GOLF CLUB HEAD

Abstract

A gold club head includes a club head body defining a mounting surface, a spacer member including a top surface, an opposing bottom surface fixedly connected to the mounting surface of the club head body, and a face panel including a ball-hitting surface, and opposing bottom bonding surface fixedly connected to the top surface of the spacer member and a plurality of upper grooves curved inwardly in direction from the ball-hitting surface toward bottom bonding surface. Thus, the golf club head has better elasticity capable of extending the staying time of the ball in the ball-hitting surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to golf club technology, and more particularly, to a golf club head having better elasticity.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Conventional golf club heads are commonly formed of a club head body and a face panel. The club head body is fixedly connected to one end of a golf club shaft. The face panel is fixedly connected to the club head body. Further, the face panel provides a planar surface for the contact of the ball when driving the ball, and a plurality of grooves equally arranged in a parallel manner and adapted to enhance friction between the ball and the face panel and to further extend the staying time of the ball in the face panel for enabling the ball to be driven farther.

[0005] However, because the club head body of a conventional golf club head has high rigidity and because the elastic deformability of the non-one piece arrangement of the face panel and the club head body is limited, the golf club head has low elasticity. Simply using the grooves and the elasticity of the face panel to extend the staying time of the ball in the face panel cannot achieve an optimal effect. An improvement in this regard is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a golf club head, which has better elasticity capable of extending the staying time of the ball in the ball-hitting surface.

[0007] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a golf club head of the present invention comprises a club head body, a spacer member, and a face panel. The club head body comprises a mounting surface. The spacer member comprises a top surface and an opposing bottom surface. The bottom surface is fixedly connected to the mounting surface of the club head body. The face panel comprises a ball-hitting surface, an opposing bottom bonding surface, and a plurality of upper grooves curved inwardly in direction from the ball-hitting surface toward the bottom bonding surface. The bottom bonding surface is fixedly connected to the top surface of the spacer member.

[0008] Because the face panel is not formed integral with the spacer member, the face panel and the spacer member are elastically deformable relative to each other. Further, because the spacer member is not formed integral with the club head body, the spacer member and the club head body are elastically deformable relative to each other. Therefore, the golf club head of the invention has better elasticity than the prior art designs, and can extend the staying time of the ball in the ball-hitting surface, enabling the user to drive the bar farther.

[0009] Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevational view of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Referring to the annex drawings in detail, a golf club head in accordance with the present invention is shown. The golf club head 10 comprises a club head body 20, a spacer member 30, and a face panel 40.

[0015] The club head body 20 is made of a high rigidity, high specific gravity metal (for example, stainless steel, comprising a base portion 22 and a shaft connection portion 24 formed integral with the base portion 22. The shaft connection portion 24 is adapted for fixation to one end of a golf club shaft (not shown). The base portion 22 comprises a mounting surface 222 and a sidewall surface 224 substantially connected at right angles. The mounting surface 222 and the sidewall surface 224 define therebetween a recessed portion 226.

[0016] The spacer member 30 is made of a metal having a relatively lower specific gravity than the club head body 20 (such as carbon steel, titanium alloy, or low specific gravity stainless steel). The spacer member 30 is substantially flat, comprising a top surface 31, an opposing bottom surface 32, and a plurality of lower grooves 34 arranged in parallel and curved inwardly in direction from the top surface 31 toward the bottom surface 32. Further, the contour of the spacer member 30 fits the shape of the recessed portion 226 of the club head body 20, defining a lateral surface 36. The lateral surface 36 is a narrow, elongated, planar surface disposed between the top surface 31 and the bottom surface 32.

[0017] The face panel 40 is made of a metal having a relatively lower specific gravity than the spacer member 30 (such as low specific gravity titanium alloy). The face panel 40 is a flat panel thinner than the spacer member 30, comprising a ball-hitting surface 41, an opposing bottom bonding surface 42, a plurality of upper grooves 44 arranged in parallel and curved inwardly in direction from the ball-hitting surface 41 toward the bottom bonding surface 42. Further, the contour of the face panel 40 is same as the contour of the spacer member 30, defining a lateral connection surface 46. The lateral connection surface 46 is a narrow, elongated, planar surface disposed between the ball-hitting surface 41 and the bottom bonding surface 42.

[0018] The spacer member 30 and the face panel 40 are stacked up on the club head body 20 in a proper order and positioned in the recessed portion 226 of the club head body 20. The bottom surface 32 and lateral surface 36 of the spacer member 30 are respectively fixedly connected to the mounting surface 222 and sidewall surface 224 of the club head body 20. The bottom bonding surface 42 and lateral connection surface 46 of the face panel 40 are respectively fixedly connected to the top surface 31 of the spacer member 30 and the sidewall surface 224 of the club head body 20. The connection of the aforesaid component parts can be achieved by employing an explosion welding, friction welding or brazing process. As shown in FIG. 3, after completion of the aforesaid connection procedure, the upper grooves 44 of the face panel 40 are respectively disposed corresponding to one respective lower groove 34 of the spacer member 30.

[0019] In the golf club head 10 provided by the present invention, the face panel 40 is not formed integral with the spacer member 30, and the spacer member 30 is not formed integral with the club head body 20. The, the face panel 40 and the spacer member 30 are elastically deformable relative to each other; the spacer member 30 and the club head body 20 are elastically deformable relative to each other. Therefore, the golf club head 10 has better elasticity than prior art designs. Further, the design of the lower grooves 34 enhances the extent of elastic deformation of the face panel 40 relative to the spacer member 30, i.e., enhances the elasticity of the golf club head 10.

[0020] As a result, the design of the upper grooves 44 of the face panel 40 of the golf club head 10 enhances the friction between the face panel 40 and the ball to extend the staying time of the ball in the ball-hitting surface 41, and also enhances the elasticity of the golf club head 10 to further extend the staying time of the ball in the ball-hitting surface 41. Thus, the golf club head 10 enables the user to drive the bar farther.

[0021] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising: a club head body comprising a mounting surface; a spacer member comprising a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, said bottom surface being fixedly connected to said mounting surface of said club head body; and a face panel comprising a ball-hitting surface, an opposing bottom bonding surface fixedly connected to said top surface of said spacer member, and a plurality of upper grooves inwardly curved in direction from said ball-hitting surface toward said bottom bonding surface.

2. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spacer member further comprises a plurality of lower grooves inwardly curved in direction from said top surface toward said bottom surface and respectively disposed corresponding to one respective said upper groove.

3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said club head body further comprises a sidewall surface, said sidewall surface defining with said mounting surface a recessed portion therebetween; said spacer member and said face panel are disposed in said recessed portion.

4. The golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein said spacer member further comprises a lateral surface disposed between said top surface and said bottom surface and fixedly connected to said sidewall surface of said club head body.

5. The golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein said face panel further comprises a lateral connection surface disposed between said ball-hitting surface and said bottom bonding surface and fixedly connected to said sidewall surface of said club head body.

6. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spacer member is fixedly connected to said club head body using one of explosion welding, friction welding and brazing processes.

7. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said face panel is fixedly connected to said spacer member using one of explosion welding, friction welding and brazing processes.

Images