U.S. patent application number 12/447196 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-04 for golf club.
Invention is credited to Brian Alzano Mayes.
Application Number | 20100029403 12/447196 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37700911 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100029403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mayes; Brian Alzano |
February 4, 2010 |
GOLF CLUB
Abstract
A golf club is described, in which the weight of the head is
increased compared with conventional clubs, and in which the upper
part of the shaft is also increased in weight, whereby the centre
of gravity is disposed in the central zone of the shaft.
Preferably, the weight distribution within the head of the club is
such that, with the club balanced about its centre of gravity, the
shaft will rotate until the face of the club faces upwardly and
preferably essentially parallel with the ground whereby, in
striking the ball, the inertia of the head is such as to resist any
tendency for the club to rotate or twist about the longitudinal
axis of the shaft in the hands of the player.
Inventors: |
Mayes; Brian Alzano;
(London, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden &Nelson, P.C.
100 North Broadway, Chase Tower, Suite 2900
Oklahoma City
OK
73102
US
|
Family ID: |
37700911 |
Appl. No.: |
12/447196 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
October 25, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB06/03965 |
371 Date: |
April 24, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/292 ;
473/316; 473/334; 473/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/06 20130101;
A63B 2053/0491 20130101; A63B 60/24 20151001; A63B 53/047 20130101;
A63B 53/0466 20130101; A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 53/04 20130101;
A63B 53/00 20130101; A63B 53/0416 20200801; A63B 60/02
20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/292 ;
473/316; 473/334; 473/349 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/00 20060101
A63B053/00; A63B 53/06 20060101 A63B053/06 |
Claims
1. A golf club comprising: a head and a shaft in which the weight
of the head is increased compared with conventional clubs, and in
which an upper part of the shaft is also increased in weight,
whereby the centre of gravity is disposed in the central zone of
the shaft.
2. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the centre of gravity
of the club is in that part of the shaft between about 40% and 80%
of the overall length between a heel of the head and an upper end
of the shaft, measured from the heel.
3. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the weight
distribution in the head is arranged so that the preponderant mass
of the head is disposed at or adjacent a heel of the head.
4. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the upper part of the
shaft includes weighting means beneath a conventional outer grip
covering material.
5. A golf club according to claim 4, in which the weighting means
provides a weight differential from the rear to the front of a
handle portion whereby the heavier part is to the rear.
6. A golf club according to claim 5, in which the handle portion
comprises a sleeving member around the shaft and carrying an outer
covering of a grip material, part of the sleeving member being
formed from a relatively dense material such as brass or steel and
the remaining part of the sleeving member being formed from a
relatively light material such as an aluminum-containing alloy or a
plastics material.
7. A golf club according to claim 1, in which the club head
comprises a support member attached to the lower end of the shaft,
the support member supporting a face member on the front-facing
side and weights on the rear-facing side, the weights being
disposed relatively towards the heel of the head at its attachment
point to the shaft.
8. A golf club according to claim 7, in which the weights are
removable.
9. A golf club according to claim 7, in which the support plate
comprises attachment means for the weights, a range of different
weights being provided with location means which correspond with
the attachment means on the support plate, whereby a required
weight can be selected and attached to the support plate before a
removable cover member is attached.
10. (canceled)
11. A golf club, comprising: a shaft having a lower end and an
upper end; and a head attached at the lower end of the shaft, the
head having a weight member wherein the weight of the head is
increased compared with conventional clubs, and an upper portion of
the shaft is also increased in weight, whereby the center of
gravity is disposed in the central zone of the shaft.
12. The golf club of claim 11, in which the center of gravity of
the golf club is in that part of the shaft between about 40% and
80% of the overall length between a heel of the head and the upper
end of the shaft, measured from the heel.
13. The golf club of claim 11 in which the weight distribution in
the head is arranged so that the preponderant mass of the head is
disposed at or adjacent a heel of the head.
14. The golf club of claim 11, in which the upper portion of the
shaft includes weighting means beneath a conventional outer grip
covering material.
15. The golf club of claim 14, in which the weighting means
provides a weight differential from the rear to the front of a
handle portion of the shaft whereby the heavier part is to the rear
of the handle portion of the shaft.
16. The golf club of claim 15, in which the handle portion
comprises a sleeving member around the shaft and carrying an outer
covering of a grip material, part of the sleeving member being
formed from a relatively dense material such as brass or steel and
the remaining part of the sleeving member being formed from a
relatively light material such as an aluminum-containing alloy or a
plastics material.
17. The golf club of claim 11, in which the club head comprises a
support member attached to the lower end of the shaft, the support
member supporting a face member on the front-facing side and the
weight member on the rear-facing side, the weights being disposed
relatively towards the heel of the head at its attachment point to
the shaft.
18. The golf club of claim 17, in which weights are removably
positioned about the weight member.
19. The golf club of claim 17 wherein the weight member includes
attachment means for the weights, a range of different weights
being provided with location means which correspond with the
attachment means on the weight member, whereby a required weight
can be selected and attached to the weight member before a
removable cover member is attached.
20. The golf club of claim 19 wherein the cover member is shaped to
the head.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to golf clubs and, in particular,
provides a golf club which enables a golf ball to be propelled
further and more accurately than with a conventional club.
[0002] In playing golf, the common objective in propelling a ball
from the tee, and often when propelling the ball from the fairway,
is to maximise the travel distance of the ball. Particularly but
not exclusively for tee shots, the player will often use a club
known as a driver, such clubs having longer shafts than irons and
having a face with a relatively low angle of loft, whereby the head
is intended to have a higher velocity on hitting the ball, the ball
trajectory being relatively low so as not to compromise distance.
However, such clubs are traditionally difficult to use with
accuracy and, additionally, generally require the ball to be set on
a tee piece in order to achieve a clean, positive strike. It is
thus difficult to use a driver for fairway shots.
[0003] In order to enhance the distance a ball travels, it needs to
be hit with more energy. This can be done either by swinging the
club faster and/or by using a heavier club, but these solutions are
to some extent mutually incompatible since an increase in the
weight of the head generally results in a reduction in the swing
speed. Usually, therefore, currently-available golf clubs,
especially drivers, are made from modern lightweight materials
which enable the head size to be increased without adding to the
overall weight, thus making it easier to strike the ball cleanly,
while maintaining the ability to swing the club fast.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf
club which is heavier than conventional clubs yet can be swung at
least as fast as conventional clubs. The invention may be applied
to golf clubs comprising drivers/woods and irons but is not
appropriate for putters.
[0005] In one aspect, the present invention provides a golf club in
which the weight of the head is increased compared with
conventional clubs, and in which the upper part of the shaft is
also increased in weight, whereby the centre of gravity is disposed
in the central zone of the shaft.
[0006] By "central zone" is meant that part of the shaft between
about 40% and 80% of the overall length between the heel of the
head and the upper end of the shaft as measured from the heel. The
balance point/centre of gravity of the conventional club will thus
be moved from the proximity of the 25% point and re-sited within
the central zone, preferably around the 75% point just below the
handle of the inventive club.
[0007] Preferably, the weight distribution within the head of the
club is such that, with the club balanced about its centre of
gravity, the shaft will rotate until the face of the club faces
upwardly and preferably essentially parallel with the ground. This
is referred to as "face-balancing" and requires that the weight
distribution in the head is arranged so that the preponderant mass
of the head is disposed at or adjacent the heel of the head. This
has the advantage that, in striking the ball, the inertia of the
head is such as to resist any tendency for the club to rotate or
twist about the longitudinal axis of the shaft in the hands of the
player.
[0008] With golf clubs according to the invention, because the
centre of gravity is disposed in the central zone towards the
handle/grip and away from the head, the apparent weight on swinging
the club is reduced and, accordingly, the swing speed is maintained
and remains unaffected, compared with a conventional club of
lighter weight.
[0009] The increase in the weight of the upper part of the shaft
may be provided by incorporating weighting means within that part
of the shaft, preferably in the handle portion, beneath the
conventional outer grip covering material. Preferably, the
weighting means provides a weight differential from the rear to the
front of the handle, considered in relation to the direction of
travel during the swing, whereby the heavier part is to the rear to
enhance the tendency to face-balancing. In one embodiment, the
handle portion comprises a sleeving member around the shaft and
carrying an outer covering of a grip material, part of the sleeve
member being formed from a relatively dense material such as brass
or steel and the remaining part of the sleeve member being formed
from a relatively light material such as an aluminium-containing
alloy or a plastics material. The sleeving member may comprise a
right cylinder or may be tapered inwardly towards the head of the
club.
[0010] The club head may comprise a support member attached to the
lower end of the shaft, the support member serving to support a
face member on the front-facing side and weights on the rear-facing
side, the weights preferably being disposed relatively towards the
heel of the head at its attachment point to the shaft, to
concentrate the mass of the head at or towards the attachment zone
of the shaft. The weights are preferably obscured from view with a
cover member which clips or is otherwise attached to the support
member; desirably, the cover member is removably attached to the
support member and the weights themselves are removable, whereby
they can either be replaced with other weights or moved to
different positions, to enable the club to be set up to the
requirements of the user. For example, to position more weight
directly behind the sweet spot would result in an enhanced driving
distance, whereas to adjust the weight distribution from top to
bottom would affect the height of the trajectory. Adjusting the
weights from side to side would influence the fade or draw
characteristics of the trajectory, thereby enabling the club to be
compensated for the drive tendencies of a particular player.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the support plate comprises
attachment means for the weights, a range of different weights
being provided with location means which correspond with the
attachment means on the support plate, whereby an appropriate
weight for given circumstances can be selected and attached to the
support plate before the cover member is itself attached. A primary
attachment means will preferably be provided in the outer zone of
the head, that is, between the centre and toe end of the head, with
subsidiary attachment points optionally being provided at other
locations.
[0012] Golf clubs according to the invention, while having the
lower end of the shaft attached to the heel of the head, as
required by golfing regulations, nevertheless have a weight
distribution, as between the upper part of the shaft and the head
of the club, whereby the club is face balanced, that is, it will
balance with the face of the head facing upwards and substantially
parallel with the ground, and whereby the centre of gravity lies in
the central zone of the shaft.
[0013] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of
example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a representative club
according to the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the handle portion
of a golf club, with cross-sectional views at various points;
[0016] FIG. 3 is an exploded diagrammatic view showing various
components of the head of a club according to the invention;
and
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates alternative ways of adjusting the weight
distribution at the head of the club.
[0018] With reference firstly to FIG. 1, a golf club, as
conventionally known, has a shaft (1), a grip or handle portion (2)
being applied to the upper part of the shaft and a head (3) being
attached to the lower end. In a conventional club, the balance
print along the shaft is disposed towards the head, as indicated by
arrow (4). In a club according to the invention, the balance point
is displaced towards the upper end of the shaft, within the central
zone (as hereinbefore defined), preferably between 50% and 80%
along the shaft from the lower end, for example 75% along, as
illustrated by arrow (5).
[0019] With reference now to FIG. 2, the handle portion of a golf
club shaft is shown generally at (10); the handle portion as
illustrated tapers inwardly towards the lower part of the handle.
The shaft (11), attached at the lower end to the head of the club,
carries at its upper end an annular tapered sleeve formed in two
parts, respectively (12, 13), each defined by an arcuate
channel-section member the sides of which meet in a notional
vertical diametrical plane (14) coinciding with the longitudinal
axis of the shaft (see the cross-sectional views). The part (13) is
formed from brass and the part (12) is formed from an aluminium
alloy, the part (13) being disposed on the rear side of the
shaft--that is, that side of the shaft which is remote from the
face of the head of the club. The sleeve has an outer covering (15)
of rubber, leather or synthetic grip material.
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 3, the component parts of the head of
the club are shown in an exploded configuration and consist
essentially of a support or body member (21), a face member (22), a
weight member (23) and a cover member (24). The body member (21)
incorporates a socket (25) for receiving the lower end of the shaft
(11) (FIG. 1); the socket (25) is formed at the heel end of the
head. A through-channel (26) is formed at the opposite or toe end
to receive a spigot (27) attached to the weight member and which,
in the assembled club head, is located and secured in a socket (28)
formed in the face member (22). The spigot (27), which may be
supplemented by further spigots or other retainers passing through
corresponding holes or apertures in the body member (21) and
secured in the rear of the face member (22), may be attached by
snap action or other suitable means to render the head components
capable of being disassembled. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the
weight distribution in the weight member 23 is such that the
preponderant part of the mass is biassed towards the heel end of
the club head.
[0021] The cover member (24) is removably secured to the body
member to conceal the weight member and to provide, if appropriate,
an attractive shape or appearance to the assembled club head.
[0022] FIG. 4 shows alternative ways of altering the weight
distribution within the head of the club. As in FIG. 2, the body
member, face member and cover member have the same numbering but
the weight member consists of a mounting plate (29) with, as
illustrated, four different arrangements of weights (30) attached
thereto. In each embodiment illustrated, the weights 30 are biassed
towards the heel of the head but there may also be a bias towards
the upper part or the lower part of the head, according to the
characteristics desired of the golf club by the user.
* * * * *