Golf club head with structural tension cable
The disclosure is directed to a golf club head having an adjustable tension cable disposed proximate the face. The body has a face, a sole, and a return section, and defines a hollow interior. The cable extends between the return section and the sole within the hollow interior near the face to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball. The cable preferably forms a woven structure, with multiple connections between the return section and sole, and the tension in the cable is adjustable via a screw connected to one end of the cable that engages a threaded bore disposed near the hosel.
1. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a striking face, a sole section extending from a lower edge of the striking face, a return section extending from an upper edge of the striking face, a heel side, a toe side, and a hollow interior;
an elongated cable comprising a first end and a second end; and
a set screw,
wherein the return section comprises at least one upper through-opening,
wherein the at least one upper through-opening is supported by at least one upper boss,
wherein the at least one upper boss extends into the hollow interior from the return section,
wherein the sole section comprises at least one lower through-opening and a threaded screw bore,
wherein the at least one lower through-opening is supported by at least one lower boss,
wherein the at least one lower boss extends into the hollow interior from the sole section,
wherein the first end of the elongated cable is secured to a fixed location on an inner surface of the body within the hollow interior,
wherein the cable extends through the at least one upper through-opening and the at least one lower through-opening to connect the return section to the sole section,
wherein the second end of the elongated cable is secured to the set screw,
wherein the set screw is disposed within and engages with the threaded screw bore, and
wherein adjusting the location of the set screw within the threaded screw bore changes the tension of the elongated cable within the body and a stiffness of the striking face.
2. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a striking face, a sole section extending from a lower edge of the striking face, a return section extending from an upper edge of the striking face, a heel side, a toe side, and a hollow interior;
an elongated cable comprising a first end and a second end;
a hosel; and
a heel side tube aligned with the hosel; and
a set screw,
wherein the return section comprises at least one upper through-opening,
wherein the sole section comprises at least one lower through-opening and a threaded screw bore,
wherein the first end of the elongated cable is secured to a fixed location on an inner surface of the body within the hollow interior,
wherein the cable extends through the at least one upper through-opening and the at least one lower through-opening to connect the return section to the sole section,
wherein the second end of the elongated cable is secured to the set screw,
wherein the set screw is disposed within and engages with the threaded screw bore,
wherein the threaded screw bore extends from and is in communication with the heel side tube, and
wherein adjusting the location of the set screw within the threaded screw bore changes the tension of the elongated cable within the body and a stiffness of the striking face.
3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the threaded screw bore extends from the heel side towards the toe side approximately parallel with the striking face.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the fixed location is on the toe side of the body.
5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the fixed location is on the return section.
6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the elongated cable is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aramid, liquid crystal polymer, and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.
7. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a striking face, a sole section extending from a lower edge of the striking face, a return section extending from an upper edge of the striking face, a heel side, a toe side, and a hollow interior;
an elongated cable comprising a first end and a second end; and
a set screw,
wherein the return section comprises six pairs of upper through-openings,
wherein the sole section comprises six pairs of lower through-openings and a threaded screw bore,
wherein each pair of the upper and lower through-openings is supported by a boss extending into the hollow interior from one of the sole section and return section,
wherein the first end of the elongated cable is secured to a fixed location on an inner surface of the body within the hollow interior,
wherein the cable extends through the at least one upper through-opening and the at least one lower through-opening to connect the return section to the sole section,
wherein the second end of the elongated cable is secured to the set screw,
wherein the set screw is disposed within and engages with the threaded screw bore, and
wherein adjusting the location of the set screw within the threaded screw bore changes the tension of the elongated cable within the body and a stiffness of the striking face.
8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the elongated cable is secured to the set screw with a cable crimp.
9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the elongated cable extends from the crown to the sole at least twice.
10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the woven support structure comprises at least four loops of cable.
11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the body is composed of a metal alloy, and wherein the elongated cable is composed of a non-metal material.
12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the non-metal material is ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.
13. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the tension of the elongated cable within the body changes the stiffness of a boundary of the striking face.
14. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein no portion of the elongated cable is in compression.
15. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the elongated cable is secured to the set screw with at least one of an adhesive and a mechanical connector.