Iron golf club head

• US 10,293,224 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Norimura, Takahiro, Hayashi, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US16/032,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20190015710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

An iron golf club head comprises; a head main body including a club face provided with score lines; a weight member having a specific gravity larger than that of the head main body; and a fixing member having a specific gravity larger than that of the head main body and less than that of the weight member, and fixed to the head main body by welding so as to cover the weight member. In a forward tilting state of the club head in which the score lines are horizontal and the club face is vertical, the distance D in the perpendicular direction to the club face from the backmost position of the club head to the center of gravity of the weight member is not more than 47.3% of the maximum thickness W of the club head which is the shortest distance from the backmost position of the club head to the club face.

Claims

1. An iron golf club head comprising:

a head main body including a club face provided with score lines,

a weight member having a specific gravity larger than that of the head main body, and

a fixing member having a specific gravity larger than that of the head main body and less than that of the weight member, and fixed to the head main body by welding so as to cover the weight member,

wherein

in a forward tilting state of the club head in which the score lines are horizontal and the club face is vertical, the distance D in the perpendicular direction to the club face from the backmost position of the club head to the center of gravity of the weight member is not more than 47.3% of the maximum thickness W of the club head which is the shortest distance from the backmost position of the club head to the club face.

2. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the distance D is not more than 40.0% of the maximum thickness W of the club head.

3. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the depth L of the center of gravity is not less than 27.0% of the maximum thickness W of the club head.

4. The iron golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the depth L of the center of gravity is not less than 27.0% of the maximum thickness W of the club head.

5. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the depth L of the center of gravity is not less than 27.5% of the thickness Wt of the club head at the position of the toe-side most end of the score lines.

6. The iron golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the depth L of the center of gravity is not less than 27.5% of the thickness Wt of the club head at the position of the toe-side most end of the score lines.

7. The iron golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the depth L of the center of gravity is not less than 27.5% of the thickness Wt of the club head at the position of the toe-side most end of the score lines.

8. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is completely covered with the fixing member, and the fixing member forms at least a part of the back face of the head main body.

9. The iron golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the weight member is completely covered with the fixing member, and the fixing member forms at least a part of the back face of the head main body.

10. The iron golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the weight member is completely covered with the fixing member, and the fixing member forms at least a part of the back face of the head main body.

11. The iron golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the weight member is completely covered with the fixing member, and the fixing member forms at least a part of the back face of the head main body.

12. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is disposed in a concave portion of the head main body.

13. The iron golf club head according to claim 12, wherein The concave portion is positioned in a sole of the club head forming the bottom face of the club head.

14. The iron golf club head according to claim 12, wherein the concave portion has a pair of slant faces arranged in a taper fashion tapering towards the bottom of the concave portion, and the weight member contacts with the slant faces but does not contact with the bottom so as to form a gap therebetween.

15. The iron golf club head according to claim 13, wherein the concave portion has a pair of slant faces arranged in a taper fashion tapering towards the bottom of the concave portion, and the weight member contacts with the slant faces but does not contact with the bottom so as to form a gap therebetween.

16. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the position in the toe-heel direction, of the center of gravity of the weight member is positioned within a range between the position in the toe-heel direction, of the toe-side most end of the score lines and the position in the toe-heel direction, of the heel-side most end of the score lines.

17. The iron golf club head according to claim 1, weldability of the head main body is low with respect to the weight member but high with respect to the fixing member.