Patent Publication Number: US-8535171-B2

Title: Clubhead with external hosel

Description:
This application is based on and takes priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/210,014 entitled “Club Head With External Flange,” filed on Mar. 13, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention pertains to golf apparatus, and more particularly to golf clubs, and more particularly to golf woods, fairway metal club and hybrid style clubs. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Golf club makers may use slightly different manufacturing processes. Some parts of the manufacturing process may be unique to one company and regarded as trade secrets. Regardless of the type of process, woods, which may be drivers, fairway woods, and hybrid style clubs, generically “woods,” are typically designed the same. Throughout this application, “club head” and “wood head” may be used interchangeably. The head is comprised of a sole (bottom), skirt (about the periphery), a crown (top) and a face (the hitting surface). Formed in the crown and adjacent, and attached to, the skirt is a hosel, which receives the club shaft. The hosel is typically constructed within the periphery of the skirt. When a club is swung, it rotates about the longitudinal axis of the club shaft, and hence the hosel. The speed of rotation is greater as the distance increases along an axis perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the club shaft. In conventional woods the center of gravity is positioned in the vicinity of the longitudinal axis of its club shaft, at some midpoint of the club head, and separated from the horizontal axis of the shaft. The stability of the wood head is adequate because of the relation between the point of application of force, the hosel, and the center of gravity since the axial moment of inertia about the shaft is small. Maximum force is imparted to a golf ball by impacting the wood head where the center of gravity projects to the face of the club. Club manufacturers endeavor to adjust the center of gravity of the club head by placing weights interior to the club head so as to move the center of gravity from the hosel without materially affecting the stability and feel of the club. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,526 teaches a club head wherein the hosel is extended from the club head in order to increase the axial moment of inertia. Additionally, the &#39;526 patent discloses a club head in which the hosel is a continuation of, and integral to, the crown of the club head. Both the club face and the soleplate are connected to the neck/hosel. However, any benefits derived from increasing the moment of inertia are lost due to an increase in vibration and loss of stability. 
     The present invention is designed to minimize these problems while increasing the axial moment of inertia of the club head. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head including a club head body that includes a striking face, a soleplate, a skirt, a toe, and a heel. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a golf club head wherein the hosel is displaced from the club head by means of a flange. It is also another object of the present invention to provide a club head wherein the hosel may be placed at any point along the skirt of the club head. 
     In the present invention the flanged hosel, and thus the club shaft, positioned in an external location from the club head. The flanged hosel may be placed at any location on the periphery of the skirt. A range of shaft position options (relative to the plane of the club face) are possible by the permanent positioning of the flanged hosel at various positions on the skirt of the club head. The flanged hosel does not at any point intersect with the crown, sole or face of the club head. This design allows the club head to maintain a consistent shape, allows for an offering of shaft positions that are pleasing to the eye and deliver the club head to impact position based on the individual player type&#39;s needs, and thus performance will be improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a conventional prior art golf club head. 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of a conventional prior art golf club head. 
         FIG. 3   a  is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a wood-type club head of the invention. 
         FIG. 3   b  is a lay-out view of the components of a flanged club head. 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a wood-type club head of the invention showing displacement of the flange from the sole and showing the displacement of the hosel from the heel of the club head. 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of club head of the invention showing displacement of the flange from the crown from the heel of the club head. 
         FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of the club head of the invention as seen from the heel of the club head. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the club head of the invention showing the gap between the flange and the club face. 
         FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of a hybrid club head of the type of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of a fairway wood club head of the type of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a basis for the claims and for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a prior art golf club head is shown. The golf club head  1  includes a face  3 , a soleplate  11 , a crown  2 , a toe  5 , a heel  6 , a skirt  7 , or other structure, used in connecting the crown  2  to the soleplate  11 , and a hosel  4  to which a golf club shaft  12  is secured, as well as any weight member(s) which might be incorporated into the club head  1 . As is readily apparent, the hosel is within the periphery of club head  1 , and flows directly from crown  2 . 
     Although a driver type golf club head, frequently called a “wood,” is disclosed herein in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the concepts underlying the present invention may be applied to a variety of golf club head types, for example, fairway woods and hybrids, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , these figures describe a wood of the invention wherein the hosel is displaced from the body of the wood club head, i.e., on the periphery of skirt  27  of the club head. The golf club head  20  includes a face  23 , a soleplate  21 , a crown  22 , a toe  25 , a heel  26 , and a skirt  27 . Affixed to skirt  27  is flange  29 , which is constructed to receive hosel  24  to which a golf club shaft  32  is secured. The flange  29  forms a channel 32a between the skirt  27  and the hosel  24 . The face  23  has a plurality of score lines or grooves  33  thereon to provide spin to the golf ball. Also, the face  23  is attached to the club head  20  around a periphery or rim  1000  of the face  23  (see  FIG. 5 ). As can be seen in the figures, the crown  22 , face  23  and soleplate  21  do not intersect any portion of flange  29 . This allows club head  20  to maintain a consistent shape and design without altering the components of club head  20 . The displacement of hosel  24  from club head  20  permits a more aerodynamic design of the club head. 
     Hosel  24  is affixed to or molded with flange  29 . Hosel  24  is positioned at a selected angle upward from flange  29 . The longitudinal axis of hosel  24  may be at any selected angle relative to face  23  and/or to the heel  26  of club head  20 . In the preferred embodiment, this angle is about 60°. Hosel  24  may then receive a club shaft  32  of a selected length and with selected characteristics. Also shown in  FIGS. 3-6  and  8 - 9  are score marks  33 , traditionally etched on faces of drivers.  FIG. 4  discloses club head  20  with reference lines between the heel portion  26  of skirt  27  (where flange  29  attaches to the skirt) and hosel  24  to show the displacement d 1  of the hosel from the club head body. The hosel  24  may be displaced at any selected distance from club head  20 , but the minimum distance that hosel  24  may be displaced from the club head body is about 1 mm. Also shown on  FIG. 4  is the displacement d 2  between soleplate  21  and the lower edge of flange  29 . Flange  29  may be displaced any selected distance from soleplate  21 , however, the minimum distance that flange  29  may be displaced from soleplate  21  is about 2 mm.  FIG. 5  discloses club head  20  with reference lines between the heel end of crown  22  and the top portion of flange  29  where it meets skirt  27 , showing distance d 3 . Flange  29  may be displaced any selected distance from crown  22 , however, the minimum distance d 3  between crown  22  and the top of flange  29  is about 2 mm.  FIG. 5  also shows the width w of flange  29  between crown  22  and soleplate  21 .  FIG. 6  is a side prospective view of the club head of the invention as seen from the heel of the club head and showing a portion of flange  29  spanning skirt  27 . 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of club head  20  with soleplate  21  in plan view. The intersection of soleplate  21  and face  23  shows predominantly as a straight line. Distance d 4  is the displacement of flange  29  behind the leading edge of face  23 . Flange  29  may be displaced any selected distance behind the leading edge of face  23 , however, the minimum distance of d 4  is 1 mm. Also shown on  FIG. 7  is the lateral length l of flange  29  along skirt  27 . The length l and width w of the part of the flange attaching to skirt  27  determines the amount of stability of the club head. The minimum ratio of length l versus width w of flange  29  is about 1.25 to 1, but is much greater in this preferred embodiment. 
     Club head  20  is fabricated in its normal manner except for the absence of hosel  24 . Flange  29  is securely fastened to skirt  27  at a selected point on skirt  27  of club head  20 , the flange  29  extending to a selected point along the periphery of skirt  27  and either toward the back of the club head, or toward soleplate  21 , for providing additional structural support to club head  20 . This flange reduces the amount of torque and vibration induced by the club head striking a golf ball and improves the characteristics of the golf club. Since flange  29  may be located at various positions on skirt  27 , a club head may be made to specification in order to address a particular golfer&#39;s swing and to enable the golfer to more easily square up the club face to the target line at impact, and thus reducing the tendency to miss hit the shot. 
     With the ability to move hosel  24  forward or backward along the periphery of the club head, more design options are available to specifically relocate the center of gravity to the position delivering optimal performance to the golf ball. The center of gravity will change in the direction of the hosel location. If hosel  24  is situated higher on club head  20 , the center of gravity of club head  20  will be higher, and conversely, if hosel  24  is situated lower on club head  20 , the center of gravity will be lower. In addition, the additional amount of axial support by flange  29  will produce a better feel to the golfer. This construction also allows position of shaft  32  to be moved in relation to the plane of the club face without altering the design of the actual club head. This allows varying degrees of offset (measurement where the front of the hosel is located in front of the plane of the club face) to be designed into the club. When the shaft is located behind the plane of the club face the measurement (between the shaft&#39;s position and the club face plane) is defined as “face progression.” These different hosel positions are enabled by the various size and shape possibilities in flange design. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  disclose a hybrid and fairway wood, respectively, each constructed in the method of the invention with the same numbering for like components. 
     While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the introduction of new materials may change the characteristics of club design, and may permit reducing the size of the flange. This invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Indeed, many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure, the drawings and the claims.