Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-28
2001-10-30
Passaniti, Sebastiano (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S346000, C473S350000, C473S349000, C473S340000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309311
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf clubs. In particular, the present invention relates to golf club heads having a unique weighting and energy absorbing structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The materials and shapes employed in many golf club head designs often exhibit poor force and energy transmitting features which require a golfer to strike the ball precisely on the center of percussion to obtain maximum energy transfer to the golf ball. In an effort to overcome these disadvantages, a variety of shape and weight configurations have been developed in the prior patent art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,993 to Antonious shows an iron-type golf club head for a peripheral weighted cavity backed iron-type golf club head. The club head has an arcuate shaped secondary weight configuration designed to provide increased control and feel. This is achieved by attaching the secondary weight member at two points which intersect and are integrally connected with the peripheral weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,307 to Antonious shows an iron-type golf club head with an improved anchor-back hosel. The lower section of the hosel emanates from the back of the club head adjacent the rear of the club face. This lower section of the hosel may take a variety of shapes as disclosed by Antonious.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,689 to Lundberg shows a golf club head having an internal truss placed directly behind the ball striking face to absorb impact forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,145 to Schmidt shows a reinforced hollow metal wood. The metal wood includes an arcuate shaped ridge connected between the heel and toe portion of the interior of the club head shell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,922 to Harsh shows a putter-type golf club head having a resiliently mounted weight member located behind the ball striking face.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,119 to Rose et al. shows a golf club putter head. The putter head is composed of a continuous tensioned band and an internal weighting system including a tensioning block, a screw connector and a forward rectangular mortise.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,481 to Rowdman shows a golf putter designed to dampen vibrations. The putter includes an anvil and a block of elastomeric material mounted directly behind the ball striking face.
As the prior art shows, many developments have been proposed for improving the striking characteristics of golf club heads. While some of these developments solve problems within the industry, a need still exists for an improved weighting and energy absorbing structure for golf club heads. The present invention provides such an energy absorbing structure for golf club heads.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to golf club heads, including wood, iron and putter type golf club heads, provided with a weighted block, or mass, located behind the ball striking face. The weight member is connected to the ball striking face by an arcuate, force transmitting and absorbing member.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a hollow golf club head, such as a metal wood or putter, is provided with a longitudinal weight member mounted rearwardly within the cavity of the club head along the back inner surface of the cavity. The arcuate member is coupled between the weight member and the back inner surface of the cavity. The arcuate member has ends connected to opposite ends of the weight member and has an apex located on, or directly behind, the ball striking face of the club head. The apex is preferably located at or near the center of percussion of the club head.
The arcuate member is arch shaped. The arcuate member is resilient and is capable of at least minor deflections when a golf ball is struck. In this way, the arcuate member transmits and absorbs energy from directly behind the ball striking face to the rear weight mounted within the club head. This arcuate member distributes the force and/or vibrational pressure evenly along the interior weight member, providing enhanced feel and energy transfer to a golf ball struck by the ball striking face of the club head.
The apex of the arcuate member is preferably connected to, or at least touches, the back inner surface of the striking face of the club head. The arcuate member may be made from a variety of different materials that dampen vibration from the ball striking face as the club contacts the ball. The force travels through the arcuate legs of the arcuate member to the weighted member behind the ball striking face. The transfer of energy in this way tends to cancel out, or dampen, undesirable forces which travel around the perimeter of the club head.
In preferred embodiments, a putter type club head is formed with a rear cavity for mounting the arcuate member and associated weight. Metal wood or iron type club heads in accordance with the present invention use a weight member close to the bottom of the club head, locating the center of gravity downwardly and away from the ball striking face.
Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of a golf club head having an improved weight distribution.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head having an improved shock absorbing and energy transferring structure.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a golf club head which creates greater feel when a golf ball impacts against the ball striking face of a club head.
Still another object is the provision of an improved golf club head wherein forces created by the impact of the golf ball are more evenly distributed to allow a greater percentage of the club head forces to be transferred to the ball.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.
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Passaniti Sebastiano
Welsh & Flaxman LLC
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