Abstract:
A golf club head having a sole plate and hosel integral piece is disclosed herein. The integral piece may be composed of a metal material for with a golf club head having a composite body. The integral piece also improves the consistency of the loft and lie parameters of a golf club bead. The hosel may be formed with the sole plate, or the hosel may be connected to the sole plate. The integral piece may also have a polymer sleeve thereabout to assist in reducing the stress at the tip end of a shaft inserted into the hosel.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [1]    1. This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/474,927 which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,411, Application Ser. No. 08/958,723, filed on Oct. 23, 1997, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [2]    2. Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [3]    3. 1. Field of the Invention  
           [4]    4. The present invention relates to a golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to an integral sole plate and hosel that is attached to the golf club head.  
           [5]    5. 2. Description of the Related Art  
           [6]    6. The placement of the tip end of a shaft in a golf club head has an effect on the performance of the golf club. In most metal woods with hollow interiors, the tip end has been inserted in internal hosels that are integral with the body of the metal wood. Although providing structural integrity, such internal hosels may add unnecessary weight to the club head, or otherwise affect the center of gravity of the golf club. Further, depending on manufacturing tolerances, such internal hosels may lead to inconsistencies in the loft and lie design parameters. Thus, loft angles may be off as much as one and a half degrees.  
           [7]    7. In composite golf club heads, the shaft has been attached to the club head through an external hosel, also composed of the composite material. What is needed is a means for connection of the shaft to a club head without the addition of weight. Additionally, a means to increase the consistency of loft and lie parameters is required to increase a golfer&#39;s performance.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [8]    8. One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head. The golf club head has a body having a hollow interior, a face, a sole, and a crown having a crown aperture therein. The sole has a recess and an sole aperture. A sole plate has an integral hosel tube projecting therefrom. The sole plate is disposed within the recess of the sole. The hosel tube extends through the sole aperture and is disposed in relation to the crown aperture.  
           [9]    9. The sole plate may be substantially flat and have a thickness in the range of 0.01 inches to 0.50 inches. The sole plate and the integral hosel tube may be composed of a metal such as stainless steel, titanium, or the like. Alternatively, the sole plate and the integral hosel tube may be composed of an injection molded polymer. The body may be composed of a composite material and the sole plate and integral hosel tube may be composed of a material having a density greater than the composite material. The composite body may have a weight strip or a loaded film embedded therein. Alternatively, the body may be composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, amorphous metal, titanium alloys, and combinations thereof.  
           [10]    10. The sole plate and integral hosel tube weigh in the range of 10 to 50 grams. The sole plate may be bonded to the sole with an epoxy adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, a modified acrylic adhesive, or the like. The integral hosel tube may be threadingly engaged with the sole plate.  
           [11]    11. Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [12]    12.FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a golf club head of the present invention.  
         [13]    13.FIG. 2 is a rear view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.  
         [14]    14.FIG. 3 is a toe end view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.  
         [15]    15.FIG. 4 is a heel end view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.  
         [16]    16.FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 along line  5 - 5 .  
         [17]    17.FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the golf club head of the present invention.  
         [18]    18.FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the golf club head of the present invention.  
         [19]    19.FIG. 8 is an isolated front plan view of an integral sole plate and hosel of the present invention plan view of the integral sole plate and hosel of the present invention.  
         [20]    20.FIG. 9 is an isolated top plan view of the integral sole plate and hosel of the present invention.  
         [21]    21.FIG. 10 is an isolated rear plan view of the integral sole plate and hosel of the present invention.  
         [22]    22.FIG. 11 is an isolated bottom plan view of the integral sole plate and hosel of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [23]    23. As shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , a golf club head of the present invention is generally designated  20 . The club head  20  may be a fairway wood or a driver. The club head  20  has a body  22  that is preferably composed of a composite material such as plies of carbon pre-peg sheets. Alternatively, the body  22  may be composed of a material selected from the group of titanium, stainless steel, amorphous metals (such as Liquidmetal), titanium alloys, and other similar materials. The body  22  has a crown  24 , a face  26 , a sole  28  and a ribbon  30  juxtaposed by the sole  28  and the crown  24 . The ribbon  30  generally extends from a toe end  32  to a heel end  34 . The ribbon  30  generally begins at one end of the face  26  and ends at an opposite end of the face  26 . A rear  36  of the body  22  is opposite the face  26  and is defined by portions of the ribbon  30 , the crown  24  and the sole  28 . The ribbon  30  increases the volume of the club head  20  and also assists in creating a club head  20  with a higher moment of. Also, at the heel end  34  of the club head  20  is a hosel  38  with an opening  39  for inserting a shaft therein.  
         [24]    24. As shown in FIG. 5, the club head has a sole plate  42  attached to the sole  28  of the body  22 . The sole plate  42  is integral with the hosel tube  38  forming a sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  that is incorporated into the club head  20 . The hosel  38  lies within the hollow interior  44  of the club head  20 . The hosel  38  extends from the sole plate  42  to the shaft opening  39  in the crown  24 . The hosel  38  has a passageway  46  for insertion of a tip end of a shaft therethrough. The other end of the hosel is blocked by the sole plate  42 . Preferably, the club head  20  has a hollow interior  44 , however, the light weight of a composite body  22  would allow for numerous manipulations in placement of weight, foam, sound enhancing devices and the like within the hollow interior  44 .  
         [25]    25. As shown in FIG. 6, the sole plate hosel integral piece  43  is inserted into a sole cavity  48  that is shaped to accommodate the sole plate  42 . The hosel  38  is inserted through a hosel aperture  50  to connect with the shaft opening  39  for placement of a shaft therethrough. A sole plate aperture  52  allows for access to the hollow interior  44  through the sole  28 . The golf club head  20  may be fabricated as described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/474,670, filed Dec. 29, 1999, and entitled A Composite Golf Club Head And Method Of Manufacturing, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. In a preferred embodiment, the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  is composed of a stainless steel material. As shown in FIG. 7, the flat exterior surface  45  of the sole plate  42  will rest on the green forming the very bottom of the golf club head  20 .  
         [26]    26. As shown in FIGS.  8 - 11 , the sole plate  42  and hosel  38  are integral in that a single integral piece is inserted into a body  22  of a club head  20 . The hosel  38  may be cast with the sole plate  42 , welded or brazed to the sole plate  42 , or even threadingly engaged with the sole plate  42 . Alternatively, the hosel  38  may be adhesively bonded to the sole plate  42 . If the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  is composed of a polymer, the hosel may be chemically adhered or bonded to the sole plate  42 .  
         [27]    27. The hosel  38  lies at an angle of 95 degrees to 135 degrees relative to the sole plate  42 . If the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  is composed of a stainless steel material, the weight may range from 25 grams to 50 grams. The main attribute of the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  is its ability to provide club heads with consistent loft and lie design parameters since the angle of the hosel  38 , and thus the angle of the shaft relative to the striking plate  26 , is set due to the connection of the hosel  38  to the sole plate  42 . This accuracy is further enhanced by the consistency of the sole plate aperture  52  and the sole cavity  48 . This consistency in loft angles allows for enhanced performance since manufacturers may produce golf clubs with more accurate loft angles. The sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  may also be used as a means to lower the center of gravity, a means to maintain a shaft within the club head, or both.  
         [28]    28. FIGS.  12 - 14  illustrate an alternative embodiment of the sole plate and hosel integral piece. In this embodiment, a sole plate and hosel integral piece  43 ′ has a polymer sleeve  60  about a metal sole plate and hosel integral piece  43 . The polymer sleeve  60  may be composed of an injectable polymer. Thermoplastic polymers are preferred, however, injectable thermoset materials may be utilized for the polymer sleeve  60 . As shown in FIG. 12, the polymer sleeve  60  has a sole plate portion  62  and a hosel portion  64 . The sole plate portion  62  covers the top or interior surface of the sole plate  42 , allowing the bottom or exterior metal surface of the sole plate  42  to be exposed for durability. The hosel portion  64  encompasses the hosel  38 . The polymer sleeve  60  is molded as one piece and the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43  is inserted therein. A ferrule  68  may be attached to the top end of the hosel portion  68  of the polymer sleeve  60 . Alternatively, the polymer sleeve  60  may be molded about the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43 . A preferred polymer material is an ionomer material. The polymer sleeve  60  creates a sole plate and hosel integral piece  43 ′ that is more easily bonded to the composite body  22 . Further, the polymer material of the polymer sleeve  60  may be matched to the mechanical properties of the material of a shaft to reduce stress at the tip end of the shaft. Yet further, the polymer sleeve  60  assists in absorbing the force transmitted through the club head  20  during impact with a golf ball.  
         [29]    29. In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the exterior surface of the sole plate  42  is covered by the polymer sleeve  60 . This exterior surface portion  68  of the polymer sleeve  60  is either injected after placement of the metal sole plate and hosel integral piece  43 , or the entire polymer sleeve  60  is molded about the sole plate and hosel integral piece  43 . Both embodiments shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 may have graphics, including multicolor graphics, injected on the exterior surface of the sole plate  42  or the exterior surface  68  of polymer sleeve  60 .  
         [30]    30. From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.