Golf club head

• US 20040005936A1
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Imamoto, Yasunori, Iida, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,147,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/344
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A hollow golf club head has a face portion, a sole portion, a side portion, a crown portion, and a hosel portion. A main portion of the crown portion is made of fiber reinforced plastic. At least the face portion and the front edge portion of the crown portion continuing to the face portion are made of metal. A circumferential edge portion of the crown portion made of fiber reinforced plastic is joined to the rear end surface and the internal surface of the metal front edge portion of the crown portion.

Claims

1. A hollow golf club head comprising:

a face portion;

a sole portion;

a side portion;

a crown portion; and

a hosel portion,

wherein a first part of the crown portion is made of fiber reinforced plastic;

wherein at least the face portion and a second part of the crown portion continued to the face portion are made of metal; and

wherein the first part of the crown portion is joined to a rear end surface and an internal surface of the second part of the crown portion.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1,

wherein a front edge portion of the side portion and a front edge portion of the sole portion are made of metal and continue to the face portion;

wherein a portion a center of the sole portion in a toe/heel-direction is made of metal continuing to the front edge portion of the sole portion; and

wherein the center portion of the sole portion extends to a rear surface portion of the golf club head.

3. The golf club head according to claim 2,

wherein a portion made of fiber reinforced plastic continuing to the first part of the crown portion forms a rear portion of the side portion and opposite side portions of a rear portion of the sole portion in a toe/heel-direction.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1,

wherein the first part of the crown portion is lower in rigidity in a front/rear direction of the golf club head than that in a toe/heel direction of the golf club head.

5. A hollow golf club head comprising:

a first portion made of fiber reinforced plastic, including a first part of a crown portion;

a second portion made of metal, including a face portion and a second part of the crown portion continuing to the face portion,

wherein the first portion is joined to an end surface and an internal surface of the second portion.