JP6209859B2 - Golf club - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a golf club whose shaft is covered with a covering material.

  As a technique for protecting a golf club shaft from scratches, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the periphery of a cylindrical or columnar shaft formed by overlapping a plurality of fiber reinforced resin layers is covered with a coating layer of a heat-shrinkable film.

JP-A-9-327873

  In the conventional technique described above, the heat-shrinkable film around the shaft can be shrunk by heating to form a highly rigid coating layer around the shaft, thereby protecting the shaft from scratches. However, if the coating layer with high rigidity is formed in close contact with the shaft, the rigidity of the entire shaft becomes much larger than before the coating layer is formed, and the feeling of swinging the golf club is completely different from that before the coating layer is formed. There was a problem of becoming a thing.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a golf club having a shaft surface protected without greatly changing the original rigidity of the shaft.

  The present invention provides a golf club having a hollow annular covering material that accommodates a shaft, and a part of the covering material is fixed to the shaft.

  According to this invention, since a part of the covering material is fixed to the shaft, the influence on the rigidity of the shaft due to the formation of the covering material is small. Therefore, it is possible to realize a golf club whose shaft surface is protected without greatly changing the original rigidity of the shaft.

It is a figure showing composition of a golf club which is a 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 7th Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Common items of each embodiment>
FIGS. 1-7 is a figure which shows the structure of the golf club which is 1st-7th embodiment of this invention. In these drawings, 1 is a shaft of a golf club, 2 is a grip, and 3 is a head. The shaft 1 is a tapered hollow cylindrical body whose diameter decreases from the grip 2 side toward the head 3 side. These golf clubs have a function of detecting the bending of the shaft 1.

  More specifically, the strain sensors S1 to S3 (FIGS. 1 to 3) or the strain sensors S1 to S4 (FIGS. 4 to 7) are fixed to the shaft 1 at almost equal intervals along the longitudinal direction. Has been. These strain sensors S1 to S3 (S4) are the tops of the swing normal line (the normal line of the plane including the trajectory drawn by the head 3) of the circumferential surface surrounding the shaft 1 when swinging the golf club. It is pasted at the position. Or it is affixed on each position which becomes the top of the swing direction (the normal line of the plane including the track drawn by the head 3) when swinging the golf club on the circumferential surface surrounding the shaft 1.

  A flexible wiring 4 is spirally wound around the shaft 1 from the strain sensor S3 (S4) near the head 3 toward the grip 2 side. The flexible wiring 4 is formed by forming a plurality of pads and a plurality of signal lines connected to the pads on a string-like substrate made of a flexible material such as polyethylene terephthalate. Each of the strain sensors S <b> 1 to S <b> 4 fixed to the shaft 1 is connected to some of the pads provided on the flexible wiring 4. The flexible wiring 4 is fixed to the shaft 1 at both ends and a predetermined number of locations along the way. The reason why only a part of the flexible wiring 4 is fixed to the shaft 1 in order to prevent the flexible wiring 4 from being damaged (for example, excessive tensile stress) due to the bending of the shaft 1 during golf swing. It is.

  In a region near the grip end in the shaft 1, a bending detection device 10 is provided. The bend detection device 10 includes a sensor I / F (interface) 11, a signal processing unit 12, and a wireless communication unit 13.

  The sensor I / F 11 is electrically connected to the strain sensors S <b> 1 to S <b> 3 (S <b> 4) via each signal line and each pad of the flexible wiring 4. The sensor I / F 11 includes a plurality of amplifiers that amplify the output signals of the strain sensors S1 to S3 (S4), and an A / D converter that converts the output signals of these amplifiers into a digital distortion waveform sample string. Consists of. The signal processing unit 12 accumulates each distortion waveform sample sequence output from the sensor I / F 11 based on each output signal of the distortion sensors S1 to S3 (S4) in a built-in memory, and the distortion within an appropriate period is stored therein. This is a device that takes out a waveform sample string (for example, a distortion waveform sample string within a swing period) and supplies it to the wireless communication unit 13. The wireless communication unit 13 is a device that modulates a carrier with a distorted waveform sample sequence output from the signal processing unit 12 and transmits the modulated carrier to a host computer (not shown) via a wireless section. The host computer analyzes the strain waveform sample sequence received from the wireless communication unit 13 and obtains the bending behavior of the shaft 1 during the golf swing.

  The surface of the shaft 1 around which the flexible wiring 4 is wound is covered with a covering material 5 that is a tube made of a heat-shrinkable film. The heat-shrinkable film tube used as the covering material 5 may be a narrow tube, or may be a tapered tube similar to the shaft 1. A feature of each embodiment of the present invention resides in the configuration of the covering material 5.

<First Embodiment>
In FIG. 1, the covering material 5 contracts when the end portion vicinity region 5 </ b> A on the grip 2 side is heated and is fixed to the shaft 1 in a state of being in close contact with the surface of the shaft 1. Here, regions other than the end vicinity region 5A of the covering material 5 are not in close contact with the surface of the shaft 1 and are not heated and contracted, so that the rigidity is small. That is, by fixing a part of the covering material 5 to the shaft 1, the shaft 1 can be freely bent without being obstructed by the covering material 5. The end vicinity region 5 </ b> A that is heated and contracted is fixed while pressing the shaft 1. Furthermore, the contracted end vicinity region 5 </ b> A has a higher rigidity than the original covering material 5, thereby increasing the fixing force to the shaft 1. In this case, the covering material 5 has sections having different rigidity along the longitudinal direction of the shaft 1. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the flexible wiring 4 and the strain sensors S1 to S3 on the surface of the shaft 1 can be protected without greatly changing the original rigidity of the shaft 1. Moreover, according to this embodiment, since the flexible wiring 4 is covered with the coating | covering material 5, the trouble of hooking the flexible wiring 5 on an object when moving with a golf club in hand can be prevented. Moreover, since the flexible wiring 5 is covered with the coating material 5, the air resistance which the flexible wiring 5 receives at the time of a golf club swing can be suppressed, and wind noise can be prevented.

Second Embodiment
In FIG. 2, the covering material 5 is contracted by heating the end vicinity region 5 </ b> A on the grip 2 side and the end vicinity region 5 </ b> B on the head 3 side, and the covering member 5 is in close contact with the surface of the shaft 1. It is fixed to the part. Here, regions other than the end vicinity regions 5A and 5B of the covering material 5 are not in close contact with the shaft 1 and are not heated and contracted, so that the rigidity is low. The end vicinity area 5A fixed to the shaft 1 and the end vicinity area 5B on the head 3 side contract and compress the shaft 1 while increasing the rigidity, so that the fixing force is strong. Further, since the covering material 5 in the region between the end vicinity region 5A and the end portion vicinity region 5B on the head 3 side and other than the end portion vicinity region 5A and the head 3 side end region 5B has low rigidity. The shaft 1 can be flexed freely without being largely hindered by the covering material 5. Therefore, also in this embodiment, the same effect as the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, according to the present embodiment, since both ends of the covering material 5 are fixed to the shaft 1, there is an advantage that the movement of the covering material 5 is more stable than the first embodiment.

<Third Embodiment>
In FIG. 3, the covering material 5 is contracted by heating the end vicinity region 5 </ b> A on the grip 2 side, and is fixed to a part of the shaft 1 in a state of being in close contact with the surface of the shaft 1. Since the end vicinity region 5A contracts and presses the shaft 1 while increasing the rigidity, the fixing force is strong. In the shaft 1, a region facing the end of the covering material 5 on the head 3 side is a low friction region 6. The end portion on the head 3 side of the covering material 5 is bent toward the shaft 1 side and is in contact with the low friction region 6 of the shaft 1. According to the present embodiment, when the shaft 1 bends, the end portion vicinity region 5A on the grip 2 side of the covering material 5 is fixed to the shaft 1, but the end portion on the head 3 side becomes the low friction region 6. Move freely along. Therefore, the shaft 1 can be flexed freely without being largely hindered by the covering material 5. Further, since both ends of the covering material 5 are supported by the shaft 1, there is an advantage that the movement of the covering material 5 is stabilized.

<Fourth embodiment>
In FIG. 4, the covering material 5 contracts by heating the end vicinity region 5 </ b> A on the grip 2 side, the end vicinity region 5 </ b> B on the head 3 side, and the center region 5 </ b> C between both ends, and the shaft 1. The shaft 1 is fixed to a part of the shaft 1 in close contact with the surface. The end vicinity area 5A, the end vicinity area 5B on the head 3 side, and the center area 5C between the both ends contract and compress the shaft while increasing the rigidity, so that the fixing force is strong. Also in this aspect, the regions other than the regions 5A, 5B, and 5C in the covering material 5 are not in close contact with the shaft 1 and the rigidity is small, so that the shaft 1 is not greatly hindered by the covering material 5, Can bend freely. Moreover, since the coating | covering material 5 is being fixed to the shaft 1 in three places of both ends and the center, there exists an advantage that the motion of the coating | covering material 5 is stabilized. In the present embodiment and the fifth to seventh embodiments, unlike the first to third embodiments, the end of the covering material 5 on the head 3 side is at a position away from the head 3. This is because the strain sensor S4 closest to the head 3 among the strain sensors S1 to S4 is located at a position away from the head 3. The number of strain sensors to be arranged and the position at which the strain sensors are arranged may be determined based on a range in which the bending behavior of the shaft 1 needs to be analyzed. Moreover, the coating | covering material 5 should just cover the whole strain sensor S1-S4 and the flexible wiring 4 at least.

<Fifth Embodiment>
In FIG. 5, the covering material 5 is contracted by heating the regions 51, 52, 53, 54 including the positions of the strain sensors S <b> 1 to S <b> 4, and is in close contact with the surface of the shaft 1. It is fixed in part. Since the regions 51, 52, 53, and 54 compress and compress the shaft while increasing the rigidity, the fixing force is strong. Of these regions, the regions 51 and 52 located at both ends of the covering material 5 extend from the positions of the strain sensors S <b> 1 and S <b> 4 to both ends of the covering material 5. Thus, by adhering both ends of the covering material 5 to the surface of the shaft 1, water or the like is prevented from entering the gap between the covering material 5 and the shaft 1. Also in this embodiment, the same effects as those in the fourth embodiment can be obtained. Further, according to the present embodiment, the regions 51 to 54 of the covering material 5 are in close contact with the strain sensors S1 to S4, and the strain sensors S1 to S4 are strongly pressed against the surface of the shaft 1. Therefore, the bending behavior of the shaft 1 can be accurately measured by the strain sensors S1 to S4.

<Sixth Embodiment>
In FIG. 6, as in the second embodiment, the covering material 5 contracts by heating the end portion vicinity region 5 </ b> A on the grip 2 side and the end portion vicinity region 5 </ b> B on the head 3 side, and is applied to the surface of the shaft 1. It is fixed to a part of the shaft 1 in close contact. Since the end vicinity area 5A and the end vicinity area 5B on the head 3 side contract and compress the shaft while increasing the rigidity, the fixing force is strong. The difference of this embodiment from the second embodiment is in the shape of the end of the covering material 5 on the grip 2 side. In the present embodiment, the end portion of the covering material 5 on the grip 2 side protrudes to the grip 2 side and covers the surface of the grip 2. Also in this embodiment, the same effect as the second embodiment is obtained. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the boundary region where the shaft 1 is exposed from the grip 2 is covered with the covering material 5, moisture or the like is present in the clearance between the covering material 5 and the shaft 1, or the clearance between the grip 2 and the shaft 1. Intrusion can be prevented.

<Seventh embodiment>
In FIG. 7, the covering material 5 has a cross-sectional area that is smaller in the vicinity of the end portion 5A ′ on the grip 2 side, in the vicinity of the end portion 5B ′ on the head 3 side, and in the center region 5C ′ between both ends than the other regions. And is in contact with the surface of the shaft 1. As the covering material 5 in the present embodiment, a heat-shrinkable film may be used, or a film obtained by molding a film other than the heat-shrinkable film may be used. The fixing tools 7A, 7B, and 7C are made of a string, a band, or the like, and surround and tighten the areas 5A ′, 5B ′, and 5C ′ of the covering material 5 to thereby tighten the areas 5A ′ and 5B of the covering material 5. '5C' is pressed against the surface of the shaft 1 and fixed. Preferably, fixing with high-rigidity rubber or the like allows the shaft 1 to be fixed while being compressed, so that the fixing force is increased. Also in this embodiment, the same effects as those in the fourth embodiment can be obtained.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. The effect of the present application can be obtained by partially fixing the shaft 1 in the covering material 5 and having sections having different rigidity along the longitudinal direction of the shaft 1. In addition, other embodiments are conceivable for the present invention. For example, in each of the above embodiments, the covering material 5 may be colored so that the surface of the shaft 1 is not visible. The present invention can also be applied to a golf club that does not include a shaft bending detection means.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Shaft, 2 ... Grip, 3 ... Head, S1-S4 ... Strain sensor, 4 ... Flexible wiring, 5 ... Cover material, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5A ', 5B', 5C ', 51-54 ... Cover material 6 ... Low friction region, 7A, 7B, 7C ... Fixing device, 10 ... Deflection detection device, 11 ... Sensor I / F, 12 ... Signal processing unit, 13 ... Wireless communication unit.

Claims (6)

A golf club having a hollow annular covering material for accommodating a section from a grip side end portion to a head side end portion of a shaft, and a part of the covering material is fixed to the shaft.   The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the covering material has sections having different rigidity along a longitudinal direction of the shaft. The dressing golf club according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the grip-side end portion and the head side end portion is fixed to the shaft.   4. The golf club according to claim 3, wherein the covering member has an intermediate portion between the head side end and the grip side end fixed to the shaft. 5.   The golf club according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a wiring is provided on a surface of the shaft, and the covering material covers the wiring. The golf club according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the covering material is a tube having a tapered shape similar to that of the shaft.

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