CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation-In-Part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/482,392, filed Oct. 6, 2023, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/092,733, filed on Jan. 3, 2023, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/725,075, filed on Apr. 20, 2022, the disclosure of which are all incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a multi-material golf club head wherein the junction between the two different components made from different materials are seamlessly incorporated within existing visual cues of a golf club head to provide an aesthetically pleasing joint between the two components. More specifically, the present invention relates to identifying the existing visual cues of a golf club head together with the different bonding needs of the golf club head at the desirable visual cue, and continuously adjusting the design of the joint between the two different components depending on the needs of the golf club head at across the entire junction between the two different components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Utilizing multiple materials to design a golf club head has been around for a long time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,363 to Jepson et al. illustrates one of the earliest attempts to utilize multiple materials to improve the performance of a golf club head via the utilization of wood, metal, and plastic.

Despite all of the advantages associated with the utilization of material, two of the biggest drawbacks associated with multi-material golf club head are 1) the difficulties in securely joining materials to withstand the impact forces with a golf ball, and 2) preserving the aesthetics of the golf club to minimize the distractions associated with the differing visuals of the different material.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,348 to Wargo illustrates one of the earliest examples of utilizing threaded fasteners to secure a heavy secondary golf club component to the main chassis of the golf club head. U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,348 to Wargo utilizes replaceable inserts that have their weights and characteristics varied by controlling the amount and location of a layer of weightly material attached thereto.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,037,214 to Nakahara et al. illustrates the utilization of a lightweight material to replace the crown portion of a golf club via flanges wherein the ratio of the specific gravities is equal to or superior to 1.3. The bond between a thin crown piece and the chassis of the golf club head creates a unique set of challenges, as lightweight materials tend not to bond well to metallic materials, and the bond usually creates a visual delineation that is undesirable visually.

Hence, based on the above, it can be seen that there is a need in the art for a multi-material golf club head that not only is capable of achieving a secure bond between the different components, there is a need to do it in an aesthetically pleasing way.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising of a body portion and a crown portion. The body portion further comprises a striking face, a hosel, and a portion of a sole, wherein the striking face portion defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein the body portion further comprises a recess around a perimeter of the body portion. The crown portion wraps around a skirt of the golf club head forming at least a portion of the sole, wherein the crown portion overlaps the body portion at the recess of the body portion; wherein a forwardmost point of the crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away from the forwardmost vertical plane.

In another aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising of a body portion and a crown portion. The body portion further comprises a striking face, a hosel, and a portion of a sole, wherein the striking face portion defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein the body portion further comprises a recess around a perimeter of the body portion. The recess further comprises a frontal crown recess, wherein the frontal crown recess defines a crown transition overlap length, a rear sole recess, wherein the rear sole recess defines a rear overlap length, and a hosel portion recess, wherein the hosel portion recess defines a hosel overlap length. The crown portion wraps around a skirt of the golf club head forming at least a portion of the sole, wherein the crown portion overlaps the body portion at the recess of the body portion, and wherein the crown transition overlap length is greater than about 12 mm and less than about 25 mm.

In another aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising of a body portion and a crown portion. The body portion further comprises a striking face, a hosel, and a portion of a sole, wherein the striking face portion defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein the body portion further comprises a recess around a perimeter of the body portion. The recess further comprises a frontal crown recess, wherein the frontal crown recess defines a crown transition overlap length, a rear sole recess, wherein the rear sole recess defines a rear overlap length, and a hosel portion recess, wherein the hosel portion recess defines a hosel overlap length. The crown portion wraps around a skirt of the golf club head forming at least a portion of the sole, wherein the crown portion overlaps the body portion at the recess of the body portion, and wherein the crown transition overlap length is greater than about 12 mm and less than about 25 mm, wherein the rear overlap length is less than about 6.5 mm, and the hosel overlap length is greater than about 8 mm.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, an upper hosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, and a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skirt of said golf club head forming at least a portion of a sole, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, and wherein a forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, said recess further includes; a frontal crown recess, wherein said frontal crown recess defines a crown transition overlap length, a rear sole recess, wherein said rear sole recess defines a rear overlap length, and a hosel portion recess, wherein said hosel portion recess defines a hosel overlap length, and an upper hosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, and a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skirt of said golf club head forming at least a portion of said sole, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, and wherein said crown transition overlap length is greater than about 12 mm and less than about 25 mm.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including: a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, an upper hosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skirt of said body portion at said recess of said body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf club head, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, and wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, and wherein said first density is less than said second density.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skit of said body portion at said recess of said body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf club head, wherein said crown portion further includes an upper hosel component adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, and wherein said first density is less than said second density.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening and a lower hosel opening, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defines a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a lower hosel component adapted to engage said lower hosel opening, and a crown portion wrapping around a skit of said body portion at said recess of said body portion, forming an entirety of a crown of said golf club head, wherein said crown portion further includes an upper hosel portion adapted to engage said upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, wherein said first density is less than said second density, and wherein a forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away from said forwardmost vertical plane.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening having a first diameter, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defined a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a crown portion having a secondary upper hosel opening having a second diameter, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion to form a crown, and an upper hosel component adapted to engage said secondary upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, and wherein said first density is less than said second density.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a golf club head including: a body portion further including; a main body chassis having an upper hosel opening having a first diameter, wherein said main body chassis forms a striking face portion that defined a forwardmost vertical plane, and wherein said main body chassis further includes a recess around a perimeter of said main body chassis, a crown portion having a secondary upper hosel opening having a second diameter, wherein said crown portion overlaps said body portion at said recess of said body portion to form a crown, and an upper hosel component adapted to engage said secondary upper hosel opening, wherein said crown portion is made from a first material having a first density and said body portion is made from a second material having a second density, and wherein a forwardmost point of said crown portion is located less than about 17.5 mm away from said forwardmost plane.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a bottom sole side perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows a frontal view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings shows a heel side view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings shows a toe side view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings shows a top crown view of a prior art golf club head;

FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings shows a top crown view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings shows a bottom sole view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded heel side view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of a golf club head in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along cross-sectional line A-A′ shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a golf club head highlighted by circular region A shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a golf club head highlighted by circular region B shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view along a different cross-sectional line allowing the hosel portion recess to be shown more clearly;

FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective view of an upper hosel component in accordance with a further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective view of an upper hosel component in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings shows a top-down view of an upper hosel component in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective view of an upper hosel component in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings shows a perspective view of an upper hosel component tip in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention from a different angle;

FIG. 20 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of a golf club head in accordance with the even further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the hosel portion of the golf club head of circular region C in accordance with the even further alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head with another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of a golf club head in accordance with the alternative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 26 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the hosel portion of the golf club head of circular region D in accordance with the alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description describes the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below, and each can be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. However, any single inventive feature may not address any or all of the problems discussed above or may only address one of the problems discussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described below.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a perspective view of a golf club head 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The golf club head 100 if further separated into a body portion 102 and a crown portion 110. The body portion 102 further comprises of sub-components such as the striking face portion 104, a hosel 106, and a portion of the sole 108. The crown portion 110, in accordance with the current embodiment, includes a crown 111 and wraps around a skirt 112 of the golf club head 100 to form at least a portion of the sole 108.

The body portion 102 of the golf club head 100 in accordance with the present invention may be formed out of a second material having a density of roughly 4.5 g/cc, as modern day driver type golf club heads are generally made out of a titanium type material; however, numerous other material may be used to form the body portion 102 of the golf club head without departing from the scope and content of the present invention so long as it can provide the structural rigidity of the golf club head 100. The crown portion 110 of the golf club head 100, at least in accordance with the present invention, may generally be made out of a lightweight first material such as a fiber reinforced plastic type material with a density of less than about 2.0 g/cc, more preferably less than about 1.8 g/cc, and most preferably less than about 1.7 g/cc; however numerous other types of lightweight material may be used without departing from the scope and content of the present invention as long as it has a density that is less than that of the material used to form the body portion 102.

One key feature shown in FIG. 1 that is worth highlighting is the parting line 114 between the body portion 102 and the crown portion 110. It should be noted that visually, the parting line 114 is located significantly forward on the crown 111 ledge than any other prior art golf club head 100 incorporating multiple materials, as it follows the visual cue of a golf club head 100 that creates a natural break between the striking face portion 104 and the crown 111. Having this crown parting line 114 being located so far forward is beneficial to the performance of a golf club head in that it eliminates the undesirable visuals generally associated with multi-material golf club head wherein the crown portion 110 is made from a lightweight composite type material. However, having the parting line 114 between the crown portion 110 and the body portion 102 this far forward in the crown portion of the golf club head 100 comes with additional design challenges that will be discussed below.

FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows a frontal view of a golf club head 200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The frontal view of this golf club head 200 shows the body portion 202 forming a portion of the sole 208 and the crown portion 210 forming a crown 211 and a skirt 212 of the golf club head 200. In addition to the above, this frontal view also allows the parting line 214 to be shown more clearly, once again illustrating that the location of the parting line 214 that separates the crown portion 210 from the sole portion 202 follows the contour of the upper edge of the striking face 204 in the striking face plane, and transitions towards to a line that is underneath the skirt 212 of the golf club head. Finally, this frontal view of the golf club head 200 shown in FIG. 2 also illustrates a cross-sectional line A-A′, to which a subsequent cross-sectional view figure can be provided to illustrate the bond between the crown portion 210 and the body portion 202.

FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawing shows a heel side view of a golf club head 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this view, we can once again see the main components of the crown portion 310 further comprising the crown 311 of the golf club head 300 and the body portion 302 further comprising a sole 308 of the golf club head 300. In this heel side view of the golf club head 300 shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the parting line 314 falls below the skirt 312 of the golf club head 300 to form a portion of the sole 308. The parting line 214 (shown in FIG. 2), in the frontal view shown in FIG. 2 follows the natural visual cue of the topline of the striking face 204 (shown in FIG. 2), but in the side view shown here in FIG. 3, it actually follows the natural cues derived from the sole 308 graphics as it wraps around the skirt 312 of the golf club head 300 into the sole 308.

Although the details of the bond between the crown portion 310 and the body portion 302 is not shown here in FIG. 3 and will be discussed in more detail in the subsequent cross-sectional views, it is worth noting there that the bond is generally achieved via a lap joint type of joint, wherein there is a beginning of an overlap and an end of an overlap. This key concept will be used to help define distance D1 below, as distance D1 is critical to the present invention in providing the improved aesthetic performance of the present invention.

In addition to the above FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings also shows another key feature of the present invention by illustrating the forwardmost vertical plane 320. The forwardmost vertical plane 320 is a plane that is created in the x-y plane as illustrated by the coordinate system 301 that abuts the forwardmost portion of the golf club head 300. Often in a conventional golf club head 300 geometry, the forwardmost plane 320 abuts the leading edge of the face sole junction; however, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the forwardmost plane 320 could abut any other location in the golf club head 300 without departing from the scope and content of the present invention so long as it fits the definition above.

Once the forwardmost vertical plane 320 is established, another very important distance D1 could be illustrated. Distance D1, as defined in the present invention, relates to the distance between the forwardmost vertical plane 320 and the forwardmost point 322 of said crown portion 310. In the current embodiment of the present invention, distance D1 may generally be less than about 17.5 mm, more preferably less than about 16.5 mm, and most preferably less than about 15.5 mm. This distance D1, as previously mentioned, is critical to the proper function of the present invention as it allows the parting line 314 between the crown portion 310 and the body portion 302 to be shifted to an existing visual cue that already exists in a golf club head 300 such as the crown topline transition. The ability to strategically place the parting line 314 of the different components of a multi-material golf club head 300 at a location that fits with an existing visual cue of a golf club head 300 is beneficial to the performance of a golf club head 300 in that it minimizes visual distractions of a golf club head that can often be undesirable.

Before moving on to a discussion about the undesirable visual generally associated with a prior art multi-material golf club head 500 (shown in FIG. 5), FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings merely shows a toe side view of a golf club head 400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, allowing the parting line 414 between the crown portion 410 and the body portion 402 to be shown more clearly. Although the parting line 414 shown in FIG. 4 mostly mirrors the parting line 314 (shown in FIG. 3) due to the fact that the sole 408 is symmetrical in terms of its graphics, the hosel portion of the parting line 414 is slightly different as shown in FIG. 3 due to the fact that only one side of a golf club head 400 has a hosel.

FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings shows a top view of a prior art golf club head 500 where no effort is made to strategically align the parting line 514 between the crown portion 510 with the body portion 502 with any existing visual cue or natural feature of the golf club head 500. As it can be seen in FIG. 5, the resultant golf club head 500 leaves a strange line across the crown of the golf club head 500, creating an undesirable and distracting effect that will be distracting to a golfer.

Comparing the top view of the prior art golf club head 500 shown in FIG. 5 with the top view of the current inventive golf club head 600 shown in FIG. 6, golf club head 600 provides an improved performance in the visuals of the golf club head 600 by shifting the parting line 614 to the frontal crown transition portion defined as the forwardmost point of said crown portion 610 in FIG. 6. It is worth noting here that despite the best efforts to create a seamless parting line 614 that matches with an existing visual cue of a golf club head 600, the parting line 614 does become more visually recognizable around the hosel 606 of the golf club head 600; as that region of the golf club head 600 does not contain any discernable visual cues that lend itself well to conceal the parting line 614. In addition to showing the improvement in the aesthetics of the golf club head 600 compared to prior art golf club head 500 (shown in FIG. 5), FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings once again shows the distance D1, being measured from the forwardmost portion of the golf club head 600 to the forwardmost point 622 of the crown portion, along the z-axis. Moreover, it can be said that the crown portion 610 forms an entirety of the crown portion of the golf club head 600 when its property installed.

FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings shows a bottom sole view of a golf club head 700 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this sole view of the golf club head 700 we can see that the parting line 714 follows the visual cues of the sole graphics, allowing the golf club head 700 to create a visually seamless blend between the crown portion 710 and the body portion 702. In addition to the above, this bottom sole view of the golf club head 700 illustrates how the crown portion 710 wraps around a skit of the golf club head 700 to form at least a portion of the sole of the golf club head 700.

FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded view of a golf club head 800 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this exploded view of the golf club head 800 shown in FIG. 8, one can clearly how the crown portion 810 and the body portion 802 fit together via a lap joint as previously discussed. Although the cross-sectional view of the golf club head will provide even more detail below, the body portion 802 has a recess 823 around the perimeter of the body portion 802. The recess 823, shown in FIG. 8 is generally created to accommodate the thickness of the crown portion 810 at the various portions around the perimeter of the body portion 802, allowing the two components to bond together via a lap joint type of bond. However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, other types of bonds such as a butt joint, a dado joint, a rabbet joint, a dovetail joint, a tongue and groove joint, or any other types of joint could be used so long as it is capable of joining the crown portion 810 to the body portion 802 all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

The exploded view of the golf club head 800 shown in FIG. 8 also illustrates another critical feature of the present invention, wherein the distance of the overlap between the crown portion 810 with the body portion 802 to form said recess 823 varies across different portions of the golf club head 800 depending on the unique bonding requirements at each location. Because the present invention shifts the location of the parting line around various parts of the golf club head 800 to accommodate for visual cues inherent within a golf club head 800, the bond strength required at the various portions of the golf club head 800 may be different, requiring different amount of overlap. This amount of overlap, generally quantified as the length of a recess 823 is generally defined as the distance between the beginning of an overlap to the end of an overlap. For the frontal crown joint recess 823 length, that length is defined as the difference between the forwardmost point 822 of the crown portion 810 and the rearward most point 824 of the recess 823 at the frontal body portion 802. For the aft rear joint recess length, that length is defined as the difference between the rearwardmost point 828 of the crown portion 810 and the forwardmost point 826 of the recess 823 at the rear of the body portion 802.

In order to illustrate this very important concept of creating and defining a recess 823 via the overlap, a cross-sectional view of the golf club head 900 is shown in FIG. 9. This cross-sectional view of the golf club head 900 shown in FIG. 9 is taken along cross-sectional line A-A′ shown in FIG. 2, down the center of the golf club head. In this cross-sectional view of the golf club head 900 the crown portion 910 is attached to the body portion 902 via overlapping lap joints created by recesses in the body portion 902. Circular region A and circular region B are also highlighted in FIG. 9, allowing enlarged views of the crown leading edge recess and the aft portion recess to be shown in more detail in FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively, illustrating the different designs used to achieve the different bonds at different portions of the golf club head 900.

FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of circular region A shown in FIG. 9, which reflects an enlarged cross-sectional view of a frontal crown junction point between the crown portion 1010 and the body portion 1002. Although it's been discussed briefly in earlier discussions, the bond between the crown portion 1010 and the body portion 1002 is generally achieved via an overlapping lap joint type of bond, with the body portion 1002 forming a frontal crown recess 1023a to receive the crown portion 1010. The thickness of the frontal crown recess 1023a in accordance with the present invention may generally be less than about 1.0 mm, more preferably less than about 0.9 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.8 mm, as crown portion 1010 is typically made from a thin lightweight composite type material. This thickness of the frontal crown recess 1023a may generally be thicker than the actual thickness of the crown portion 1010 itself, because not only does it need to accommodate the thickness of the crown portion 1010 in the range of less than about 0.8 mm, more preferably less than about 0.7 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.65 mm, it also has to accommodate approximately 0.15 mm of glue bond thickness that is not shown in FIG. 10. In this enlarged view shown in FIG. 10, because the bond between the crown portion 1010 and the body portion 1002 at the crown leading edge is so close to the striking face plane, it has an increased overlap length to accommodate for the increased stress occurring at that portion of the golf club head. This overlap length D2, although may look like a linear length in FIG. 10, is actually an arc length, but only appears linear due to the large radius of curvature at this portion of the golf club head. The increased overlap length at the crown transition, defined here as frontal crown transition overlap length D2, may generally be greater than about 12 mm and less than about 25 mm, more preferably greater than about 13 mm and less than about 24 mm, and most preferably greater than about 14 mm and less than about 23 mm. The frontal crown transition overlap length D2, as described in the present invention, may generally start at the forwardmost point 1022 of the crown portion 1010 and end at the rearwardmost point 1024 of the frontal crown recess 1023a at the front of the body portion 1002.

FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of circular region B shown in FIG. 9, which reflects an enlarged cross-sectional view of a rear sole junction point between the crown portion 1110 and the body portion 1102. Although this geometry may look more complicated at the rear portion of the golf club head due to the adjacent weighting member, the overall concept of the bond here remains the same with an overlapping lap joint created via a rear sole recess 1123b in rear of the body portion 1102. Similar to the discussion above, the thickness of the rear sole recess 1123b, because it is adapted to receive the same crown portion 1110, is generally less than about 1.0 mm, more preferably less than about 0.9 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.8 mm. However, in this rear portion of the golf club head, because of the rear edge is not subjected to as much impact stresses at the crown leading edge, the overlap length does not need to be as lengthy. The rear overlap length D3, in accordance with the current embodiment of the present invention, may generally be less than about 6.5 mm, more preferably less than about 6 mm, and most preferably less than about 5 mm. The rear overlap length D3, as described in the present invention, may generally be the difference between the rearwardmost point 1128 of the crown portion 1110 and the forwardmost point 1126 of the rear sole recess 1123b at the rear of the body portion 1102 taken along the arc, and not just linearly.

In view of the dramatic difference in the crown transition overlap length D2 and the rear overlap length D3, it can be said that the present golf club head has a Ratio of Front to Rear Overlap Length of about greater than about 2.0, more preferably greater than about 2.5, and most preferably greater than about 3.0. The Ratio of Front to Rear Overlap Length defined by Equation (1) below:

Ratio
⁢

of
⁢

Front
⁢

to
⁢

Rear
⁢

Overlap
⁢

Length

=

Crown
⁢

transition
⁢

overlap
⁢

length
⁢

D
⁢
2

Rear
⁢

overlap
⁢

length
⁢

D
⁢
3

Eq
.

(
1
)

FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of the golf club head 1200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this cross-sectional view of the golf club head 1200 shown in FIG. 12, we can see that the distance of the hosel portion recess 1223c between the crown portion 1210 and the body portion 1202 has an hosel overlap length D4 of greater than about 8 mm, more preferably greater than about 9 mm, and most preferably greater than about 10 mm. This length D4 is shown to be taken at an angle of 45° offset from the hosel axis, but could be measured from any angle that is between 15° to about 75° all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. Moreover, the measurement of length D4 above is generally a measurement of the arc length as previously mentioned, despite it looking like a linear measurement in FIG. 12. Finally, similar to the discussion above, a separate ratio of Hosel to Rear Overlap Length may be established by Equation (2) below, defining the relationship between the two components.

Ratio
⁢

of
⁢

Hosel
⁢

to
⁢

Rear
⁢

Overlap
⁢

Length

=

Hosel
⁢

transition
⁢

overlap
⁢

length
⁢

D
⁢
4

Rear
⁢

overlap
⁢

length
⁢

D
⁢
3

Eq
.

(
2
)

The Hosel to Rear Overlap Ratio Length, in accordance with the present invention, may generally be greater than about 1.0, more preferably greater than about 1.5, and most preferably greater than about 2.0

FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head 1300 in accordance with a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this alternative embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 13, we can see that the golf club head 1300 is still comprised out of two main components, the body portion 1302 and the crown portion 1310 similar to previous discussions. However, in this alternative embodiment of the present invention, the metallic body portion 1302 is now formed out of three components, a main body chassis 1332, an upper hosel component 1306 and a lower hosel component 1338. The main body chassis 1332 may have an upper hosel opening 1305 and a lower hosel opening 1337, adapted to engage the upper hosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 respectively. The upper hosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 are generally formed independently and separately from the main body chassis 1332 and could even be formed out of different material to achieve different properties in the golf club head 1300 all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

The upper hosel component 1306 shown in this embodiment of the present invention may generally be made out of a lightweight polymer such as Kyronmax® S-2212 type of material from Mitsubishi Chemicals for it's lightweight and high strength properties. However, in alternative embodiments, the upper hosel component may also be made out of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, or even theoretically tungsten all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. Making the upper hosel component 1306 separately from the main body chassis 1332 reduces the machining needs to be done directly to the main body chassis 1332 and streamlines the manufacturing of this upper hosel component 1306.

The lower hosel component 1338 show in this embodiment of the present invention may generally be made out of stainless steel material for its ability to lower and move forward the center of gravity, which is often a desirable location for the center of gravity of a golf club head 1300. However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the lower hosel component 1338 may also be made out of aluminum, titanium, tungsten, or even the lightweight Kyronmax® S-2212 material mentioned above should it be helpful in achieving the desired CG location. Similar to the upper hosel component 1306 discussed above, making the lower hosel component 1338 separately also reduces the machining needs that needs to be done directly to the main body chassis 1332 and streamlines the manufacturing of the lower hosel component 1338 as well.

In addition to the benefit in manufacturing indicated above by removing the upper hosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 from the main body chassis 1332 to be formed out of the same component irrespective of the desired loft or dexterity of the golf club head, and only the crown portion 1310 and/or the upper hosel component 1306 and/or the lower hosel component 1338 needs to be changed to accomplish the variety of golf club heads throughout the entire line. In addition to the above, in an even further alternative embodiment, the upper hosel component 1306 and the lower hosel component 1338 could even engage differing main body chassis 1332 having different lofts to expand the applicability of these sub-components to different club heads all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. Finally, more detail regarding golf club heads 1300 having multiple components such as upper hosel component 1306 and lower hosel component 1338 could be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/075,642, filed on Dec. 6, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective view of an upper hosel component 1406 in accordance with a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, the upper hosel component 1406 may have one or more hosel ridges 1440 located around an external perimeter of the upper hosel component 1406. The hosel ridges 1440 help improve the aerodynamics of the golf club head itself in accordance with the present invention. The present invention, by making the upper hosel component 1406 out of a separate piece, not only opens up the ability for these components to be made out of different materials, reduce the complexity of manufacturing, but now also allows fine detailed features such as the hosel ridges 1440 to be manufactured to its exact precise dimensions. Under traditional casting techniques of manufacturing a golf club head, the exacting precision required for hosel ridges 1440 is hard to achieve. Even if these hosel ridges 1440 are to be added in post casting via machining techniques, it is hard to achieve the precision required. However, when these components are made separately as independent pieces they are shown here, they can be either MIM'ed (Metal Injection Molded) or independently machined all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

The hosel ridges 1440 shown in this embodiment in FIG. 14 may appear exclusively and only near the frontal portion of the upper hosel component 1406 to focus on the most aerodynamic portion of the upper hosel component 1406, which in this case, are two ridges located near the heel portion of each of the teeth 1442 used in the adjustable hosel system. However, in other embodiments, there could be more hosel ridges 1440, less hosel ridges 1440, even hosel ridges 1440 placed at different locations, all without departing from the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged perspective view of an upper hosel component 1506 in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention illustrating the various number and location of the hosel ridges 1540. A closer examination of the upper hosel component 1506 shown in FIG. 15 will show that this embodiment has several additional hosel ridges 1540 than the previous embodiment. More specifically, in this embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 15, a total of eight hosel ridges 1540 are used, being spaced in pairs that match the teeth 1442 with each pair being equal distance spaced around the perimeter of the upper hosel component 1506.

FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings shows a top-down view of an upper hosel component 1506 previously shown in FIG. 15, allowing each of the eight hosel ridges 1540 and their location around the upper hosel component 1506 to be shown more clearly. It should be noted that these hosel ridges 1540 can vary in size, shape, and location, depending on the aerodynamic needs of the golf club head all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. More information regarding the specific dimensions of the hosel ridges 1540 can be found in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0173349 to Steven S. Ogg, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 17 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of golf club head 1700 in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, the upper hosel component 1706 may be further formed out of two sub-components labeled as an upper hosel component base 1706-a and an upper hosel component tip 1706-b. As a result, the golf club head 1700 may be comprised out of a body portion 1702 that has a main body chassis 1732 having an upper hosel opening 1705 and a lower hosel opening 1737. The upper hosel component 1706 and the lower hosel component 1738 are adapted to engage the upper hosel opening 1705 and the lower hosel opening 1737 respectively, to completely form the body portion 1702. However, it should be noted here that the upper hosel component 1706 shown in this embodiment of the present invention is further comprised out of an upper hosel component base 1706-a and an upper hosel component tip 1706-b. Finally, the body portion 1702 is adapted to engage a crown portion 1710 to form the golf club head 1700. The separation of the upper hosel component 1706 into two sub-components comprising of the upper hosel component base 1706-a and the upper hosel component tip 1706-b further improves upon the performance of the golf club head 1700 by allowing more flexibility of material to be used for the upper hosel component 1706. By making the upper hosel component tip 1706-b and its teeth 1442 (shown in FIG. 14) as a separate piece from the upper hosel component base 1706-a, it allows the upper hosel component base 1706-a to be made from the same lightweight composite material as the crown portion 1710 that is also made from a lightweight composite material. Having these two components being made from the same material helps with the bond between the two components, as they can now be formed together without an adhesive. The bonding of the upper hosel component base 1706-a to the upper hosel component tip 1706-b can be achieved via a mechanical lock such as splines or knurling to resist rotation between the upper hosel component base 1706-a and the upper hosel component tip 1706-b in addition to using an adhesive.

The golf club head 1700 shown in this embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 17 could be preferred as it now allows more discretionary mass to improve the CG in addition reducing machining costs as well as improving the aesthetics of the golf club head 1700.

FIG. 18 of the accompanying drawings shows an enlarged exploded view of the upper hosel component 1706, allowing the locking mechanism to be shown more clearly. FIG. 18, due to it's enlarged views, allow the anti-rotation features between the upper hosel component base 1706-a and the upper hosel component tip 1706-b to be show more clearly. The anti-rotation features further comprise of a plurality of one or more indents 1742 placed within the recess of the upper hosel component base 1706-a configured to engage a plurality of one or more tabs 1744 that are placed around an external surface of the bottom of the upper hosel component tip 1706-b. The plurality of one or more tabs 1744 are designed to engage the plurality of one or more indents 1742 to mainly prevent rotational movement of the upper hosel component base 1706-a and the upper hosel component tip 1706-b, as the axial retention forces are going to be achieved via the screw at the bottom of the lower hosel component 1738 (shown in FIG. 17) and the shaft sleeve (not shown). In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the location of the one or more indents 1742 could be placed on the upper hosel component tip 1706-b while the one or more tabs 1744 could be placed on the upper hosel component base 1706-a, reversing the location of these anti-rotation features without departing from the scope and content of the present invention In even further alternative embodiment of the present invention, the indents 1742 and tabs 1744 combination could be splines, knurling, or any other types of anti-rotation mechanism without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

In addition to illustrating the internal anti-rotation features of the upper hosel component 1706, this enlarged view of the upper hosel component 1706 also illustrates that the hosel ridges 1740 can span across these two separate components to create a base hosel ridge 1740-a and a tip hosel ridge 1740-b without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the hosel ridges 1740 could be completely removed from the upper hosel component tip 1706-b to achieve similar aerodynamic benefits also without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings shows the upper hosel component tip 1706-b in a different orientation, allowing the tabs 1744 to be shown more clearly, as the previous views of the upper hosel component tip 1706-b conceals the shape of the tabs 1744. In this embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 19, the upper hosel component tip 1706-b comprises of 5 tabs 1744 all biased towards the toc side of the golf club head. However, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the location and exact number of tabs 1744 could vary all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. In one example the number of tabs 1744 could be biased towards the heel side of the golf club head, or in another example the number of tabs 1744 could be evenly spaced circumferentially around the upper hosel component tip 1706-b both without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

FIG. 20 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head 2000 in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this further alternative embodiment of the present invention, the golf club head 2000 still has a body portion 2002 located near a frontal portion of the golf club head 2000 with a crown opening that is adapted to engage a crown portion 2010. The body portion 2002 is further formed from a main body chassis 2032 that has an upper hosel opening 2005 and a lower hosel opening 2037, with the lower hosel opening 2037 adapted to engage a lower hosel component 2038. However, different from prior embodiment of the present invention, the golf club head 2000 here does not have an upper hosel component as a separate piece, but rather the upper hosel component 2006 is formed together with the crown portion 2010. Forming the upper hosel component 2006 together with the crown portion 2010 provides a seamless appearance to the entire golf club head 2000 with only slightly more manufacturing steps. The upper hosel component 2006 in this embodiment may be MIMed, and subsequently hybrid molded to the crown portion 2010.

FIG. 21 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head 2100 in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, the golf club head 2100 still has a body portion 2102 located near a frontal portion of the golf club head 2100 with a crown opening that is adapted to engage the crown portion 2110. The body portion 2102 is further formed from a main body chassis 2132 that has an upper hosel opening 2105, but without a lower hosel opening as shown in previous embodiments. The upper hosel opening 2105 shown in this embodiment may generally have a diameter D5 that is greater than about 15.0 mm, more preferably greater than about 16.0 mm, and most preferably greater than about 17.0 mm. It should be noted that although the upper hosel opening 2105 may generally be circular in shape, having a distinct diameter; the upper hosel opening 2105 may be oval in shape, rectangular in shape, square in shape, triangular in shape, or any other shape capable of providing an opening without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. Hence, it should be noted that the diameter D5 mentioned above could also refer to the width of the widest opening of any geometric shape in alternative embodiments of the present invention wherein the shape is not substantially circular without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. The opening in the bottom of the hosel shown in this embodiment of the golf club head 2100 is only intended to provide access to the screw for the adjustable hosel mechanism, and as such, there is no lower hosel component as shown in the previous embodiments.

In addition to not longer having a lower hosel component, the golf club head 2100 shown in FIG. 21 has the crown portion 2110 that forms a portion of the base of the upper hosel portion by having a secondary upper hosel opening 2150 having a diameter D6 that is substantially smaller than the upper hosel opening 2105 diameter D5. More specifically, the secondary upper hosel opening 2150 may have a diameter D6 of less than about 15.0 mm, more preferably less than 14.8 mm, and most preferably less than about 14.6 mm, all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. It should be noted here that it is critical that the diameter D6 of the secondary upper hosel opening 2150 is smaller than the diameter D5 of the upper hosel opening 2105, as this relationship facilitates more bonding surface area, allowing the hosel to be formed with sufficient structural rigidity.

In addition to showing a crown portion 2110 with an upper hosel opening 2105, FIG. 21 of the present invention also shows an upper hosel component 2106 that further comprises of an upper hosel component base portion 2106-a and an upper hosel component tip portion 2106-b, wherein the width of the upper hosel component base portion 2106-a is greater than the diameter D6 of the secondary upper hosel opening 2150 to help with the retention. This increase in the width of the base portion 2106-a could be achieved organically via its inherent geometry, or alternatively, it could be achieved using additional protrusions such as tabs similar to the embodiments discussed previously without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

Finally, FIG. 21 of the drawings also shows that the outer surface of the upper hosel opening 2150 of the crown portion 2110 may have a plurality of anti-rotation features 2142 that are adapted to engage a plurality of complimentary anti-rotation features 2144 on the upper hosel component 2106 to prevent the rotation of the upper hosel component 2106 from the crown portion 2110 that it's attached to. It should be noted that in this exemplary embodiment, the plurality of anti-rotation features 2142 may be a plurality of tabs, while the plurality of complimentary anti-rotation features 2144 may be a plurality of recesses similar to the embodiments discussed previously. However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the relationship may be reversed wherein the plurality of complimentary anti-rotation features 2142 may be a plurality of recesses, while the plurality of complimentary anti-rotation features 2144 may be a plurality of tabs, without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. In fact, the plurality of anti-rotation features 2142 and its plurality of complimentary anti-rotation features 2144 need not be tabs and recesses but could be any types of anti-rotation features capable of securing the two components all without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

FIG. 22 of the accompanying drawings shows a cross-sectional view of a golf club head 2100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention taken along a cross-sectional line that shows the relationship between the main body chassis 2132, the crown portion 2110, and the upper hosel component 2106. More specifically, in this cross-sectional view of the golf club head 2100 shown in FIG. 22, we can see that all three components work in conjunction to form the hosel of the golf club head 2100, with the crown portion 2110 attaching to the main body chassis 2132 via a recess, and with the upper hosel component overlayed on top of only the crown portion 2110. Alternatively speaking, it can be said that the crown portion 2110 completely separates the main body chassis 2132 from the upper hosel component 2106. Lastly, FIG. 22 shows a circular region C wherein an enlarged cross-sectional view of the hosel portion can be shown in more detail to illustrate the relationship and thickness of the various components.

FIG. 23 of the accompany drawings shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a hosel portion of a golf club head 2100 as illustrated by circular region C. In this enlarged cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 23, we can see that the upper most portion of the hosel is formed by the upper hosel component 2106, which engages the crown portion 2110, which subsequently engages the body chassis 2132. It is worth noting here that the thickness of the crown portion 2110 is critical to the proper performance of the inventive golf club head 2100, as it allows for such a unique hosel construction. Although the exact thicknesses of the crown portion 2110 may vary, it is absolutely critical for the thicknesses of the crown portion 2110 to decrease as it moves away from the shaft axis SA.

More specifically, we can see that the hosel supporting region inner radial thickness T1 of the crown portion 2110 closest to the shaft axis SA may generally be greater than about 1.50 mm, more preferably greater than about 1.55 mm, and most preferably greater than about 1.60 mm. The hosel supporting region inner radial thickness T1 is generally measured at a distance of 9.5 mm away from the shaft axis SA measured radially. The hosel supporting region intermediate radial thickness T2 may generally be between 1.00 mm to about 1.30 mm, more preferably between about 1.05 mm to about 1.20 mm, and most preferably about 1.10 mm at a distance of 17 mm away from the shaft axis SA measured radially. Finally, the hosel supporting region outer radial thickness T3 may generally be less than about 0.80 mm, more preferably less than about 0.70 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.65 mm at a distance of 32 mm away from the shaft axis SA measured radially. Based on the above radial thicknesses of T1, T2, and T3, we can once see that not only does the thickness of the crown portion 2110 decrease it gets away from the shaft axis SA, that increase is fairly drastic. Resultingly, it can be said that the Hosel Portion Crown Transition Slope is less than about −0.036, more preferably less than about −0.038, and most preferably less than about −0.045 over the first 22.5 mm of transition, excluding the central void portion that forms the hosel bore, wherein the Hosel Portion Crown Transition Slope is defined as:

Hosel
⁢

Portion
⁢

Crown
⁢

Transition
⁢

Slope

=

T
⁢
3

-

T
⁢
1

22.5

.

It is worth noting here that in this embodiment of the present invention, the upper hosel component 2106 is completely separated from the main body chassis 2132 by the crown portion 2110, a feature that is important to this embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 24, 25, and 26 of the accompanying drawings shows an exploded perspective view, a cross-sectional view, and an enlarged cross-sectional view of a golf club head 2400 in accordance with an even further alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the upper hosel component 2406 fits underneath the crown portion 2410 instead of above. In the exploded perspective view, it can be seen that the golf club head 2400 still has a body portion 2402 that has a body chassis 2432 with an upper hosel opening 2405 having a diameter D5. The body chassis 2432 may have a recess 2423 wherein the crown portion 2410 engages to connect the crown portion 2410 to the body chassis 2432 of the body portion 2402. The crown portion 2410, similar to the previous embodiment of the present invention, has a secondary upper hosel opening 2450 that has a second diameter D6 that is smaller than the diameter D5 of the upper hosel opening 2405. In this embodiment of the present invention, the upper hosel component 2406 may be placed underneath the crown portion 2410 to be in between the secondary upper hosel opening 2450 of the crown portion 2410 and the upper hosel opening 2405 of the body chassis 2432.

Similar to the previous embodiment, the upper hosel component 2406 in this embodiment may have an upper hosel component base portion 2406-a and an upper hosel component tip portion 2406-b, with the upper hosel component base portion 2406-a having a greatest width that is greater than the second diameter D6 to facilitate the retention of the upper hosel component 2406.

Similar to the embodiment above, the upper hosel component 2406 may have a plurality of anti-rotation features 2442 located near the upper hosel component base portion 2406-a that mate with a plurality of complimentary anti-rotation features 2444 around the secondary upper hosel opening 2450 of the crown portion 2410. However, due to the fact that the upper hosel component 2406 now fits internally within the secondary upper hosel opening 2450 instead of externally, the location of the anti-rotation features 2442 and its complimentary anti-rotation features 2444 may be flipped without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

Despite the slight difference in the location of the upper hosel component 2406 compared to the previous embodiment, this embodiment of the golf club head 2400 shown in FIGS. 24, 25, and 26 may also have very similar thicknesses and dimensions to achieve the same structural rigidity without departing from the scope and content of the present invention. More specifically, the thickness T1, T2, and T3 of the crown portion 2410 at the same distances will have similar thicknesses as previously discussed, as well as similar Hosel Portion Crown Transition Slopes.

It should be noted that most of the embodiments discussed here aims to create a releasable hosel hole cover, however, all of these embodiments may include glue to make the hosel hole cover stay within the hosel hole, removing the ability to remove the hosel hole cover without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

Other than in the operating example, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values and percentages such as those for amounts of materials, moment of inertias, center of gravity locations, loft, draft angles, various performance ratios, and others in the aforementioned portions of the specification may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear in the value, amount, or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the above specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Furthermore, when numerical ranges of varying scope are set forth herein, it is contemplated that any combination of these values inclusive of the recited values may be used.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the present invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.