Golf Club Head

Abstract

A golf club head includes a metal head body and a non-metal tubular member. The metal head body includes a hollow body portion having a bottom plate, and a neck connected integrally to the hollow body portion and opposite to the bottom plate. The neck has an outer open end, and an integral inner tubular part extending into the hollow body portion from the outer open end. The non-metal tubular member extends within the hollow body portion, and has a top portion connected to the neck and a bottom portion connected to the bottom plate of the hollow body portion.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a golf club head, more particularly to a golf club head, the center of gravity of which is lowered.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional method for fabricating a golf club head includes a front processing stage and a rear processing stage. The front processing stage involves precision casting technology, and includes the steps of mold-making, wax injection, hanging, dipping, dewaxing, casting, cutting, heat treating, etc. A golf club head blank made via the front processing stage is further processed via the rear processing stage, which is a semi-automatic mechanical processing technique, and which includes the steps of surface grinding, washing, lacquering, punching, embedding, assembling, torque testing, polishing, etc., so as to obtain a golf club head product.

[0005] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional golf club head blank 1 made via the aforesaid front processing stage includes a hollow head body 11 and a shaft-connecting neck 12 extending upwardly from a top side of the hollow head body 11 for connecting to a shaft 3 of a golf club. Since the shaft-connecting neck 12 and the hollow head body 11 are made integrally from metal via casting, the requirements for the configuration of the hollow head body 11 and the length and inclining angle of the shaft-connecting neck 12 should be considered and controlled precisely when making a mold for casting the golf club head blank 1. Therefore, the procedure for making the conventional gold club head blank 1 is relatively complicated and difficult. Furthermore, since the shaft-connecting neck 12 extends upwardly from the top side of the hollow head body 11, the gravity center of a golf club head made thereby is relatively high. Therefore, the trajectory of a stricken golf ball is relatively low, and the back spin of the stricken golf ball is relatively high. It is difficult to strike a high flying golf ball using such a golf club head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head, which can be made relatively easily, and the center of gravity of which is lowered effectively.

[0007] Accordingly, in one aspect of this invention, a golf club head includes a metal head body and a non-metal tubular member. The metal head body includes a hollow body portion having a bottom plate, and a neck connected integrally to the hollow body portion and opposite to the bottom plate. The neck has an outer open end, and an integral inner tubular part extending into the hollow body portion from the outer open end. The non-metal tubular member extends within the hollow body portion, and has a top portion connected to the neck and a bottom portion connected to the bottom plate of the hollow body portion.

[0008] In another aspect of this invention, a golf club includes a golf club head and a shaft. The golf club head includes a metal head body and a non-metal tubular member. The metal head body includes a hollow body portion having a bottom plate, and a neck connected integrally to the hollow body portion and opposite to the bottom plate. The neck has an outer open end, and an integral inner tubular part extending into the hollow body portion from the outer open end. The non-metal tubular member extends within the hollow body portion, and has a top portion connected to the neck and a bottom portion connected to the bottom plate of the hollow body portion. The shaft has an end portion extending fittingly into the non-metal tubular member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic partly sectional view of a conventional golf club head blank;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic partly sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of a golf club head according to this invention; and

[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic partly sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of a golf club head according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 2, the first preferred embodiment of a golf club head 2 according to this invention is shown to include a metal head body 21, and a non-metal tubular member 22 for fitting a shaft 4 thereinto. The metal head body 21 includes a hollow body portion 211 having a bottom plate 214, and a neck 210 connected integrally to the hollow body portion 211 and opposite to the bottom plate 214. The neck 210 has an outer open end 213, and an integral inner tubular part 212 extending into the hollow body portion 211 from the outer open end 213. The non-metal tubular member 22 extends within the hollow body portion 211, and has a top portion 221 connected to the neck 210 and a bottom portion 222 connected to the bottom plate 214 of the hollow body portion 211. The inner tubular part 213 has a bottom end 215 within the hollow body portion 211. The top portion 221 of the non-metal tubular member 22 has a top end 223 abutting against the bottom end 215 of the inner tubular part 212. In the preferred embodiment, the non-metal tubular member 22 is made of a carbon fiber reinforced material.

[0015] In making the golf club head 2, the non-metal tubular member 22 is positioned in a wax mold (not shown) for making a blank of the metal head body 21. A front processing stage, which includes the steps of mold-making, wax injection, hanging, dipping, dewaxing, casting, cutting, heat treating, etc, is then proceeded to make a semi-product of the golf club head 2 composed of the non-metal tubular member 22 and the blank of the metal head body 21. The semi-product further undergoes a rear processing stage, which includes the steps of surface grinding, washing, lacquering, punching, embedding, assembling, torque testing, polishing, etc., to obtain the golf club head 2.

[0016] The non-metal tubular member 22 cooperates with the inner tubular part 212 of the neck 210 to define a receiving space 216 for fitting a lower end portion 41 of the shaft 4 thereinto.

[0017] In view of the aforesaid, the non-metal tubular member 22 is provided separately, and is bonded to the metal head body 21 after casting so as to make the golf club head 2. Therefore, it is not necessary to be concerned about the requirements for the prior art. Furthermore, the inner tubular part 212 extends downwardly into the hollow body portion 211 from the outer open end 213, and the non-metal tubular member 22 is made of a non-metal material, such as a carbon fiber reinforced material. Therefore, the center of gravity of the golf club head 2 can be lowered, and the overall weight of the golf club head 2 can be reduced.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, the second preferred embodiment of a golf club head 2 according to this invention is shown to be similar to the first preferred embodiment except that the inner tubular part 212 of the neck 210 is sleeved around the top portion 221 of the non-metal tubular member 22. The top portion 221 of the non-metal tubular member 22 has an annular flange 224 extending outwardly from the non-metal tubular member 22 and sitting on the outer open end 213 of the neck 210. In the preferred embodiment, the receiving space 216 for fitting the lower end portion 41 of the shaft 4 is defined by the non-metal tubular member 22.

[0019] While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising: a metal head body including a hollow body portion having a bottom plate, and a neck connected integrally to said hollow body portion and opposite to said bottom plate, said neck having an outer open end, and an integral inner tubular part extending into said hollow body portion from said outer open end; and a non-metal tubular member extending within said hollow body portion, and having a top portion connected to said neck and a bottom portion connected to said bottom plate of said hollow body portion.

2. The golf cub head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner tubular part has a bottom end within said hollow body portion, said top portion of said non-metal tubular member having a top end abutting against said bottom end of said inner tubular part.

3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner tubular part is sleeved around said top portion of said non-metal tubular member, said top portion of said non-metal tubular member having an annular flange extending outwardly from said non-metal tubular member and sitting on said outer open end of said neck.

4. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-metal tubular member is made of a carbon fiber reinforced material.

5. A golf club, comprising: a golf club head including: a metal head body including a hollow body portion having a bottom plate, and a neck connected integrally to said hollow body portion and opposite to said bottom plate, said neck having an outer open end, and an integral inner tubular part extending into said hollow body portion from said outer open end, and a non-metal tubular member extending within said hollow body portion, and having a top portion connected to said neck and a bottom portion connected to said bottom plate of said hollow body portion; and a shaft having an end portion extending fittingly into said non-metal tubular member.