Golf club head

Abstract

To improve the performance of a golf club head by redistributing extra weight.SOLUTION: Provided is a golf club head which is hollow and has a volume of 400 cc or more and 460 cc or less, and which has: a body part formed of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic; a face part having a face surface serving as a hitting surface; and a weight member attached to the body part. The body part includes a sole portion, a crown portion, a side portion, and a back portion. The weight member is disposed at an outer-surface side of the back portion and fastened with a screw from an inner-surface side of the back portion. The weight member forms a part of an outer shape of the golf club head.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a golf club head. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in wood-type golf club heads, it has been proposed to use carbon as a part of the crown. The excess weight created by using carbon as a part of the crown can be redistributed to any position inside the golf club head, for example, and used to improve the performance of the golf club head. However, there is a demand for further improvement in the performance of the golf club head by devising a way to redistribute the excess weight. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-223324 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-297117 A [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2022-103788 [Patent Document 4] JP 2020-062189 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2003-245380 A [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-076472 [Patent Document 7] JP 2006-000435 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention aims to improve the performance of a golf club head by redistributing excess weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present golf club head is a hollow golf club head with a volume of 400cc to 460cc and has a body portion formed of carbon fiber reinforced resin, a face portion with a face surface that serves as the striking surface, and a weight member attached to the body portion, the body portion including a sole portion, a crown portion, a side portion, and a back portion, the weight member being disposed on the outer surface side of the back portion and screwed in from the inner surface side of the back portion and constituting part of the contour shape of the golf club head. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the disclosed technology, it is possible to improve the performance of the golf club head by redistributing excess weight. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a golf club head 1 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a top view illustrating a golf club head 1 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view illustrating a golf club head 1 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a golf club head 1 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating a golf club head 1 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a mounting structure for a weight member. [Figure 7] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating another example of the mounting structure of the weight member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted.

[0009] First embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a golf club head 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating the golf club head 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the golf club head 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the golf club head 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exploded view illustrating the golf club head 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of an attachment structure of a weight member.

[0010] In Fig. 1, arrow d1 indicates the toe-heel direction (left-right direction), arrow d2 indicates the crown-sole direction (up-down direction), and arrow d3 indicates the face-back direction (front-back direction). Similar directions may be illustrated in other figures as necessary.

[0011] The crown-sole direction is the vertical direction when the golf club head 1 is placed on a horizontal plane according to the specified lie angle and the specified loft angle. The crown-sole direction is approximately perpendicular to the toe-heel direction and the face-back direction. The toe-heel direction and the face-back direction are also approximately perpendicular to each other.

[0012] In Fig. 4, (a) shows a cross section cut parallel to the face-back direction and the crown-sole direction, (b) shows a cross section cut perpendicular to the face-back direction and parallel to the crown-sole direction, and in Fig. 6, (a) shows a partial cross section cut parallel to the face-back direction and the crown-sole direction, and (b) shows a partial cross section taken along line AA in (a).

[0013] 1 to 6 is a wood-type golf club head, for example a driver. The golf club head 1 is a hollow golf club head with a volume of 400 cc to 460 cc. Note that the surface of the golf club head 1 facing the hollow side may be referred to as the inner surface, and the surface facing the opposite side to the hollow side may be referred to as the outer surface.

[0014] The golf club head 1 has a body portion 10, a face portion 20, and a weight member 30. The golf club head 1 may further have a hosel portion 40. The hosel portion 40 is a portion that is connected to a shaft. The hosel portion 40 is made of, for example, metal.

[0015] The body portion 10 includes a sole portion 11, a crown portion 12, a side portion 13, and a back portion 14. The sole portion 11, the crown portion 12, and the side portion 13 are visible from the outside of the golf club head 1. In contrast, the back portion 14 is not visible from the outside of the golf club head 1.

[0016] The sole portion 11 is a portion that forms the bottom of the golf club head 1. The crown portion 12 is a portion that forms the upper portion of the golf club head 1. The side portion 13 is a portion that is located between the sole portion 11 and the crown portion 12. The back portion 14 is a portion that faces the face portion 20 in the face-back direction. The back portion 14 is connected to the sole portion 11, the crown portion 12, and the side portion 13.

[0017] The inner and outer surfaces of the back portion 14 are, for example, flat. The inner and outer surfaces of the back portion 14 are, for example, parallel. The thickness of the back portion 14 is, for example, constant. Here, "constant" includes a case where the thickness varies within ±5%. The back portion 14 may be the same thickness as the sole portion 11, the crown portion 12, and the side portion 13, or may be thicker than these. By making the back portion 14 thicker than the sole portion 11, the crown portion 12, and the side portion 13, the strength of the back portion 14 can be increased.

[0018] The body portion 10 can be made of a material with a specific gravity of 1 or more and 2 or less. Specifically, the body portion 10 is made of carbon fiber reinforced resin. Carbon fiber reinforced resin is a composite material of carbon fiber, which serves as a reinforcing member, and resin. Examples of resins constituting carbon fiber reinforced resin include epoxy resin, phenol resin, polyester resin, and polycarbonate resin.

[0019] By forming the body portion 10 from carbon fiber reinforced resin, the body portion 10 can be made lighter than when it is formed from metal, which creates excess weight that can be distributed to an optimal position of the golf club head 1. The body portion 10 can be formed, for example, using a carbon fiber reinforced resin sheet. The body portion may also be formed from laminated carbon fiber reinforced resin sheets.

[0020] To manufacture the body part 10, for example, a pre-soaked material (prepreg material) made by laminating carbon fiber reinforced resin sheets is prepared. Then, this pre-soaked material is attached to a mold to form the original form of the body part 10. Then, the original form of the body part 10 is heated. This causes the epoxy resin or the like that serves as the base resin in the pre-soaked material to thermally harden, and the body part 10 is completed.

[0021] The body portion 10 has a face opening 19 that opens to the face side, and a face portion 20, which is a separate member from the body portion 10, is joined to close the face opening 19. The face portion 20 has a face surface 20f (front surface) that serves as a striking surface for striking a ball. The face portion 20 has a predetermined thickness, and the face surface 20f forms the outer surface of the face portion 20.

[0022] The face portion 20 can be made of a material having a specific gravity of 1 or more and 5 or less. Specifically, the face portion 20 can be made of, for example, a metal. Examples of metals that make up the face portion 20 include titanium, titanium alloys, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloys, iron-based metals, magnesium, and magnesium alloys. The face portion 20 may be made of a carbon fiber reinforced resin, similar to the body portion 10. That is, the face portion 20 may be made of the same material as the body portion 10, or may be made of a different material.

[0023] The weight member 30 is attached to the body portion 10. In detail, the weight member 30 is disposed on the outer surface side of the back portion 14 and is screwed with a screw 50 from the inner surface side of the back portion 14. In the manufacturing process of the golf club head 1, the weight member 30 is screwed with the screw 50 from the inner surface side of the back portion 14 before the face portion 20 is attached to the body portion 10. Thereafter, the face portion 20 is attached to the body portion 10 by adhesion or the like.

[0024] The weight member 30 may be fixed to the back portion 14 by screwing and bonding. This can improve the bonding strength between the back portion 14 and the weight member 30 compared to when they are fixed only by the screws 50.

[0025] The weight member 30 is solid. The weight member 30 can be made of a material with a specific gravity of 7 or more and 14 or less. Specifically, the weight member 30 can be made of a metal. Examples of metals that make up the weight member 30 include iron, tungsten, and tungsten alloys. The weight member 30 preferably weighs 25 g or more and 55 g or less. By making the weight member 30 25 g or more, the effect of providing the weight member 30 can be fully exerted. By making the weight member 30 55 g or less, the overall weight of the golf club head 1 can be reduced.

[0026] The weight member 30 has one or more female threaded holes 30x. Screws 50 are screwed into the female threaded holes 30x to fix the weight member 30 to the outer surface side of the back portion 14. It is difficult to form a female threaded hole in the back portion 14 made of carbon fiber reinforced resin, but it is easy to form a female threaded hole in the metal weight member 30. With this structure, the back portion 14 and the weight member 30 can be firmly joined together.

[0027] It is preferable that the weight member 30 has two or more female screw holes 30x. By fixing the weight member 30 using two or more female screw holes 30x and two or more screws 50, the weight member 30 can be firmly fixed to the back portion 14 and the weight member 30 can be prevented from rotating.

[0028] In the illustrated example, the weight member 30 has two female screw holes 30x. In the illustrated example, the two screws 50 are arranged to extend in the face-back direction when viewed in the crown-sole direction. This makes it possible to avoid providing a female screw hole on the carbon fiber reinforced resin body part 10 side, which is difficult to process after molding, and to avoid allocating excess weight to provide a screw receiving member inside the hollow. In addition, the direction in which the screw extends is close to the traveling direction of the golf club head 1, so that the impact on the screw when hitting the ball is small. In the illustrated example, the two screws 50 are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval in the toe-heel direction.

[0029] The back portion 14 may have a convex portion 14x that protrudes toward the weight member 30. The weight member 30 may have a concave portion 30y that opens toward the back portion 14. The convex portion 14x and the concave portion 30y are fitted together to function as an anti-rotation mechanism for the weight member 30. The convex portion 14x and the concave portion 30y may be one set or multiple sets. In the illustrated example, the golf club head 1 has two sets of the convex portion 14x and the concave portion 30y.

[0030] As described above, when the weight member 30 is fixed by two or more female screw holes 30x and two or more screws 50, the weight member 30 can be prevented from rotating, so the golf club head 1 does not need to have the convex portion 14x and the concave portion 30y. When the weight member 30 is fixed by one female screw hole 30x and one screw 50, it is effective to provide one or more pairs of the convex portion 14x and the concave portion 30y in order to prevent the weight member 30 from rotating.

[0031] When the weight member 30 is fixed by two or more female screw holes 30x and two or more screws 50, if the weight member 30 further has a convex portion 14x and a concave portion 30y, the effect of preventing rotation can be further improved.

[0032] The weight member 30 constitutes a part of the contour shape of the golf club head 1. The weight member 30 can constitute a part of the outer surfaces of the sole portion 11, the crown portion 12, and the side portion 13, for example.

[0033] Thus, the golf club head 1 has a monocoque structure in which the body portion 10, including the sole portion 11, crown portion 12, side portion 13, and back portion 14, is made of carbon fiber reinforced resin. This makes it possible for the golf club head 1 to generate a larger amount of excess weight than before. The excess weight can be, for example, 25% or more of the overall weight of the golf club head 1. This increases the design freedom for redistributing the excess weight, making it possible to improve the performance of the golf club head 1 by redistributing the excess weight to an effective position.

[0034] Specifically, by arranging the weight member 30 on the outer surface side of the back portion 14, the depth of the center of gravity can be made deeper. This makes it easier for the ball to rise when hit. Also, by arranging the weight member 30 on the outer surface side of the back portion 14, the moment of inertia can be increased. This makes it difficult for the golf club head 1 to rotate even if the ball is off-center when hit, and reduces the decrease in the curve of the ball and the flight distance.

[0035] Furthermore, in the golf club head 1, the weight member 30 is screwed from the inner surface side of the back portion 14. With this structure, the screws are not visible from the outside, and the appearance is not marred.

[0036] In addition, the weight member 30 constitutes a part of the contour shape of the golf club head 1. Therefore, the weight member 30 becomes a part of the design of the golf club head 1, and the design freedom can be improved. For example, by making the weight member 30 a different color from the body portion 10, a unique design can be achieved.

[0037] First Modification of the First Embodiment In the first modification of the first embodiment, an example in which the mounting structure of the weight member is different from that of the first embodiment is shown. Note that in the first modification of the first embodiment, the description of the same components as those of the already described embodiment may be omitted.

[0038] Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining another example of the mounting structure of the weight member. Fig. 7 shows a cross section corresponding to Fig. 6. That is, in Fig. 7, (a) shows a partial cross section cut parallel to the face-back direction and the crown-sole direction, and (b) shows a partial cross section along the line AA of (a).

[0039] In the example shown in Fig. 7, the weight member 30 is screwed from the inner surface side of the back portion 14, sandwiching a washer 60 arranged on the inner surface side of the back portion 14. The washer 60 can be made of, for example, a metal. An example of a metal that makes up the washer 60 is iron. The thickness of the washer 60 is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

[0040] In this manner, the washer 60 may be sandwiched between the weight member 30 and the inner surface of the back portion 14. This makes it possible to reinforce the strength of the back portion 14 made of carbon fiber reinforced resin. In addition, the stress acting on the back portion 14 can be dispersed.

[0041] When the washer 60 is made of a metal, the washer 60 functions as a reinforcing member and also as a weight member. In other words, the structure shown in Fig. 7 can be said to be a structure in which two weight members are disposed to sandwich the back portion 14 and the two weight members are fixed to the back portion 14 by the same screw.

[0042] Although the preferred embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0043] For example, in addition to the weight member 30 and the washer 60, a weight member may be disposed inside the golf club head 1 depending on the excess weight. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1. Golf club head 10 Body 11 Sole 12 Crown section 13 Side section 14 Back section 14x protrusion 19 Face opening 20 Face section 20f Face surface 30 Weight member 30x female threaded holes 30y recess 40 Hosel section 50 Screw 60 Washer

Claims

1. A hollow golf club head having a volume of 400cc or more and 460cc or less, A body portion formed of carbon fiber reinforced resin; A face portion having a face surface serving as a striking surface; A weight member attached to the body portion, The body portion includes a sole portion, a crown portion, a side portion, and a back portion, The weight member is disposed on an outer surface side of the back portion and is screwed to an inner surface side of the back portion, forming a part of the contour shape of the golf club head.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight member is fixed to the back portion by screws and adhesive.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the face portion and the body portion are separate members.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the weight member has two or more female threaded holes.

5. The back portion has a protrusion that protrudes toward the weight member, The weight member has a recess that opens toward the back portion, The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and the recess fit together.

6. The weight member is made of a material having a specific gravity of 7 to 14, the face portion is made of a material having a specific gravity of 1 or more and 5 or less, The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the body portion is made of a material having a specific gravity of 1 or more and 2 or less.

7. The body portion is composed of laminated carbon fiber reinforced resin sheets, The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the face portion and the weight member are made of metal.

8. 6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member has a weight of 25 g or more and 55 g or less.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight member constitutes a part of an outer surface of the sole portion, the crown portion, and the side portion.

10. 6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is screwed from the inner surface side of the back portion via a washer disposed on the inner surface side of the back portion.

11. 6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the screw for fixing the weight member extends in a face-back direction when viewed in a crown-sole direction.

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