structure 500. This base portion 526 may be provided at the very center of the
ball
striking surface 502, and thereby may act as an alignment aid for the putter
head
structure 500 (e.g., identifying the desired ball contact location of the.
club head). The
base portion 526 may extend from and/or attach to the ball striking portion
506 and/or
the body portion 504 in any desired manner without departing from the
invention.
For example, the base portion 526 may be attached to one or more of the body
portion
504, the ball striking surface 502, and/or the ball striking portion 506,
e.g., via
adhesives, welding, soldering, mechanical connectors, and the like. As another
example, the base portion 526 may be integrally formed as a unitary one-piece
construction with the body portion 504, the ball striking surface 502, and/or
the ball
striking portion 506, optionally made from the same materials as one or more
of these
elements, without departing from the invention. If desired, the base portion
526 may
be formed, at least in part, from a cellular structure material.
[67] The club head structure 500 further may include a shaft mounting member
528 (e.g., a
hosel member) to which a shaft 530 is mounted, e.g., in any desired manner,
including
in conventional manners known and used in the art. Any desired type of shaft
530
may be used without departing from the invention, including shafts 530 of
conventional design and made of conventional materials as are known and used
in the
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art. Alternatively, if desired, either or both of the shaft mounting member
528 and the
shaft 530 may be made from a cellular structure material.
C. Example Iron Type Golf Club Structures
[68] Putters are not the only types of golf clubs that can take advantage of
the weight
saving properties of cellular structure materials. These lightweight materials
also can
be used, for example, in iron type golf club structures. Referring to Figs. 6A
through
6C, a golf club 600 in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention is
illustrated. This example golf club 600 includes a shaft 602 and a golf club
head 604.
The golf club head 604 of Figs. 6A through 6C may be representative of any
iron or
hybrid type golf club head. The shaft 602 of golf club 600 may be made of
various
materials, such as one or more of steel, titanium, graphite, or composite
materials, as
well as combinations thereof, including materials that are conventionally
known and
used in the art. As another example, if desired, the shaft 602 may be made, at
least in
part, from a cellular structure material. Additionally, the shaft 602 may be
attached to
the club head 604 in any desired manner, including in conventional manners
known
and used in the art (e.g., via adhesives or cements at a hosel element 612
(which itself
may be made from a cellular structure material), via threads or other
mechanical
connectors, etc.). A grip element (not shown) may be positioned on the shaft
602 to
provide a golfer with a slip resistant surface with which to grasp golf club
shaft 602.
The grip element may be attached to the shaft 602 in any desired manner,
including in
conventional manners known and used in the art (e.g., via adhesives or
cements,
mechanical connectors, etc.).
[691 As shown in FIG. 6A, the golf club head 604 includes a body member 606
that
includes a heel portion 608 and a toe portion 610. The heel portion 608 is
attached to
and/or extends from a hosel 612 (e.g., as a unitary or integral one-piece
construction)
for connecting the shaft 602 of Fig. 6A to the golf club head 604. The body
member
606 also includes a top portion 614 and a sole portion 616. A striking face
618 is
provided between the top portion 614 and the sole portion 616, and between the
toe
610 and the heel 608. The striking face 618 provides a contact area for
engaging and
propelling a golf ball in an intended direction. The striking face 618 may
include
grooves 620 (e.g., generally horizontal grooves 620 extending across the face
618 in
the illustrated example) for the removal of water and grass from the striking
face 618
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during a ball strike. Of course, any number of grooves and desired groove
pattern
may be provided (or even no groove pattern, if desired), without departing
from this
invention.
[70] The body member 606 of the golf club head 604 may be constructed from a
wide
variety of different materials, including materials known and used in the art,
such as
steel, titanium, aluminum, nickel, tungsten, graphite, polymers, or
composites, or
combinations thereof. Advantageously, at least some portion of the club head
structure (e.g., a major body portion thereof) will be formed from a cellular
structure
material. Also, the club head 604 may be made from any number of independent
pieces and/or by any construction technique, including, for example, casting,
forging,
and/or other methods known and used in the art.
[71] Fig. 6B illustrates a rear view of a golf club head 604 in accordance
with at least some
examples of this invention. This example golf club head 604 includes a rear
face 624
positioned opposite the striking face 618. The rear face 624 forms or defines
a first
rear cavity 626 having a relatively large opening. A bridge member 628 extends
across the first rear cavity 626, and this bridge member 628 may connect the
heel
portion 608 of the club head 604 to the toe portion 610. Bridge member 628
also may
extend across the first rear cavity 626 in other directions and may be
connected at
various other locations on a golf club head structure without departing from
the
invention, as shown, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 6,450,897 issued on
September
17, 2002 to John T. Stites, et al.
Bridge member, 628 may have any desired shape, such as rectangular, oval,
triangular, trapezoidal, square, or other symmetrical or asymmetrical shapes.
Bridge
member 628 also may have a uniform or non-uniform width or thickness
throughout
its length.
(721 Bridge member 628 may be connected to the toe portion 610 and/or the heel
portion
608 (or other portion(s)) of the club head 604 in any desired manner,
including
through the use of mechanical connectors (such as rivets or screws 630),
fusing
techniques (such as welding, soldering, brazing, etc.), bonding techniques
(such as
adhesives or cements), etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that
bridge member
628 may be connected to the toe portion 610 and/or the heel portion 608 using
fewer
or additional connection points or elements than shown in Fig. 6B and/or
through
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numerous other connection means and/or techniques without departing from the
present invention. As still additional examples, if desired, bridge member 628
may be
formed with the golf club head 604 in a single casting and/or as a single
unitary
element, thereby making the bridge member 628 a one piece construction with
the
golf club head 604.
[73] In the golf club head structure 604 according to this illustrated example
of the
invention, a second rear cavity 632 is provided below the bridge member 628,
as
shown in Fig. 6B. With reference to Fig. 6C, a cross-sectional view of an
example
golf club head 604 is illustrated. As shown, in this arrangement, a major body
portion
640 of the club head 604 is formed from a cellular structure material, e.g.,
made from
foamed aluminum, titanium, nickel, etc. A face plate 642 is formed on and/or
overlays the cellular structure material 640, to provide a solid, consistent
surface
through which the ball is struck. The face plate 642 may be integrated with
the major
body portion 640 in any desired manner, e.g, fabricated as a one piece
construction;
welded, brazed, or soldered thereto; bonded thereto with cements or adhesives,
etc.;
coated or filled therein (e.g., as a molten metal or polymer coating or
filling, etc.); etc.
Also, the face plate 642 may be made from the same or a different material as
compared with the material of the major body portion 640.
[74] The illustrated example arrangement in Fig. 6C shows an optional wall 634
extending
from the sole portion 616 of the club head 604 to the bridge member 628. The
wall
634, at least in part, creates or defines the second rear cavity 632, which
includes an
opening positioned below bridge member 628 in this club head structure 604.
The
wall 634 may be formed so as to include a front surface (facing outward,
toward
second cavity 632), a back surface (facing inward, toward first cavity 626), a
top
surface, and a bottom surface. If desired, a space may exist between the back
surface
of wall 634 and the rear face 624 of the golf club head 604. Additionally, if
desired,
additional elements, such as weighted members, plastic members, a fluid filled
bladder, a pressurized bladder, or the like, may be provided in the cavity 626
between
the bridge member 628 and/or wall member 634 and the rear wall 624 of the club
head, e.g., to change the sound, vibrational response, swing feel, and/or
other feel
characteristics of the club head 606.
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[75] The wall 634, when present,. may be integrally formed with the club head
604 and/or
the bridge member 628, e.g., to provide additional support and stiffness to
the bridge
member 628. Wall 634 may be linear, curved, or otherwise shaped, e.g.,
depending
upon the shape of bridge member 628, the shape of the club head 604, desired
aesthetics, etc. Like the club head 604, the wall 634 and/or the bridge member
628
may be made from a. wide variety of materials, such as stainless steels,
titanium,
graphite, plastics, polymeric materials, composite materials, combinations
thereof,
and/or other materials conventionally used in golf club head manufacture.
Also, the
club head 604, the wall 634, and the bridge member 628 may be made from the
same
or different materials without departing from this invention. The additional
support
and stiffness to bridge member 628 provided by the wall 634, if any, may help
prevent or reduce deformation of bridge member 628 upon contact with a golf
ball. In
addition, if desired, the wall 634 may provide at least some vibration damping
effect
upon impact of striking face 618 with a golf ball. The wall 634 also may be
used as a
weighting member for the club head 604.
[761 The wall 634, if any, may be secured in the club head structure 604
(e.g., to the bridge
member 628 and/or to other portions of the club head 604) in any desired
manner
.without departing from this invention. As some more specific examples, the
front
surface and/or the bottom surface of wall 634 may be secured to the bridge
member
628 and/or the sole portion 616, respectively, using an adhesive or cement.
Optionally, if desired, the wall 634 may fit into grooves or recessed areas
provided in
the surfaces of the bridge member 628 and/or the sole portion 616. Those
skilled in
the art will recognize that numerous other ways exist to attach the wall 634
to the
bridge member 628 and sole portion 616 (or to other portions of the club head
structure 604) without departing from this invention. These numerous other
ways of
attachment are contemplated and fall within the scope of the present
invention.
[771 During the game of golf, an individual holds and swings the golf club 600
such that
club head 604 traverses a generally arcuate path and impacts a golf ball. A
portion of
the inertia of the golf club 600, and particularly the inertia of the golf
club head 604,
then is transferred to the golf ball to propel the golf ball. The position of
a center of
gravity of the club head 604 during the ball strike has an influence upon the
ball's
flight, e.g., whether the golf ball curves right, curves left, or follows a
generally
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straight route, as well as the extent of the curvature. The golf ball will
follow a
generally straight route when the club head 604's center of gravity is
positioned
directly behind the point of engagement of the ball with the striking face
618. When
the club head 604's center of gravity is spaced to one side of this point of
engagement
with the ball, however, the golf ball may follow a route that curves left or
right. The
position of the center of gravity of golf club head 604 during contact with a
ball also
will influence whether the golf ball exhibits a low, boring trajectory or a
high,
climbing trajectory, depending upon whether the center of gravity is spaced
above or
below the point of engagement of the ball on striking face 618.
[78] Although the concepts behind utilizing a golf club 600 to propel a golf
ball toward an
intended target appear relatively simple, the actual practice of propelling
the golf ball
in an intended manner can be quite difficult. The golf ball may, for example,
consistently curve right when, in fact, the individual intends to propel the
golf ball
along a substantially straight route. Many conventional golf club heads have a
center
of gravity located at the striking face. However, changing the position of the
center of
gravity of the golf club head 604 for different golf clubs may assist many
golfers in
squaring the club head face 618 upon impact with a golf ball and better
propelling the
ball along its intended path. The use of cellular structure materials for at
least some
portions of the golf club head 604 or other portions of the golf club
structure (such as
hosel 612 or shaft 602) can assist in club design by enabling club designers
and
manufacturers to selectively place weight and move the center of gravity to
positions
so as to better affect the ball flight. For example, positioning the center of
gravity of
the club head 604 away from the striking face 618 and toward the rear of the
golf club
head 604 may better conform to the play characteristics, style, and
preferences of
many golfers. Accordingly, golfers may be able to correct or modify the route
of a
golf ball by using the golf club head 604 of the present invention as the
center of
gravity of golf club head 604 is repositioned with respect to striking face
618 as
compared to other golf club heads.
[79] The center of gravity of golf club head 604, also referred to herein as
its "center of
mass," is defined as an equilibrium point. More specifically, the center of
gravity of
golf club head 604 is a point at which the entire weight of golf club head 604
may be
considered as concentrated so that, if supported at that point, the club head
604 would
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remain in static equilibrium in any position. The location of the center of
gravity of
golf club head 604 may be changed by altering the weight distribution of the
golf club
head 604, e.g., by making a major portion 640 the body 604 of a lightweight
cellular
structure material and positioning additional weight away from the striking
face 618.
Altering the weight distribution of golf club head 604 in accordance with at
least
some examples of this invention (such as the examples illustrated in Figs. 6A
through
6C) may be accomplished, at least in part, with the use of weighted bridge
members
628, weighted walls 634, and optionally independent weight elements (as will
be
described in more detail in conjunction with Fig. 7 -11).
[80] As more specific examples, bridge member 628 may be used to increase the
weight of
the back of the golf club head 604, e.g., relative to the striking face 618.
This increase
in weight toward the rear of golf club head 604 alters the position of the
center of
gravity of golf club head 604. By moving the center of gravity lower and
toward the
rear of the golf club head 604, the golf club 600 will tend to have an
increased loft
upon impact with a golf ball. In addition, the shape, location, and weight
distribution
of bridge member 628 also may influence the location of the center of gravity
of golf
club head 604. For example, on longer iron clubs (e.g., zero through five iron
and/or
hybrid clubs), it may be desirable for at least some golfers to have the
center of
gravity lower than on the corresponding shorter iron clubs (e.g., six iron
through
various wedges). On the longer iron or hybrid clubs, a lower center of gravity
typically will assist a golfer in obtaining additional loft and lift on their
golf shots.
Therefore, in accordance with at least some examples of this invention, the
bridge
member 628 for longer iron clubs or hybrid type may be positioned lower on the
rear
of the golf club head body 604 as compared to the bridge member 628 position
on a
shorter iron club.
[811 The lowering of the center of gravity of the golf club head 604 also may
be
accomplished, at least in part, through the use of wall 634 or other weight
elements.
The wall 634 or other elements also may be used to increase the weight of the
back of
the golf club head 604 relative to the striking face 618. This increase in
weight to the
back of golf club head 604 at the low position on the club head 604 lowers the
center
of gravity of the club head 604, thus generally allowing the golf club head
604 to
propel a golf ball with a higher trajectory. In addition, as noted above, wall
634
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(and/or other weight members) may be used to increase the support of bridge
member
628 and may prevent or reduce deformation of bridge member 628 upon contact
with
a golf ball. This added support may tend to somewhat increase the distance
that the
golf ball travels after impact with the club head 604.
[821 Figs. 7-9 illustrate additional examples of iron type golf club heads
that may include
cellular structure materials (e.g., making up some or all of the major portion
of the
club head body) and additional weighting members, e.g., to allow club
designers, club
fitters, users, and the like to modify the weighting and center of gravity
characteristics
of a golf club head. Such modifications may be used to alter typical ball
flight
characteristics, e.g., to provide a fade or draw bias to the club, to help
correct a
persistent slice or hook, etc. The basic club head designs of Figs. 7-9 are
similar to
those shown in Figs. 6A through 6C (e.g., with a perimeter weighted head 604,
one or
more rear cavities 626 and/or 632, a bridge member 628, and an optional wall
member 632, etc.), with major portions of the club head bodies formed from a
cellular
structure material and a ball striking face plate 642 formed or otherwise
provided
thereon. In these example iron structures, however, additional weighting
members are
provided with the bridge member 628, to help further move and control the club
head
604 center of gravity with respect to the ball striking face of the club head.
[83J In the example structure shown in Fig. 7, additional weight is provided
to the club
head structure 700 via one or more weight elements 702 that are attached to
the bridge
member 628. As shown, these weight elements 702 may be attached at a variety
of
predetermined mounting positions 704a, 704b, and/or 704c provided on the
bridge
member 628. Positioning weight member 702 at position 704a on the bridge 628
generally causes the toe portion of the club head 700 to slightly lag behind
the heel
portion during a swing, promoting a more open club face during a ball strike,
and
providing a fade bias to the club (e.g., to help correct the ball flight for
golfers that
tend to hook the ball). Positioning weight member 702 at position 704b on the
bridge
628 generally causes the center of gravity of the club head 604 to move
rearward with
respect to the ball striking face without providing the club head 604 with a
bias
toward a draw or fade ball flight. Positioning weight member 702 at position
704c on
the bridge 628 generally causes the toe portion of the club head 700 to move
slightly
ahead of the heel portion during a swing, promoting a more closed club face
during a
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ball strike, and providing a draw bias to the club (e.g., to help correct the
ball flight
for golfers that tend to slice the ball). By making at least some portion of
the club
head 700 (e.g., a major portion of the club head 700) from a cellular
structure
material, additional weight can be included in the bridge 628 and/or weighting
member 702 without adversely increasing the club head's total weight, to
potentially
enable additional control over ball flight characteristics.
[84] Of course, any way of fixing the weight member 702 to the bridge member
628 (or
other portion of the club head structure 700) may be used without departing
from the
invention, including screws, rivets, set screws, spring loaded detent
mechanisms, or
other mechanical connectors; adhesives, cements, or other bonding techniques;
welding, soldering, brazing, or other fusing techniques; and the like.
Advantageously,
the weight member 702 may be removably attached to the bridge member 628 or
other portion of the club head structure 700, e.g., to enable removal of
and/or changes
in the weight member position 704a, 704b, and 704c, for example, by a user, a
club
fitter, a manufacturer, a sales person, etc. Removal weight members of this
type are
known and used in the art.
[85] Fig. 8 illustrates an example club head structure 800 similar to that
illustrated in Fig.
7, but with a different type of weighting member 802. In this example
structure, one
or more weight members 802 are positionable at various predetermined mounting
positions 704a, 704b, and/or 704c like the example illustrated in Fig. 7.
Therefore,
the location of the center of gravity of the club head 800 can be controlled
and
changed in the heel-to-toe direction of the club head 800 in the same manner
as it can
be changed and controlled in the example structure 700 of Fig. 7, as described
above.
In this example structure 800, however, the weight member 802 is irregularly
shaped
and weighted (e.g., elliptically shaped and heavier at its bottom, in the
illustrated
example) so that the location of its center of gravity (and thus the overall
location of
the center of gravity of the golf club head 800) also can be controlled in the
club
head's vertical direction. For example, by orienting the weight member 802 as
shown
in Fig. 8 (with the heavier bulk of the weight member 802 directed downward),
the
center of gravity of the weight member 802 (and thus the entire club head 800
center
of gravity) is located somewhat downward or at a relatively low position with
respect
to the club head ball striking' face. This arrangement generally allows users
to propel
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golf balls with a higher trajectory (and biases the club to provide a higher
trajectory to
help golfers with a tendency to have trouble getting the ball airborne). By
rotating the
weight. member 802 about its mounting position (e.g., position 702b, in the
illustrated
example), the bulk of the weighting member 802 (and thus its center of
gravity) can
be raised with respect to the ball striking face, and thus the center of
gravity of the
overall club head 800 can be raised with respect to the club head face. A
higher
center of gravity arrangement generally allows users to propel golf balls with
a lower
trajectory (and biases the club to provide a lower trajectory to help golfers
with a
tendency to hit very high shots). By making at least some portion of the club
head
800 (e.g., a major portion of the club head 800) from a cellular structure
material,
additional weight can be included in the bridge 628 and/or weighting member
802
without adversely impacting the club head's overall weight, to potentially
enable
additional control over ball flight characteristics.
[86) Fig. 9 illustrates an example club head structure 900 that includes an
additional
weighting member 902 that has even more versatile weighting characteristics as
compared to the example structures shown in Figs. 7 and 8. More specifically,
in this
example structure 900, the weighting member 902 is mounted on a rail or slide
mechanism 904 provided as part of the bridge member 628 structure. By
loosening
the screw 906 or other clamping mechanism, the weight member 902 may be freely
movable and positionable along the slide mechanism 904, to thereby allow
control of
the location of the center of gravity of the club head in the heel-to-toe
direction, as
generally described above in conjunction with the structures of Figs. 7 and 8.
However, by providing the rail or slide mechanism 904, the weight member 902
can
be positioned at any location along the bridge member 628, not limited to the
predetermined mounting positions 704a, 704b, and/or 704c shown in Fig. 7 and
8.
[87] Additionally or alternatively, if desired, the weight member 902 may be
designed so
that the center of gravity location of the club head 900 also can be altered
in the
vertical direction, e.g., using an elliptical and/or irregular weight member
of the type
described above in conjunction with Fig. 8. By making at least some portion of
the
club head 900 (e.g., a major portion of the club head 900) from a cellular
structure
material, additional weight can be included in the bridge 628 and weighting
member
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902 without adversely impacting the overall club head weight, to potentially
enable
additional control over ball flight characteristics.
[881 The weight member 902 may be secured to the bridge member 628 in any
desired
manner without departing from the invention, e.g., removably.or movably
secured by
a screw, set screw, clamp, clasp, etc. Additionally, in this example structure
900 (as
with the other example structures described above), any number of weight
members,
mounting positions, mounting rails, or the like may be provided without
departing
from the invention.
[89J While the bridge member 628 advantageously assists in positioning weight
back
and/or low in an overall club head structure, aspects of the present invention
can be
used in any desired iron type club head design without departing from the
invention.
For example, cellular structure material can be used to form all or at least
some
portion of iron type golf club heads formed as perimeter weighted irons
without a
bridge member, blade type irons, hybrid type irons, and the like. Figs. 10A
and 10B
illustrate an example club head structure 1000 formed as a blade type iron. In
this
illustrated example structure 1000, a major portion of the club head body 1002
is
formed from a cellular structure material, and a ball striking face 1004 is
integrally
formed, adhered, or otherwise provided on the major portion of the club head
body
1002. If desired, all or at least some of the exterior surface of the cellular
structure
club head body may be formed so that the pores are coated or filled (e.g.,
with metal
or polymer) to thereby provide a smooth overall appearance and/or smooth
consistent
ball striking surface.
[901 In this illustrated example structure 1000, the rear 1006 of the club
head body 1002
includes plural weight members 1008. Of course, any number of weight members
1008 may be included in the club head body 1002 without departing from the
invention, and these weight members 1008 may be provided at various different
positions on the club head structure 1002. Moreover, if desired, every weight
member
1008 need not have the same mass and/or size, to enable additional control
over the
center of gravity characteristics of the overall club head structure 1002.
[911 In this illustrated example, the weight members 1008 are removably
mounted in
weight member receptacles 1010 provided in the club head structure 1002. Of
course,
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any way of mounting the weight members 1008 in the receptacles 1010 may be
provided without departing from the invention. As examples, the weight members
1008 may include threads that engage with mating threads provided in the
receptacle,
to enable easy removal and/or repositioning of the weight members 1008 in the
overall club head structure 1002. Of course, other connection techniques may
be used
without departing from the invention, such as other mechanical connections,
clamping, or clasping structures, spring-loaded detent mechanisms, and the
like.
Also, if desired, any shaped weight members may be provided in the club head
structure 1000 without departing from the invention.
[92] Alternatively, if desired, the additional weight may be permanently
and/or integrally
provided as part of the club head structure without departing from the
invention. Fig.
11 illustrates an example of such a club head structure 1100. As shown in this
example, a major portion of the club head structure 1102 is formed from a
cellular
structure material, and a ball striking face 1104 is formed or otherwise
provided on
this material, e.g., in one of the various manners described above. The lower
perimeter and/or rear of the club head 1102 in this example structure 1100
includes a
weighted region 1106 permanently included as part of the club head structure
1102.
Any manner of providing the weighted region 1106 may be used without departing
from the invention. For example, the weighted region 1106 may be provided by
fixing a weight into an opening (e.g., a hole, slot, groove, or compartment,
etc.)
defined in the club head 1102. As another example, if desired, the weighted
region
1106 may be provided by integrally fixing a weighted material (e.g., tungsten
or lead
containing material) to the material of the club head structure 1102 and then
forming
that material into the club head structure 1102 (e.g., machining it, etc.) in
a manner
such that the weighted material is located at the final desired position in
the club head
structure 1102 (i.e., at the weighted region 1106). As still other examples,
if desired,
the weighted region 1106 may be provided by not foaming and/or providing a
markedly reduced degree of foaming of the material of the major portion of the
club
head structure 1102 at the desired weighted region location 1106 and/or by
filling the
pores at the weighted region location 1106 with a relatively heavy or dense
material,
such as lead or tungsten. Other ways of forming the weighted region 1106 are
possible without departing from the invention. The material forming the
weighted
region 1106 may be visible from the exterior of the club head structure 1102,
it may
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be concealed within the material of the club head structure 1102, or it may be
continuous with the club head structure 1102. Also, if desired, the exterior
surface of
the body.member may be made smooth, e.g., by filling, coating, or covering the
exposed pores (if any) with a metal or polymer material.
D. Example Wood Type Golf Club Structures
[93] Aspects of this invention are not limited to use with putters, irons,
and/or hybrid iron
type golf clubs and golf club heads. Figs. 12A and 12B illustrate an example
of a golf
club 1200 in accordance with at least some examples of this invention.
Notably, the
overall golf club structure 1200 of this example includes a golf club head
1202, a
hosel region 1204, a shaft member 1206 received in and/or inserted into and/or
through the hosel region 1204, and a grip or handle member (not shown)
attached to
the shaft member 1206. Optionally, if desired, the hosel region 1204 may be
eliminated and the shaft member 1206 may be directly inserted into and/or
otherwise
attached to the head member 1202 (e.g., through an opening provided in the top
and
optionally bottom of the club head 1202).
[94] The shaft member 1206 may be received in, engaged with, and/or attached
to the club
head 1202 in any suitable or desired manner, including in conventional manners
known and used in the art, without departing from the invention. As more
specific
examples, the shaft member 1206 may be engaged with the club head 1202 via the
hosel member 1204 or directly with the club head structure 1202, e.g., via
adhesives,
cements, welding, soldering, mechanical connectors (such as threads, retaining
elements, or the like), through a shaft-receiving sleeve or element extending
into the
club head body 1202, etc. The shaft member 1206 also may be made from any
suitable or desired materials, including conventional materials known and used
in the
art, such as graphite based materials, composite materials, steel materials
(including
stainless steel), aluminum materials, other metal alloy materials, polymeric
materials,
combinations of various materials, and the like. If desired, either or both of
the shaft
member 1206 and the hosel member 1204 (when present) may be made from a
cellular structure material.
[95] The grip or handle member (not shown) may be attached to, engaged with,
and/or
extend from the shaft member 1206 in any suitable or desired manner, including
in
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conventional manners known and used in the art, e.g., using adhesives or
cements; via
welding, soldering, adhesives, or the like; via mechanical connectors (such as
threads,
retaining elements, etc.); and/or in any other desired manner. As another
example, if
desired, the grip or handle member may be integrally formed as a unitary, one-
piece
construction with the shaft member 1206. Additionally, any desired grip or
handle
member materials may be used without departing from this invention, including
rubber materials, leather materials, rubber or other materials including cord
or other
fabric material embedded therein, polymeric materials, metal materials, and
the like.
The grip or handle member also may be made, at least in part, from a cellular
structure material.
[961 The club head 1202 itself also may be constructed in any suitable or
desired manner
and/or from any suitable or desired materials without departing from this
invention,
including in conventional manners and/or from conventional materials known and
used in the art. For example, in the example structure shown in Figs. 12A and
12B,
the club head 1202 includes a sole member 1202a, a face member 1202b, at least
one
body member 1202c, and a crown member 1202d. The body member(s) 1202c may
be formed, for example, as bands or ribbons of material (e.g., optionally
generally U-
shaped bands or ribbons) that extend around from one side of the face member
1202b
to its other side and form at least a portion of the perimeter of the middle
of the golf
club head body 1202 (e.g., such that the overall club head structure 1202
defines an at
least partially hollow interior chamber (e.g., into which the shaft member
1206 may
be inserted and/or secured)). Any of the individual portions of the club head
structure
1202 described above may be made from multiple independent pieces, and/or two
or
more of these individual portions may be integrally formed together, e.g., as
unitary,
one-piece constructions, without departing from this invention (e.g., the sole
and/or
crown members additionally may form at least some portions of the club head
body
and/or face members, etc). As other options, if desired, the overall club head
structure
1202 may be comprised of a single, one-piece construction or the face member
1202b
may attach to a one piece club head body, etc.
[971 The various individual parts that make up a club head structure 1202, if
made from
multiple pieces, may be engaged and/or held together in any suitable or
desired
manner, including in conventional manners known and used in the art. For
example,
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the various parts of the club head structure 1202 may be joined and/or fixed
together
(directly or indirectly through intermediate members) by adhesives, cements,
welding,
soldering, or other bonding or. fusing techniques; by mechanical connectors
(such as
threads, screws, nuts, bolts, -or other connectors); and the like. If desired,
the side
edges of various parts of the club head structure 1202 (e.g., the edges where
sole
member 1202a, face member 1202b, body members 1202c, and/or crown member
1202d contact and join to one another) may include one or more raised ribs,
tabs,
ledges, or other engagement elements that fit into or onto corresponding
grooves,
slots, surfaces, ledges, or openings provided in or on the facing side edges
to which
they are joined. Cements, adhesives, mechanical connectors, or the like may be
used
in combination with the raised rib/groove or other connecting structures
described
above to further help secure the various parts of the club head structure 1202
to one
another.
[98] In at least some examples of the invention, the materials making up at
least some of
the various portions of the club structure 1200 (e.g., the sole 1202a, the
face plate
1202b, the body member(s) 1202c, the crown 1202d, the hosel 1204, the shaft
1206,
etc.) may be formed from a cellular structure material, e.g., like the various
materials
described above. If desired, two or more of these parts may be integrally
formed as a
one-piece construction (e.g., if desired, the sole 1202a, the body member
1202c,
and/or the crown 1202d may be integrally formed as one piece with a separate
face
plate member engaged therewith). Also, any desired materials may be used for
the
club head body 1202 without departing from the invention, including, for
example,
aluminum, nickel, titanium, steel, polymers, glasses, ceramics, rubbers,
and/or
combinations thereof. When at least some portion of the club head structure
1202 is
formed from a cellular structure material, if desired, the shell wall
thickness may be
made somewhat larger than the shell members of many conventional club heads.
[99] The weight savings produced through the use of cellular structure
material, e.g., for at
least some portion of the club head body 1202, allows club manufacturers, club
fitters,
users, and the like to position one or more additional weight members 1208 at
other
locations in the club head structure 1202, e.g., to affect the center of
gravity, moment
of inertia, and/or ball flight characteristics of the club 1200. For example,
placing
weighted members 1208 low and toward the rear of the club head structure 1202
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lowers the center of gravity of the club head 1202 and helps users get golf
shots
airborne when using the club. As generally described above in conjunction with
Figs.
6A through 11, the mass and location(s) of the weighted members 1208 may be
selected so as to control the position of the center of gravity of the club
head 1202,
e.g., in the heel-to-toe direction and/or the vertical direction (e.g., to
bias the club
head to provide draw, fade, high, or low shots, and/or to help users correct
for sliced,
hooked, low, or high shot tendencies, respectively).
[1001 The weighted member(s) 1208 may be engaged with the club head 1202 in
any
desired manner without departing from the invention, including in the various
manners described above in conjunction with Figs. 1-11 and/or in various
manners
known and used in the art. In the illustrated example of Figs. 12A and 12B,
the
weighted members 1208 are removably attached to receptacles 1210 provided in
and
extending into the club head 1202 via a threaded arrangement. Of course, other
attaching and/or locking configurations may be used without departing from
this
invention, such as clamps, clasps, spring-loaded detents, turnbuckles, other
mechanical connectors, or the like. Alternatively, if desired, one or more of
the
weighted members 1208 may be permanently fixed to.and/or within the club head
1202 without departing from the invention, e.g., via bonding or fusing
techniques.
The weighted members 1208 need not be visible from the club head exterior
(optionally, if desired, access to the club head interior (e.g., to change
and/or re-
position weighted members 1208) may be provided).
[1011 Figs. 13A and 13B show another example of a wood-type golf club
structure 1300
according to the invention. In this example structure 1300, the golf club
includes a
golf club head 1302, a hosel region 1304, a shaft member 1306, and a handle
member
(not shown), as generally described above in conjunction with the example
structure
1200 of Figs. 12A and 12B. In this example structure 1300, all or at least
some
portion (e.g., a major portion) of the club head body 1302 is constructed as a
one
piece element, and this element is constructed from a cellular structure
material, such
as the various cellular structure metal, polymers, and/or other materials
described
above. If desired, the club head body 1302 may be formed from multiple pieces
of
cellular structure material engaged with one another, optionally of different
materials,
e.g., via adhesives, cements, welding, or other bonding or fusing techniques.
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additional examples, if desired, only some portion of the club head body 1302
may be
formed from a cellular structure material (e.g., the bottom, rear, and/or
front portions),
while other portions of the club head body (e.g., the upper crown portion) may
be
formed from shell members and/or other separate, non-cellular pieces of
material.
[102] Also, in this illustrated example structure, a weighted member 1308 is
provided
within the interior of the club head body 1302, e.g., in an interior recess or
chamber
defined in the club head body. Of course, other ways of providing one or more
weighted members 1308 in the club head structure 1302 may be provided without
departing from the invention, including the various ways described above in
conjunction with Figs. 12A and 12B. As still another alternative, if desired,
the
weighted member(s) 1308 may be integrally formed with the club head body
structure
1302, e.g., by forming the cellular structure material to include a weighted
region
(e.g., a denser cellular region); by not foaming the metal or other material
in the
weighted region; by machining a material, including a foam portion, into a
golf club
head structure and to include a non-foamed and/or increased weight region in
the
desired location(s); to include a weighted coating or filler in the foam pores
at the
weighted region, etc.
[103] The dimensions and/or other characteristics of a wood-type golf club
head structure
according to examples of the invention may vary significantly without
departing from
the invention. Moreover, any desired type of wood-type golf club head
structure may
be provided, such as drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, chipping
clubs,
and the like. Any desired loft angles, head weights, lie angles, etc., also
may be used
without departing from the invention, e.g, if the club is designed as a 2-
wood, 3-
wood, 4-wood, 5-wood, 7-wood, 9-wood, 11-wood, etc.; to suit a user's
preferences
and/or swing characteristics; to provide the desired launch = angle, carry
distance,
and/or other characteristics for the club; etc. Additionally, various
different shaft
characteristics (such as stiffness, flex point, kick point, etc.) may be used
to further
allow change and control over the club's and the club head's feel and
characteristics.
E. Example Ball Striking Plate Structures
[104] Fig. 14 illustrates another example golf club structure 1400 that
includes cellular
structure material in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention. In this
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example, the cellular structure material is provided as part of a club head
1402 face
plate member 1404. More specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 14, the face
plate member
1404 is attached to a club head body 1406, which may be of any design and/or
made
of any type of material, including conventional designs and conventional
materials
known and used in the art (a wood-type club head body, in this example). The
face
plate member 1404 includes a base member 1404a formed of a cellular structure
material and a ball striking plate member 1404b, which directly contacts the
ball in
use. By use of cellular structure materials in the face plate member 1404, a
thicker
face plate can be provided without adversely affecting the club head's overall
weight
or strength, and the use of a thicker face plate allows better manufacturer
control over
the coefficient of restitution (and potentially other characteristics) of the
club head
face member 1404. Of course, face plate members of the type illustrated in
Fig. 14
may be used on any type of club head, including woods, irons, hybrid type
clubs,
putters, etc. .
[105] The face plate member 1404 may be constructed in any desired manner
without
departing from this invention. For example, if desired, the face plate base
member
1404a may be engaged with a separate ball striking member 1404b, e.g., by
bonding
techniques (cements, adhesives, etc.) or fusing techniques (welding, brazing,
soldering, etc.). As additional examples, if desired, the ball striking member
1404b
may be integrally formed as part of the cellular structure base member 1404a,
e.g., via
conventional metal foam manufacturing techniques. As still another example, if
desired, the ball striking member 1404b may be formed by coating or filling
open
cells or pores of an exterior surface of a cellular structure material (e.g.,
for the base
member 1404a) with a molten metal material, a polymeric material (such as an
epoxy,
etc.), or the like, to thereby provide a smooth ball striking surface 1404b
for the face
plate 1404. Other ways of forming the face plate member 1404, at least in part
as a
cellular structure material, may be provided without departing from this
invention.
III. Conclusion
[106] Golf club heads in accordance with examples of the present invention may
be
incorporated into a set, e.g., sets including one or more of woods, irons,
hybrid type
golf clubs, and/or putters. As a more specific example, aspects of the present
invention may be used to provide a club set with increasing numbered woods
and/or
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iron golf clubs, such as a driver and/or two or more of fairway woods, hybrid
type
clubs, a zero iron, a one iron, a two iron, a three iron, a four iron, a five
iron, a six
iron, a seven iron, an eight iron, a nine iron, a ten iron, a pitching wedge,
a lob wedge,
a gap wedge, a sand wedge, putters, etc. With at least some examples of the
present
invention, a golfer, a club designer, and/or a club fitter may select and/or
modify the
position of the center of gravity for each golf club to meet the player's
unique
requirements, skill, or playing style. For each club in the set, the bridge
member,
weight member(s), and/or other features of the club head may progressively
change to
alter the center of gravity of one club member with respect to the others in
the set, to
make the center of gravity better suited for use of the particular club,
optionally
customized for use by a specific golfer.
[107] As is readily apparent from the above description, this invention may be
used to
include cellular structure materials, having a wide variety of potential
properties, in a
wide variety of different locations, in a golf club structure (e.g., as part
of the head,
striking face, hosel, shaft, grip, etc.). The cellular structure material may
be used on
the club head exterior, on the interior, on both, and the cellular structure
may be
visible, partially visible, filled, partially filled, hidden, partially
hidden, etc. When a
golf club product in accordance with at least some examples of this invention
includes
multiple cellular structure metals or other materials, either or both cellular
structure
materials optionally may be filled, skinned, partially filled, or partially
skinned,
optionally with the same or different fill or skin materials, including filled
or skinned
with a different cellular structure metal or other material. The skin or
filling material
may have a variety of thicknesses and/or a wide variety of potential
properties.
Different cellular structures and properties also may be obtained by varying
the pore
properties of a given cellular structure material (e.g., by varying pore
density, pore
distribution, pore size distribution, etc.).
[108] As an additional example of a specific club head construction, if
desired, a club head
may be provided that includes: (a) a relatively thick skin of a high density
material
(e.g., a tungsten material) applied toward the back of a club head structure,
e.g., a
tungsten skin over a cellular structure material such as a metal or composite
of
tungsten, steel, etc., and (b) a thinner skin of a less dense material (e.g.,
aluminum or
titanium) over a relatively light cellular structure material (e.g., an
aluminum or steel
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cellular structure) applied toward the middle and/or front of a club head
structure.
These materials may be integrated into a single club head structure (e.g., a
putter
structure). Such an arrangement may be used to produce a putter having a
relatively
high moment of inertia as compared with a unitary putter body of the same
design
without the use of cellular structure materials. Also, the use of different
cellular
structure materials and/or fill materials may be used to vary a wide range of
properties
in the final product, such as yield strength, Young's modulus, grain size of
the
materials, etc.
[109] The present invention is described above and in the accompanying
drawings with
reference to a variety of example structures, features, elements, and
combinations of
structures, features, and elements. The purpose served by the disclosure,
however, is
to provide examples of the various features and concepts related to the
invention, not
to limit the scope 'of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will
recognize that
numerous variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described
above without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by
the
appended claims. For example, the various features and concepts described
above in
conjunction with Figs. 1-14 may be used individually and/or in any combination
or
subcombination without departing from this invention.
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