Patent Publication Number: US-9849349-B1

Title: Iron-type golf club head with lightweight hosel

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to an iron-type golf club head with a lightweight hosel having a shaft bore that communicates with an interior cavity of the club head. 
     Description of Related Art 
     The USGA Rules of Golf limit set forth certain structural limits for conforming golf clubs. For example, Appendix II, Rule 2(c) states that, for non-putter clubs, a “shaft must be attached to the clubhead at the heel either directly or through a single plain neck and/or socket. The length from the top of the neck and/or socket to the sole of the club must not exceed 5 inches (127 mm), measured along the axis of, and following any bend in, the neck and/or socket.” In view of these requirements, the hosel centers great deal of mass in the heel of the golf club head, particularly in iron-type golf club heads, which typically have smaller volumes than wood-type heads and require greater structural support at the hosel. There is a need to reduce the mass in the hosel region of iron-type golf club heads to increase the amount of discretionary mass available to a golf club manufacturer, move the center of gravity of the golf club head away from the heel, and thereby make such iron-type golf club heads more forgiving to golfers. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a golf club head having a lightweight hosel, and in particular an iron-type golf club head having a hosel bore that communicates with an interior cavity of the golf club head and a center of gravity located on a toe side of the geometric center of the face along a horizontal Y axis. 
     One aspect of the present invention is an iron-type golf club head comprising a head body having a top portion, a bottom portion, a heel portion, a toe portion, a rear portion, a front opening, and a heel edge portion, a face component comprising a striking face portion, a hosel comprising a tube body with a tube wall and a bore, and a flange section located at an interface between the head body and the tube body, wherein the top portion, bottom portion, heel portion, toe portion, and rear portion define a hollow interior, wherein the face component closes the front opening, wherein a heel side of the striking face portion abuts the heel edge portion, wherein the bore extends into and communicates with the hollow interior, wherein the bottom portion has a width of less than 1.5 inches, and wherein the iron-type golf club head has a mass of 220 grams to 320 grams and a loft of at least 16 degrees. 
     In some embodiments, the heel edge portion may be disposed at the flange section. In other embodiments, the tube wall may comprise a plurality of through-bores, which may have the same or differing geometric shapes. In another embodiment, the golf club head may further comprise a hosel cover, the tube wall may comprise at least one opening, and the hosel cover may be sized to close the at least one opening. In a further embodiment, the body and the hosel may be composed of a first metal material having a first density, the hosel cover may be composed of a second metal material having a second density, and the second density may be lower than the first density. In another embodiment, the face component may comprise a sole portion extending away from the striking face portion, the bottom portion of the head body may comprise a cutout, and the sole portion of the face component may extend into the cutout. 
     In still other embodiments, the iron-type golf club head may further comprise at least one rib disposed on an interior surface of the head body in the hollow interior and extending onto an interior surface of the tube body above the flange section. In a further embodiment, the at least one rib may comprise a first rib and a second rib, and the first rib may intersect the second rib, which may be disposed at the flange section. In another embodiment, the second rib may be disposed above the flange section. In some embodiments, the iron-type golf club head may further comprise a high density insert, the body may comprise a pocket sized to receive the high density insert, and the pocket may be disposed in the rear portion of the body. In a further embodiment, the pocket may be disposed in the toe portion of the body. 
     In some embodiments, the hosel may be integrally formed, forged, machined, cast, or otherwise manufactured with the head body. In other embodiments, the face component may be composed of a titanium alloy, which may be selected from the group consisting of 6-4 and 811, and the head body may be composed of steel, which may be selected from the group consisting of 17-4, 450, 475, 1020, and 1025. In a further embodiment, the face component may be brazed to the head body. In any of the embodiments, the striking face portion may not comprise a bulge or a roll, and the iron-type golf club head may comprise a center of gravity depth relative to a face plane of 0.010 to 0.350 inch. 
     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 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a golf club head according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 1  without its face component. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 2  along lines  3 - 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 2  along lines  4 - 4 . 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a golf club head according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of a golf club head according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of a golf club head according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of a golf club head according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of a golf club head according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of a golf club head according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of a golf club head according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of a golf club head according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a front elevational view of a golf club head according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged view of the circled portion of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 14  without its face component. 
         FIG. 16  is a front plan view of a golf club head according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a side elevational view of a golf club hosel according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a rear elevational view of a golf club head according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 18  along lines  19 - 19 . 
         FIG. 20  is a front plan view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 21  is an enlarged view of the circled portion of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 20 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head having a lightweight hosel, and particularly a hosel with a shaft receiving bore that communicates with an interior golf club head cavity. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . In this embodiment, the golf club head  10  has a body  20  having a top portion  21 , a bottom portion  22 , a heel side  23 , a toe side  24 , a rear side  25 , a front opening  26 , a heel edge portion  27  where the front opening  26  ends, and a hollow interior  28  defined by the other features of the body  20  and by the face component  50 . The body is connected to a hosel  30 , which extends from a flange section  40  at the heel side  23 , and which has a tube body  32  having a wall  34  and a bore  36  into which a shaft (not shown) can be inserted. The hosel  30  also includes abutment surfaces  38   a ,  38   b  against which the shaft can rest when engaged with the bore  36 . The flange section  40  is a transition between the body  20  and the hosel  30  and is defined as the region where the body  20  stops tapering downward in size and meets the hosel  30 . The face component  50  comprises a striking surface  52  that does not include a bulge or a roll, a rear surface (not shown) opposite the striking surface  52 , and a sole portion  56  extending away from a bottom portion  53  of the striking surface  52  and into a cutout  45  in the bottom portion  22  of the body  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a heel side  55  of the striking surface  52  abuts the heel edge portion  27  of the body  20 . 
     An inventive feature of the preferred embodiment is the communication, i.e., continuity, between the bore  36  in the hosel  30  and the hollow interior  28  of the body  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . There is no barrier between these two empty spaces in the golf club head  10  of the present invention, and preferably the interior cavity  28  has a heel portion  29 , defined by a first, vertical plane  60  extending through the heel edge portion  27  and a second, angled plane  62  extending through the base of the hosel  30  at the flange section  40 , with a volume V of at least 2 cc. This continuity can be achieved when casting the golf club head  10  using a traditional pick method, water soluble core pieces, or a ceramic insert. 
     The preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4  preferably has a mass of 220-320 grams, a center of gravity depth along an X axis of 0.010 to 0.350 inch, a loft angle, defined as the angle at which the striking surface  52  lies relative to the shaft, of at least 16 degrees. The bottom portion  22  of the golf club head  10  preferably has a front-to-back length along the X axis of less than 1.5 inches, and the body  20  and hosel  30  preferably are integrally cast, or otherwise manufactured, as a unitary piece, though in alternative embodiments the hosel  30  may be welded or otherwise affixed to the body  20  after each part is separately manufactured. In the preferred embodiment, the face component  50  is manufactured separately from the body  20 , and is composed of a different material than the body  20 . In particular, the face component  50  is composed of a titanium alloy, such as 6-4 or 811 titanium, while the body  20  is composed of a steel material, such as 17-4, 450, 475, 1020, or 1025 steel, and the face component  50  is brazed to the body  20  to close the front opening  26  and cutout  45 . 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 5-13 , the hosel  30  is further lightened by replacing a portion of its material with a lighter-weight material. In particular, the hosel  30  includes a large cutout portion  35 , which may extend along the entire length of the hosel  30  up to the heel edge portion  27  of the body  20  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8-13 , or which may extend only from the heel edge portion  27  to a location proximate the abutment surfaces  38   a ,  38   b . The cutout portion  35  preferably is located in a front-most side of the hosel  30  to move mass, and thus the center of gravity, rearward on the golf club head  10 . The cutout portion  35  is closed using a hosel cover  70  made from a material having a lower density than that of the hosel  30 , and preferably from a lighter-weight metal alloy such as aluminum or magnesium, that can be welded to the hosel  30 . If the hosel cover  70  is made from a non-metal material such as carbon composite or plastic, it can be bonded to the body  20  with a permanent adhesive. 
     The continuous hosel  30  bore  36  and interior cavity  28  structure of the present invention may be structurally supported by one or more internal ribs  90 ,  92 ,  94  that extend from the interior cavity  28  of the body  20  into the bore  36  of the tube body  32  and past the flange section  40 , as shown in the embodiments of  FIGS. 8-13 . For example, in  FIG. 8 , a single rib  90  extends from the heel portion  29  of the interior cavity  28 , preferably a location proximate the heel edge portion  27  or heel side  55  of the face component  50 , and into the hosel  30  bore  36  proximate the abutment surface  38   a . In an alternative embodiment, shown in  FIG. 9 , a single rib  92  is disposed within the golf club head  10  slightly above the flange section  40 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , the golf club head  10  includes both ribs  90 ,  92  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , such that the ribs  90 ,  92  intersect with one another. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , two ribs  92 ,  94  extend parallel to one another within the golf club head  10  on either side of the flange section  40 , and in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 12 , the two ribs  92 ,  94  are intersected by the elongated rib  90  extending from the interior cavity  28  into the hosel  30  bore  36 . The ribs  90 ,  92 ,  94  disclosed herein may also be thinned as shown in  FIG. 13 , such that they take up less space within the golf club head  10  and free up additional discretionary mass. 
     In still other embodiments of the present invention, shown in  FIGS. 14-16 , the hosel  30  and heel side  23  of the golf club head  10  is further lightened by moving the heel edge portion  27 , and thus the heel side  55  of the face component  50 , further towards the hosel  30  tube body  32 , such that it is located at, or close to, the flange section  40 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , the edge portion may include a cutout  27   a  that is filled by an extension  57  from the heel side  55  of the face component. If the face component  50  is composed of a lighter weight or lower density material than that of the body  20 , this construction frees up additional discretionary mass and moves that mass away from the heel side  23  of the golf club head  10 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, an example of which is shown in  FIG. 17 , the hosel  30  includes a plurality of geometric through-holes  33  extending through the wall  34  of the tube body  32 . The tube body  32  may include any of the through-holes  33  disclosed in U.S. Design patent application No. 29/566,666, filed on Jun. 1, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, or any combinations thereof. 
     As discussed herein, the hosel lightening concepts of the present invention serve at least two purposes: (1) moving mass away from the heel side  23  of the golf club head  10 ; and (2) moving the center of gravity rearward along the x axis, toe-ward along the y axis, and upward along the z axis. The second goal can be aided by the addition of a high-density insert  100  to the body  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 18-19 . In this embodiment, the body  20  includes a pocket  46 , which preferably extends into the rear side  25  at a location close to the top portion  21  and/or the toe side  24 , sized to permanently or removably receive the high-density insert  100 , which preferably is composed of a tungsten alloy. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 20-21 , including one or more of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-19  in an iron-type golf club head causes the center of gravity  105  to move toe-ward along the y axis and upward along the z axis with respect to a geometric face center  58 . These Figures offer a comparison view of the centers of gravity measured from prior art iron-type golf club heads  110  and golf club heads  120  including the continuous hosel  30  bore  36  and interior cavity  28  structure of the present invention. 
     Any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in an iron-type golf club head  10  to lighten and/or support the hosel  30  of the present invention. In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the heel portion  29  of the body  20  (or other hollow portions of the body  20  or hosel  30 ) may be partially or completely filled with a dampening material  80 , which may be polymeric (e.g., urethane or rubber) but preferably includes a wire mesh material, such as the material made by Kinetic Structures and described at the following website: http://www.kineticstructures.com/wire%20mesh%20friction%20damper.html. 
     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.