Golf Club Hosel Support Ring for Stress Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf club heads face stress issues during hosel bending, leading to unwanted warping or breakage of composite crowns and increased mass at the hosel, which raises the center of gravity and affects mass properties.
Innovation Solution
A golf club head design featuring a bendable hosel with an internal support ring that distributes bending stresses, comprising a metal body, a carbon composite crown, and a lightweight hosel material, where the support ring is integrally cast with the body and extends along the flange region to reduce peak stress on the crown and adhesive material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If extra material is placed at the hosel to increase durability during bending, then the hosel strength is improved, but the center of gravity of the club head is raised and mass properties are negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple elements: a support ring disposed within the hollow interior of the club head body, and support arms extending from the support ring to the hosel. This segmentation allows the support function to be distributed across multiple components rather than concentrating mass at the hosel, thereby improving durability while avoiding center of gravity elevation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support ring acts as an intermediary element between the hosel and the club head body. It distributes the bending stresses from the hosel across a broader area of the body structure, preventing stress concentration at the hosel while maintaining the lightweight design. The support arms serve as intermediaries to transfer loads from the hosel to the support ring and ultimately to the body.
2Strength
If extra material is placed at the hosel to increase durability during bending, then the hosel strength is improved, but the mass properties of the golf club head are negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented into distributed support elements (support ring and support arms) rather than concentrating mass at the hosel. This allows the structure to provide adequate durability while maintaining favorable mass properties, as the support mass is distributed throughout the hollow interior and support arms rather than concentrated at the hosel.
Solution Approach 2:
The club head employs composite construction with a metal body and a carbon composite crown. The support ring and support arms are formed from the same metal material as the body, creating a composite structure that optimizes both strength and mass properties. This composite approach allows for tailored material properties in different regions to achieve both durability and favorable mass characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hosel is bent to adjust lie, loft, or face angle, then the club fit is improved, but the composite crown experiences warping or breakage and adhesive material fails
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring serves as an intermediary structure that intercepts and distributes the bending stresses applied to the hosel before these stresses can reach the composite crown. By providing this intermediate support structure, the crown is protected from warping or breakage during the bending process, while still allowing the hosel to be bent for club fit adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The support ring and support arms provide beforehand cushioning by pre-positioning structural reinforcement in the path of bending stresses. This prior cushioning structure is already in place to absorb and distribute stresses before they can cause damage to the composite crown or adhesive material, thereby protecting the crown integrity during fitting adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club head having a hosel, a hollow interior, and a support ring disposed within the hollow interior and at least partially encircling the hosel is disclosed herein. In particular, the present invention is directed to a fairway wood head comprising a body with a front wall, an upper opening, a return portion between the front wall and the upper opening, a hosel, an interface between the hosel and the heel side of the body, and a support ring, and a composite crown affixed to the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior, the support ring contained within the hollow interior and extending along the interface from a heel-most side of the body to the return portion and making contact with an inner surface of the front wall. The support ring reduces the stresses placed on, for example, the crown during hosel bending processes.