U.S. patent application number 09/920301 was filed with the patent office on 2002-03-28 for golf club head or face.
Invention is credited to Dickinson, Frank C., Krumme, John F..
Application Number | 20020037776 09/920301 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25058534 |
Filed Date | 2002-03-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020037776 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Krumme, John F. ; et
al. |
March 28, 2002 |
Golf club head or face
Abstract
A striking face for golf clubs, such as a driver, iron or
putter, includes zones of the same or different material arranged
to create a desired "feel" to the golfer and/or produce a desired
effect on the golf ball. For instance, the zones can be arranged to
create a variation in mechanical properties across the striking
face. The zones can be created by using "pixels" such as round or
hexagonal rods arranged with their central axes perpendicular to
the striking face. Pixels of a first material such as a shape
memory alloy such as superelastic NiTi can be arranged in one or
more concentric patterns and the remainder of the striing face can
be made up of pixels of a second material such as beta-titanium,
martensitic NiTi or stainless steel. The superelastic NiTi pixels
can thus create a sweet spot on the striking face of the club.
Inventors: |
Krumme, John F.; (Tahoe
City, CA) ; Dickinson, Frank C.; (Redwood City,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James W. Peterson
BURNS, DOANE, SWECKER & MATHIS, L.L.P.
P.O. Box 1404
Alexandria
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
25058534 |
Appl. No.: |
09/920301 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09920301 |
Aug 2, 2001 |
|
|
|
09137310 |
Aug 21, 1998 |
|
|
|
6277033 |
|
|
|
|
09137310 |
Aug 21, 1998 |
|
|
|
08760251 |
Dec 5, 1996 |
|
|
|
5807190 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/329 ;
473/332; 473/342; 473/349; 473/350 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/04 20130101;
A63B 53/0487 20130101; A63B 2209/00 20130101; A63B 53/0416
20200801; A63B 53/0466 20130101; A63B 53/0433 20200801; A63B 53/047
20130101; A63B 53/0445 20200801; A63B 60/00 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/329 ;
473/332; 473/342; 473/349; 473/350 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A golf ball striking face of a golf club, comprising: first and
second zones of material distributed across the striking face, one
or more of the first zones being surrounded by one or more of the
second zones and the first zone having a higher or lower modulus of
elasticity than the second zone.
2. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein the first and
second zones are differentially heat treated zones of a unitary
piece of metallic material.
3. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
the first zones comprise discrete pieces of a first material and
the second zone comprises a unitary piece of a second material, the
first zones being embedded in the second material.
4. The golf ball strkig face of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the
first zones comprise discrete pieces of a superelastic shape memory
alloy.
5. The golf ball strkig face of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the
first zones comprise individual wire segments arranged in a
pattern, the wire segments being arranged with central axes thereof
perpendicular to an exposed surface of the strkig face.
6. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
the first zones comprise discrete pieces arranged in a patter and
the second zone comprises a frame surrounding the first zones.
7. The golf ball striking face of claim 6, wherein the first zones
h ave polyhedral shapes.
8. The golf ball strkig face of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the
second zones are separated by a plurality of the first zones.
9. The golf ball-striirg face of claim 1, wherein the string face
is planar or non-planar.
10. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein the striking
face comprises an insert for an iron-type golf club and the insert
has a substantially uniform thickness.
11. The golf ball string face of claim 1, wherein the first zone
comprises an annular ring and a plurality of the second zones
include an inner second zone surrounded by the first zone and an
outer second zone surrounding the first zone.
12. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein the one or more
first zones comprise a perimeter weighting arrangement of an insert
or club head of a golf club.
13. The golf ball strikg face of claim 1, further comprising third
zones of material surrounding the first and second zones, the third
zones comprising a dense material providing perimeter weighting of
an insert or club head of a golf club.
14. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein the first zones
comprise a plurality of solid or hollow metallic members.
15. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein the first zones
comprise wires of single crystal CuNiAI, the wires being arranged
with central axes thereof intersecting the striking face.
16. The golf ball striking face of claim 1, wherein the first zones
comprise wire segments, the wire segments being curved and arranged
with ends of the wire segments intersecting the strikg face.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to improvements in construction of
golf club heads and faces for golf clubs such as a driver, iron or
putter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A large variety of materials have been proposed and in fact
used and offered commercially as golf club heads and faces. These
materials have been applied monolithically or as inserts in the
club face in an attempt to achieve more distance and/or more
control over the ball. The list of materials includes polymers,
ceramics, and metals, typically the most common, stainless steels,
BeCu, and lately various titanium alloys, and shape memory
materials such as NiTi based and copper based alloys.
[0003] Each of these materials has individual properties, different
from each other but basically uniform unto themselves and hence
provide a surface on a golf club that impacts the golf ball with
essentially uniform mechanical properties across the face. For
example, a typical titanium alloy such as Titanium 6-4 has a
modulus of about 15 million psi and a yield strength of about
120,000 psi at a strain of less than 1%. Other materials will have
different moduli and different yield strengths with different
associated strain levels but as noted uniform properties as to
themselves as used on the face of a golf club.
[0004] Since the mechanical characteristics (club speed, materials
properties, geometry) at the impact of the club face with the ball
determine the course (trajectory, distance, dispersion) of the
ball; control of the materials properties can be key to control of
the course of the ball. Club head speed and geometry being constant
or independent of the specific properties of the material used as
the impact surface of the club.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention provides a golf ball striking face of a golf
club wherein first and second zones of material are distributed
across the striking face, one or more of the first zones being
surrounded by one or more of the second zones and the one or more
first zones having a higher or lower modulus of elasticity than the
one or more second zones. The first and second zones can be
differentially heat treated zones of a unitary piece of metallic
material. Alternatively, a plurality of the first zones can
comprise discrete pieces of a first material such as a shape memory
alloy and the second zone can comprise a unitary piece of a second
material such as .beta.-titanium or stainless steel wherein the
first zones are embedded in the second material.
[0006] According to various embodiments of the invention, a
plurality of the first zones can comprise individual wire segments
arranged in a pattern with central axes of the wire segments
intersecting an exposed surface of the striking face. The striking
face can be planar or non-planar. A plurality of the first zones
can comprise discrete pieces arranged in a pattern and the second
zone can comprise a frame surrounding the first zones. The first
zones can have various shapes such as polyhedral shapes,
cylindrical shapes or any other desired shape. A plurality of the
second zones can be separated by a plurality of the first zones
such as alternating rings of first and second zones. For example,
the first zones can comprise an annular ring and the second zones
can include an inner second zone surrounded by the first zone and
an outer second zone surrounding the first zone. The first zones
can comprise a perimeter weighting arrangement of an insert or club
head of a golf club. Alternatively, third zones of material can
surround the first and second zones wherein the third zones
comprise a dense material providing perimeter weighting of an
insert or club head of a golf club. The first zones can comprise
solid or hollow metallic members. For example, the one or more
first zones can comprise wires of single crystal CuNiAl and the
wires can be arranged with central axes thereof intersecting the
strikig face.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a golf club incorporating a striking face in
accordance with the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a "pixel" arrangement in accordance with the
invention;
[0009] FIGS. 3-13 show various "pixel" arrangements in accordance
with the invention;
[0010] FIG. 14 shows a "pixel" arrangement in accordance with the
invention wherein the striing face is non-planar;
[0011] FIG. 15 shows a "pixel" arrangement in accordance with the
invention wherein the wires forming the individual pixels comprise
curved wire segments;
[0012] FIG. 16 shows a "pixel" arrangement in accordance with the
invention wherein the pixels comprise tubes;
[0013] FIGS. 17-21 show an embodiment of the invention wherein a
plate of material is differentially heat treated to create zones
having different properties;
[0014] FIGS. 22-23 show an embodiment of the invention wherein the
first zones comprise inserts received in grooves of a base
material;
[0015] FIG. 24 shows a stress/strain curve of a wire sample of a
single crystal CuNiAl wire;
[0016] FIGS. 25-26 show an embodiment of the invention
incorporating perimeter weighting; and
[0017] FIG. 27 shows a prior art perimeter weighting
arrangement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The invention allows the mechanical properties of the
striking face of a golf club to be controlled and varied at will in
incremental areas on The impact face of the club of as small as
0.0001 square inches. Use of the invention can hence allow the
properties of the club face to vary in any pattern over the impact
area. As shown in FIG. 1, an elliptically-shaped "sweet spot" 2 on
the club face 4 of a driver-type golf club 6 can be created that
varies mechanical properties in concentric rings (or any other
desirable patterns) in the impact area from high modulus to low
modulus and/or any combination of high yield strength and elastic
strain characteristics. An analogy to aid in understanding the
invention, is a TV screen. Picture the TV screen as the impact area
of the golf club and the individual pixels as individually
selectable materials from the whole gamut of available materials.
One can then see that any conceivable pattern or combination of
materials properties can be achieved on the "screen" (impact face)
by simply selecting the pixels, as desired, by analogy as a TV
image on the screen can be generated. Further picture the
individual pixels themselves as having selectable geometry such as
round or hexagonal shape. For example, if hexagonal geometry were
chosen for individual pixels, the pixels would stack in a manner
essentially "tight packed" allowing almost no space between
individual pixels while if a round geometry is chosen, the stacked
pixels 8 would create interstices 10 (see FIG. 2) between pixels
that in turn could be made from any desirable material either the
same or different from the round pixels themselves. It can be seen
that an infinite combination of materials properties can be created
by the combination of choice of "pixel" size and shape and
material. The range of the invention allows, at one end uniform
properties across the golf club face by selection of a single
material, and at the other end an infinite variation of properties
in any pattern across the face, by selection of the "pixel" size,
shape and material.
[0019] The method to create the striking face according to the
invention is quite simple. Using the TV screen analogy, picture the
pixels as the ends of individual wires of selected materials such
as titanium or polymer or preferably highly elastic shape memory
materials (e.g., NiTi based materials). As shown in FIG. 3, the
hexagonal-shaped wires 12 are tightly packed into a frame 14 and
bonded in a matrix of epoxy polymer (or sintered metal powder or
solder or other adhesive matrix). This frame is made to the proper
size for an insert 16 on the face of a golf club, either a driver
or an "iron" or putter. The framed matrix of "pixels" of wire is
then formed by machining or grinding to club face geometry and
applied to a club. The resulting insert 16 as noted above can be
designed to any desirable combination of materials properties
simply by selecting the desired wire materials and diameters or
cross sectional geometry. FIGS. 4-7 illustrate the invention in
several forms. FIG. 4 shows round "pixels" 18 of uniform diameter
in a matrix 20 of epoxy polymer. FIG. 5 shows the pixels 22 as
tight packed hexagon cross sections, FIG. 6 shows a frame 24 which
mates with the hexagon-shaped pixels, and FIG. 7 shows a
combination including a variation of pixel sizes 26,28. Note that
the frame can be retained as part of the insert or removed after
the "pixels" are bonded together.
[0020] As noted above the pixels may also vary in material
selection. FIG. 1 illustrates an elliptical "sweet spot" 2 in which
the central zone is of a material with a high modulus and
progressively the modulus is varied toward the borders of the
impact face by selecting materials with progressively lower
modulus. Of course, the opposite combination of materials
properties (e.g., low modulus at the center/high modulus at the
outside) could be implemented or any other combination or a uniform
material could be selected.
[0021] The preferred embodiments of the invention include versions
designed for maximum control (minimum dispersion), maximum
distance, or ideal combinations of distance and control. Various
patterns for the impact zone are illustrated in FIGS. 8-16 wherein
pixels 30,32,34,36,38,40,42,44,46,48,50 are arranged within frames
52,54,56,58,60,62,64.
[0022] The thickness of the "pixel" matrix can also be varied to
create a "z" axis variation in mechanical response of the club
face. This thickness variation can be accomplished by machining of
the front or back or both sides of the framed insert or the impact
surface of the insert can consist of shorter and longer "pixels"
that create a 3 dimensional effect on the impact surface as
illustrated in FIG. 14 wherein striking face 66 has a curvature of
radius R and the pixels 46 increase in length towards the middle of
frame 60. Since materials can be individually selected for
properties, surface geometry of the impact surface can also be
modified and customized by selective chemical etching of the
surface. For example, if a combination of titanium-nickel and
aluminum "pixels" were selected, chemical etching of the impact
surface using a strong basic solution would result in the aluminum
elements being etched away at a rate much higher than the
nickel-titanium materials. The surface therefore would exhibit
raised nickel-titanium elements among lowered aluminum elements.
This same basic process can be applied to a variety of materials
including polymers to achieve a surface on the impact zone to
idealize grip or spin imparted to the ball similar to the now
conventional grooves, dots, holes and indents found on club faces.
This process can also be used to produce differences in coloration
of the materials, which by controlling patterns of application can
be used to produce visually observable logos, designs and/or
service marks such as company names on the surface to the
inserts.
[0023] The frame constraining the pixel matrix can be made of
materials such as stainless steel, by machining, forging or
casting. A polymer frame may also be created by molding or
machining. A temporary frame may be used to create the insert form
as a matrix bonded together by epoxy resin and then the frame may
be removed leaving a frameless insert for application to the club
face in an appropriate recess or receiving cavity on the club. The
back side of the "pixel" matrix may be supported by the frame
structure or the receiving cavity of the club may support the
backside of the matrix or both in combination.
[0024] In another variation of the invention, the individual wires
48 ("pixels"), may be curved or bowed (see FIG. 15) to allow both
compression and bending strain upon impact with the ball. The
individual pixels 50 may also be hollow; for example, thin wall
tubes either empty or the lumen filled with another material such
as polymer or alternately filled or partially filled with metal or
polymer or ceramic material, as shown in FIG. 16.
[0025] The invention is additionally illustrated in connection with
the following Examples which are to be considered as illustrative
of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that
the invention is not limited to the specific details of the
Examples.
[0026] "Driver" Example
[0027] An insert for a golf club "driver" consisting of optimized
elastic nickel-titanium wires and beta titanium wires in an epoxy
matrix with the higher modulus beta titanium wires forming an outer
circular zone of impact and the lower modulus nickel-titanium
forming a circular inner zone of impact. This embodiment allows a
combination of long distance from the high modulus beta titanium
and control from the lower modulus very highly elastic non linear
strain characteristics of the nickel-titanium. This arrangement
approximates the strain distribution on the ball as it is deformed
by the face of the club. Closer approximations are possible by
reducing the size of the pixels and adding a third or fourth
material and so on with moduli progressively varying. The
"opposite" example could consist of high modulus beta titanium or
even higher modulus stainless steel forming an inner zone with NiTi
lower modulus forming an outer zone.
[0028] "Iron" Example
[0029] An insert for a golf club "iron" consisting of a matrix of
hexagonal wires per the invention made from highly damping
superelastic NiTi alloy or a combination of superelastic NiTi and
martensitic NiTi alloy materials. This embodiment would allow a
solid yet vibration reduced feel upon impact since the NiTi
material in a superelastic or optimized elastic condition has a
damping effect resulting from energy absorption deriving from its
stress/strain hysterises behavior.
[0030] "Putter" Example
[0031] An insert for a golf club putter consisting of a matrix of
martensitic NiTi wires alone or in combination with polymer wires.
This embodiment is designed to maximize damping (vibration
reduction) on impact with a resulting "dead" or "soft hit" feel for
maximum control of the ball in putting.
[0032] "Differentially Heated Treated" Example
[0033] FIG. 17 shows an insert 70 for a golf ball striking surface
of a golf club wherein the insert is a solid piece of NiTi based
shape memory alloy. The solid piece of NiTi is differentially heat
treated such as in a uniform or non-uniform pattern to control the
mechanical properties across the interface and achieve an effect
similar to the "pixel" approach discussed above. The differential
heat treatment preferably provides finite zones 72 surrounded by or
surrounding adjacent zones which are unaffected by the heat
treatment. The heat treatment can be implemented, for example, by
patterning electrodes arranged perpendicular to and opposing the
surface being heat treated and passing AC or DC current through the
electrodes. The heat treatment step can be carried out by running
electrical current from electrode to electrode through the material
in order to effect localized heating and provide one or more heat
treated zones corresponding to the shape or shapes of the opposed
electrodes. In FIG. 17, a nickel-titanium based shape memory alloy
insert 70 for a club face is located between a pair of opposed
electrodes 74,76. FIG. 18 shows a plan view of the NiTi insert 70
differentially heat treated in FIG. 17. As shown in FIG. 18, the
heat treated zone 72 is circular in shape. In heat treating the
insert, a single pair of electrodes could be used to sequentially
provide a series of heat treated zones 72 or a plurality of
electrodes provided in a desired pattern and having a desired
configuration could be used to create any desired pattern of heat
treated zones.
[0034] FIGS. 19-21 show examples of patterns of heat treated zones
78,80,82 which can be obtained by differentially heat treating NiTi
84,86,88 inserts for golf club faces. As shown in these figures, by
patterning the electrodes and/or by the geometry of the electrodes
themselves, differential mechanical properties can be achieved in
large variety of patterns that can be idealized for control of the
flight of a golf ball. FIG. 19 shows a heat treated zone 78 in the
shape of an annular ring and such a heat treated zone could be
created by a pair of opposed tubular electrodes. FIG. 20 shows a
ring of circular heat treated zones which together form an annular
zone 80 created by one or more pairs of opposed electrodes of the
type shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 21 shows an example of "strip" heat
treated zones 82 created by one or more pairs of opposed strip
electrodes (e.g., plate-type electrodes).
[0035] "Composite" Example
[0036] FIGS. 22-23 show an example of a composite insert 90 for a
striking face of a golf club. As shown in FIG. 22, the insert
includes a base material 92 having one or more embedded members 94
of a material selected for purposes of modifying the properties of
the insert. For instance, as shown in FIG. 22, the additional
members 94 can be spaced more closely together in the central
region of the insert than at the outer edges thereof. As shown in
FIG. 23, the base material can include grooves 96 for receiving the
additional members 94. The grooves can be provided in any desired
pattern such as a uniform pattern or non-uniform pattern (e.g., the
grooves can be provided with progressively increasing spacing
therebetween towards the outer periphery of the insert). The
material of the inserts preferably provides a different modulus
than the base material. Although the grooves are shown as extending
vertically the grooves could extend in any desired direction or
have any desired shape (e.g., the grooves could be provided in a
horizontal, angled or mixed pattern which combines more than one
shape or orientation of the grooves).
[0037] "CuiNiAl Single Crystal" Example
[0038] An insert for a striking face of a golf club includes
"pixels" (as described earlier) of single crystal CuNiAl. Such an
insert would allow much greater deformations of the club insert
striing surface. This material has extreme strain ability to deform
elastically up to 12-14% strain with a "plateau" at low stress and
full elastic recovery with very low hysteresis. FIG. 24 is a
stress/strain curve of a wire sample of single crystal CuNiAl
having a diameter of 0.060 inch. The strain properties of such
material would allow a golf ball to remain on the club for a longer
period of time giving an increased feel of control to the user.
[0039] "Perimeter Weighting" Example
[0040] FIG. 25 shows an example of how perimeter weighting can be
added to the golf club according to the invention. In the
embodiment shown, the central region 100 of the club face can
include a pixel or other arrangement such as shown in FIGS. 1-23.
The central region is entirely or partly surrounded by high density
"pixels" 102 such as rods of heavy materials such as pure metals
(e.g., uranium, tungsten, molybdenum, lead, etc.). The perimeter
weighting concept allows the striking face to be made much thinner.
For instance, as shown in FIG. 26, the cross-section of an
"iron-type" club face 104 having the perimeter weighting 102 can be
substantially uniform in thickness whereas a conventional cast or
forged stainless steel iron-type club, such as is shown in FIG. 27,
has an increased cross-section around the top 106 and bottom 108
thereof.
[0041] The foregoing has described the principles, preferred
embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention.
However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to
the particular embodiments discussed. Thus, the above-described
embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than
restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be
made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without
departing from the scope of the present invention as defmed by the
following claims.
* * * * *