Golf club head and golf club

Abstract

To provide a golf club head and a golf club that prevent the golf club head from wobbling during a swing by forming grooves on the outer circumference of the golf club head. [Solution] The head of a wood-type golf club comprises a face surface 5 and a sole portion 4 that is curved outward from the lower edge of the face surface 5 toward the rear, wherein a first groove 13 is formed on the outer surface of the sole portion 4 toward the rear from the face surface 5 side, and the first groove 13 is open toward the rear side space without being obstructed. As a result, when the ball is struck with the golf club, air flows from front to back through the groove, which stabilizes the swing and prevents the head of the golf club from wobbling during the swing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a golf club head and a golf club equipped with such a head.

Background Art

[0002] In the game of golf, a player swings a golf club in a predetermined form to hit a ball. However, if the player's swing deviates at that time, the force of hitting the ball will not be accurately transmitted to the ball, and it is impossible to catch the ball at the so-called sweet spot (core). Even if the ball is hit, there is a possibility of an involuntary hit that is not the shot the player intended. That is, there was a possibility that the head of the golf club deviated in a direction intersecting the swing direction as the swing was made. In order to prevent such a situation, for example, a technique has been proposed in Patent Document 1 in which an air flow guiding groove 7 extending from the hitting surface 2 side of the head toward the rear end portion 5 side of the head is provided on the sole surface 4.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, although a golf club such as Patent Document 1 has a function of stabilizing the swing, a golf club head with higher stability and a golf club equipped with such a head have been desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above objective, means 1 is a wood-type golf club head comprising a face surface and a sole portion that is curved so as to be convex outward toward the rear from the lower edge of the face surface, wherein a first groove is formed on the outer surface of the sole portion toward the rear from the face surface side, and the first groove is open toward the rear side space without being obstructed. As a result, when hitting the ball with a golf club, air flows from front to back through the first groove on the sole of the golf club head as the club swings, and this airflow exits upward towards the rear of the head along the curved shape of the sole. This stabilizes the swing and prevents the golf club head from wobbling during the swing.

[0006] As a second means, the head of a wood-type golf club comprises a face surface, a first curved portion extending outward from the heel edge of the face surface so as to be convex towards the rear, and a second curved portion extending outward from the toe edge of the face surface so as to be convex towards the rear, wherein a second groove is formed along the outer circumference of at least one of the outer surfaces of the first curved portion and the second curved portion, and the second groove is open to the rear space without being obstructed. As a result, when striking the ball with a golf club, air flows from front to back through the second groove in at least one of the first and second curved sections of the golf club head as the club swings. This stabilizes the swing and prevents the golf club head from wobbling during the swing. The second groove is preferably formed so that the rearward side is oriented diagonally upward. Both means 1 and means 2 are open toward the space behind the first groove (or second groove) so as not to generate turbulence that would affect the head's wobble behind the head. "Open toward the space behind" means that there are no parts formed in the middle of the groove's longitudinal direction that would obstruct the passage of air, such as a shielding wall. The first groove is particularly good in terms of head stability because the air escapes upward toward the rear of the head.

[0007] Furthermore, means 3 includes a first curved portion that curves outward from the heel-side edge of the face surface toward the rear, and a second curve that curves outward from the toe-side edge of the face surface toward the rear. A second groove is formed along the outer circumference of at least one of the outer surfaces of the first curved portion and the second curved portion, and the second groove is open to the rear side space without being obstructed. As a result, when striking the ball with a golf club, air flows from front to back through the first groove in the sole of the club as the club swings, and this airflow exits upward towards the rear of the head along the curved shape of the sole. In addition, air flows from front to back through the second groove in at least one of the first and second curved sections of the golf club head, and this airflow exits upward towards the rear of the head along the curved shape of the sole. This airflow stabilizes the swing and prevents the golf club head from wobbling during the swing. In particular, the ability to create airflow from front to back using multiple grooves is beneficial in terms of head stability.

[0008] Furthermore, as a fourth means, the first groove is left open to the front space without being obstructed. Furthermore, as a fifth means, the second groove is left open to the front space without being obstructed. These features allow for smoother airflow into the first groove (or second groove), contributing to head stability during the swing. Furthermore, as a sixth measure, the outer or inner corner portion where the first groove or the second groove is formed is chamfered. This is because if the shape of these grooves has corners, turbulence is likely to occur during the swing, which is detrimental to the stability of the club head. Furthermore, as a means 7, the first groove is positioned near the center of the sole portion in the left-right direction. This helps prevent the club head from wobbling during the golf swing. Furthermore, as a means 8, the first groove is configured such that its width is wider than its depth. In other words, the first groove should be shallow and wide. Furthermore, as a means 9, the second groove is composed of a plurality of groove groups separated by partition walls in the vertical direction. Forming large grooves affects the weight, balance, and strength of the club head. Therefore, the second groove should be a group of grooves that overlap vertically. Each groove should be arranged to extend parallel to the others. Furthermore, as means 10, the method is applied to a golf club having the head of the above-described means as its head. The inventions described above, from means 1 to means 10, can be combined in any way. Any component of each invention from means 1 to means 10 may be extracted and combined with other components. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, when a golf club strikes a ball, air flows through the groove from front to back, which stabilizes the swing and prevents the club head from wobbling during the swing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A front view of the head of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A plan view of the head of the same embodiment. [Figure 3]Bottom view of the head of the same embodiment. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of the head of the same embodiment taken along line A-A in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] Left side view of the head of the same embodiment. [Figure 6] Right side view of the head of the same embodiment. [Figure 7] Rear view of the head of the same embodiment. [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of the head of the same embodiment taken along line B-B in FIG. 3. [Figure 9] Explanatory drawing for explaining the air flow during swinging in the head of the same embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, the structure of the head of a golf club, which is an embodiment of the present invention, will be described based on the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the head 1 of a golf club includes a so-called wood-type head body 2 made of a persimmon-like wooden material that has been machined. The head body 2 includes a crown portion 3 disposed on the upper surface side during use and a sole portion 4 on the bottom surface side. The crown portion 3 has a substantially isosceles triangle shape with chamfered corners as viewed from the plan view direction. One side of the crown portion 3 in the plan view has a face surface 5 formed on a plane. As shown in FIG. 2, the face surface 5 appears as a straight line in the plan view. An alloy face plate 7 with a plurality of score lines 6 engraved thereon is embedded in the face surface 5. Hereinafter, the face surface 5 side will be described as the front (front face) side of the head body 2. Both the crown portion 3 and the sole portion 4 have curved surfaces that protrude outward. With the face surface 5 disposed vertically, the outer surface of the crown portion 3 extends substantially horizontally rearward in a side view, and the outer surface of the sole portion 4 is connected to the rear end portion of the outer surface of the crown portion 3 by a large curve starting from the lower end of the face surface 5. The switching portion (corner portion) between the crown portion 3, the sole portion 4, and the face surface 5 is chamfered and smoothly connected. A hosel 8 for connecting a shaft (not shown) is formed on the crown portion 3 adjacent to one end side of the face surface 5. Since the golf club of the present embodiment is for right-handed use, in FIG. 2 where the face surface 5 is arranged downward in a plan view, the hosel 8 is disposed at the right side position of the face surface 5. The periphery of the hosel 8 is the heel portion 9. In a plan view of the crown portion 3, a side region extending at an angle of about 60 degrees from one end (the right side in FIG. 2) side of the face surface 5 across the hosel 8 (heel portion 9) is the first curved portion 10. Similarly, a side region extending at an angle of about 110 degrees from the other end (the left side in FIG. 2) side of the face surface 5 is the second curved portion 11. The periphery of the second curved portion 11 near the face surface 5 is the toe portion 12. The tip sides of the first curved portion 10 and the second curved portion 11 are smoothly connected by a gentle curve. Both the first curved portion 10 and the second curved portion 11 have a curved shape that is convex outward as a whole, and the second curved portion 11 has a larger curvature (greater degree of curvature) than the first curved portion 10.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8, a first groove 13 is formed in the sole portion 4. The first groove 13 is linearly formed from the center in the left-right direction of the face surface 5 toward the direction where the first curved portion 10 and the second curved portion 11 intersect. The first groove 13 has a width about 1 / 3 of the width of the sole portion 4, and the deepest part of the first groove 13 is about 1 / 4 of the width of the first groove 13. That is, the width of the groove is configured to be wide with respect to the depth of the groove. The inner corner portion in the first groove 13 and the outer corner portion formed between the first groove 13 and the sole portion 4 are configured by smooth three-dimensional curved surfaces without corners.

[0013] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first curved section 10 has two grooves 15A and 15B formed along its curved shape, extending rearward from near the hosel 8 (heel section 9). The two grooves 15A and 15B are recesses sandwiched from above and below by three struts 16A, 16B, and 16C that extend slightly upward toward the rear and are arranged substantially parallel to each other. These grooves 15A and 15B and the struts 16A, 16B, and 16C constitute the first curved section 10. In this embodiment, the upper groove 15A is shallow and has a short overall length, while the lower groove 15B is slightly deeper and has a longer overall length. The grooves 15A and 15B gradually become shallower towards both ends, and their ends are smoothly integrated with the surface of the head body 2. The inner surfaces of the grooves 15A and 15B are composed of smooth, three-dimensional curved surfaces without corners, and the struts 16A, 16B, and 16C are also composed of smooth, three-dimensional curved surfaces without corners. The second curved section 11, like the first curved section 10, is composed of two grooves 17A and 17B and three strips 18A, 18B, and 18C, which serve as second grooves. The shapes of the first curved section 10 and the second curved section 11 are asymmetrical. The two grooves 17A and 17B extend slightly upward toward the rear. Similar to the first curved section 10, the upper groove 17A is shallower and shorter in overall length, while the lower groove 17B is deeper and longer in overall length. Both the grooves 17A and 17B, and the strips 18A, 18B, and 18C, are composed of smooth, three-dimensional curved surfaces without corners (other features are the same as those of grooves 15A and 15B).

[0014] The function and effect of the first groove 13 and the second grooves (grooves 15A, 15B, 17A, 17B) when a player uses a golf club equipped with such a head 1 will be explained. Now, let's assume that the head 1 moves in the direction of the arrow in Figure 6 as the golf club swings. During the swing, the air acts as wind hitting the head 1, influencing its movement. As shown in Figure 9, the air (i.e., wind) flowing along the first groove 13 is guided to the rear of the head 1 and further guided upward along the curve of the sole 4. Also, the air flowing along the second groove (grooves 17A and 17B in the figure) is guided to the rear of the head 1 and along the side of the head 1, and then guided upward along the curve of grooves 17A and 17B. In Figure 9, the direction of airflow is indicated by dashed arrows. Figure 9 shows the side of the second curved section 11, but the same applies to the side of the first curved section 10. In this way, the airflow guided upward along the sole 4 and the left and right sides of the head 1 prevents the head 1 from wobbling from side to side, allowing the golf club to swing smoothly. The first groove 13 alone, or even the second grooves (grooves 15A, 15B, 17A, 17B), alone make the head 1 less prone to wobbling from side to side, resulting in a more stable swing. Furthermore, since the exposed outer circumference of the head 1 consists of smooth, three-dimensional curved surfaces without sharp corners, both inside and outside, turbulence caused by the swing is less likely to occur, which in turn makes the head 1 less prone to wobbling in the lateral direction.

[0015] The above embodiments are merely described as specific examples illustrating the principles and concepts of the present invention. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention can also be embodied in modified forms, for example, as follows. The so-called wood-type head 1 in the above embodiment is just one example. It may be implemented with other designs. Examples of golf club types include drivers, brassies, spoons, baffies, and creeks. • In the above embodiment, an example was given in which wood was used as the material for the head 1, but a wood-shaped head 1 made of an alloy may also be used. In the above embodiment, only one first groove 13 is positioned in the center of the sole portion 4 in the left-right direction, but two or more grooves may be provided. In the above embodiment, the second grooves (grooves 15A, 15B, grooves 17A, 17B) were formed on both the left and right sides, but they may be formed on only one side, or even if they are formed on both sides of the first curved portion 10 and the second curved portion 11, the vertical width and depth of the grooves, or the number of grooves, may be changed on the left and right sides according to the degree of curvature.

[0016] The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiments above. The components of each embodiment and modification described above may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment and modification may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention, or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to obtain rights for these as well in amendments or divisional applications of this application. Furthermore, the applicant intends to acquire rights to the overall design or a partial design by filing an application for amendment to the design application. The drawing depicts the entire device with solid lines, but it is a drawing that includes not only the overall design but also the partial design claimed for a part of the device. For example, it is a drawing that includes a partial design for a part of the device, as well as a part of the device that is unrelated to a component. The part of the device may be a component of the device, or a part of a component. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0017] 1...Head, 4...Sole, 5...Face, 13...First groove, 15A, 15B, 17A, 17B...Second groove.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising a face surface and a sole portion that is curved so as to be convex outward from the lower edge of the face surface toward the rear, The head of a golf club is characterized in that a first groove is formed on the outer surface of the sole portion, extending from the face side toward the rear, and the first groove is open toward the rear space without being obstructed.

2. A wood-type golf club head comprising a face surface, a first curved portion extending outward from the heel edge of the face surface toward the rear, and a second curved portion extending outward from the toe edge of the face surface toward the rear, A golf club head characterized in that a second groove is formed along the outer circumference of at least one of the outer surfaces of the first curved portion and the second curved portion, and the second groove is open toward the rear side space without being obstructed.

3. The face surface comprises a first curved portion that extends outward from the heel-side edge of the face surface so as to be convex towards the rear, and a second curved portion that extends outward from the toe-side edge of the face surface so as to be convex towards the rear, The head of a golf club according to claim 1, characterized in that a second groove is formed along the outer circumference of at least one of the outer surfaces of the first curved portion and the second curved portion, and the second groove is open toward the rear side space without being obstructed.

4. The head of a golf club according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the first groove is open to the front space without being obstructed.

5. The head of a golf club according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the second groove is open to the front space without being obstructed.

6. The head of any of the golf clubs according to 1 to 3, characterized in that the outer or inner corner portion in which the first groove or the second groove is formed is chamfered.

7. The head of a golf club according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the first groove is located near the center of the sole portion in the left-right direction.

8. The head of a golf club according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the first groove is configured such that the groove width is wider than the distance in the depth direction.

9. The head of a golf club according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the second groove is composed of a plurality of groove groups separated by partitions in the vertical direction.

10. A golf club using the head of any of claims 1 to 3.

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