U.S. patent application number 09/867358 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-05 for golf club with improved head.
Invention is credited to Pardes, Greg, Said, Boris.
Application Number | 20020183132 09/867358 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25349635 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020183132 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Said, Boris ; et
al. |
December 5, 2002 |
Golf club with improved head
Abstract
A golf club includes a sharp edge at the intersection of the
bottom or heel surface of the club head and the front face of the
club head, allowing the club to be easily swung through obstacles
such as those usually encountered in the area of the golf course
commonly known as "the rough". The heel or bottom of the golf club
head has a substantially flat surface, stabilizing the golf club
during the swing. The sharp edge is formed at the intersection of
the face and the bottom and does not include a blade or extension
and does not extend from the plane of the face or the heel.
Inventors: |
Said, Boris; (Los Angeles,
CA) ; Pardes, Greg; (New York, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL LLP
919 THIRD AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10022
US
|
Family ID: |
25349635 |
Appl. No.: |
09/867358 |
Filed: |
May 29, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/314 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/047 20130101;
A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 53/0433 20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/314 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A golf club comprising: a shaft; a head connected to the shaft,
the head including at least: a face portion; a heel portion, the
heel portion having a substantially flat bottom surface, the heel
portion intersecting with the face and a sharp edge being defined
by the intersection of the heel portion and the face portion.
2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the shaft
includes a sharp edge.
3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein a hosel joins the head and the
shaft, the hosel having a sharp edge.
4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the golf club is an iron.
5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sharp edge is coterminous
with a horizontal plane formed by the heel portion.
6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sharp edge is coterminous
with the face portion.
7. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the head includes a bottom
portion extending rearward from a bottom of the face portion, the
substantially flat bottom surface extending from the sharp edge to
a rear edge of the bottom portion.
8. A golf club comprising: a shaft; a head connected to the shaft,
the head including at least: a face; a substantially flat bottom;
and a sharpened axe-like edge formed at the intersection of the
heel and the face.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a golf club. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a golf club for
hitting a golf ball resting in a location from which it is
difficult to directly access, such as thick rough in which the club
head may experience resistance or obstacles in making contact with
the golf ball.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] A golf club is used to hit a golf ball which may be sited at
various positions on a golf course, such as a teeing green, a
fairway, the rough, a bunker or the like, under various conditions.
In some locations, such as on a green or a fairway, there are
generally few obstacles between the golf club and the golf ball
other than the inherent difficulty in executing an accurate swing.
For example, on a teeing or putting green or fairway, the surface
on which the golf ball rests generally is not covered or obscured
by obstacles or debris such as tall grass and other plants.
However, when a golf ball is lying on a site which is obscured by
debris or obstacles such as thick rough, sand, stones or dirt, the
golf club may experience resistance as it is swung through the
obstacles, and plant or other material may even wrap around or
catch the club, interfering with the swing and the impact on the
golf ball and reducing club head speed at moment of impact.
[0003] Prior art golf clubs are known that have sharp edges for
improving performance in conditions such as the rough. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,911 to Katayama describes a golf iron having a
knife edge. However, in the golf club of Katayama, the sole or
bottom of the head has a curved bottom surface with an indentation
and the knife edge extends slightly outward and downward from the
bottom surface. Thus, the knife edge may cause the club to dig into
the ground or turf during the swing. Further, the Katayama design
alters the weight distribution of the club by including rearward
projections on the club head and thus affecting the user's golf
swing. The weight change of the club due to the Katayama design can
present a problem as golf clubs are usually sold in "matched sets,"
the object being to produce maximum efficiency with a standard
swing for each club in the set.
[0004] Therefore, there exists a need for a golf club which allows
a golfer to swing easily through obstacles such as those found in
the rough and does not alter the usual swing for the golfer by
changing the weight distribution in the club. There is a further
need for such a golf club to provide a stable swing, and not to
cause the golf club to get caught in an obstacle or dig into the
golf ball or the ground.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A golf club according to an embodiment of the present
invention includes a sharp edge formed at the intersection of the
bottom or heel surface of the golf club head and the front face of
the golf club head, allowing the golf club to be easily swung
through obstacles, such as rough. The heel or bottom of the golf
club includes a substantially flat surface, stabilizing the golf
club during the swing. The sharp edge is formed at the intersection
of the face and the bottom of the golf club head but does not
include a blade or a sharpened extension and thus also does not
extend below the plane of the face or bottom of the golf club.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 depicts a portion of a golf club according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention having a sharp edge
at the intersection of the face and bottom of the golf club
head.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a portion of the golf
club of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of a golf club head according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention having a sharp
edge formed at the intersection of the face and bottom of the golf
club head which extends up a portion of the gulf club shaft.
[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates another view of a golf club head and
shaft according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
prevention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In the following description, various aspects of the present
invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific
configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will
also be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be
made to practice the present invention without departing from the
scope and spirit of the disclosure provided herein.
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a golf club according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side
view illustrating a portion of the golf club of FIG. 1 according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2, the golf club 1 includes a head 5 connected to a
shaft 50. The head 5 can further include, for example, a face 10, a
back 20 and a sole 30. Golf head 5 can be formed of, for example, a
super hardened material such as titanium or other suitable
material. The sole 30 may be termed a heel or bottom.
[0012] The head 5 is connected to, for example, a neck or hosel 40
which is preferably formed with the head 5 as one unitary piece.
The face 10 preferably includes an inclined surface to provide loft
which varies with the club number in a set. For example, the higher
the number, the greater the loft. The face 10 can include, for
example scores 11 or similar texture 11 known in the art to enhance
the contact of the club head 5 and a golf ball. According to an
embodiment of the present invention, a sharpened edge 50 is formed
at the intersection of the face 10 and the sole 30. Conventional
golf clubs typically include a leading edge which is not
sharpened.
[0013] In an alternative exemplary embodiment, illustrated in FIG.
3, the sharp edge 50 may extend up a portion of the hosel 40 or the
shaft 50, indicated as sharpened edge 45 extending up hosel 40. The
extension of sharpened edge 45 can vary as decided by the
manufacturer of the golf club 5, although sufficient material is
needed on the hosel 40 or shaft 50 to form sharpened edge 45 (e.g.,
a solid member 40 may be easier to use for forming sharpened edge
45 than a hollow member for hosel 40).
[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom of the sole 30 is a
substantially smooth, flat surface which is angled so that the
plane of the sole 30 is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the
shaft 50. Preferably, when the club 1 is swung and the head 5 is at
the bottom of the arc of the swing, the plane of the sole 30 is
parallel to the plane of the ground, and is at a 90 degree angle to
the shaft 50. In such a manner, the sole 30 provides a guide
keeping the head 5, and thus the face 10 and sharpened edge 50, at
a proper angle as the club 1 is swung and as the face 10 contacts
the golf ball. Keeping the face 10 at the proper angle results in a
more accurate and powerful strike. Keeping the edge 50 at a proper
angle prevents the sharpened edge 50 from either being at too low
an angle, and possibly digging into the ground, or being at too
high an angle, and striking the golf ball. In alternate exemplary
embodiments, the angle of the sole 30 relative to the shaft 50 and
the ground may be at other angles, depending upon the angle of
deflection, or "loft" of the striking face of the club. However,
the sole, or bottom of the club should be parallel to the ground at
the moment of impact to insure maximum efficiency. The function of
the flat sole or bottom of the club is, for example, to help
prevent the club from digging down into the ground, or slanting
upward so that the ball is struck and cut by the club.
[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the face 10 and sole 30 meet to form a sharpened edge
50. Accordingly, the edge 50 is in the form of a wedge or axe,
rather than in the form of a long, thin blade. The sharpened edge
50 should not extend substantially beyond the sole 30 or the plane
formed by the face 10. Further, the cutting surface of edge 50 is
part of a solid wedge formed by the club head and this is not a
blade as in a "knife". Further, the cutting surface of edge 50
should not cause the club 1 to dig into the ground or turf during
the swing, as the edge 50 does not extend significantly outward or
downward from the head 5, and because the flat sole 30 provides a
stabilizing and guiding surface. In addition, since the edge 50
does not extend outward or downward from the head 5, the cutting
surface should not cause the club 1 to cut into the golf ball. Edge
50 can be formed of the same material as club head 5 or edge 50 can
be formed of a suitable super hardened material such as titanium so
that edge 50 does not need to be regularly sharpened, even if club
head 5 is not formed of the same material.
[0016] In use, when swinging to hit a golf ball located in an area
with obstructions, such as the rough, the sharp edge 50 allows the
club 1 to be swung through the rough with minimal resistance,
allowing the head 5 to have maximum speed and force when contacting
the golf ball.
[0017] Preferably, during manufacturing, a golf club iron of a
standard shape and dimensions and having a flat sole 30 is
sharpened to produce a sharp edge 50 at the intersection of the
sole 30 and face 10. Conventional processes can be used to form and
sharpen the sharpened edge 50, such as by grinding and polishing.
Alternatively, sharpened edge 50 can be formed during the
manufacturing process for the golf club. Preferably, the sole 30 is
sharpened from the bottom edge, rather than the face edge, to
maintain the integrity of the face 10, which often contains scores
or texture 11 to provide a desired effect to the movement of the
golf ball when struck by face 10, as is known in the art. For
example, in most golf club designs, the face includes certain
patterns or textures, such as grooves, which aid in transferring
momentum, spin, or other mechanical energy from the head 5 to the
golf ball. In alternate embodiments the sharp edge 50 may be formed
using different methods, such as by sharpening an edge of the face
10. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the club head sole 30 can have grooves or cutouts as
desired but the sole 30 should provide a substantially flat planar
surface across the entire dimensions of the sole 30.
* * * * *