Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-04-24
Passaniti, Sebastiano (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S345000, C473S350000, C473S409000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220971
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a golf club and a method of manufacturing the same.
In the prior art, Japanese Patent No. 2602253, by the same applicant, describes a golfing iron club head formed by fixing a plurality of members while subjecting them to plastic deformation. This golfing iron club head comprises, as shown for example in FIG. 1 of the above publication, a face member, a weight member provided on a rear surface of the face member, a first cavity portion formed in a rear surface of the face member with a peripheral face in a reverse tapered shape, a second cavity portion formed in a front surface of the weight member opposite to the first cavity portion with a peripheral face in a reverse tapered shape, and a connecting member such as an adhesive or carbon fiber filled and solidified between the first cavity portion and the second cavity portion. In this manner, the face member and the weight member may comprise different materials but are integrally and securely connected to one another.
Also, in the prior art, for such heads, materials having relatively low proof stress and which are easily plastically deformed, such as pure titanium, iron, stainless steel, copper and the like have been used. To obtain higher performance however, the adoption of high-strength materials such as titanium alloy, amorphous alloy and marageing steel has recently been studied. These high-strength materials have a problem in that they are not easily plastically deformed because they have high proof stress and large spring back, and are susceptible to deformation. As a result, in the case of members using high-strength materials, there are problems in that the connection strength is weak, and there is a gap between both members, which is undesirable from an appearance point of view. Specifically, in the case where a face member is fitted to a head body having a window opening as described in Japanese Patent No. 2560272, there is a problem in that the edge of the window opening tends to be bent back at the time of pressing.
One means for solving these problems is adhesion. However, adhesion is not sufficiently strong. Moreover, the method used with the golf club head disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2560272 by the same applicant is also known. This golf club head as shown in FIG. 1 of the above publication, is one which is provided with a face on a front surface and a shaft connecting portion on one side, and comprises a head body formed with a sole, a cavity portion corresponding to the face formed in the front surface, a through hole formed in the cavity portion and directed rearward and a face member formed from a plate-like metallic material having a lower specific gravity than the head body and fitted into the cavity portion. The cavity portion is formed in a reverse tapered shape, and the face member is pressed into the cavity portion using a press, so that the face member is secured to the cavity portion. Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 9-276453 by the same applicant discloses a manufacturing method for a golf club head comprising a head body having a face, and a weight secured to a rear side of the head body, wherein there is formed a plurality of threaded holes respectively facing the head body and the weight, and the weight is secured while plastically deforming opposite ends of a fixing member in the facing threaded holes.
Utilizing the fixing means disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 2605253 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 9-276453 has been considered. However, it is not possible to secure the face member as described in these publications to a head body having a window opening as in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 2560272.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to be able to reliably secure together each member in a golf club head formed from a plurality of members.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided a golf club with a head provided with a face on a front surface and a shaft connecting portion on one side, and a shaft connected to the shaft connecting portion. The head, which is formed by integrally connecting a plurality of members, is provided with connection recesses in portions where the plurality of members face each other. At least one of the connection recesses is formed in a reverse tapered shape. A fixing member is arranged between facing connection recesses, and the fixing member is plastically deformed so as to be pressed into the connection recesses, to thereby secure the facing members together.
In the first embodiment, by attaching the connecting member between the connection recesses by pressing thereinto, facing members of the head can be reliably secured to each other.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a golf club with a head provided with a face on a front surface and a shaft connecting portion on one side, and a shaft connected to the shaft connecting portion, the head, which is formed by integrally connecting a plurality of members, is provided with connection recesses in portions where the plurality of members face each other. Irregularities are formed on a peripheral face of at least one of the connection recesses. A fixing member is arranged between facing connection recesses, and the fixing member is plastically deformed so as to be pressed into the connection recesses, to thereby secure the facing members.
In the second embodiment, by attaching the connecting member between the connection recesses by pressing thereinto, facing members of the head can be reliably secured to each other.
According to a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a golfing iron club with a head provided with a face on a front surface and a shaft connecting portion on one side, and a shaft connected to the shaft connecting portion, the head comprising a head body formed with a sole, a cavity portion corresponding to the face formed in a front surface, a window opening formed inside the cavity portion and passing through to a rear surface side and a face member formed from a plate-like metallic material and fitted into the cavity portion. Further, a first connection recess is formed in the cavity portion, a second connection recess is formed in a portion of the face member facing the first connection recess, and a fixing member is arranged between the first and the second connection recesses, and the fixing member is plastically deformed so as to be pressed into the first and the second connection recesses, to thereby secure the face member to the head body.
In the third embodiment, the face member can be fitted into the cavity portion on the head body, and a desired location in the cavity portion and a desired location in the face member can be reliably secured together.
According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a golfing iron club with a head provided with a face on a front surface and a shaft connecting portion on one side, and a shaft connected to the shaft connecting portion, the head comprising a head body formed with a sole, a cavity portion corresponding to the face formed in a front surface, a window opening formed inside the cavity portion and passing through to a rear surface side and a face member formed from a plate-like metallic material and fitted into the cavity portion. Further, a first connection recess is formed in the cavity portion, a second connection recess is formed in a portion of the face member facing the first connection recess, and the face member is pressed into the cavity portion, and at the time of the pressing, a fixing billet is arranged between the first and the second connection recesses and the fixing billet is plastically deformed so as to be pressed into the first and the second connection recesses, to thereby secure the face member to the head body.
In the fourth embodiment, the fixing billet is plastically deformed at the time of pressing
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
K.K. Endo Seisakusho
Passaniti Sebastiano
Varma Sneh
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