JP2003199848A - Golf club head - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide a golf club head capable of combining both vibration damping properties and comfortable hitting sound by combining different materials. SOLUTION: In a golf club head having a hollow structure, the mass ratio of the entire head is 4% or more in at least one of a neck part 1, a face part 2, a sole part 3, a crown part 4 and a side part 5. Fiber reinforced plastic is used and the balance is made of metal. Preferably, a portion made of only metal and a portion made only of fiber reinforced plastic are mixed in the outer shell of the hollow structure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a golf club head having a hollow structure, and more particularly to a golf club head having a vibration damping property and a comfortable tapping sound by combining different materials. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In golf club heads, in addition to improving performance and strength such as flight distance and directionality, it is required to damp vibrations at the time of hitting a ball and to emit a comfortable hitting sound at the time of hitting a ball. . This is because in golf, which is also a mental sport, subtle vibrations and hammering sounds have a great influence on the result.

Conventionally, fiber reinforced plastics (FR
A golf club head having a hollow structure made of P) is disclosed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). FR like this
Although the golf club head made of P has good vibration damping properties, it is disadvantageous in terms of hitting sound and flight distance. Further, a golf club head formed by combining different kinds of materials has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3). However, these golf club heads have neither a vibration damping property nor a comfortable hitting sound.

[0004]

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-11-4919

[Patent Document 2] JP-A-5-168731

[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-229135

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head which is capable of having both vibration damping and comfortable hitting sound by combining different materials.

[0006]

A golf club head of the present invention for achieving the above object is a golf club head having a hollow structure, wherein at least one of a neck portion, a face portion, a sole portion, a crown portion and a side portion is provided. It is characterized in that a fiber-reinforced plastic having a mass ratio of 4% or more in the entire head is used in the place and the rest is made of metal.

In the golf club head having such a hollow structure, the fiber reinforced plastic having the above mass ratio is used in at least one of the neck portion, the face portion, the sole portion, the crown portion and the side portion, and the rest is made of metal. By doing so, it is possible to configure a golf club head that has both vibration damping properties and comfortable hitting sound.

In the present invention, when the outer shell of the hollow structure is mixed with a portion made only of metal and a portion made only of fiber reinforced plastic, and further when the fiber reinforced plastic is used for the crown portion. , A more remarkable effect can be obtained. As the metal, two or more kinds of metals may be used in different parts. As the fiber reinforced plastic, two or more kinds of fiber reinforced plastics may be used in different parts. When the elastic modulus of the fiber of the fiber reinforced plastic is less than 27ton / mm ² , the effect of improving the vibration damping property becomes particularly large, and when the elastic modulus of the fiber of the fiber reinforced plastic is 27ton / mm ² or more. Especially, the improvement effect of the tapping sound becomes large.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The configuration of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A to 1C show a golf club head according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1
As shown in (a) to (c), the golf club head of the present embodiment has a hollow structure, and among the neck portion 1, face portion 2, sole portion 3, crown portion 4 and side portion 5,
The crown portion 4 is made of fiber reinforced plastic (hatched portion), and the rest is made of metal. That is, the metal outer shell member X forming the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3, and the side portion 5 has the hole portion X1 (through hole) at a position corresponding to the crown portion 4, and the crown portion 4 Is provided with an outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic so as to cover at least the hole X1. As a result, in the outer shell forming the hollow structure, the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3 and the side portion 5 have portions made of only metal, and the crown portion 4 has only fiber reinforced plastic. There is a constituent part.

As described above, at least one of the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3, the crown portion 4 and the side portion 5 is formed.
By using the fiber reinforced plastic in the places and forming the balance from the metal, it is possible to construct the golf club head having both the vibration damping property and the comfortable hitting sound. However, the mass ratio [(F
RP mass / mass of the entire head) × 100] needs to be 4% or more. If the mass ratio of the fiber reinforced plastic is less than 4%, the vibration damping property and the improvement effect of tapping sound cannot be sufficiently obtained. The upper limit of the mass ratio of the fiber reinforced plastic is preferably 48%. Within this range, the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head can be maintained more appropriately.

As the metal, titanium, titanium alloy, stainless steel or the like can be used. Further, two or more kinds of metals may be used in different parts.

As the fiber reinforced plastic, there is a fiber reinforced plastic obtained by impregnating a reinforcing fiber such as carbon fiber, glass fiber or aramid fiber with a matrix resin such as an epoxy resin, an unsaturated polyester resin or a vinyl ester resin. It is preferable to use carbon fibers as reinforcing fibers. Further, two or more kinds of fiber reinforced plastics may be used in different parts. When the elastic modulus of the fiber of the fiber reinforced plastic is less than 27ton / mm ² , the effect of improving the vibration damping property becomes large, and when the elastic modulus of the fiber of the fiber reinforced plastic is 27ton / mm ² or more, The tapping effect is improved.

A fiber-reinforced plastic outer shell member Y constituting the crown portion 4 is a metal outer shell member X constituting the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3 and the side portion 5.
Can be glued to. In FIG. 1 (a), the outer shell member Y having a single-layer structure is attached to the crown portion 4 of the outer shell member X from the outside, but the outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic is composed of two or more layers. It may be structured. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic has a two-layer structure, and these are laminated from inside and outside so as to cover the hole X1 of the outer shell member X. Is also possible. In this case, the outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic can be firmly fixed to the outer shell member X made of metal.

In the above-described embodiment, the shape of the hole X1 opened in the metallic outer shell member X forming the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3 and the side portion 5 is not particularly limited. Various selections can be made according to the desired vibration damping property and tapping sound. For example, FIG.
The hole X1 is set to an arbitrary shape as shown in (l), or a bridge X2 that crosses the hole X1 is provided as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4B, and the bridge X2 is made of fiber reinforced plastic. The outer shell member Y may be supported. The number of bridges X2 is not particularly limited, and may be two or more if necessary.

FIGS. 5A to 5C show a golf club head according to another embodiment of the present invention. The golf club head of the present embodiment has a hollow structure, the sole portion 3 and the crown portion 4 are made of fiber reinforced plastic (hatched portion), the side portions 5 are made of stainless steel, and the neck portion 1 and the face portion 2 are formed. Is composed of titanium. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, a fiber reinforced plastic may be interposed in the joining between the side portion 5 made of stainless steel and the neck portion 1 and face portion 2 made of titanium.

As another example of the case of using two kinds of metals as described above, it has a crown portion made of FRP, a sole portion and a side portion made of stainless steel, and a neck portion and a face portion made of titanium. Golf club head, golf club head having FRP crown portion, stainless steel side portion, titanium neck portion, face portion and sole portion, FRP crown portion, and stainless steel neck portion , A golf club head having a sole portion and side portions, and a titanium face portion, a golf club head having an FRP crown portion, a stainless steel neck portion and side portion, and a titanium face portion and sole portion A club head etc. can be illustrated.

7 (a) to 7 (c) show a golf club head according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
The golf club head of this embodiment has a hollow structure, and includes a neck portion 1, a face portion 2, a sole portion 3 and a crown portion 4.
Is made of fiber reinforced plastic (hatched portion), and the side portion 5 is made of stainless steel.

As another example of the case where the metal is used for only one member as described above, a golf club having a neck portion, a face portion, a crown portion and a side portion made of FRP and a sole portion made of stainless steel. Golf club head having head, FRP face part, titanium neck part, sole part, crown part and side part, FRP neck part, sole part, crown part and side part, and titanium face And a golf club head having a portion.

FIGS. 8A to 8C show a golf club head according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
The golf club head of the present embodiment has a hollow structure, in which the sole portion 3 and the crown portion 4 are made of fiber reinforced plastic (hatched portion), and the neck portion 1, the face portion 2 and the side portion 5 are made of metal. There is. That is, the metal outer shell member X forming the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, and the side portion 5 has hole portions X1 and X1 (through holes) at positions corresponding to the sole portion 3 and the crown portion 4, respectively. An outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic is arranged so as to cover the holes X1 and X1. The outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic is firmly fixed to the outer shell member X so as to sandwich the edge portion of the outer shell member X made of metal.

9 (a) to 9 (c) show a golf club head according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C, the golf club head according to the present embodiment has a metallic outer shell that forms the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3, the crown portion 4, and the side portion 5. It has a hollow structure made of a member X, and an outer shell member Y made of fiber reinforced plastic (hatched portion) is laminated on the crown portion 4 thereof.

As described above, at least one portion of the hollow structure made of the metallic outer shell member X constituting the neck portion 1, the face portion 2, the sole portion 3, the crown portion 4 and the side portion 5 is made of a fiber reinforced plastic outer material. Even when the shell members Y are laminated, it is possible to configure a golf club head having both vibration damping properties and comfortable hitting sound. Also in this case, the mass ratio of the fiber reinforced plastic [(FRP mass / mass of the entire head) × 100] needs to be 4% or more.

[0023]

[Examples] In golf club heads having a hollow structure, Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 1 to 2 in which the constituent materials of the neck portion, face portion, sole portion, crown portion and side portion were varied as shown in Table 1 8 were produced. In Table 1, "Ti" is titanium or titanium alloy, "SUS"
Means stainless steel and “FRP” means fiber reinforced plastic. Also, "less than 27t" has a fiber elastic modulus of 27.
Use of fiber reinforced plastic (fiber: carbon) of less than ton / mm ² , "27t or more" has a fiber elastic modulus of 27ton /
It means the use of fiber reinforced plastic (fiber: carbon) of mm ² or more. In addition, what described both metal and FRP is the case where FRP is laminated on or below the metal.

Each of the golf clubs equipped with these golf club heads was prepared, and the vibration damping property and the hitting sound were evaluated through a trial hit by 10 golfers, and the results are also shown in Table 1. The results of these evaluations are 10 in Comparative Example 1.
The index was set to 0. For vibration damping, a larger index value means a greater vibration damping effect, and for a hammering sound, a better index value means that the hammering sound is better, that is, a hammering sound intermediate between metal sound and persimmon hammering sound. Means to occur.

[0025]

[Table 1]

As can be seen from Table 1, the golf club heads of Examples 1 to 8 were improved in vibration damping property and hammering sound as compared with Comparative Example 1. In Comparative Example 2, the amount of the fiber reinforced plastic used was small, so that a sufficient effect was not obtained.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a golf club head having a hollow structure, the mass of the entire head is at least at one of the neck portion, the face portion, the sole portion, the crown portion and the side portion. Since the fiber reinforced plastic having a ratio of 4% or more is used and the balance is made of metal, it is possible to construct a golf club head having both a vibration damping property and a comfortable tapping sound.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B show a golf club head according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a left side view, and FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a modified example of the golf club head of FIG.
(A) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is A'-.
It is an A'arrow arrow sectional view.

FIG. 3 shows another modified example of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with the outer shell member made of fiber reinforced plastic removed.
(A)-(l) is a top view, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing still another modified example of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with the outer shell member made of fiber reinforced plastic removed, and FIGS.

FIG. 5 shows a golf club head according to another embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view,
(C) is a right side view.

FIG. 6 is a left side view showing a modified example of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 7 shows a golf club head according to still another embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view,
(C) is a right side view.

FIG. 8 shows a golf club head according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view,
(C) is an A ″ -A ″ arrow sectional view.

FIG. 9 shows a golf club head according to still another embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view,
(C) is a BB arrow sectional drawing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 neck part 2 face part 3 sole part 4 Crown 5 side parts X, Y outer shell member X1 hole X2 bridge

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tomoaki Mori             2-1, Oiwake, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.             Ceremony Company Hiratsuka Factory (72) Inventor Shinji Yamamoto             2-1, Oiwake, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.             Ceremony Company Hiratsuka Factory F-term (reference) 2C002 AA02 CH06 LL01 MM02 MM04                       MM07

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A golf club head having a hollow structure, wherein at least one of a neck portion, a face portion, a sole portion, a crown portion and a side portion is provided with a fiber reinforced plastic having a mass ratio of 4% or more in the entire head. A golf club head, which is used and the rest is made of metal. 2. A golf club head having a hollow structure, wherein at least one of the neck portion, face portion, sole portion, crown portion and side portion is made of fiber reinforced plastic having a mass ratio of 4% or more in the entire head. A golf club head, wherein the remaining portion is made of metal, and the outer shell of the hollow structure is mixed with a portion made of only the metal and a portion made of only the fiber reinforced plastic. . 3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the fiber reinforced plastic is used in the crown portion. 4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein two or more kinds of metals are used as different parts of the metal. 5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein two or more kinds of fiber reinforced plastics are used in different parts as the fiber reinforced plastics. 6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the fibers of the fiber-reinforced plastic have an elastic modulus of less than 27 ton / mm ² . 7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the fibers of the fiber reinforced plastic have an elastic modulus of 27 ton / mm ² or more.