Golf club head

Abstract

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf club head that can improve the disruption of the golf ball's trajectory even when a duff shot occurs. [Solution] A golf club head 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a golf club head 1 comprising a head body 2 having a face portion 10 and a sole portion 20 extending in a back direction from the lower edge of the face portion 10, and a protrusion 21 extending along the face-back direction is provided on the underside of the sole portion 20, and when viewed from the front with the head body 2 positioned on a horizontal plane so as to have a predetermined lie angle and loft angle, if the lowest point of the sole portion 20 is taken as the first end point P1 and the point where a horizontal line H passing through this lowest point intersects with the center line C of the face portion 20 in the toe-heel direction is taken as the second end point P2, and if a line segment expanded by 5 mm in the toe-heel direction is taken as the reference line segment R, in the toe-heel direction, the central axis of the protrusion 21 is included within the reference line segment R.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to golf club heads. [Background technology]

[0002] In golf, when the golf club head hits the ground before the golf ball, it is called a duff. When a duff occurs, the head bounces off the ground, which can lead to a loss of distance and directionality of the golf ball. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-72787 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, increasing the angle of the sole, known as the bounce angle, is effective in reducing the risk of duffing. Increasing the bounce angle makes it easier for the golf club head to slide across the ground, which is said to reduce the impact of duffing.

[0005] However, even if the bounce angle is increased, it may be difficult to improve the effects of duffing depending on the golf player's muscle strength, swing, etc.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes a wood-type golf club head that has multiple rails that protrude from the sole and extend in the face-back direction. Patent Document 1 also describes that by providing multiple rails, it is possible to minimize the interaction between the sole and the grass, and that by changing the combination of rails that come into contact with the ground, it is possible to adjust the lie angle of the golf club head.

[0007] The golf club head described in Patent Document 1 is characterized by having a gap between the sole and the ground, but with this configuration, it is difficult to improve the trajectory of the golf ball when hitting a duff shot.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made based on these circumstances, and one aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a golf club head that can improve the disruption of the golf ball's trajectory even when a duff hit occurs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) A golf club head according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a golf club head comprising a head body having a face portion and a sole portion extending in a back direction from a lower edge of the face portion, wherein a protrusion extending in a face-to-back direction is provided on the underside of the sole portion, and when the head body is viewed from the front and placed on a horizontal plane so as to have a predetermined lie angle and loft angle, a line segment having a first endpoint at the lowest point of the sole portion and a second endpoint at the point where a horizontal line passing through this lowest point intersects with the center line of the face portion in the toe-heel direction is widened by 5 mm in the toe-heel direction, and the center axis of the protrusion is included in the reference line segment in the toe-heel direction.

[0010] (2) In the above (1), the protruding portion may have a thickened portion whose thickness gradually increases from the front end edge toward the rear.

[0011] (3) In the above (1) or (2), the protruding portion may have a widened portion whose width gradually increases from the front edge toward the rear.

[0012] (4) In any one of (1) to (3) above, the protrusion may have a maximum thickness and a maximum width on the back side of the sole portion.

[0013] (5) In any one of (1) to (4) above, the protrusion may have a ridge portion extending along the face-to-back direction, and the cross-sectional shape of the ridge portion may be V-shaped or arc-shaped.

[0014] (6) In any one of (1) to (5) above, the inclination angle of the protrusion relative to the face-back direction in a plan view may be within ±10°.

[0015] (7) In any one of (1) to (6) above, the sole portion may have only a single protrusion on the entire lower surface thereof.

[0016] (8) In the above (1) to (7), the golf club head may be an iron type.

[0017] In this disclosure, "face portion" refers to the portion having the face surface (hitting surface) on the front side. "Face-back direction" refers to the front-to-back direction (the direction perpendicular to the vertical plane including the central axis of the shaft) when the head body is placed on a horizontal plane to achieve a predetermined lie angle and loft angle (specific to the head body), and "toe-heel direction" refers to the horizontal direction perpendicular to the face-back direction when the head body is placed on a horizontal plane to achieve a predetermined lie angle and loft angle.

[0018] "Front view" means viewing from the front in the face-back direction. "Plan view" means viewing vertically downward when the head body is placed on a horizontal plane to achieve a specified lie angle and loft angle. "Center line of the face in the toe-heel direction" means a vertical line passing through the center between the toe-side end and the heel-side end of the face. "Back side of the sole" means the back side when the sole is divided into two in the face-back direction. "V-shape" is not limited to a strict V-shape and includes, for example, shapes with rounded vertices. "Arc-shaped" means a shape that is continuously curved in one direction and is not limited to a perfect circular arc. "Inclination angle of the protrusion" means the inclination angle of the central axis of the protrusion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] A golf club head according to one aspect of the present disclosure can improve the disruption of the golf ball's trajectory even when a duff shot occurs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a golf club head according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view of the golf club head of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 as viewed from the toe side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view showing a protrusion in the golf club head of FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the protrusion taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the golf club head of FIG. 1 in a state where a duff shot is made. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing the golf club head of FIG. 1 in a state where a nice shot is made. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It should be noted that with respect to the numerical values ​​described in this specification, only one of the upper and lower limit values ​​described may be adopted, or the upper and lower limit values ​​may be arbitrarily combined. In this specification, all combinable numerical ranges are described as suitable ranges. Furthermore, each figure is a schematic representation and may not correspond to actual dimensions, proportions, etc. In this disclosure, the terms "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the components to which they are attached, and do not limit the number, order, priority, etc.

[0022] [First embodiment] <Golf club head> 1 to 3, a golf club head 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a head main body 2 having a face portion 10 and a sole portion 20 extending in the back direction (positive Y-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 3) from the lower edge of the face portion 10. The golf club head 1 also includes a top portion 30 extending in the back direction from the upper edge of the face portion 10, a toe portion 40 extending in the back direction from the toe side (tip side) of the face portion 10, a heel portion 50 provided on the heel side (opposite the tip side) of the face portion 10, and a ballsel portion 60 provided contiguous to the heel portion 50. A protrusion 21 extending in the face-to-back direction (positive Y-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 3) is provided on the lower surface of the sole portion 20. As shown in Figure 1, when viewed from the front with the head body 2 placed on a horizontal plane to have a predetermined lie angle and loft angle, the lowest point of the sole portion 20 (the lowest point of the part excluding the protrusion 21) is defined as the first end point P1, and the second end point P2 is defined as the point where a horizontal line H passing through this lowest point intersects with the center line C of the face portion 10 in the toe-heel direction (X-axis direction in Figure 1).If this line is widened by 5 mm in the toe-heel direction and defined as reference line R, then in the toe-heel direction, the center axis of the protrusion 21 is included within reference line R.

[0023] The golf club head 1 has a protrusion 21 extending along the face-back direction on the underside of the sole portion 20, and the central axis of the protrusion 21 is contained within the reference line segment R in the toe-heel direction. Therefore, even when a duff shot is made, the golf ball's trajectory can be prevented from being disturbed. More specifically, the golf club head 1 has the protrusion 21 provided near the lowest point on the underside of the sole portion 20. When a duff shot is made, the protrusion 21 first contacts the ground and sinks into the ground, and then the sole portion 20 other than the protrusion 21 contacts the ground. In other words, with the golf club head 1, the head body 2 contacts the ground in two stages. This disperses the impact on the golf club head 1 caused by contact with the ground, improving the release of the golf club head 1. As a result, the golf club head 1 can be prevented from bouncing up, and even when a duff shot is made, the golf ball's trajectory can be prevented from being disturbed.

[0024] 1 to 3, the golf club head 1 is an iron type. Conventionally, in iron type golf club heads, the bounce angle has been increased to improve duffing. However, adjusting the bounce angle alone can make it difficult to improve duffing. Furthermore, increasing the bounce angle tends to raise the center of gravity of the head body, making it difficult to increase the flight distance of the golf ball. In contrast, the golf club head 1 of the present disclosure can more reliably suppress disruption of the golf ball's trajectory when a duffing occurs, without relying on the bounce angle (or by cooperating with the effect of the bounce angle). Furthermore, the golf club head 1 can suppress the adverse effects of a duffing by providing a protrusion 21 on the underside of the sole portion 20, thereby enabling a design that is resistant to duffing while maintaining the height of the center of gravity of the head body 2.

[0025] (Face part) The face portion 10 has a face surface 10a on its front surface. A plurality of score lines (not shown) may be provided on the face surface 10a.

[0026] As described above, in the present disclosure, the second end point P2 is the point where the center line C in the toe-heel direction of the face portion 10 intersects with the horizontal line H. The center line C in the toe-heel direction of the face portion 10 refers to a straight line that passes through the midpoint between the end of the face surface 10a on the toe side (negative side in the X-axis direction) and the end of the face surface 10a on the heel side (positive side in the X-axis direction) in a front view, as shown in Fig. 1 (the length of C1 and the length of C2 are equal in Fig. 1).

[0027] (sole) As shown in Fig. 2, the sole portion 20 may have a front portion 20a that curves downward from the leading edge and extends in the back direction, and a main portion 20b that is formed continuously from the rear end edge of the front portion 20a. The underside of the main portion 20b may be a smooth surface. Note that a "smooth surface" means a surface that does not have any functional irregularities, except for manufacturing or structural constraints such as connection structures with other components, and designs such as identification marks.

[0028] (protrusion) The golf club head 1 has a protrusion 21 on the lower surface of the sole portion 20. The protrusion 21 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0029] The protrusion 21 may be made of the same material as the sole portion 20 and formed integrally with the sole portion 20, for example. In this case, the protrusion 21 may be cast integrally with the sole portion 20. The protrusion 21 is formed on the underside of the main body portion 20b. The protrusion 21 is provided so as to come into contact with the ground first during a duff shot. The protrusion 21 may be formed across the main body portion 20b and the front portion 20a, but does not have to be formed on the front portion 20a. In Figures 4 and 5, the protrusion 21 is not formed on the front portion 20a.

[0030] The protrusion 21 extends linearly in a plan view. As shown in Fig. 4, on an imaginary line A including the central axis of the protrusion 21 in a plan view, the lower limit of the ratio (L2 / L1) of the face-back direction length L2 of the protrusion 21 to the face-back direction length L1 of the sole portion 20 may be 0.7 or 0.8 from the viewpoint of fully demonstrating the impact absorbing effect of the golf club head 1 in the event of a duffing. On the other hand, the upper limit of the ratio (L2 / L1) may be, for example, 1.0, but may also be 0.95 from the viewpoint of the overall design of the golf club head 1.

[0031] The protrusion 21 may be formed, for example, from the front edge of the main body 20b. That is, in a plan view, the front edge of the protrusion 21 may coincide with the front edge of the main body 20b. According to this embodiment, the impact absorbing effect of the golf club head 1 in the event of a duffing shot can be more reliably achieved.

[0032] The lower limit of the maximum height T (see FIG. 5) of the protrusion 21 is preferably 0.1 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm, and even more preferably 0.3 mm, from the viewpoint of easily suppressing the golf club head 1 from bouncing up when a duffing occurs. On the other hand, the upper limit of the maximum height T may be 2 mm, 1.5 mm, or 1 mm, from the viewpoint of suppressing a change in the center of gravity position of the head body 2 caused by an increase in the protrusion 21 and from the viewpoint of preventing a player from feeling uncomfortable when a duffing occurs.

[0033] The lower limit of the maximum width W (see FIG. 5) of the protrusion 21 is preferably 2 mm, more preferably 4 mm, from the viewpoints of improving the strength of the protrusion 21 and making it easy for the golf club head 1 to exhibit its impact absorbing effect in the event of a duffing. On the other hand, the upper limit of the maximum width W is preferably 15 mm, more preferably 10 mm, from the viewpoints of suppressing a change in the center of gravity position of the head body 2 that would otherwise result from an increase in the protrusion 21, and suppressing the protrusion 21 from being easily buried in the ground in the event of a duffing.

[0034] 5, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion 21 (the cross-sectional shape of a cut surface perpendicular to the face-back direction) may be a shape that narrows toward the tip end in the height direction (the negative Z-axis direction in FIG. 5). In this case, the width of the protrusion 21 may narrow continuously (smoothly), or may have a portion where the width narrows stepwise.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protrusion 21 has a ridge 21a extending in the face-back direction. The cross-sectional shape of the ridge 21a is preferably V-shaped or arc-shaped. This configuration allows the protrusion 21 to be more easily embedded in the ground when a duff shot is made. This makes it easier for the head body 2 to come into contact with the ground in two stages while minimizing discomfort felt by the player when a duff shot is made. As a result, disruption of the golf ball's trajectory can be more easily prevented even when a duff shot is made.

[0036] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the protrusion 21 has an expanded thickness portion 22 whose thickness gradually increases from its front edge (the front edge of the protrusion 21) toward the back. The expanded thickness portion 22 has a maximum thickness at its rear edge. The maximum thickness of the expanded thickness portion 22 may be the maximum thickness of the protrusion 21. The position of the rear edge of the expanded thickness portion 22 is not particularly limited, but is preferably on the back side of the sole portion 20. In this disclosure, "gradual increase" includes not only a configuration in which the thickness increases continuously (smoothly), but also a configuration in which the thickness increases stepwise in part. The expanded thickness portion 22 may have a portion in which the thickness increases stepwise, but it is more preferable that the thickness increase continuously throughout.

[0037] The protrusion 21 has the thickened portion 22, which can easily suppress the disruption of the golf ball's trajectory when a duff shot is made, while minimizing the effect on the trajectory of the golf ball when a nice shot is made.

[0038] More specifically, when a golf club head bounces, a wide area of ​​the main body portion 20b, including the lowest point, simultaneously contacts the ground, causing the golf club head to bounce. In this regard, the golf club head 1 includes the protrusion 21, which allows the protrusion 21 to contact the ground first, followed by the underside of the sole portion 20, as shown in FIG. 6 . In other words, the golf club head 1 contacts the ground in two stages, with the protrusion 21 and the underside of the sole portion 20. As a result, the golf club head 1 can suppress disruption of the golf ball's trajectory due to a duffing shot. The protrusion 21 includes the expanded portion 22, which allows the protrusion 21 to sink more easily into the ground, reducing the player's discomfort during the swing. Furthermore, the expanded portion 22 is thicker toward the back side, so the effect of the protrusion 21 is more pronounced when the golf club head is duffed (when the back side of the main body portion 20b contacts the ground). As a result, disruption of the golf ball's trajectory can be easily suppressed when a golf club head hits a duffing shot.

[0039] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, when a good shot is made, only a portion of the sole portion 20 near the face portion 10 comes into contact with the ground. In this regard, since the protruding portion 21 has the expanded portion 22 and has a smaller thickness near the face portion 10, it is possible to suppress contact between the protruding portion 21 and the ground when a good shot is made. As a result, it is possible to suppress the impact on the trajectory of the golf ball when a good shot is made.

[0040] The thickened portion 22 may occupy 60% or more, 70% or more, or 75% or more of the total length in the face-back direction of the protruding portion 21. By having the thickened portion 22 occupy this proportion, it is possible to reduce the impact on the trajectory of the golf ball on a nice shot and to easily suppress disruption of the trajectory of the golf ball on a duff shot.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4 , the protrusion 21 has an enlarged portion 23 whose width gradually increases from its front edge (the front edge of the protrusion 21) toward the back. The enlarged portion 23 has a maximum width at its rear edge. The maximum width of the enlarged portion 23 may be the maximum width of the protrusion 21. The position of the rear edge of the enlarged portion 23 is not particularly limited, but is preferably on the back side of the sole portion 20. The enlarged portion 23 may have a portion where its width increases stepwise, but it is more preferable that the width increase continuously throughout. By having the enlarged portion 23, the contact area between the protrusion 21 and the ground increases the stronger the duffing. As a result, it is possible to easily suppress disruption of the trajectory of the golf ball when a duffing shot is made.

[0042] The widened portion 23 may occupy 60% or more, 70% or more, or 75% or more of the total length in the face-back direction of the protruding portion 21. When the widened portion 23 occupies this proportion, it becomes easier to suppress disruption of the golf ball's trajectory when a duff shot is made.

[0043] The thickened portion 22 and the widened portion 23 may be integrally formed. That is, the rear end edge of the thickened portion 22 may coincide with the rear end edge of the widened portion 23 in the face-back direction. This configuration is likely to significantly reduce disruption of the golf ball's trajectory when the golfer hits a duff shot.

[0044] It is preferable that the protrusion 21 has the greatest thickness and width on the back side of the sole portion 20. According to this embodiment, it is easy to easily and reliably suppress the disruption of the golf ball's trajectory when a duff shot is made, while minimizing the effect on the trajectory of the golf ball when a nice shot is made.

[0045] The maximum thickness and width of the protrusion 21 may be located in the region furthest to the back when the sole portion 20 is divided into thirds in the face-back direction, or may be located in the region furthest to the back when the sole portion 20 is divided into fourths in the face-back direction. By having the maximum thickness and width of the protrusion 21 located in these regions, it is possible to reduce the effect on the trajectory of the golf ball on a nice shot, while easily and reliably suppressing disruption of the trajectory of the golf ball on a duff shot.

[0046] As described above, the central axis of the protrusion 21 is included within the reference line segment R in the toe-heel direction. Alternatively, the central axis of the protrusion 21 may be included between the first end point P1 and the second end point P2 in the toe-heel direction. Furthermore, the central axis of the protrusion 21 may be included within a line segment extending 5 mm from the first end point P1 in the opposite direction from the second end point P2 in addition to being included between the first end point P1 and the second end point P2 in the toe-heel direction, or may be included within a line segment extending 5 mm from the second end point P2 in the opposite direction from the first end point P1 in the toe-heel direction in addition to being included between the first end point P1 and the second end point P2 in the toe-heel direction.

[0047] In a plan view, the protrusion 21 may extend, for example, parallel to the face-back direction. Meanwhile, the inclination angle of the protrusion with respect to the face-back direction in a plan view may be within ±10° or ±5°. The inclination angle of the protrusion 21 of the golf club head 1 can be set within the above range in accordance with the specifications of the golf club head. As a result, it is possible to easily prevent the trajectory of the golf ball from being disturbed when hitting a duff shot.

[0048] The golf club head 1 may further have other protrusions as long as it has a protrusion 21 whose central axis is contained within the reference line segment R in the toe-heel direction. However, it is preferable that the golf club head 1 has only a single protrusion 21 on the entire lower surface of the sole portion 20. In the golf club head 1, by having a single protrusion 21 near the lowest point on the lower surface of the sole portion 20, it is possible to minimize the effect of the protrusion 21 on the height of the center of gravity of the head body 2 and suppress disruption of the trajectory of the golf ball when duffing.

[0049] [Other embodiments] The above-described embodiments do not limit the configuration of the present invention. Therefore, the above-described embodiments may include omissions, substitutions, or additions of components based on the description in this specification and common general technical knowledge, and all of these should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the golf club head is an iron type. However, the golf club head is not limited to an iron type. For example, the golf club head may be a wood type.

[0051] In the golf club head, the shape of the sole portion is not limited to the shape in the above embodiment. By having the protrusion, the golf club head can suppress disruption of the trajectory of the golf ball when duffing, regardless of the specific shape of the sole portion.

[0052] The specific shape of the protrusion is not limited to the shape in the above embodiment. For example, the protrusion may have a uniform thickness and / or width in the face-back direction.

[0053] The specific location of the protrusion can be set depending on the specifications of the golf club head. Therefore, for example, depending on the shape of the head body, the inclination angle of the protrusion with respect to the face-back direction in a plan view may be more than ±10°. Even in this case, the inclination angle is preferably ±30° or less, and more preferably ±20° or less.

[0054] Even when the protruding portion has the thickened portion, the shape of the portion on the rear side of the thickened portion is not particularly limited. For example, the protruding portion may have a reduced thickness portion whose thickness gradually decreases from the rear end edge of the thickened portion toward the rear.

[0055] Even if the protruding portion has the thickened portion, the arrangement of the thickened portion is not limited to the arrangement in the above embodiment. For example, the thickened portion may be provided in the middle portion of the protruding portion in the face-back direction.

[0056] Even when the protruding portion has the widened portion, the shape of the portion on the rear side of the widened portion is not particularly limited. For example, the protruding portion may have a narrowed portion whose width gradually decreases from the rear end edge of the widened portion toward the rear.

[0057] Even if the protrusion has the widened portion, the arrangement of the widened portion is not limited to that of the embodiment. For example, the widened portion may be provided in the middle of the protrusion in the face-back direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 golf club head 2 Head body 10 Face 10a face 20 Sole 20a Front 20b Main body 21 Protrusion 21a Ridgeline 22 Enlarged section 23 Widening section 30 Top Section 40 Toe 50 heel 60 Bosel Club A Imaginary line including the central axis of the protrusion C center line H horizontal line L1: Length of the sole part in the face-back direction L2 Length of protrusion in face-back direction P1 1st end point P2 2nd end point R Reference line segment T Maximum height of protrusion W Maximum width of protrusion

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising a head body having a face portion and a sole portion extending in a back direction from a lower edge of the face portion, a protrusion extending along a face-back direction is provided on a lower surface of the sole portion, When viewed from the front with the head body placed on a horizontal plane to have a predetermined lie angle and loft angle, the lowest point of the sole portion is defined as a first end point, and the point where a horizontal line passing through this lowest point intersects with the center line of the face portion in the toe-heel direction is defined as a second end point. When these line segments are widened by 5 mm in the toe-heel direction, the reference line segment is: In the toe-heel direction, the central axis of the protrusion is included in the reference line segment. Golf club head.

2. 2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion has a thickened portion whose thickness gradually increases from the front end edge toward the back.

3. 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion has a widened portion whose width gradually increases from the front end edge toward the back.

4. 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a maximum thickness and a maximum width on a back side of the sole portion.

5. the protruding portion has a ridge portion extending along a face-back direction, 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the ridge line portion is V-shaped or arc-shaped.

6. 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of the protrusion relative to a face-back direction in a plan view is within ±10 degrees.

7. 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the sole portion has only a single protrusion on the entire lower surface thereof.

8. 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, which is an iron type.

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