Patent Publication Number: US-2007117646-A1

Title: Golf club head recess

Description:
COPYRIGHT AUTHORIZATION  
      Portions of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material which is subject to copyright and/or mask work protection. The copyright and/or mask work owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and/or mask work rights whatsoever.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to golf club heads with designs aimed at minimizing or limiting torque about the shaft of the golf club.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      The game of golf is well known in the art and is played by thousands if not millions, of people each year. The game of golf generally consists of a long stretch of ground with a hole at one at end and the player starting his or her game for the hole at the other. By means of driving a small ball with a club, both accuracy and power are important features of the game as the ultimate goal is to get the ball in the hole.  
      While simple in explanation, the actual mechanics of game are very complex due to, among other things, skeleto-muscular structure of the human body and the fact that is very difficult (both physically and mentally) to always be at the top of one&#39;s game. Good players are generally those who have control over the flight of the ball once it has left the face of club, although all control over the ball is delivered by the golfer at the split second impact time the ball is actually in contact with the club face.  
      Reliability of shots is generally dependent upon the reliability of swing. Consequently, much focus and attention is given to the golfer&#39;s golf swing.  
      One of the difficulties in striking the golf ball is the fact that the swing path of the golf club head generally is not aligned with the golf club shaft. Further, the center of mass of the golf club head is not aligned with the golf club shaft. Additional reasons for difficulties may be due to simple anatomical dispositions with respect to the human skeleton-muscular system.  
      Generally, in a golf club, the shaft extends downwardly from the grip and enters the golf club head through the hosel. The hosel is generally located at the top of the heel of the golf club head. The golf club head then extends through the center and over to the toe of the golf club head with the golf club face acting as the striking surface, the golf ball preferably striking the face in its center.  
      Due to this offset nature of the golf club shaft axis with respect to the center of mass of the golf club head, there is an inherent torque about the golf club shaft. This torque arises from the distance between the axis of the golf club shaft and center of mass of the golf club head. This torque also depends upon how and where the golf ball impacts the golf club head. For example, if the golf ball strikes the golf club face near the toe there will be greater torque than if it strikes the golf club face near the heel.  
      Many attempts in the past have been made to address or minimize this torque as such torque will affect the golf shot, more probably than not in a detrimental rather than an advantageous manner. As a result, it is a problem that remains to be solved in the game of golf and one that may be addressed in several manners. The art remains to be developed with respect to such systems that seek to minimize the torque about the golf club shaft when the golf club is struck.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of golf club and golf club heads now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new golf club head construction that results in a new golf club wherein the same can be implemented for reducing the torque experienced around the golf club shaft when striking the golf ball.  
      The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail below, is to provide a new golf club head design in construction that has many advantages of prior golf club heads and many novel features that result in a new torque reducing golf club head which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, taught, or even implied by any of the prior art golf club heads, either alone or in any combination thereof.  
      In order to provide lower torques about the golf club shaft, a recess is present at the point where the hosel transitions into the golf club head. This recess brings the connection between the hosel and golf club head closer to the center of gravity of the golf club head and indeed lowers it with respect to a top surface of the golf club head.  
      The recess may be curved in one or two dimensions, i.e., respectively, like a curved warped flat board that keeps its flatness even though its ends are curved towards one another or somewhat like a canoe that is curved both along its length and its width (alternatively, somewhat like a elongated bowl that is curved both its length and width).  
      Hosels fitting into such a recess may be of generally of any character including flared, cylindrical, or the like. The recess may be configured to match the hosel. That recess may take several shapes and configurations limited only by the imagination.  
      In one embodiment of the present invention, a golf club head with a ball-striking surface and a body coupled to the striking surface rearwardly thereof has a recess adapted to receive a hosel. The recess descends into the golf club head to thereby lower the connection of a hosel with the golf club head with respect to an upper surface of the golf club head.  
      In another embodiment of the present invention, a golf club head has a ball-striking surface adapted to strike a golf ball and a body coupled to the ball-striking surface generally rearwardly thereof. One of either or both the ball-striking surface and the body may define the recess. The recess is adapted to receive a hosel therein such that the recess provides a connection with the hosel that generally reduces a distance between the hosel connection and a center of mass of the golf club head to correspondingly reduce torque and/or twisting of the golf club head about the connection when the golf club head strikes the golf ball.  
      In another embodiment, a golf club head has a ball-striking surface adapted to strike a golf ball and a body coupled to the ball-striking surface generally rearwardly thereof. At least one of either or both the ball-striking surface and the body defines the recess and the recess adapted to receive a hosel therein. The recess may have a surface curved in one dimension (like a board) or curved in two dimensions (like a boat). For the first type (like a board), the recess may be curved along a first direction generally parallel or similar in direction to a long axis of the golf club head present along a toe and heel of the golf club head. For the second type (like a boat), the recess may be generally curved along a first direction generally parallel or similar in direction to a long axis of the golf club head present along a toe and heel of the golf club head and may be curved in a second direction generally perpendicular or similar in direction to perpendicular to the long axis of the golf club head. The hosel may selected from flared hosels and cylindrical hosels and the golf club head selected from driver heads, iron heads, and putter heads. In this way, the recess provides a connection with the hosel that generally reduces a distance between that connection and a center of mass of the golf club head to correspondingly reduce torque and/or twisting of the golf club head about the connection when the golf club head strikes the golf ball. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a rear, left side, and elevational view of one embodiment of the recess of the present invention, the hosel golf club head (in the form of a putter) is shown in phantom.  
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the golf club head recess and associated structure of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a left side cross-sectional view of the golf club head recess and associated structure shown in  FIG. 2  taken along line  3 - 3  thereof with recess shown curved along its width.  
       FIG. 4  is a front plan view of an alternative embodiment of the golf club head recess shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head recess shown in  FIG. 4  taken generally line  5 - 5  thereof and showing the generally flat nature of the recess.  
       FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the golf club head recess shown in  FIG. 1  as well as one possible hosel connected to the recess.  
       FIG. 7  is a left side cross-sectional view of the golf club head recess and hosel shown in  FIG. 6  taken along line  7 - 7  thereof.  
       FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the golf club head recess shown in  FIG. 1  along with a flared hosel connected to the recess.  
       FIG. 9  is a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head hosel of  FIG. 8  taken along line  9 - 9  thereof.  
       FIG. 10  is a left rear perspective view of a golf club hosel according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 11  is a front elevational view with the golf club shaft, bushing, and golf club head shown in phantom.  
       FIG. 12  is a left side elevational view of the golf club hosel shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.  
      The present invention resides in a golf club head recess that allows the hosel to connect to the golf club head in a manner that shortens the distance between the center of mass of the golf club head and the hosel connection. This helps to reduce twisting of the golf club head as it strikes the golf ball as the moment arm for the resulting torque (depending upon where the ball strikes the club face) is similarly reduced.  
      A recess may be implemented in any golf club head, including drivers, irons, and putters although the figures generally only show the putter embodiment. No such limitation of the type of golf clubs into the recess of the current invention may be implemented should be drawn from the figures. Additionally, a flared golf club hosel is also disclosed.  
      Referring to the drawings where like numerals of references designate like elements throughout, it will be noted that the recess  100  of the end of the golf club shown in  FIG. 1  is generally placed adjacent to the heel  102  of the golf club head  104 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a hosel  106  having a flared end  108  is connected to the golf club head  104  at the recess  100 . The recess  100  is generally configured to accommodate the hosel  106  which may be flared  108 , cylindrical, triangular, or any other geometric shape. Furthermore, the hosel  106  may not necessarily connect to the golf club head  104  at the heel  102  thereof. Any other location of connection is contemplated in the present invention including the center  110  of the golf club as well as the toe  112 . While these may be non-standard configurations, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed in the drawings.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , the recess  100  may be generally arcuate in shape in one dimension only.  FIGS. 4 and 5  show this embodiment in elevational and cross-sectional views. In this way, the recess is somewhat like a board which has been warped along its long axis. The board remains flat along its width but is curved along its length.  
      This is in distinction to a boat, bowl, or board that has been warped along two dimensions, mainly its length and width. In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an embodiment of the present invention is shown with recess  100  not only is curved along its long axis but is curved along its short axis ( FIG. 3 ) as well.  
      Alternative forms of curvature of the recess may also be achieved. However, as can be seen by inspection of the drawings and as contemplated herein, as the recess is generally carved or present within the golf club head  104 , it disposes the connection between the hosel  106  and golf club head  104  in closer proximity to a center of gravity and/or a center of mass of the golf club head  104 . Consequently, the curvature of the recess  100  may provide additional advantages, but overall, the recess does dispose the hosel closer to the center of gravity of the golf club head  104  and consequently reduces torque and twisting.  
      Of note in the present invention is the hosel  106  which in the figures is shown as being flared  108  at its end. This particular feature is shown in the figures, notably in  FIGS. 6-12 . The flaring of the hosel  106  provides additional mechanical support for the golf club head  104  as well as distributing pressure thereacross. Additionally, should the golfer shank his or her shot, the flare  108  of the hosel  106  may serve as a striking instrument so that the shanked shot is somewhat improved by the increased width of such unintended striking surface.  
      As indicated above, the recess  100  set forth herein can take a variety of shapes and forms but can generally serves to reduce the torque experienced between the connection of the hosel  106  with the golf club head  104  and the center of mass/center of gravity of the golf club head  104 .  
      While the present invention has been described with regards to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations of the present invention may be devised without departing from the inventive concept.