Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2001-07-17
Passaniti, Sebastiano (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S329000, C473S342000, C473S345000, C473S409000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261192
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf clubs, and more particularly to the face plate of the club head thereof. More particularly still, the present invention relates to a face plate which is tensioned, locally hardened and weighted at the impact zone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf is a game of skill having two mutually indispensable factors: the talent of the player and the quality of the player's golf clubs. One of the areas of concern for manufacturers of golf clubs is the interaction between a golf ball and the face plate of the golf club head. It is well known that an alloy for the face plate should exhibit the dual qualities of high tensile strength and high hardness in order for the golf club head to transfer a maximum of kinetic energy to the golf ball.
However, no matter what alloy may be chosen for the face plate, there are inherent limits to hardness and tensile strength, as for example due to unsuitability for welding to the head structure. Further aspects of transfer of kinetic energy between a golf ball and a golf club, which are not addressed merely by alloy selection, are face plate tensioning and concentration of mass at the impact zone, both of which can have a profound affect on how far a golf ball can be driven and how accurately it travels.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the golf club art is a golf club featuring a club head, wherein the face plate thereof is tensioned and weighted at the impact zone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a golf club head having a face plate that is tensioned, locally hardened and weighted at the impact zone to thereby provide enhanced distance and directional stability to a struck golf ball.
The face plate according to the present invention has one or more hardened metal plugs tensionally interfitted therewith, wherein the face plate is caused to be locally hardened and tensioned by the presence of the one or more metal plugs. The one or more metal plugs are located at the impact zone of the face plate where the golf ball is struck.
The preferred metal plug is a high density, hardened metal, such as f or example tungsten carbide or other metal carbides or hardened alloy steels. Each metal plug has a diameter on the order of the face plate groove width, ie., about 2.5 millimeters to about 3.5 millimeters, and having a length of about 10 millimeters to about 30 millimeters.
According to a preferred method of fabrication, a face plate is drilled to provide a hole for each metal plug, wherein each hole is at a predetermined location of the impact zone, and wherein each hole has a diameter less than the diameter of the metals plugs by about 0.02 millimeters to about 0.03 millimeters. Each metal plug is press fit into its respective hole, whereupon each metal plug causes the face plate to became tensioned owing to the fact it has a larger diameter than the diameter of the hole into which it is received. Each metal plug is oriented perpendicular to the face plate and the exposed face thereof is aligned flush with the adjacent surface of the face plate. An alternative method of fabrication is to insert cast the metal plugs with the face plate, wherein solidification generates a tensioning effect with respect to the presence of the metal plugs.
The higher tension, high hardness and increased mass at the impact zone renders a high level of golf ball direction control and increased kinetic energy transfer to the golf ball, thereby immediately improving a player's golf game.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head having a face plate that is in tension and has increased hardness and extra mass at the impact zone.
This, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.
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Keefe Peter D.
Passaniti Sebastiano
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