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Golf club head having a surface-modified structure and a surface modifying method thereforRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, HeadGolf club head having a surface-modified structure and a surface modifying method therefor description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070173346, Golf club head having a surface-modified structure and a surface modifying method therefor. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a golf club head and a surface modifying method therefor. Particularly, the present invention relates to the golf club head having a surface-modified structure that possesses different mechanical characteristics. More particularly, the present invention relates to the surface-modified structure of the golf club head partially formed on a predetermined area in heat treatment by a high-energy apparatus. The golf club head has the same thickness but possesses different mechanical characteristics so as to prolong a striking distance (i.e. striking characteristic) in hitting a golf ball. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] In many golf club head designs, golf club heads are generally designed to reduce a thickness of a striking plate so as to enhance rebound abilities of the striking plate. Although it would be advantageous to enhance rebound abilities (i.e. elastic deformability), the thinner thickness of the striking plate is susceptible to weakness in hitting the golf ball. In this regard, there is a need for the golf club head having a high degree in both rebound and durable characteristics for long-term use. This is a major issue in golf club head design. To this end, various techniques in the known art have been used to enhance both rebound and durable characteristics of the golf club head in reducing the thickness of the striking plate but maintaining a sufficient strength of the structure. [0005] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,391, entitled "GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH VARIABLE THICKNESS FRONT WALL", discloses a front wall of a golf club head body varying its thickness. In particular, an inner wall of the front wall has a protruded region (i.e. bulging area) with a thicker thickness formed at a center portion. Furthermore, the inner wall of the front wall has a protruded ring (generally ring shaped mass) surrounding the protruded region. The protruded region and ring are designed for having a certain degree in both rebound and durable characteristics of the front wall. However, the front wall of the golf club head body must be manufactured by casting or powder metallurgy that may increase difficulties in manufacturing and manufacture costs. Accordingly, this design is usually unsuitable for manufacture. Furthermore, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0060306 discloses a surface modifying method for a golf club head by a laser beam. Yet further, Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 448064, entitled "GOLF CLUB HEAD AND METHOD FOR TREATING A STRIKING PLATE", discloses a method of employing a high-energy remelting apparatus such as a laser remelting apparatus or a plasma remelting apparatus in treating a partial area of a striking plate. This results in a good rigidity of a treated area of the striking plate in a laser treating or plasma treating process for example. Such a laser or plasma treatment is helpful in enhancing mechanical characteristics of the striking plate, resulting in an increase of rigidity and metal fatigue resistance for example. In general, the prior art is absent a high-energy remelting apparatus that employs a luminous energy adjustment device for uniform treatments. In this way, any high-energy treatment on a thicker thickness of the large-scale striking plate is susceptible to poor quality that cannot achieve a uniform treated area of the striking plate. Accordingly, this results in any possible inaccuracy of the high-energy treating and any possible deficiency in the treated area. [0006] With regard to another heat-treating method, U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,726, entitled "GOLF CLUB HEAD", discloses a heat-treating method for a striking plate. In general, the striking plate is made of a metal material, and has a central region and a peripheral region. In first step, the entire striking plate is successively processed by solution heat treatment and aging heat treatment. In second step, a surface of the peripheral region of the striking plate is subsequently processed by laser treatment such that the hardness of the peripheral region is reduced. The ratio of the surface hardness of the peripheral region to the central region may vary between 0.45 and 0.9. On the one hand the peripheral region of the striking plate achieves increases both in rebound characteristic and restitution coefficient, and on the other hand the central region of the striking plate ensures a certain degree of the hardness and durable characteristic. [0007] In laser-treating operation, the prior art is absent a laser-treating apparatus that employs a luminous energy adjustment device for uniform treatments. In this way, any laser treatment on a thicker thickness of the large-scale striking plate is susceptible to poor quality that cannot achieve a uniform treated region of the striking plate. Accordingly, this may result in excess melting portions and deficiencies in the laser-treated peripheral region. To avoid resulting in excess melting occurrence, the operational time and intensity of laser must be limited. In this circumstance, the laser-treating quality of the striking plate is uneven and imperfect. [0008] As is described in greater detail below, the present invention intends to provide a golf club head having a uniform surface-modified structure in such a way as to mitigate and overcome the above problem. In heat-treating operation, the golf club head has a heat-treated thin portion processed by uniform high energy. The uniform surface-modified structure possesses a high degree of the hardness, tensile strength and wear resisting. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] The primary objective of this invention is to provide a golf club head having a predetermined portion with a thinner thickness on which to provide a surface-modified portion. Accordingly, the surface-modified portion possesses different mechanical characteristics than other portions. [0010] The secondary objective of this invention is to provide a surface modifying method for the golf club head. A high-energy treating apparatus generates a defocused high-energy beam to penetrate through a luminous energy adjustment device on a predetermined portion (i.e. predetermined area) of a golf club head body or a striking plate. Accordingly, the surface modifying method can enhance a degree of uniformity of the high-energy treated area. [0011] The golf club head in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes a golf club head body and a striking plate. A surface of the golf club head body and the striking plate has at least one surface-modified portion processed by a high-energy treating apparatus that has a luminous energy adjustment device. A defocused high-energy beam generated from the high-energy treating apparatus penetrates through the luminous energy adjustment device and projects on a predetermined portion (i.e. predetermined area) of the golf club head that possesses different mechanical characteristics than other portions. [0012] The surface modifying method for the golf club head in accordance with an aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: providing a high-energy treating apparatus with a luminous energy adjustment device; and projecting a defocused high-energy beam transmitted from the luminous energy adjustment device on the predetermined portion of the golf club head to form at least one surface-modified portion. [0013] In a separate aspect of the present invention, the surface-modified portion is formed on a portion of the golf club head body selected from a group consisting of a crown portion, a sole portion, a skirt portion, a rear portion and a neck portion. [0014] In a further separate aspect of the present invention, the surface-modified portion is formed on a portion of the striking plate selected from the group consisting of a sweet spot region and a peripheral region. [0015] In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention, the surface-modified portion is formed on a thin wall of the golf club head. [0016] In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention, the surface-modified portion is formed on an outer or inner surface of the golf club head body or the striking plate. [0017] In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention, the high-energy treating apparatus is selected from a plasma or laser device. [0018] In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention, the luminous energy adjustment device is selected from an integral lens. [0019] In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention, the high-energy treating apparatus can produce a high-energy beam by means of positive or negative defocus. [0020] Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0021] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: Continue reading about Golf club head having a surface-modified structure and a surface modifying method therefor... Full patent description for Golf club head having a surface-modified structure and a surface modifying method therefor Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf club head having a surface-modified structure and a surface modifying method therefor patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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