U.S. patent application number 12/327219 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-04 for twin-axis and head for sports equipment.
Invention is credited to Takayuki Hayashi.
Application Number | 20090143164 12/327219 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40676318 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090143164 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hayashi; Takayuki |
June 4, 2009 |
TWIN-AXIS AND HEAD FOR SPORTS EQUIPMENT
Abstract
This disclosed subject matter provides twin-axis sports
equipment wherein a structure connecting a main shaft and a
striking portion comprises two axes. The sports equipment can be a
golf club, a hockey stick, an ice hockey stick, a tennis racket, a
badminton racket, or the like. The striking portion can be
configured as the striking portion of a golf club driver, wood,
iron or putter, and can include a golf club driver, wood, iron, or
putter having a punched hole or a dimple. A void can be formed in
the striking portion, from a toe side and a heel side of the
striking portion, which further connects with a main shaft.
Inventors: |
Hayashi; Takayuki;
(Niigata-ken, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CERMAK KENEALY VAIDYA & NAKAJIMA LLP
515 EAST BRADDOCK RD SUITE B
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
40676318 |
Appl. No.: |
12/327219 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/314 ;
473/316; 473/516 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/047 20130101;
A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 53/0433 20200801; A63B 53/02 20130101;
A63B 53/0437 20200801; A63B 53/04 20130101; A63B 53/0487 20130101;
A63B 53/0466 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/314 ;
473/516; 473/316 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/00 20060101
A63B053/00; A63B 59/00 20060101 A63B059/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 3, 2007 |
JP |
2007-312356 |
Claims
1. Twin-axis sports equipment, comprising: a striking portion; a
main shaft having a main longitudinal axis and being connected to
the striking portion; and a second shaft connected to the striking
portion and having a second longitudinal axis separate from the
main longitudinal axis.
2. The twin-axis sports equipment according to claim 1, wherein
said twin-axis sports equipment is at least one of a golf club, a
hockey stick, an ice hockey stick, a tennis racket, and a badminton
racket.
3. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein said
striking portion is a striking portion of at least one of a golf
club driver, a golf club wood, a golf club iron, and a golf club
putter.
4. A golf club, wherein said striking portion is at least one of a
golf club driver, a golf club wood, a golf club iron, and a golf
club putter, and the striking portion includes a punched hole or a
dimple.
5. A twin-axis golf club comprising: a striking portion having a
heel portion, a striking face, and a surface opposed to the
striking face; a main shaft having a main longitudinal axis and
being connected to the striking portion; an auxiliary shaft having
an auxiliary longitudinal axis, wherein one end of the auxiliary
shaft is connected to the main shaft, and an opposite end of the
auxiliary shaft is connected to the surface opposed to the striking
face.
6. A golf club, comprising: a main shaft having a main shaft
longitudinal axis; a striking portion connected to the main shaft
and including a striking face having a toe side and an opposed heel
side; and a bridge portion configured in an upright fashion and
including a toe portion formed from the toe side of the striking
portion and a heel portion formed from the heel side of said
striking portion, the heel portion from said heel side connects to
the main shaft, and a void is formed by said bridge portion and an
upper surface of said striking portion.
7. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 2, wherein said
striking portion is a striking portion of at least one of a golf
club driver, a golf club wood, a golf club iron, and a golf club
putter.
8. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein said main
longitudinal axis forms an angle between 0 and 90 degrees with the
second longitudinal axis.
9. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein the
striking portion includes a striking face having a toe side and an
opposed heel side and the striking portion includes an opposing
side directly opposed to the striking face, and the main shaft is
connected to the heel side of the striking face, and the second
shaft is connected to the opposing side directly opposed to the
striking face.
10. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 9, wherein the
striking face is substantially parallel with the main longitudinal
axis, and the striking face forms an acute angle with respect to
the second longitudinal axis.
11. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein the
striking portion includes a striking face having a toe side and an
opposed heel side and the striking portion includes an opposing
side directly opposed to the striking face, and the main shaft is
connected to the heel side of the striking face, and the second
shaft is connected to the toe side of the striking face to form a
bridge portion.
12. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein the
striking portion includes a striking face having a toe side and an
opposed heel side and the striking portion includes an opposing
side directly opposed to the striking face, the striking portion
further including a hole extending therethrough and located between
the striking face and the opposing side.
13. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 12, wherein the hole
has a central axis extending therethrough that is substantially
parallel with the striking face of the striking portion.
14. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein the main
shaft, the second shaft, and a top surface of the striking portion
define a void.
15. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 14, wherein the
striking portion includes a striking face having a toe side and an
opposed heel side and the striking portion includes an opposing
side directly opposed to the striking face, and the void is a
through hole that has a central axis extending therethrough that is
substantially perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis.
16. The twin-axis golf club according to claim 1, wherein the main
shaft has a first end connected to the striking portion and an
opposite end configured for a user to grip, and the second shaft
has a first end connected to the striking portion and an opposed
second end connected to the main shaft at a location that is closer
to the first end of the main shaft than the opposite end of the
main shaft.
Description
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-312356, filed on
Dec. 3, 2007, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The disclosed subject matter relates to various sports
equipment, such as a golf club driver, wood, iron, and putter,
hockey and ice hockey sticks, a tennis racket, a badminton racket,
and the like, and particularly relates to twin-axis sports
equipment and heads for these types of sports equipment.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In the past, various types of sports equipment have
comprised many aspects that depend on the skill of the user. For
example, particularly for a beginner, etc., the swing of a golf
club and the transfer of the moment of force are difficult,
resulting in the golf ball or the like never being struck with
exact directionality and speed.
[0006] This is also related to the so-called third law of sports
(the law of action-reaction), i.e., the rule of thumb that force is
the result of interaction, and the forces experienced by two
colliding objects are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
For example, when the swing of a golf club and the transfer of
moment of force are less than ideal, the struck ball flies in a
direction other than that intended by the user.
[0007] A conventional golf club, as shown in FIG. 5 (which shows a
so-called wood club), comprises a head portion 2, a shaft portion
3, and a grip portion 4. The head portion 2 comprises a toe portion
5, a heel portion 6, a neck portion 7, and a face portion 8.
[0008] As described above, with a conventional golf club, it is
difficult to control the directionality of the golf ball when
striking the ball, and particularly difficult to control a
rightward slice, thereby hindering the improvement of the golf play
of a beginner, etc.
[0009] In various sports, in general, torque--which is the moment
of force around a rotation axis--becomes an issue when rotating an
object around a fixed rotation axis. Even with the swing of a golf
club, for example, it is desirable to increase this torque.
[0010] In Japanese Patent Application No. JP-A 1998-201884 a golf
putter is disclosed wherein the shaft 2 of the head upper portion
comprises two axes. When the shaft is designed with two axes, the
putter head 4 is provided with two support points so as to balance
the force across the entire head, thereby improving swing balance,
significantly widening the sweet spot (core) of the face 5, and
reducing the weight of the club. In other words, the two axes make
it possible to accurately strike the ball without difficulty and
enable many and varied club designs.
[0011] Nevertheless, the disclosure of JP-A 1998-201884 is limited
to a golf putter and cannot be used with golf clubs in general or
with various sports equipment as is the case with the disclosed
subject matter, and its configuration is limited to an even
arrangement of the two axes on the upper surface of the putter.
[0012] Additionally, certain golf journals or dictionaries disclose
various topics from basic golf knowledge to club specifications,
the club center of gravity, the club shaft, the club loft and face
angle, club weight, and the like. Nevertheless, these descriptions
are based on existing golf clubs and are not provided to solve the
aforementioned problems or address the same concerns as does the
disclosed subject matter.
SUMMARY
[0013] Conventional sports equipment, such as golf clubs, for
example, are provided with a distance (approximately 4 cm in the
case of a golf club) between the club head center of gravity that
strikes the golf ball and the shaft, resulting in an impact in the
range of tons on a section not in line with this axis. As a result,
the club head rotates and, at the moment of impact of the club,
stick, or racket on the ball, puck, shuttlecock, or the like, the
head unavoidably bends rightward due to the great force, sometimes
causing the struck ball, such as the golf ball, to curve, i.e.,
slice.
[0014] The reason the golf club bends, as described above, is
believed to be that the shaft and the center of gravity that
strikes the ball are not in alignment. This has lead to the
emergence of golf clubs and the like designed to decrease the curve
of the ball by changing the position of the shaft and creating
inventive head shapes based on various conventional
initiatives.
[0015] Based on the above-described points, the disclosed subject
matter provides various sports equipment that can be configured to
be capable of supporting the face section of a club head, etc.,
that contacts a ball with two axes. Alternatively, the various
sports equipment can include a punched hole or dimple in the club
head (in the case of a golf club). The disclosed subject matter can
include sports equipment configured to reduce the operating torque,
i.e., preventing a reduction in the moment of force, on the shaft
of the club, stick, racket, or the like of the various sports
equipment, and eliminating the loss of force caused by the rotation
of the head of the club, stick, racket, or the like, making it
possible for even a beginner to appropriately and accurately
transfer force to the ball.
[0016] The above-described features, according to the disclosed
subject matter, can be achieved, for example, by twin-axis sports
equipment wherein an axis connecting a main shaft and a striking
portion on the head comprises two axes.
[0017] In the disclosed subject matter, because the axis connecting
the main shaft and the striking portion comprises two axes, the
moment of force at the time the ball or the like is struck can be
more properly or appropriately executed, thereby reducing the curve
of the ball that results when the force is shifted rightward.
[0018] Further, the twin-axis sports equipment of the disclosed
subject matter can be embodied in a golf club, a hockey stick, an
ice hockey stick, a tennis racket, a badminton racket, or the
like.
[0019] In the disclosed subject matter, because the clubs, sticks,
and rackets are limited to specific sports equipment, the
above-described effect is more clearly defined.
[0020] Further, the disclosed subject matter can include a
twin-axis golf club including a striking portion configured as a
striking portion of a golf club driver, wood, iron, or putter. In
the disclosed subject matter, because the striking portion is
specified to be the striking portion of a golf club driver, wood,
iron, or putter, the above-described effect is more clearly
defined.
[0021] The golf club can also be configured as a golf club driver,
wood, iron, or putter having a punched hole or a dimple. In this
case, the golf club driver, wood, iron, or putter having a punched
hole or a dimple can exhibit the same or similar operation and
effect as the above-described twin-axis club.
[0022] Further, the twin-axis golf club of the disclosed subject
matter can include an auxiliary shaft axis wherein one end is
joined within the half closer to the striking portion of the main
shaft axis connected to a heel side of the striking portion, and
the other end is joined with an opposite face portion of the
striking portion. In this case, because the twin-axis golf club
comprises an auxiliary shaft axis having one end joined within the
half closer to the striking portion of the main shaft axis
connected to a heel side of the striking portion, and having the
other end joined with an opposite face portion of the striking
portion, the same or similar operation and effect as the twin-axis
club can be achieved.
[0023] Further, the disclosed subject matter can be configured as a
golf club wherein a bridge portion is installed upright from a toe
side and a heel side of a striking portion, with a section from the
heel side connecting to a main shaft axis, and a void portion
formed by the bridge portion and the striking portion upper
surface. In this case, because the bridge portion is installed
upright from the toe side and the heel side of the striking
portion, and it further connects with the main shaft axis, and
forms a void portion with the striking portion, the same or similar
operation and effect as the twin-axis club can be achieved.
[0024] The disclosed subject matter, as described above, can
include sports equipment configured to support the face section of
a club head, etc., that strikes a ball with two axes and/or
provides, in the case of a golf club, a punched hole or dimple in
the head of the golf club, etc., thereby reducing the torque, i.e.,
preventing reduction in the moment of force, on the shaft of the
club, stick, racket, or the like, and eliminating the loss of force
caused by the rotation of the head of the club, stick, racket, or
the like, making it possible for even a beginner to appropriately
and accurately transfer force to the ball, puck, shuttlecock,
etc.
[0025] Further, as described above, certain embodiments of the
disclosed subject matter make it possible to increase the torque,
which is the moment of force around the rotation axis of the club
etc., during the swing of the club, for example, so as to eliminate
the loss of force caused by the rotation of the head of the club or
the like, thereby increasing the force on the struck ball, puck,
shuttlecock, etc., and in golf, for example, increasing the
so-called flying distance.
[0026] Further, the disclosed subject matter, as described above,
can include a configuration that significantly increases and makes
appropriate the inertia moment on the head portion striking point
of the golf club, etc., making it possible to suppress the
occurrence of defects such as the twisting of the shaft that occurs
when the ball is struck.
[0027] In this manner, a golf club or the like can be capable of
properly and accurately striking a ball, etc., based on a simple
configuration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a general plan view showing the configuration of
an embodiment of a golf club made in accordance with principles of
the disclosed subject matter.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a general plan view showing the configuration of
another embodiment of a golf club made in accordance with
principles of the disclosed subject matter.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of
FIG. 2.
[0031] FIG. 4 is an overall explanatory plan view showing the
configuration of another embodiment of a golf club made in
accordance with principles of the disclosed subject matter.
[0032] FIG. 5 is an overall explanatory view showing the
configuration of conventional golf club.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a general plan view showing the configuration of
an embodiment of a golf club made in accordance with principles of
the disclosed subject matter.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0034] 10, 20, 30 golf club
[0035] 11, 21, 31 golf club (wood)
[0036] 12, 22, 32 face portion
[0037] 12', 22' opposite face portion
[0038] 13, 23, 33 striking portion
[0039] 14, 24, 34 shaft
[0040] 15, 25 auxiliary shaft
[0041] 16, 26, 36 main shaft
[0042] 17, 27 grip
[0043] 38 void portion
[0044] X shaft joining portion
[0045] Y shaft joining portion (striking portion central
portion)
[0046] S punched hole or dimple
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0047] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the
disclosed subject matter in detail with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG.
4 and FIG. 6.
[0048] While the embodiments described below are specific examples
of the disclosed subject matter and therefore are provided with
various technical features, it should be noted that the scope of
the disclosed subject matter is not limited to these
embodiments.
[0049] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of a golf
club made in accordance with principles of the presently disclosed
subject matter.
[0050] In FIG. 1, a golf club 10 is a golf club wood 11 comprising
a striking portion 13 that includes a face 12, a shaft axis 14 and
an auxiliary shaft axis 15 that connect this striking portion 13, a
main shaft axis 16, a grip 17, and a shaft axis joining portion
X.
[0051] The shaft axis 14 is connected to the face 12 of the
striking portion 13 at one end, and continuously connected to the
main shaft axis 16 on the other end. The auxiliary shaft axis 15 is
connected to an opposite face portion 12' of the striking portion
13 on one end, and connected at X to the main shaft axis 16 on the
other end.
[0052] The golf club 10 of this embodiment of the disclosed subject
matter is configured as described above and shown in the figures,
making it possible to appropriately transfer force applied by a
user from the grip 17 through the main shaft axis 16, through the
shaft axis 14, through the auxiliary shaft axis 15, and to the
striking portion 13, in the end causing the struck ball to be
appropriately and accurately projected with great force from the
face 12.
[0053] As described above, with the center of gravity of the golf
club positioned between the two axes, the bending of the head, at
the very least, no longer occurs to the extent it had to when the
ball is struck between the two axes, thereby reducing the curve of
the ball as well.
[0054] For example, while the head of a conventional golf club
bends significantly outward when the ball is released near the toe
(near the side edge away from the user of the golf club), the axis
on the toe side of a golf club with two axes configured as in the
disclosed subject matter invites an opposite force, thereby
correcting and setting straight the bend of the head.
[0055] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show the configuration of another
embodiment of a golf club according to the disclosed subject
matter.
[0056] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a golf club head having a
punched hole or a dimple according to the disclosed subject matter,
and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in FIG.
2. In FIG. 2, a golf club 20 is a golf club wood 21 comprising a
striking portion 23 that includes a face 22, a shaft axis 24
connected to the striking portion 23, a main shaft axis 26, a grip
27, a punched hole or a dimple S, and a shaft axis joining portion
Y.
[0057] The shaft axis 24 is connected to a substantially central
portion Y of the striking portion 23 on one end, and continuously
connected to the main shaft axis 26 on the other end. The punched
hole or dimple S is formed in the substantially central portion of
the striking portion 23, but is designed so that a sufficient
thickness of the face 22 of the striking portion 23 of the golf
club (in this case, the wood 21) remains.
[0058] The golf club 20 according to this embodiment of the
disclosed subject matter is configured as described above, making
it possible to evenly transfer the force applied by the user from
the grip 27 through the main shaft axis 26, through the shaft axis
24, about the punched hole or dimple S, and to the faces 22 and
22', thereby causing that force to be appropriately transferred to
the striking portion 23 and, in the end, to the ball to be struck
in an appropriate and accurate fashion from the face 22 and with
great force.
[0059] FIG. 4 shows the configuration of another embodiment of a
golf club according to the disclosed subject matter.
[0060] FIG. 4 is an overall explanatory perspective view showing
the head of the golf club according to an aspect of the disclosed
subject matter. In FIG. 4, a golf club 30 is a golf club wood 31
comprising a striking portion 33 that includes a face 32, a shaft
axis 34 that connects the striking portion 33, a main shaft axis
36, a grip (not shown), and a void portion 38 surrounded and formed
by the shaft axis 34 and the striking portion 33.
[0061] The shaft axis 34 is connected to the substantially central
portion of one side of the striking portion 33 on one end, and
continuously connected to the main shaft axis 36 on the other end.
The void portion 38 is positioned in the substantially central
portion of the striking portion 33 and on the side of the face 32,
and is formed so as to be surrounded by the shaft axis 34 and the
striking portion 33 as described above. That is, the shaft axis 34
is formed like a bridge to the striking portion 33, forming the
void portion 38.
[0062] The golf club 30 according to this embodiment of the
disclosed subject matter can be configured as described above,
making it possible to evenly transfer the force applied by the user
from the grip through the main shaft axis 36, through the
bridge-like shaft axis 34, and to the striking portion 33 and the
face 32 in an appropriate manner, causing the ball to be
appropriately and accurately struck with great force.
[0063] As described above, in this embodiment, in place of the
twin-axis golf club, the head portion 33 of the golf club is
provided with the void portion 38, which is positioned in the
substantially central portion of the striking portion 33 and on the
side of the face 32 and formed so as to be surrounded by the shaft
axis 34 and the striking portion 33 as described above, thereby
eliminating, at the least, the bend of the head that can occur in
conventional devices when the ball is struck in an area other than
the end of the head 33, and reducing the curve of the ball.
[0064] For example, while the head of a conventional golf club
significantly bends outward when the ball is contacted and released
near the toe, in the case of the present embodiment of the
disclosed subject matter, the axis on the toe side invites an
opposite force owing to the establishment of the void portion 38 in
the head portion 33 of the golf club, thereby correcting and
setting straight the bend of the head.
[0065] FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of a golf club made in
accordance with principles of the disclosed subject matter. In this
embodiment, a golf club 20 can include a striking portion 23 that
includes a face 22 and an opposing surface 22'. A main shaft 24 can
extend from the striking portion 23 to the grip 27 and can include
an auxiliary shaft 25 extending at an acute angle from the main
shaft 25 to the opposing surface 22' that is directly opposed to
the striking face 22 of the striking portion 23. A through hole S
can be located in the striking portion 23 and extend therethrough.
The cross-section taken at line X-X of FIG. 6 and shown in FIG. 3
shows one specific configuration for the through hole S.
[0066] The above-referenced changes made to a golf club according
to the disclosed subject matter can be within the scope of existing
golf regulations, and the shaft can form a line pointing to the
heel portion or pointing to a point to the left or right of the
heel portion when the club is viewed from above in the so-called
address position. That is, the shaft can be clearly installed on
the line of the heel portion of the golf club.
[0067] In some cases, a golf club made in accordance with the
presently disclosed subject matter can fall outside the scope of
the above-described golf regulations. In this case, the golf club
can be used for private games or practice.
[0068] The twin-axis sports equipment 10 according to the disclosed
subject matter has been mainly described in terms of a golf club
above, but the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto. The
disclosed subject matter may be widely applied to sports equipment
used in games that employ a ball, puck, shuttlecock, or the like
and require such a ball, etc., to be accurately struck, such as
sports equipment used in, for example, hockey, ice hockey, tennis,
badminton, and the like.
[0069] The golf club 20 having a punched hole or dimple on the golf
club head according to the disclosed subject matter has been mainly
described in terms of a golf club above, but the disclosed subject
matter is not limited thereto. The disclosed subject matter may be
widely applied to sports equipment used in games that employ a
ball, puck, shuttlecock, or the like and require such a ball, etc.,
to be accurately struck, such as sports equipment used in, for
example, hockey, ice hockey, tennis, badminton, and the like.
[0070] In this manner, according to the disclosed subject matter,
it is possible to provide a golf club or other sports equipment
capable of simply correcting and setting straight the bend of the
club or curve of a struck ball or object based on a simple
configuration, and which configuration can increase the flying
distance of the struck ball or object.
[0071] While there has been described what are at present
considered to be exemplary embodiments of the invention, it will be
understood that various modifications may be made thereto, and it
is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications as
fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. All
conventional art references describe above and any English
abstracts associated therewith are hereby incorporated in their
entireties by reference.
* * * * *