Abstract
The invention relates to a club head (1) for a golf club, comprising an impact plate (4) for teeing off a golf ball. The club head also comprises a shell (2) produced from a first material, on which the impact plate (4) is attached, a core (3) at least partially surrounded by the shell (2) and produced from a second material, and at least one weighting element (6; 6a, 6b) produced from a third material. The second material of the core (3) has a lower density than the first material of the shell (2). The third material of the weighting element (6; 6a, 6b) has a higher density than the first material of the shell (2) and/or than the second material of the core (3). Preferably, at least one sensor unit (5) is also provided, which is arranged at least partially inside the core (3).
Claims
1. A club head for a golf club, comprising: a striking plate for striking a golf ball, a shell made of a first material to which the striking plate is attached, a core made of a second material at least partially surrounded by the shell, and at least one weighting element made of a third material, wherein the second material of the core has a lower density than the first material of the shell, and wherein the third material of the weighting element has a higher density than the first material of the shell and/or than the second material of the core.
2. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the club head additionally comprises at least one sensor unit which is at least partially arranged in the inside of the core.
3. The club head according to claim 2, wherein the core completely encloses the sensor unit.
4. The club head according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one sensor for detecting the impact dynamics.
5. The club head according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one sensor for ensuring anti-counterfeiting.
6. The club head according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit is removable from the club head in a non-destructive manner.
7. The club head according to claim 2, additionally comprising an energy supply unit for supplying the sensor unit with energy, wherein the energy supply unit is arranged in the club head.
8. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the shell completely encloses the core.
9. The club head according to any one of the preceding claim 1, wherein the first material of the shell is a composite material.
10. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the second material of the core is a foam material.
11. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the second material of the core is a gaseous material.
12. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the core occupies a larger volume of the club head than the shell.
13. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the weighting element is immovably arranged in or on the club head, or wherein the club head additionally comprises a cavity, and wherein the weighting element is displaceably arranged in the cavity.
14. The club head according to claim 1, wherein the weighting element is arranged inside the shell, preferably inside the core.
15. The club head according to claim 1, wherein a first weighting element and a second weighting element are provided, which are each arranged laterally to the striking plate.
16. A golf club comprising a club head with: a striking plate for striking a golf ball, a shell made of a first material to which the striking plate is attached, a core made of a second material at least partially surrounded by the shell, and at least one weighting element made of a third material, wherein the second material of the core has a lower density than the first material of the shell, and wherein the third material of the weighting element has a higher density than the first material of the shell and/or than the second material of the core.
17. The club head according to claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor for detecting the impact dynamics is an angular velocity sensor and/or an acceleration sensor and/or a magnetic sensor.
18. The club head according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor for ensuring anti-counterfeiting is designed as an RFD transponder suitable for transmitting and/or receiving RF signals.
19. The club head according to claim 7, wherein the energy supply unit is arranged in the core.
20. The club head according to claim 11, wherein the second material of the core is air.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0055] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which are for explanatory purposes only and are not to be interpreted restrictively. In the figures are shown:
[0056] FIG. 1 a cross-section through a club head according to a first embodiment;
[0057] FIG. 2 a longitudinal section through a golf club with a club head according to a second embodiment;
[0058] FIG. 3 a cross-section through a golf club with a club head according to a third embodiment;
[0059] FIG. 4 a cross-section through a golf club with a club head according to a fourth embodiment;
[0060] FIG. 5 a longitudinal section through a golf club with a club head according to a fifth embodiment;
[0061] FIG. 6 a longitudinal section through a golf club with a club head according to a sixth embodiment;
[0062] FIG. 7 a cross-section through a golf club with a club head according to a seventh embodiment:
[0063] FIG. 8 a cross-section through a golf club with a club head according to an eighth embodiment;
[0064] FIG. 9 a perspective view of a club head according to a ninth embodiment, without striking plate;
[0065] FIG. 10 a perspective exploded view of the club head of FIG. 9, with striking plate; and
[0066] FIG. 11 an exploded view from the front of the club head of FIG. 9, with striking plate.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0067] FIGS. 1 to 11 each show a club head 1 for a golf club, which has a shell 2 of a first material and a core 3 of a second material completely or at least partially surrounded by the shell 2. A striking plate 4 for hitting a golf ball is attached to the outside of the shell 2 in each case. A sensor unit 5 is arranged inside the core 3, the core completely or at least partially enclosing the sensor unit 5. In each case, the core 3 occupies a larger volume of the club head 1 than the shell 2. At least one weighting element 6 or 6a, 6b made of a third material is arranged in or on the club head in each case, different designs and arrangements of the weighting element(s) being possible according to FIGS. 1 to 11. Identically or similarly designed elements with the same or similar function are each provided with the same reference signs in FIGS. 1 to 11.
[0068] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the club head 1, in which the sensor unit 5 and the weighting element 6 are each arranged centrally in the region of an underside of the club head 1. The sensor unit 5 is completely enclosed by the core 3 and is located in the area of its underside directly next to the weighting element 6, which is immovably arranged between the shell 2 and the core 3. The weighting, element 6 is designed and arranged in such a way that optimum impact behaviour is achieved. In this case, the weighting element 6 is essentially rectangular and extends along an entire width of the core 3.
[0069] In the second embodiment of the club head 1 shown in FIG. 2, the sensor unit 5 is again located centrally in the area of an underside of the club head 1 and is completely enclosed by the core 3. The core 3 is T-shaped and the weighting element 6 is U-shaped and extends along the entire width as well as over a partial area of the height of the core 3, so that the core is partially received in or enclosed by the channel formed by the U-shaped design of the weighting element 6. Both the core 3 and the weighting element 6 are completely enclosed by the shell 2.
[0070] In the third embodiment of the club head 1 shown in FIG. 3, the sensor unit 5 and the weighting element 6 are arranged on one side in the club head. The weighting element extends in an L-shape over a partial area of the height of the shell 2 and the core 3 in the area of the front of the club head and projects in this partial area into the shell 2 and the core 3. The sensor unit 5 is completely enclosed by the core 3 and is located close to the weighting element 6. The weighting element 6 has an L-shaped profile with two legs at right angles to each other, which together span an area in which the sensor unit 5 is arranged. This arrangement allows the sensor unit 5 to be additionally protected from forces acting on the club head 1. The striking plate 4 is attached to the front of the club head 1 and also has an L-shaped profile which extends along the entire underside and on one side along the entire height of the club head 1.
[0071] FIG. 4 shows a club head 1 for a golf club in which a substantially L-shaped weighting element 6 extends along an underside of the core 3 and along the entire height of the striking plate 4 between the shell 2 and the core 3. The sensor unit 5 is arranged centrally in the area of the underside of the club head 1 and is completely enclosed by the core 3.
[0072] FIGS. 5 and 6 each show a club head 1 with a weighting element 6. In these figures, neither the shell nor the sensor unit of the club head 1 is visible in each case. However, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4, a shell is provided in each case which at least partially surrounds a core, and a sensor unit is provided in each case as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4, which is arranged at least partially in the inside of the core. In contrast to the club heads 1 of FIGS. 1 to 4, the flat weighting element 6 in the club heads 1 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is not arranged in the inside of the shell 2 in each case, but is attached to its underside.
[0073] The weighting element 6 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is formed as an overall flat plate. The weighting element 6 of FIG. 6 is also flat on a side facing away from the shell 2 and has a projection on a side facing the shell 2, which extends into the shell 2. The flat side of the weighting element 6 extends parallel to the outside of the shell 2. The weighting element 6 shown in FIG. 6 is thus substantially T-shaped, the free central leg of the T-shaped weighting element 6 being received in a recess in the shell 2, which is substantially U-shaped in longitudinal section.
[0074] The embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 differ from that of FIG. 1 in that the sensor unit 5 is not completely, but only partially, arranged in the inside of the core 3. In these embodiments, however, a major part of the sensor unit 5 is still arranged in the inside of the core 3, i.e. a major part of the sensor unit 5 is enclosed by the core 3.
[0075] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the front of the sensor unit 5 lies against the inner surface of the shell 2 in the area of the striking plate 4, but is otherwise enclosed by the core 3. The sensor unit 5 is thus completely enclosed by the shell 2, but only partially enclosed by the core 3.
[0076] In the version according to FIG. 8, the front side of the sensor unit 5, which is usually formed by a signal transmitter, is in contact with the inner surface of the striking plate 4, but is also at least partially enclosed by the core 3. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 7, however, the sensor unit 5 in the present embodiment is not completely enclosed by the shell 2, but penetrates through the shell 2 with its area facing the striking plate 4. Thus, the sensor unit 5 is also only partially enclosed by the core 3, although a predominant part of the volume of the sensor unit 5 is nevertheless located in the core 3.
[0077] FIGS. 9 to 11 show a further embodiment of a club head 1 according to the invention, Here, too, a shell 2 completely encloses a core which is not visible in FIGS. 9 to 11. The core is preferably formed by a foam material or a gaseous material, such as air in particular. In the latter case, the shell 2 thus encloses a cavity and the air filling this cavity forms the core. The material of the core preferably occupies a larger volume than the material of the shell 2.
[0078] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 preferably, but not necessarily, comprises a sensor unit 5, which can be arranged, for example, in the form of a sensor plate between the shell 2 and on a striking plate 4, which is attached to the front of the shell 2. Particularly preferably, however, the sensor unit 5 is arranged at least partially, in particular completely, in the inside of the core. For example, it may be attached to an inner surface of the shell 2, in particular to the inner surface of the front side of the shell 2, or, in particular if the core is made of a foam material, it may be arranged completely inside the core.
[0079] In the present exemplary embodiment, the club head 1 comprises two weighting elements 6a and 6b, which are attached to the shell 2 laterally to the striking plate 4 on the outside. For holding the weighting elements 6a and 6b, outwardly projecting pins are integrally formed on the shell 2, which are inserted into correspondingly provided openings when attaching the weighting elements 6a, 6b. Alternatively or additionally, the weighting elements 6a, 6b can also be glued and/or screwed to the shell 2. The combination of the weighting elements 6a, 6b arranged to the outside laterally of the striking plate 4 with a core made of a foam material or a gaseous material has proven to be particularly advantageous with regard to the hitting behaviour of the golf club.
[0080] In contrast to the previous embodiments, the striking plate 4 does not have an L-shaped profile here, but a flat profile overall. Instead, a sole plate 9 made of metal is attached to the shell 2 to reinforce the underside of the club head 1.
[0081] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and FIGS. 5 and 6, the club head 1 is connected to a shaft 8. In this respect, the club head 1 of FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 is formed integrally with the shaft 8, whereas the club head 1 of FIGS. 3 and 9 to 11 is attached to the shaft 8 via a hosel 7.
[0082] Even though in all embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 11 a sensor unit 5 is present in the club head, it is perfectly conceivable to provide these club heads without the sensor unit. Even then, the club heads still have particularly good impact behaviour.
TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Signs 1 Club head 2 Shell 3 Core 4 Striking plate 5 Sensor unit 6, 6a, 6b Weighting element 7 Hosel 8 Shaft 9 Sole plate
