U.S. patent application number 13/593195 was filed with the patent office on 2013-02-28 for golf club head or other ball striking device having color component.
This patent application is currently assigned to NIKE, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Jorge Arvizu, Ronald D. Dumas, Michael E. Finn, Robert Lukasiewicz, JR., Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Byron C. Slaughter. Invention is credited to Jorge Arvizu, Ronald D. Dumas, Michael E. Finn, Robert Lukasiewicz, JR., Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Byron C. Slaughter.
Application Number | 20130053169 13/593195 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46763205 |
Filed Date | 2013-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130053169 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dumas; Ronald D. ; et
al. |
February 28, 2013 |
Golf Club Head or Other Ball Striking Device Having Color
Component
Abstract
A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head
that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body
connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a
shaft proximate a heel thereof. At least one component of the head
includes a coloring that creates a different visual impression.
Such a coloring may be integrally formed as part of the outer
surface of component. The head may include a face that is at least
partially colored as described herein.
Inventors: |
Dumas; Ronald D.; (Portland,
OR) ; Finn; Michael E.; (Ft. Worth, TX) ;
Lukasiewicz, JR.; Robert; (Portland, OR) ; Oldknow;
Andrew G.V.; (Beaverton, OR) ; Slaughter; Byron
C.; (Ft. Worth, TX) ; Arvizu; Jorge;
(Oceanside, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dumas; Ronald D.
Finn; Michael E.
Lukasiewicz, JR.; Robert
Oldknow; Andrew G.V.
Slaughter; Byron C.
Arvizu; Jorge |
Portland
Ft. Worth
Portland
Beaverton
Ft. Worth
Oceanside |
OR
TX
OR
OR
TX
CA |
US
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
NIKE, INC.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
46763205 |
Appl. No.: |
13/593195 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61526323 |
Aug 23, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/324 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/00 20151001;
A63B 53/047 20130101; A63B 53/0466 20130101; A63B 53/0416 20200801;
A63B 2209/00 20130101; A63B 53/0487 20130101; A63B 53/0441
20200801; A63B 53/0437 20200801; A63B 2209/02 20130101; A63B
53/0433 20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/324 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/04 20060101
A63B053/04 |
Claims
1. A head for a ball striking device comprising: a face having an
outer periphery, a striking surface configured for striking a ball,
and a rear surface opposite the striking surface, wherein at least
a majority of the face is formed of a first material; a body
connected to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the face
and extending rearwardly from the face, wherein the head has an
outer surface including an exterior surface of the body and the
striking surface of the face; and a second material integrally
connected to the outer surface and covering at least a portion of
the outer surface, wherein the second material forms a coloring on
the outer surface, such that the coloring has a different visual
appearance from the first material.
2. The head of claim 1, wherein the first material is a metallic
material and the second material is an anodized oxide layer, and
wherein the coloring is formed by a dye applied to the anodized
oxide layer.
3. The head of claim 1, wherein the second material is integrally
connected by at least one technique selected from a group
consisting of: anodizing, welding, thin film deposition techniques,
and surface composition modification.
4. The head of claim 1, wherein the coloring has a different visual
appearance than the first material in an un-colored state.
5. The head of claim 1, wherein the second material is at least
partially coated with a third material having at least one of a
greater durability than the second material and a different surface
texture than the second material.
6. The head of claim 5, wherein the third material is a polymer
based material and is at least partially transparent.
7. A golf club comprising the head of claim 1 and a shaft engaged
with the head.
8. A head for a ball striking device comprising: a face having an
outer periphery, a striking surface configured for striking a ball,
and a rear surface opposite the striking surface; a body connected
to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the face and
extending rearwardly from the face; a coloring material applied to
at least a portion of the striking surface and covering at least a
portion of the striking surface, wherein the coloring material
applies a coloring to the striking surface, such that the coloring
has a different visual appearance from the first material; and a
coating material applied to at least a portion of the coloring
material and covering the at least a portion of the coloring
material, wherein the coating material is a polymer based material
and is at least partially transparent so that the coloring can be
viewed through the coating material, and wherein the coating
material has at least one of a greater durability and a different
surface texture than the coloring material.
9. The head of claim 8, wherein the coloring material is selected
from a group consisting of: paints, inks, dyes, anodized oxide
coatings, color-polarizing layers, and colored polymer films.
10. The head of claim 8, wherein the coating material further
comprises a particulate material embedded in the polymer based
material.
11. A golf club comprising the head of claim 8 and a shaft engaged
with the head.
12. A head for a ball striking device comprising: a face having an
outer periphery, a striking surface configured for striking a ball,
and a rear surface opposite the striking surface; a body connected
to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the face and
extending rearwardly from the face, the body having an exterior
surface; a coloring material applied to at least a portion of the
exterior surface of the body and covering at least a portion of the
exterior surface, wherein the coloring material comprises a cast
vinyl film material having a coloring applied thereto, and wherein
the coloring material forms the coloring on the exterior surface,
such that the coloring has a different visual appearance from the
exterior surface; and a coating material applied to at least a
portion of the coloring material and covering the at least a
portion of the coloring material, wherein the coating material is a
polymer based material and is at least partially transparent so
that the coloring can be viewed through the coating material, and
wherein the coating material has at least one of a greater
durability and a different surface texture than the cast vinyl film
material.
13. The head of claim 12, wherein the cast vinyl film material is
adhesively connected to the exterior surface of the body.
14. The head of claim 12, wherein the coloring material has a
graphic design at least partially forming the different visual
appearance from the exterior surface.
15. A golf club comprising the head of claim 12 and a shaft engaged
with the head.
16. A method comprising: providing a head for a ball striking
device comprising a face having an outer periphery, a striking
surface configured for striking a ball, and a rear surface opposite
the striking surface, wherein at least a majority of the face is
formed of a first material, and a body connected to at least a
portion of the outer periphery of the face and extending rearwardly
from the face, wherein the head has an outer surface including an
exterior surface of the body and the striking surface of the face;
and connecting a second material to the outer surface and covering
at least a portion of the outer surface, wherein the second
material forms a coloring on the outer surface, such that the
coloring has a different visual appearance from the first
material.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second material is
integrally connected to the outer surface by at least one technique
selected from a group consisting of: anodizing, welding, thin film
deposition techniques, and surface composition modification.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second material comprises a
cast vinyl film material having the coloring applied thereto,
further comprising: applying a coating material to at least a
portion of the second material and covering the at least a portion
of the second material, wherein the coating material is a polymer
based material and is at least partially transparent so that the
coloring can be viewed through the coating material, and wherein
the coating material has at least one of a greater durability and a
different surface texture than the cast vinyl film material.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: applying a coating
material to at least a portion of the second material and covering
the at least a portion of the second material, wherein the coating
material is a polymer based material and is at least partially
transparent so that the coloring can be viewed through the coating
material, and wherein the coating material has at least one of a
greater durability and a different surface texture than the cast
vinyl film material.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second material comprises a
cast vinyl film material having the coloring applied thereto,
wherein the cast vinyl film material is adhesively connected to the
outer surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to and the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/526,323, filed Aug. 23,
2011, which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention relates generally to ball striking devices,
such as golf clubs and golf club heads, having a component that is
colored a desired color. Certain aspects of this invention relate
to golf club heads having a ball striking face that has a color
that may be integrally formed on the face.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players--players of
different genders, and players of dramatically different ages and
skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that
such diverse collections of players can play together in golf
outings or events, even in direct competition with one another
(e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, etc.), and
still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together
with increased golf programming on television (e.g., golf
tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf
programming) and the rise of well-known golf superstars, at least
in part, have increased golfs popularity in recent years, both in
the United States and across the world.
[0004] Golfers at all skill levels may desire golf clubs with more
pleasing and/or interesting visual appearance. A greater variety of
different visual appearances may likewise be desirable. Current
techniques for coloring or otherwise altering the visual appearance
of a golf club or golf club head have limitations such that
different types of visual appearances cannot be created on at least
some portions of the club head without unsuitably altering the
functional performance of the club head. In one example, current
techniques do not provide the ability to apply many desired visual
appearances to the face of a club head without unsuitably altering
the performance of the face, such as impact characteristics,
durability, etc. Other such examples exist.
[0005] The present device and method are provided to address the
problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide
advantages and aspects not provided by prior ball striking devices
of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of
the present invention is deferred to the following detailed
description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] The following presents a general summary of aspects of the
invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the
invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the
invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements
of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The
following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in
a general form as a prelude to the more detailed description
provided below.
[0007] Aspects of the invention relate to a head for a ball
striking device that includes a face having an outer periphery, a
striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a rear surface
opposite the striking surface, and a body connected to at least a
portion of the outer periphery of the face and extending rearwardly
from the face. The head has an outer surface including an exterior
surface of the body and the striking surface of the face.
Additionally, at least a majority of the face is formed of a first
material. A second material is integrally connected to the outer
surface and covers at least a portion of the outer surface. The
second material forms a coloring on the outer surface, such that
the coloring has a different visual appearance from the first
material. The coloring may have a different visual appearance than
the first material in an un-colored state, in one example. The club
head may be a wood-type head, an iron-type head, a putter head, or
other golf club head type, in various embodiments.
[0008] According to one aspect, the first material is a metallic
material and the second material is an anodized oxide layer, and
the coloring is formed by a dye applied to the anodized oxide
layer.
[0009] According to another aspect, the first material is a first
metallic material and the second material is a second metallic
material that is integrally connected to the first metallic
material to form a layer. The layer has a thickness that is
substantially lower than the thickness of the first material. For
example, the first material may be a titanium material and the
second material may be an aluminum material that is integrally
connected to the titanium material by an explosion welding
technique. The aluminum layer may further be anodized.
[0010] According to a further aspect, the second material is
integrally connected by one or more of the following techniques:
anodizing, welding, thin film deposition techniques, and surface
composition modification.
[0011] According to yet another aspect, the second material is at
least partially coated with a third material having at least a
greater durability and/or a different surface texture than the
second material. The third material may be a polymer based material
that is at least partially transparent.
[0012] Additional aspects of the invention relate to a head for a
ball striking device that includes a face having an outer
periphery, a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a
rear surface opposite the striking surface, and a body connected to
at least a portion of the outer periphery of the face and extending
rearwardly from the face. A coloring material is applied to at
least a portion of the striking surface and covers at least a
portion of the striking surface, and the coloring material applies
a coloring to the striking surface, such that the coloring has a
different visual appearance from the first material. A coating
material is applied to at least a portion of the coloring material
and covers the at least a portion of the coloring material. The
coating material may be a polymer based material that is at least
partially transparent so that the coloring can be viewed through
the coating material, and the coating material may have at least a
greater durability and/or a different surface texture than the
coloring material.
[0013] According to one aspect, the coloring material includes one
or more of the following: paints, inks, dyes, anodized oxide
coatings, color-polarizing layers, and colored polymer films.
[0014] According to another aspect, the coating material also
includes a particulate material embedded in the polymer based
material.
[0015] Further aspects of the invention relate to a head for a ball
striking device that includes a face having an outer periphery, a
striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a rear surface
opposite the striking surface, and a body connected to at least a
portion of the outer periphery of the face and extending rearwardly
from the face, with the body having an exterior surface. A coloring
material is applied to at least a portion of the exterior surface
of the body and covers at least a portion of the exterior surface.
The coloring material may include a cast vinyl film material having
a coloring applied thereto, and the coloring material forms the
coloring on the exterior surface, such that the coloring has a
different visual appearance from the exterior surface. A coating
material is applied to at least a portion of the coloring material
and covers the at least a portion of the coloring material. The
coating material may be a polymer based material and may be at
least partially transparent so that the coloring can be viewed
through the coating material. The coating material may also have at
least a greater durability and/or a different surface texture than
the cast vinyl film material.
[0016] According to one aspect, the cast vinyl film material is
adhesively connected to the exterior surface of the body.
[0017] According to another aspect, the coloring material has a
graphic design at least partially forming the different visual
appearance from the exterior surface.
[0018] Other aspects of the invention relate to a method that
includes providing a golf club head as described above, and
connecting a coloring material or other second material to at least
a portion of the outer surface of the head to create a different
visual appearance, as described above.
[0019] Still other aspects of the invention relate to golf clubs
that include a golf club head as described above and a shaft
connected to the head, or a set of golf clubs including at least
one golf club having a head as described above.
[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with
the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] To allow for a more full understanding of the present
invention, it will now be described by way of example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of a ball striking
device according to aspects of the invention, in the form of a
wood-type golf club;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a top view of a head of the ball striking device
of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a front view of the head of FIG. 2, with one
embodiment of a color component;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a front view of the head of FIG. 2, with another
embodiment of a color component;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a front view of the head of FIG. 2, with another
embodiment of a color component;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of the head of FIG. 2;
[0028] FIG. 7 is a front view of another embodiment of a ball
striking device according to aspects of the invention, in the form
of an iron-type golf club;
[0029] FIG. 8 is a front view of a head of the ball striking device
of FIG. 7;
[0030] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the head of FIG. 8;
[0031] FIG. 10 is a cross-section view taken along lines 10-10 of
FIG. 9;
[0032] FIG. 11 is a magnified cross-section view of a portion of
the face of FIG. 2, with another embodiment of a color
component;
[0033] FIG. 12 is a cross-section view of another embodiment of a
face for a head of a ball striking device having a color component;
and
[0034] FIG. 13 is a cross-section view of the head of FIG. 2, with
another embodiment of a color component.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] In the following description of various example structures
according to the invention, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way
of illustration various example devices, systems, and environments
in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be
understood that other specific arrangements of parts, example
devices, systems, and environments may be utilized and structural
and functional modifications may be made without departing from the
scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms "top,"
"bottom," "front," "back," "side," "rear," "primary," "secondary,"
and the like may be used in this specification to describe various
example features and elements of the invention, these terms are
used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example
orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical
use. Additionally, the term "plurality," as used herein, indicates
any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively,
as necessary, up to an infinite number. Nothing in this
specification should be construed as requiring a specific three
dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the
scope of this invention. Also, the reader is advised that the
attached drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
[0036] The following terms are used in this specification, and
unless otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have
the meanings provided below.
[0037] "Ball striking device" means any device constructed and
designed to strike a ball or other similar objects (such as a
hockey puck). In addition to generically encompassing "ball
striking heads," which are described in more detail below, examples
of "ball striking devices" include, but are not limited to: golf
clubs, putters, croquet mallets, polo mallets, baseball or softball
bats, cricket bats, tennis rackets, badminton rackets, field hockey
sticks, ice hockey sticks, and the like.
[0038] "Ball striking head" means the portion of a "ball striking
device" that includes and is located immediately adjacent
(optionally surrounding) the portion of the ball striking device
designed to contact the ball (or other object) in use. In some
examples, such as many golf clubs and putters, the ball striking
head may be a separate and independent entity from any shaft or
handle member, and it may be attached to the shaft or handle in
some manner.
[0039] The term "shaft" includes the portion of a ball striking
device (if any) that the user holds during a swing of a ball
striking device.
[0040] The term "integrally connected" means that two materials are
connected together in a way that includes at least some penetration
of at least one of the materials into the other material, which may
be achieved by various welding techniques, anodizing, and various
deposition techniques, including physical vapor deposition (PVD)
and other techniques described herein. It is understood that more
than two materials may be integrally connected together and that a
bonding material may be used to integrally connect two materials
together.
[0041] In general, aspects of this invention relate to ball
striking devices, such as golf club heads, golf clubs, putter
heads, putters, and the like. Such ball striking devices, according
to at least some examples of the invention, may include a ball
striking head and a ball striking surface. In the case of a golf
club, the ball striking surface may constitute a substantially flat
surface on one face of the ball striking head, although some
curvature may be provided (e.g., "bulge" or "roll"
characteristics). Some more specific aspects of this invention
relate to wood-type golf clubs and golf club heads, including
drivers, fairway woods, hybrid-type clubs, iron-type golf clubs,
and the like, although aspects of this invention also may be
practiced on other types of golf clubs or other ball striking
devices, if desired.
[0042] According to various aspects of this invention, the ball
striking device may be formed of one or more of a variety of
materials, such as metals (including metal alloys), ceramics,
polymers, composites, fiber-reinforced composites, and wood, and
the devices may be formed in one of a variety of configurations,
without departing from the scope of the invention. In one
embodiment, some or all components of the head, including the face
and at least a portion of the body of the head, are made of metal
materials. It is understood that the head also may contain
components made of several different materials. Additionally, the
components may be formed by various forming methods. For example,
metal components (such as titanium, aluminum, titanium alloys,
aluminum alloys, steels (such as stainless steels), and the like)
may be formed by forging, molding, casting, stamping, machining,
and/or other known techniques. In another example, composite
components, such as carbon fiber-polymer composites, can be
manufactured by a variety of composite processing techniques, such
as prepreg processing, powder-based techniques, mold infiltration,
and/or other known techniques.
[0043] The various figures in this application illustrate examples
of ball striking devices and portions thereof according to this
invention. When the same reference number appears in more than one
drawing, that reference number is used consistently in this
specification and the drawings to refer to the same or similar
parts throughout.
[0044] At least some examples of ball striking devices according to
this invention relate to golf club head structures, including heads
for wood-type golf clubs, including drivers. Such devices may
include a one-piece construction or a multiple-piece construction.
Example structures of ball striking devices according to this
invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with
FIGS. 1-6, and will be referred to generally using reference
numeral "100." It is understood that the features described herein
can be utilized with different types of golf clubs and other ball
striking devices, including fairway woods, hybrids, and other
wood-type golf clubs, as well as iron-type clubs (e.g. device 200
in FIGS. 7-10), putters, chippers, etc.
[0045] FIGS. 1-6 illustrate examples of a ball striking device 100
in the form of a golf driver, in accordance with at least some
examples of this invention. The ball striking device 100 includes a
ball striking head 102 and a shaft 104 connected to the ball
striking head 102 and extending therefrom. The ball striking head
102 of the ball striking device 100 of FIGS. 1-6 has a face 112
connected to a body 108, with a hosel 109 extending therefrom. Any
desired hosel and/or head/shaft interconnection structure may be
used without departing from this invention, including conventional
hosel or other head/shaft interconnection structures as are known
and used in the art, or an adjustable, releasable, and/or
interchangeable hosel or other head/shaft interconnection structure
such as those shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,269 dated
May 10, 2005, in the name of Bruce D. Burrows, U.S. Published
Patent Application No. 2009/0011848, filed on Jul. 6, 2007, in the
name of John Thomas Stites, et al., U.S. Published Patent
Application No. 2009/0011849, filed on Jul. 6, 2007, in the name of
John Thomas Stites, et al., U.S. Published Patent Application No.
2009/0011850, filed on Jul. 6, 2007, in the name of John Thomas
Stites, et al., and U.S. Published Patent Application No.
2009/0062029, filed on Aug. 28, 2007, in the name of John Thomas
Stites, et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference
in their entireties.
[0046] For reference, the head 102 generally has a top 116, a
bottom or sole 118, a heel 120 proximate the hosel 109, a toe 122
distal from the hosel 109, a front 124, and a back or rear 126. The
shape and design of the head 102 may be partially dictated by the
intended use of the device 100. In the club 100 shown in FIGS. 1-6,
the head 102 has a relatively large volume, as the club 100 is
designed for use as a driver or wood-type club, intended to hit the
ball accurately over long distances. In other applications, such as
for a different type of golf club, the head may be designed to have
different dimensions and configurations. When configured as a
driver, the club head may have a volume of at least 400 cc, and in
some structures, at least 450 cc, or even at least 460 cc. Other
appropriate sizes for other club heads may be readily determined by
those skilled in the art.
[0047] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the head 102 has
a hollow structure defining an inner cavity 106 (e.g., defined by
the face 112 and the body 108). Thus, the head 102 has a plurality
of inner surfaces defined therein. In one embodiment, the hollow
center cavity 106 may be filled with air. However, in other
embodiments, the head 102 could be filled with another material,
such as a foam. In still further embodiments, the solid materials
of the head may occupy a greater proportion of the volume, and the
head may have a smaller cavity or no inner cavity at all. It is
understood that the inner cavity 106 may not be completely enclosed
in some embodiments.
[0048] The face 112 is located at the front 124 of the head 102,
and has a ball striking surface 110 located thereon and a rear or
inner surface 111 opposite the ball striking surface 110. The ball
striking surface 110 is configured to face a ball in use, and is
adapted to strike the ball when the device 100 is set in motion,
such as by swinging. As shown, the ball striking surface 110
occupies most of the face 112. The ball striking surface 110 may
include grooves 121 (e.g., generally horizontal grooves 121
extending across portions of the face 112 in the illustrated
example). For reference purposes, the portion of the face 112 near
the top face edge 113 and the heel face edge 117 is referred to as
the "high-heel area"; the portion of the face 112 near the top face
edge 113 and the toe face edge 119 is referred to as the "high-toe
area"; the portion of the face 112 near the bottom face edge 115
and the heel face edge 117 is referred to as the "low-heel area";
and the portion of the face 112 near the bottom face edge 115 and
the toe face edge 119 is referred to as the "low-toe area".
Conceptually, these areas may be recognized as quadrants of
substantially equal size (and/or quadrants extending from a
geometrical center of the face 112), though not necessarily with
symmetrical dimensions. The face 112 may include some curvature in
the top to bottom and/or heel to toe directions (e.g., bulge and
roll characteristics), as is known and is conventional in the art.
In other embodiments, the surface 110 may occupy a different
proportion of the face 112, or the body 108 may have multiple ball
striking surfaces 110 thereon. In the embodiment shown in FIGS.
1-6, the ball striking surface 110 is inclined slightly (i.e., at a
loft angle), to give the ball slight lift and/or spin when struck.
In other embodiments, the ball striking surface 110 may have a
different incline or loft angle, to affect the trajectory of the
ball. Additionally, the face 112 may have one or more internal or
external inserts in some embodiments.
[0049] It is understood that the face 112, the body 108, and/or the
hosel 109 can be formed as a single piece or as separate pieces
that are joined together. In one embodiment, the face 112 may be
formed from a face member, such as a face member having a cup-face
structure, an L-shaped structure, or another structure with a wall
or walls extending transverse and rearward from the edges of the
face 112. The face member may be a plate member in another
embodiment. The body 108 can be formed at least partially as a
separate piece or pieces joined to the face member, such as by an
integral joining technique, e.g., welding, cementing, or adhesively
joining, and extending rearwardly from the face member. Other known
techniques for joining these parts can be used as well, including
many mechanical joining techniques, such as releasable mechanical
engagement techniques. If desired, the hosel 109 may be integrally
formed as part of the body member or the face member.
[0050] The ball striking device 100 may include a shaft 104
connected to or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head 102,
as shown in FIG. 1. The shaft 104 is adapted to be gripped by a
user to swing the ball striking device 100 to strike the ball. The
shaft 104 can be formed as a separate piece connected to the head
102, such as by connecting to the hosel 109, as shown in FIG. 1 and
described above. In other embodiments, at least a portion of the
shaft 104 may be an integral piece with the head 102, and/or the
head 102 may not contain a hosel 109 or may contain an internal
hosel structure. Still further embodiments are contemplated without
departing from the scope of the invention. The shaft 104 may be
constructed from one or more of a variety of materials, including
metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, or wood. In some exemplary
embodiments, the shaft 104, or at least portions thereof, may be
constructed of a metal, such as stainless steel, or a composite,
such as a carbon/graphite fiber-polymer composite. However, it is
contemplated that the shaft 104 may be constructed of different
materials without departing from the scope of the invention,
including conventional materials that are known and used in the
art.
[0051] In general, the head 102 of the ball striking device 100 has
at least one component or portion of the outer surface that is
colored to give the component a different visual appearance. In one
embodiment, a component may be considered to have a different
visual appearance if the component appears differently than the
material forming the component would normally have appeared (i.e.
in an un-colored state). The component that is colored may be the
face 112, the body 108, the hosel 109, the shaft 104, or another
component, or smaller portions of such components. In one
embodiment, the coloring is applied to at least a portion of the
outer surface of the head 102, which is defined by the ball
striking surface 110, the exterior surface 105 of the body 108, and
possibly some other surfaces, such as surfaces of the hosel 109 or
surfaces of other components (e.g. weights or inserts) that may be
connected to the head 102. It is understood that the coloring may
be a solid color, multiple or mixed colors, a pattern, etc., or
combinations of such colorings. The coloring may be integrally
formed with the outer surface of the component, such as by a
technique described below.
[0052] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate various embodiments of a head 102 as
shown in FIGS. 1-2, with faces 112 that have different colorings.
The face 112 of FIG. 3 has a colored portion 130 with an underlying
black color and a red coloring that is intense around the center of
the face 112 and fades toward the heel 120 and the toe 122 of the
head 102. Additionally, some of the grooves 121 are colored to have
a white appearance, and a logo or other symbol (not shown) may also
be formed by coloring. The face 112 of FIG. 4 is not colored,
however some of the grooves 121 on the face 112 are colored to have
a red appearance. The face 112 of FIG. 5 has a colored portion with
a red coloring applied over the natural metallic, and the red
coloring is intense around the center of the face 112 and fades
toward the heel 120 and the toe 122. The colored portion 130
includes an intense red outline around the peripheral edges 113,
115, 117, 119 of the face 112 as well. Additionally, some of the
grooves 121 are colored to have a white appearance. In one
embodiment, the red coloring achieved in FIGS. 3 and 5 is
approximately color 187-C in the Pantone.RTM. Matching System and
corresponds to light of about 660 nm in wavelength. In other
embodiments, the colored portion 130 may have another color or
colors, and in one embodiment, an anodized titanium surface may be
formed with a pink or rose coloring.
[0053] The colorings of the face 112 in FIGS. 3-5 or another
component of the head 102 can be applied to the component(s) using
one or more of a variety of different techniques. In one
embodiment, the coloring is integrally formed and/or integrally
connected with the component. Additionally, the coloring may be
created by a second material that is integrally connected to the
face 112, the body 108, or other component of the head 102, and
covers at least a portion of such component. In one embodiment, the
second material is different from the material to which it is
connected, or is different from a material that forms at least a
majority of the component to which it is connected. The second
material may have a thickness that is substantially lower than the
thickness of the component to which it is connected, such as being
at least 1/10 or at least 1/100 as thick. For example, titanium
and/or other metal components (e.g. the face 112) can be integrally
colored by anodizing or other oxidizing technique, forming at least
a partial layer of a second material (an oxide) that is integrally
connected to the metal component. Anodizing can produce a more
uniform, dense, and hard oxide layer than natural oxidation, and
can be used to color a metal's surface. Anodized titanium or
titanium alloy having a titanium oxide layer can achieve different
colors by using different thicknesses of layers. Such coatings may
have thicknesses ranging from several nanometers to a few
micrometers, and may be produced using the techniques described in
AMS 2487 and/or AMS 2488. Anodizing can also be performed on a
variety of metals in order to enhance the adhesion of paints, dyes,
and other colorings, and it is understood that a component of the
head 102 can be anodized in addition to other coloring techniques.
Aluminum is an example of such a metal that can be anodized, as
described in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 12.
[0054] Paints, inks, dyes, and other applied coatings can be
utilized to create coloring, and may be organic or inorganic in
nature. The surface may be treated before application of paint,
ink, dye, etc., such as by anodizing (as described above),
application of a primer, or other treatments that may enhance
adhesion, etc. A variety of other coatings or layers may also be
used, including various polymer/resin coatings, which may be
transparent or translucent, or thin coatings of another metal or
other material. One example of such a coating is a color-polarizing
layer. A multi-layered structure can also be used, including a
plurality of different layers with different optical properties.
Such multi-layered structures can also be used to form different
patterns and color shadings. Multi-layered structures may also be
used to change surface texture, increase durability, or provide
other properties, as described below. Nanofilms may be used in some
embodiments. Decals or other applicable material may also be used
to create layers. In an exemplary embodiment, the coloring is an
integral portion of the club head such as the ball striking
face.
[0055] Any of a variety of surface treatment techniques other than
anodizing can be used to apply coloring to the surface of the
component, and may be usable to integrally form the coloring. For
example, atomic (i.e. thin-film) deposition techniques such as
chemical vapor deposition or other chemical deposition; physical
vapor deposition, sputtering, or other physical deposition;
molecular beam epitaxy; and others. Such techniques may be used to
form elemental thin films or molecular thin films such as oxides,
nitrides (e.g. TiN), carbides, chromates, etc., which may result in
coloring of the surface of the component. Techniques such as
anodizing, PVD, and other deposition techniques can be used to
create a coloring material that is integrally connected to the
surface of the club head 102. Further, two different films can be
deposited on top of one another, in order to give the surface a
two-toned color, such as the ball striking surface 110 of the face
112 of FIG. 3. Other surface treatments using techniques that are
mechanical, chemical, electrical, etc. in nature may also be
used.
[0056] A different surface composition can also be used to create a
coloring. For example, a component may have a composite surface
that is created by adding a filler or secondary material to the
matrix material at the surface of the component, with the secondary
material imparting a color to the surface. It is understood that
the component may have the secondary material throughout a larger
portion of the component, including throughout the entirety of the
component.
[0057] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment where the face 112 of the
head 102 of a wood-type golf club 100 has a colored portion 130
formed by a coloring coating or layer 132 that is applied to the
ball striking surface 110. The layer 132 may be created by any of
the techniques described above, including integral forming
techniques, and may be extremely thin (nanometer scale), such as a
thin film deposited by anodizing or other surface treatment, or may
be significantly thicker.
[0058] It is understood that the colorings of the faces 112 in
FIGS. 3-5 may be produced using a combination of coloring
techniques. For example, the face 112 in FIG. 3 may be produced by
first coloring the face 112 black, such as by an integral surface
treatment technique (e.g. anodizing, PVD), and then coloring a
portion of the face 112 red, such as by a different integral
surface treatment technique. The selected grooves 121 can then be
colored, such as by painting or applying ink. As another example,
the face 112 in FIG. 5 may utilize an integral surface treatment
technique to produce the red colored face 112, and then the
selected grooves 121 can then be colored, such as by painting or
applying ink. Other combinations are usable in further
embodiments.
[0059] In one embodiment, the coloring of the component is
sufficiently durable to withstand conditions of use. For example,
if a face 112 of a golf club head 102 is colored, the coloring must
be sufficiently durable to withstand thousands of ball strikes on
the face 112 without cracking, fading, or other damage or
destruction. Forming the coloring integrally with the face 112,
such as by using an anodizing or PVD technique, may improve
durability.
[0060] Application of a layer or layers 132 to the outside of the
head 102 may alter the texture and/or friction properties of the
surface. This may be of particular concern when applying materials
to the face 112, because affecting the texture may affect the spin
imparted to the ball on contact, and may also implicate applicable
USGA rules. In one embodiment, a layer 132 may be applied to the
face 112 to apply coloring, as discussed herein and shown in FIG.
6, and a texturing technique may be applied to the surface of the
coating to alter the texture, such as by the use of abrasives in
one example. The texturing may be performed to mimic the texture of
brushed metal. In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 11, a
first layer 132 may be applied to the face 112 to apply a coloring
component 130, as discussed herein, and a second layer 134 may be
applied over the first coating 132. This second layer 134 may be
used to create an altered texture, and may additionally or
alternately be used to achieve one or more other effects, such as
adding durability, further altering the visual appearance, etc.
Such a second coating 134 may be at least partially transparent or
translucent so as not to obscure the coloring, and may be formed of
a polymer based material in one embodiment. One example of a
suitable coating utilizes tiny polymer spheres or other particles
embedded in a clear or substantially clear polymer based coating to
impart a texture to the coating, which may also increase
durability. In one embodiment, such a coating may be applied over a
paint layer to achieve a desired texture and to increase the
durability of the surface. It is understood that the technique
depicted in FIG. 11 may be used to impart a coloring to the body
108 in addition to, or instead of, the face 112. In a further
embodiment, most or all of the head 102 may have a coloring applied
by using one or more of the techniques described herein.
[0061] FIG. 12 illustrates a further example embodiment of a
structure for producing a coloring on at least the face 112 of a
head 102 as described above. In this example embodiment, the face
112 may include a face plate 136 made of a typical metallic
material, such as stainless steel or titanium, with a coating layer
138 of another metal integrally connected to the face plate 136.
The coating layer 138 may have a thickness that is substantially
lower than the thickness of the face plate 136, such as being at
least 1/10 or at least 1/100 as thick as the face plate 136. For
example, in one embodiment, the layer 138 may be integrally
connected to the face plate 136 by an explosion welding technique
or other non-fusion welding technique, such as friction welding.
Alternate bonding techniques, including various fusion welding
techniques, may be used in other embodiments. The layer 138 may
cover at least a portion of the face plate 136, and in one
embodiment, the layer 138 occupies the entire ball striking surface
110 of the face 112. Additionally, the layer 138 may apply a
coloring component 130 to the face 112, and may also be treated to
create the coloring, such as by anodizing, PVD, or other
techniques. Such treatment may be applied before or after joining
of the layer 138 to the face plate 136. In one embodiment, the face
plate 136 may have a layer of aluminum (which may include aluminum
alloy) coating the surface, with the layer 138 having a thickness
of about 0.001 inch. The layer 138 of aluminum may be anodized to
produce an oxide layer, and can then be colored (such as through
application of dye) to produce a red surface or other colored
surface. This anodizing can be performed according to
specifications such as AMS 2469, AMS 2470, AMS 2471, AMS 2472,
and/or AMS 2482, and may produce an oxide layer that is at least
0.5 micrometers thick. The surface of the layer 138 may also be
treated to create other properties, such as durability and/or
texture. This treatment may be performed using techniques described
herein, such as abrasion or coating with an additional layer. It is
understood that this technique or a similar technique may be
utilized on the body 108 or other component of the head 102.
[0062] In another embodiment, such as the embodiment shown in FIG.
2, the exterior surface 105 of the body 108 (or portions thereof)
can be colored to have a different visual appearance. In the
embodiment of FIG. 2, the crown 116 of the body 108 has a colored
portion 130 with a "rippled" pattern formed by coloring as
described above, such as through anodizing, paint, other surface
treatment, etc., including other techniques described herein. Other
portions of the body 108 may be colored in other embodiments,
including the sole 118. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13,
multiple layers 140, 142 may be applied to at least a portion of
the exterior surface 105 of the body 108 to apply a coloring
component 130 to the body 108. The multi-layered structure may
include a first layer 140 that applies a coloring to the surface
and a second layer 142 coating the first layer 140 and increasing
the durability of the surface and/or imparting other useful
properties. For example, the first layer 140 may be a porous cast
vinyl film or other polymer film, which may be adhesively bonded to
the body 108, and which may include a coloring 130 and/or a pattern
or other graphic design. A second layer 142 of a clear coat
material or other durable and protective material may be used to
cover the first layer 140 and provide protection. This same
multi-layer structure may additionally or alternately be applied to
the face 112 in a further embodiment. Alternately, a single-layer
structure may be used.
[0063] FIGS. 7-10 illustrate a ball striking device 200 in the form
of a golf iron, in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention. The embodiment of the iron-type ball striking device 200
illustrated in FIGS. 7-10 contains features similar to those of the
embodiments described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6, and similar
components in the embodiment of FIGS. 7-10 are similarly referred
to using the "2xx" series of reference numbers. It is understood
that discussion of some features of the embodiment of FIGS. 7-10
that have already been described above may be reduced or eliminated
in the interests of brevity. The ball striking device 200 includes
a golf club head 202 and a shaft 204 attached to the head 202. The
golf club head 202 of FIGS. 7-10 may be representative of any
iron-type golf club head in accordance with examples of the present
invention.
[0064] As shown in FIGS. 7-10, the golf club head 202 includes a
face 212 connected to a body 208 and a hosel 209 extending from the
body 208 for attachment of the shaft 204. The shaft 204, and the
connection between the shaft 204 and the hosel 209 may be similar
to that described above with respect to the device 100 of FIGS.
1-6. The shaft 204 may also include a grip 203 as described above.
For reference, the head 202 generally has a top 216, a bottom or
sole 218, a heel 220 proximate the hosel 209, and a toe 222 distal
from the hosel 209, as well as a front 224 and a back or rear 226.
In the embodiment shown, the face 212 extends upward from the sole
218 of the head 202. The shape and design of the head 202 may be
partially dictated by the intended use of the device 200. The heel
portion 220 is attached to and/or extends from a hosel 209 (e.g.,
as a unitary or integral one piece construction, as separate
connected elements, etc.).
[0065] The face 212 is located at the front 224 of the head 202,
and has a ball striking surface 210 located thereon and a rear or
inner surface 211 opposite the ball striking surface 210. The head
202 has a rear cavity 206 that is defined by the rear surface 211
of the face 212, one or more walls 225 extending rearward from the
face 212. The rear cavity 206 is open in this embodiment, however
in other embodiments, the head 202 may include a rear wall that
leaves the rear cavity 211 partially open or completely closed. In
a further embodiment, the head 202 may include no rear cavity 206,
such as in a blade-type iron. It is understood that in some
embodiments of an iron-type golf club 200, the rear surface 211 of
the face 212 may be a surface of the body 208, such as when the
head 202 has no internal cavity.
[0066] The ball striking surface 210 is typically an outer surface
of the face 212 configured to face a ball (not shown) in use, and
is adapted to strike the ball when the device 200 is set in motion,
such as by swinging. As shown, the ball striking surface 210 is
relatively flat, occupying most of the face 212. The ball striking
surface 210 may include grooves 221 (e.g., generally horizontal
grooves 221 extending across the face 212 in the illustrated
example) for the removal of water and grass from the face 212
during a ball strike. Of course, any number of grooves, desired
groove patterns, and/or groove constructions may be provided (or
even no groove pattern, if desired), including conventional groove
patterns and/or constructions, without departing from this
invention.
[0067] For reference purposes, the portion of the face 212 nearest
the top face edge 213 and the heel face edge 217 is referred to as
the "high-heel area"; the portion of the face 212 nearest the top
face edge 213 and the toe face edge 219 is referred to as the
"high-toe area"; the portion of the face 212 nearest the bottom
face edge 215 and the heel face edge 217 is referred to as the
"low-heel area"; and the portion of the face 212 nearest the bottom
face edge 215 and the toe face edge 219 is referred to as the
"low-toe area". Conceptually, these areas may be recognized and
referred to as quadrants of substantially equal size (and/or
quadrants extending from a geometric center of the face 212),
though not necessarily with symmetrical dimensions. The face 212
may include some curvature in the top to bottom and/or heel to toe
directions (e.g., bulge and roll characteristics), as is known and
is conventional in the art. In other embodiments, the surface 210
may occupy a different proportion of the face 212, or the body 208
may have multiple ball striking surfaces 210 thereon. In the
illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-10, the ball striking
surface 210 is inclined (i.e., at a loft angle), to give the ball
an appreciable degree of lift and spin when struck. In other
illustrative embodiments, the ball striking surface 210 may have a
different incline or loft angle, to affect the trajectory of the
ball. Additionally, the face 212 may have a variable thickness
and/or may have one or more internal or external inserts in some
embodiments.
[0068] The face 212, the body 208, and/or the hosel 209 can be
formed as a single piece or as separate pieces that are joined
together. For example, the face 212, the body 208, and the hosel
209 can be formed together as a single piece by forging, casting,
or other integral forming techniques. As another example, the face
212, the body 208, and the hosel 209 can be formed as separate
pieces, such as a face member and a body member, which can be
joined together by an integral joining technique, such as welding,
or other joining technique.
[0069] Any components of the head 202 of FIGS. 7-10 can be colored
using the techniques described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6 and
11-13. For example, the techniques described above can be used to
apply coloring to the face 212 (e.g., the ball striking surface
210), the body 208 (e.g., the exterior surface 205 thereof), the
hosel 209, the shaft 204, or other components or portions of the
outer surface of the head 202, or smaller components thereof. As
described above, the coloring may be integrally formed with the
outer surface of the component, and may be sufficiently durable to
withstand the conditions of use of the head 202.
[0070] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment where the face 212 of the
head 202 of a wood-type golf club 200 has a colored portion 230
formed by a coloring coating or layer 232 that is applied to the
ball striking surface 210. The layer 232 may be created by any of
the techniques described above, including integral forming
techniques, and may be extremely thin (nanometer scale), such as a
thin film deposited by anodizing or other surface treatment, or may
be significantly thicker.
[0071] It is understood that any of the embodiments of ball
striking devices 100, 200, heads 102, 202, faces 112, 212, and
other components described herein may include any of the features
described herein with respect to other embodiments described
herein, unless otherwise noted. It is understood that the specific
sizes, shapes, orientations, and locations of various components of
the ball striking devices 100, 200 and heads 102, 202 described
herein are simply examples, and that any of these features or
properties may be altered in other embodiments.
[0072] Heads 102, 202, incorporating the features disclosed herein
may be used as a ball striking device or a part thereof. For
example, a golf club 100, 200 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 may be
manufactured by attaching a shaft or handle 104 to a head that is
provided, such as the head 102 as described above. "Providing" the
head, as used herein, refers broadly to making an article available
or accessible for future actions to be performed on the article,
and does not connote that the party providing the article has
manufactured, produced, or supplied the article or that the party
providing the article has ownership or control of the article. In
other embodiments, different types of ball striking devices can be
manufactured according to the principles described herein. In one
embodiment, a set of golf clubs can be manufactured, where at least
one of the clubs has a head according to one or more embodiments
described herein. Such a set may include at least one wood-type
club and/or at least one iron-type club. For example, a set of
iron-type golf clubs can be provided, with each club having a
different loft angle, and each club having a head as described
above. Further, one or more clubs can be customized for a
particular user by providing a club with a head as described above,
with a color component 130, 230, that has a color and/or other
visual features as desired by the user. Still further embodiments
and variations are possible, including further techniques for
customization.
[0073] The techniques described herein can be used to create ball
striking devices with distinct visual appearances, including
coloring or other visual effects. Additionally, the coloring or
other visual effect may be formed to be durable with the conditions
of use of the head 102, 202, such as by using techniques to
integrally form the coloring with the component(s) of the head 102,
202. Further, the coloring or other visual effect may be formed
without unsuitably affecting the functional properties of the
device. Still further benefits can be recognized and appreciated by
those skilled in the art.
[0074] While the invention has been described with respect to
specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying
out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
there are numerous variations and permutations of the above
described systems and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the
invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended
claims.
* * * * *