| Golf club head with twisted face angle -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Golf club head with twisted face angleGolf club head with twisted face angle description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070275791, Golf club head with twisted face angle. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]This invention relates to a golf club head having a twisted face angle and a method of matching the swing speed of a golfer to a corresponding twisted face angle. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]Methods of custom fitting a golfer to the most suitable golf club, taking into account different swing characteristics, are well known within the golf industry. For example, the testing laboratory at the Acushnet Golf Center in New Bedford, Mass. has been measuring and analyzing the swing characteristics and ball launch conditions of thousands of golfers since the early seventies. As a result of this testing, Acushnet has developed an accurate method of matching a golfer with particularized golfing equipment. This method utilizes sophisticated equipment for measuring the launch conditions of struck balls. For example, the golfer hits a variety of drivers having variations in head and shaft characteristics, and golf balls of different construction and performance levels are measured. Cameras monitor the golfer's launch conditions by tracking the movement of a cluster of light emitting diodes attached to specific locations on the golf ball. Each camera has strobe lights that emit light immediately after the golf ball is struck. The light reflects off the diodes and is captured by the camera and sent to a computer for processing. This data is then recorded and analyzed using complex mathematical models which are able to calculate, among other things, the distance that a golf ball travels when struck off the tee by the golfer. [0003]The key variables in matching a golfer with the proper club and ball include the golfer's swing characteristics, the mass and inertial properties of the club head, the geometry of the club head (i.e. loft angle, lie angle, face angle, offset), the shaft flex characteristics, and the physical properties of the ball. Accordingly, a golfer's swing characteristics can be identified by a number of variables, including the path of the club head towards the golf ball, the rotation of the club head prior to impact, and the velocity and acceleration of the club head at impact, which may be the most significant variable. From this information, the most appropriate golf club and golf ball are accurately matched to the golfer. [0004]However, even with the proper club, certain tendencies are inherent with golf shots where the impacts are located away from the sweet spot of the club head. For instance, when the club strikes the ball at a point above or below the center of gravity, i.e., toward the top or sole of the club, it is assumed that the club tends to rotate about a horizontal axis which extends through the center of gravity. This creates the well known "gear effect" and is thoroughly explored in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,961 issued to Masghati et al. The gear effect spin is created by a metal wood club because the center of gravity of the club is usually spaced a substantial distance behind the striking face of the club. Gear effect is also produced by off-center impacts in the heel-toe direction. For example, the clockwise rotation of the club head as it recoils from a toe hit causes the ball to rotate in the opposite direction. The counterclockwise rotation is imparted to the ball because the club head and ball rotate together much like two enmeshed gears. On a heel hit, the club rotates in a counterclockwise direction, therefore imparting a clockwise or "slice" spin to the ball. [0005]The clockwise rotation of a metal wood type driver club on a toe hit opens the face of the club and causes the ball to fly initially to the right of the intended line of flight. However, the counterclockwise or hook spin imparted to the ball by the gear effect will cause the ball to curve back toward the intended line of flight. In most wooden clubs the gear effect spin more than compensates for the effect of the open face, and the ball hooks to the left of the intended line of flight. For years golf club designers have helped compensate for the gear effect by incorporating a "bulge" into the face of the driver. Bulge is a convex curvature in the face of the club which can be seen when the face is viewed from above or below. The curvature extends about a vertical axis. However, bulge has never been incorporated as a variable in the process of club selection, except as to stipulate a degree of which the club may be closed or open faced. Another design feature of the club face is "roll", which is a convex curvature in the face that can be seen when the face is viewed from the side. The curvature extends about a horizontal axis. [0006]Bulge tends to make a toe hit fly to the right and a heel hit fly to the left. The bulge spin and the gear effect spin are advantageously adjusted so that a ball hit on either the toe or the heel lands approximately along the intended line of flight and shot dispersion is minimized. Similarly, when a driver type club strikes a ball above or below the center of gravity, the rotation of the club head about the horizontal axis through the center of gravity imparts gear effect spin on the ball which causes the backspin of the ball to be reduced for a high hit and increased for a low hit. The roll curvature is intended to compensate for excessive gear effect spin on high and low hits thereby minimizing distance loss. [0007]In addition to altering the backspin of the golf ball, golf shots with impacts directly above and below the center of gravity can also produce a sidespin effect. Impacts above the center of gravity impact a slight counterclockwise sidespin, or hook spin, whereas impacts below the center of gravity produce a slight clockwise sidespin, or slice spin. This sidespin effect is second order in magnitude to pure "gear effect", and it is caused by shaft flex in response to actual club head twist during impact. [0008]Certainly, because the magnitude of the gear effect is proportional to club velocity, a high swing speed golfer will require a different bulge angle in the face than would a low swing player. A need exists in the club selection process to match the swing speed of the golfer to a bulge angle in the face plate. The present invention provides for a novel method in club design wherein a specific bulge face angle is correlated to a specific swing speed as a method for club selection. [0009]Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010]The invention is related to a golf club head having a twisted profile front face that is defined by a first horizontal plane through the center of the face and having a first tangent at an intersection between the first horizontal plane and a center vertical plane and a second horizontal plane located between the first horizontal plane and a top line, wherein the second horizontal plane has a second tangent at an intersection between the second horizontal plane and the center vertical plane that is an angle to the first tangent. The second tangent is between 0.05.degree. to 2.0.degree. to the first tangent in an open direction. [0011]An embodiment of the invention further has a third horizontal plane located between the first horizontal plane and a bottom line, wherein the third horizontal plane has a third tangent at an intersection between the third horizontal plane and the center vertical plane that is an angle to the first tangent. The third tangent is at an angle between 0.05.degree. and 2.0.degree. to the first tangent in a closed direction. [0012]The present invention is directed to a golf club head having a face angle that is twisted from high to low such that the face angle high on the face is open relative to the face angle at the center, and the face angle low on the face is closed relative to the face angle at the center. This twist eliminates the left/right dispersion produced when hitting the ball high or low on a normal clubface. [0013]The invention also provides for a method of fitting a proper club to a particular golfer by choosing second and third tangent angle values which are selectively based upon a user's swing speed. [0014]The present invention provides for a golf club head wherein the second tangent promotes an open upper toe quadrant of the front face and the third tangent promotes a closed lower heel quadrant on the front face. The extent to which the face quadrants are open or closed is selectively based on the player's swing speed. [0015]The present invention provides for a plurality of clubs having different bulge and roll radii selectively based on a player's swing speed. [0016]The present invention also achieves both simplicity and accuracy in the disclosed method. Unlike more complex methods, the present invention utilizes only a few key variables out of the many available to match a player to a particular club. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a golf club front face having a top to bottom twisting face profile. [0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic of the tangent that extends into the toe/crown quadrant of the face. [0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic of the tangent that extends into the heel/sole quadrant of the face. [0020]FIG. 4 is an exaggerated view of the twisted front face as it relates to the normal front face of a club. Continue reading about Golf club head with twisted face angle... Full patent description for Golf club head with twisted face angle Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf club head with twisted face angle 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. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Golf club head with twisted face angle or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Separable golf club Next Patent Application: Golf club head Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf club head with twisted face angle patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.11604 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
