Shock-absorbing golf club head

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a golf club head, and more particularly to a shock-absorbing golf club head that has an air outlet to allow air inside the core cavity to escape from the shock-absorbing golf club head when resilient foam forms a core inside the core cavity.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Shock-absorbing golf club heads usually have a hollow cavity to allow a shock-absorbing core to be mounted in the shock-absorbing golf club head.

[0005] A conventional shock-absorbing golf club head comprises a core cavity, a shock-absorbing core and a faceplate. The core cavity is defined in the shock-absorbing golf club head and has a volume. The shock-absorbing core is made of resilient foam, is mounted in the core cavity and has a volume larger than the core cavity. The faceplate is mounted on the shock-absorbing golf club head, presses and forces the shock-absorbing core to tightly fit into the core cavity and seals the core cavity.

[0006] However, the shock-absorbing core is compressed by the faceplate to a volume smaller than the shock-absorbing core without any external force. Therefore, the shock-absorbing effect of the shock-absorbing core is impaired.

[0007] Another conventional shock-absorbing golf head comprises a core cavity, a core port, a faceplate and a shock-absorbing core. The core cavity is defined in the shock-absorbing golf club head. The core port is defined through the shock-absorbing golf head and communicates with the core cavity. The faceplate is mounted on the shock-absorbing golf club head and closes the core cavity except for the core port. The shock-absorbing core is formed in the core cavity and abuts the faceplate. To the shock-absorbing core in the golf club head, liquid resilient foam is injected through the core port and foams to fill the core cavity.

[0008] However, the air inside the core cavity mixes with the injected resilient foam so the resilient foam has an irregular consistency and parts of the resilient foam have different densities.

[0009] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a shock-absorbing golf club head to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

[0010] The main objective of the invention is to provide a shock-absorbing golf club head that has an air outlet to allow air inside the core cavity to escape from the shock-absorbing golf club head when a foaming agent serving as a shock-absorbing core foams inside the core cavity.

[0011] A shock-absorbing golf club head in accordance with the present invention comprises a head body, a faceplate and a shock-absorbing core.

[0012] The head body has a crown, a sole, a toe, a shank, a rear, an open front, a core cavity and an air outlet. The open front has an inner shoulder. The core cavity is defined in the head body and communicates with the open front. The air outlet is defined through the head body, and communicates with the core cavity. The faceplate is mounted securely on the inner shoulder of the open front of the head body. The shock-absorbing core is formed in the core cavity.

[0013] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] A shock-absorbing golf club head in accordance with the present invention comprises a head body, a faceplate and a shock-absorbing core.

[0031] The head body has a crown, a sole, a toe, a shank, a rear, an open front, a core cavity and an air outlet. The open front has an inner shoulder. The core cavity is defined in the head body and communicates with the open front. The air outlet is defined through the head body and communicates with the core cavity. The faceplate is mounted securely on the inner shoulder of the open front of the head body. The shock-absorbing core is mounted in the core cavity.

[0032] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a first embodiment of the shock-absorbing golf club head in accordance with the present invention comprises a head body (10), a faceplate (20), a shock-absorbing core (30) and an optional rear panel (40).

[0033] The head body (10) has a crown, a sole, a toe, a shank, a rear, an open front, a core cavity (12), an inner front annular surface (14), an air outlet (17) and an optional rear recess (16).

[0034] The open front has an inner shoulder (111).

[0035] The core cavity (12) is defined in the head body (10), communicates with the open front and has an inner surface (122).

[0036] The inner front annular surface (14) is defined between the inner shoulder (111) and the core cavity (12) and has multiple notches (142) and an annular groove (144). The notches (142) are defined radially in the inner front annular surface (14) and communicate respectively with the core cavity (12). The annular groove (144) is defined in the inner front annular surface (14) around the core cavity (12) and communicates with the notches (142). The air outlet (17) is defined through the rear of the head body (10) and communicates with the annular groove (144) to communicate indirectly with the core cavity (12). The optional rear recess (16) is defined in the rear of the head body (10) and communicates with the air outlet (17).

[0037] The faceplate (20) has an outer edge, is mounted securely on the inner shoulder (111) of the open front of the head body (10) and abuts the inner front annular surface (14). The faceplate (20) is mounted securely on the inner shoulder (111) by welding the outer edge of the faceplate (20) to the inner shoulder (111).

[0038] The shock-absorbing core (30) is a thermoplastic elastomer and is mounted in the core cavity. To mount the shock-absorbing core (30) in the head body (10), an appropriate quantity of thermoplastic elastomer is put into the core cavity (12) before the faceplate (20) attached to the head body (10). Then the head body (10), faceplate (20) and the thermoplastic elastomer are heated to a temperature 170° to 180° C. At this temperature, the thermoplastic elastomer foams, fills the core cavity (12) and tightly abuts the faceplate (20). Simultaneously, the air in the core cavity (12) is discharged out of the head body (10) to the ambient atmosphere through the notches (142), the annular groove (144) and the air outlet (17).

[0039] The optional rear panel (40) is mounted in the rear recess (16) and seals the air outlet (17) after the shock-absorbing core (30) foams. The optional panel (40) may have patterns or characters for decoration.

[0040] With reference to FIGS. 5 to 8, a second embodiment of the shock-absorbing golf club head in accordance with the present invention is a modification of the first embodiment and further has a protrusion (18). The protrusion (18) is formed on the inner surface (122) of the core cavity (12) flush with the inner front annular surface (14) and has a guide recess (184). The guide recess (184) communicates with the annular groove (144). The air outlet (17a) extends through the protrusion (18) and communicates with the guide recess (184).

[0041] When the thermoplastic elastomer foams in the core cavity (12), the air in the core cavity (12) is discharged out of the head body (10) to the ambient atmosphere through the notches (142), the annular groove (144), the guide recess (184) and the air outlet (17).

[0042] With reference to FIGS. 9 to 11 and 16, a third embodiment of the shock-absorbing golf club head in accordance with the present invention is the same as the first embodiment and further comprises a core port (19), a plug (192) and a transparent plug.

[0043] The core port (19) is defined through the rear of the head body (10), communicates with the core cavity (12) and has an inner thread. The plug (192) is mounted detachably in the core port (19) and has an outer thread and an optional ventilation hole (194). The outer thread of the plug (192) corresponds to the inner thread of the core port (19), and the plug (192) screws into the core port (19). The plug is removed to put powdered, liquid or granular thermoplastic elastomer into the core cavity (12). The optional ventilation hole (194) is defined axially through the plug (192) and communicates with the core port (19) to allow air to escape during the thermoplastic elastomer foaming process. After the foaming process is complete, the plug (192) is removed and replaced with a transparent plug.

[0044] With reference to FIGS. 12 to 15, a fourth embodiment of the shock-absorbing golf club head in accordance with the present invention has all the features of the second embodiment and the third embodiment. The air in the core cavity (12) is discharged to the ambient atmosphere through the air outlet (17, 17a) when a foaming agent serving as the shock-absorbing core (30) foams inside the core cavity (12). Therefore, the shock-absorbing core (30) has a uniform density to provide an excellent shock-absorbing effect.

[0045] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.