JP2584230B2 - Metal wood golf club head and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a metal wood golf club head and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to increasing the strength of the face portion of a metal head without increasing the head weight. The present invention relates to a metal wood golf club head whose molding is facilitated and a method of manufacturing the same.

[Conventional technology]

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a generally used metal wood golf club head 1 has a hollow interior 2 using a material such as steel or stainless steel. As a manufacturing method, a lost wax method in which a club head is divided into two or three parts and cast, and these parts are joined together by welding to constitute an integral part is almost used.

Further, for the purpose of improving the hitting sound, a club head 1 in which a hollow portion 2 of a club head 1 is filled with a foam material such as a rigid polyurethane foam by injection foaming is known.

By the way, since the metal wood golf club head 1 is made of a metal material as described above, the weight tends to be large, so that the wall thickness cannot be increased, and the size of the club head is Generally, the head is made smaller than a club head made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic or the like.

However, if the thickness is too thin, there is a problem with strength and it cannot be made extremely thin.Particularly, the face that strikes the ball requires strength, so it is more difficult than other wall thicknesses. It is thick, but still 1.0mm ~
2.5mm is the limit. On the other hand, if the wall thickness is increased to near the limit, the size of the club head must be reduced due to the relationship of the club balance, which causes a problem that the psychological effect of the golfer increases.

Therefore, in the conventional metal wood golf club head, in order to make the golf club head lightweight and large in shape, the face portion for hitting the ball must be made thin, and the following problems arise. Was.

(A). The strength of the face tends to weaken, and if reinforced with ribs on the back side of the face, the center of gravity moves forward, and the depth of the center of gravity as one of the characteristics of the wood club head is disadvantageous There is. In other words, the sweet area becomes wider as the depth of the center of gravity becomes deeper.

(B). Energy loss due to deformation such as depression of the face surface at the time of hitting the ball is large, and the flight distance of the ball is reduced.

(C). The hitting sound is poor, and no significant improvement can be expected even if the foam material is filled.

[Object of the invention]

The present invention has been devised in view of such a conventional problem, and it is possible to increase the strength of the face portion without increasing the weight of the head to a small degree and disadvantageously increasing the depth of the center of gravity of the club head. It is an object of the present invention to provide a metal wood golf club head whose molding is facilitated and a method of manufacturing the same.

[Configuration of the invention]

A metal wood golf club head according to the present invention that achieves the above object, has a synthetic resin material adhered in a plate shape over the entire rear surface side wall surface to the back surface side of the face portion of a club head body formed into a hollow shape with a metal material. The synthetic resin material has a substantially uniform thickness having a flat back surface.

Further, the method of manufacturing a metal wood golf club head according to the present invention comprises the steps of: setting a club head body formed of a metal material into a hollow shape so that a face portion thereof is directed downward and substantially horizontally; The injection pipe is inserted into the hollow portion of the head from the portion, and the liquid-hardened synthetic resin material is injected from the injection pipe so as to cover the entire wall surface on the back side of the face portion, and the synthetic resin material is in a liquid state in a flat state. And a resin reinforcing layer having a substantially uniform thickness by being cured while maintaining the thickness.

(Example of the invention)

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a metal wood golf club head showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a club head body.
11 is made of steel, stainless steel, etc.
Are hollow.

A thermoplastic or thermosetting synthetic resin material 14 having high impact strength and high hardness is adhered and fixed to the rear side wall portion 13a of the face surface 13 of the club head body 11. The synthetic resin material 14 is in close contact with the entire surface of the wall surface on the rear surface side of the face surface 13 in a plate shape, and the rear surface 14a has a planar shape, and is formed with a substantially uniform thickness. Due to such a flat and substantially uniform wall thickness, the depth of the center of gravity is not adversely affected, the impact load at the time of hitting the ball is evenly dispersed, and high strength without stress concentration is achieved.

As the synthetic resin material 14, an epoxy-based resin or a urethane-based resin is used, and the thickness of the backed synthetic resin material 14 is preferably 3 to 15 mm, and an increase in head weight is minimized. In order to obtain high impact strength and high hardness, the thickness is preferably 5 to 10 mm.

In order to further increase the above effects,
It is important that the metal face portion 15 and the synthetic resin material 14 are firmly adhered to each other, and it is necessary that the synthetic resin material 14 can withstand drop-out, breakage, and the like for long-term use (hitting). . For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4, ribs 16 for preventing the synthetic resin material 14 from falling off are provided on the rear side wall 13a of the face surface 13 for the purpose of adhesion and fixation of the metal face part 15 and the synthetic resin material 14. Is preferably provided in plural.

The shape of the rib 16 may be a plurality of ribs in a horizontal or vertical direction with respect to the face 13, or a mesh or a honeycomb. Further, in order to improve the hitting sound in addition to the above structure, it is also possible to inject and foam a foam material 17 such as a hard polyurethane foam into the hollow interior 12 of the club head body 11 as shown in FIG. It is.

Further, the synthetic resin material 14 is provided on the rear surface side wall portion of the face surface 13.
In addition to the backing 13a having a uniform thickness, it is also possible to make the club head body 11 thicker only at the bottom for the purpose of a low center of gravity as shown in FIG.

Next, a method for manufacturing a metal wood golf club head will be described.

First, as a first manufacturing method, a club head main body 11 having a hollow interior 12 made of a material such as steel or stainless steel is roughly placed with its face 13 facing downward as shown in FIG. Place the club head body 11 horizontally.
The injection pipe 18 is inserted into the head interior 12 from the hosel part 17 of the head, and a predetermined amount of the uncured synthetic resin material 14 is injected into a predetermined position, and is cured by heating and natural curing to adhere to the rear side wall part 13 a and the rib 16. After curing, the resin reinforcing layer can be formed at a stroke in only one process.

Incidentally, since the synthetic resin material 14 is injected into the interior 12 of the club head main body 11 having a hollow shape as described above, it is necessary that the synthetic resin material 14 has a fluidity capable of being injected, and therefore, after injection. A thermosetting or thermoplastic synthetic resin material 14 that cures is used.

In order to improve the hitting sound after the synthetic resin material 14 has hardened, it is also possible to inject and foam a foam material 17 such as a hard polyurethane foam into the head interior 12 from the hosel portion 17 to fill the head.

Next, a description will be given of the results of an experiment conducted by manufacturing the club head body 11 using an epoxy resin and a urethane resin according to the present invention.

[Example] Using an epoxy-based synthetic resin material TETRAD-X, manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (N, N, N ', N'-tetraglycidyl meta-xylene diamine): 31,7 parts by weight Hitachi Chemical ( Methylhymic anhydride) 68.3 parts by weight Ube Industries, Ltd. (carboxy terminated butadiene acrylonitrile) 5.0 parts by weight Example 2 Using a urethane resin for casting Etch & K Co., Ltd. … Highcast 3070 Highcast A solution and B solution are calculated at a weight ratio of 1: 1, mixed uniformly at room temperature, poured into a predetermined amount into the back wall of the metal wood club head face, and placed in a constant temperature bath at 60 ° C. For 2 hours.

[Experimental results] Club heads made using the synthetic resin material as described above were tailored into wood golf clubs, respectively, and a test hit test was performed. In the following, it was confirmed that the club head reinforced with the synthetic resin material improved the flight distance by 5% or more compared to the club head using only metal.

Also, the hitting sound at the time of hitting was heavier than the light metal sound peculiar to the conventional metal wood, and a light hitting sound close to a carbon head could be obtained.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, as described above, according to the metal wood golf club of the present invention, the synthetic resin material is adhered in a plate shape over the entire area on the back surface side of the face portion of the hollow club head body, so that it is limited to a small amount. Even when the club head is made as thin as possible to make the club head as hollow as possible with the use of a metal material, it is possible to give strength that does not cause dents or the like on the face surface when hitting a ball. Moreover, since the synthetic resin over the entire area of the back side of the face is made to have a substantially uniform thickness with a flat back, the impact at the time of hitting is evenly distributed over the entire face without substantially affecting the depth of the center of gravity, The strength can be further increased.

Further, according to the method for manufacturing a metal wood golf club head of the present invention, since the plate-shaped synthetic resin material is internally applied to the inside of the club head in only one step, a metal wood golf club head having the above-mentioned effect is obtained. Facilitates manufacturing,
Productivity can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a conventional metal wood golf club head, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIGS.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a metal wood golf club head embodying the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a method of manufacturing the metal wood golf club head of the present invention. [Description of References] 11… Club head body, 12… Inside, 13… Face surface, 13 a… Back side wall, 14… Synthetic resin material, 15… Metal face 16… Rib, 17 …… foam material

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A synthetic resin material is adhered in a plate shape to the back surface of a face portion of a club head main body formed in a hollow shape from a metal material over the entire wall surface on the back surface, and the synthetic resin material is planarized on the back surface. A metal wood golf club head having a substantially uniform wall thickness. 2. The metal wood golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ribs are provided on the back side of said face portion, and said synthetic resin material is integrally fixed through said ribs. 3. The metal wood golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a foam material is filled in the hollow club head body. 4. A club head body formed in a hollow shape from a metal material is set so that its face portion is directed downward and substantially horizontally, and an injection pipe is inserted from the hosel portion of the club head body into the hollow portion of the head. Inserting and injecting a liquid uncured synthetic resin material from the injection pipe so as to cover the entire wall surface on the back side of the face portion, and curing the synthetic resin material while maintaining the liquid surface in a flat state to be substantially uniform. A method of manufacturing a metal golf club head to be a thick resin reinforcing layer.