Golf club head

• US 20040043830A1
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Imamoto, Yasunori
• Granted Patent: US 7,207,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head having a head body, a face plate fixedly attached to the front surface of the head body, a weight fixedly attached to the front surface of the sole portion of the head body, and an elastic body charged into a first recess portion of the golf club head. The elastic body is compressed to stick fast to the rear surface of the face plate. The lower portion of the head body having first and second recess portions is formed as a bulging portion bulging at the rear of the head body. The JIS C hardness of the elastic body is preferably 15-80, more preferably 18-70, most preferably 20-60.

Claims

1. A golf club head made of metal, comprising:

a face surface; and

a head body;

wherein;

the head body includes a first hollow portion;

an elastic body is inserted into the first hollow portion; and

the first hollow portion is formed only in a lower portion of the head body.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is one of an iron type golf club head and a utility type golf club head.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

the elastic body is inserted into the first hollow portion while being compressed; and

the elastic body sticks fast to a wall portion in the first hollow portion.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the head body further includes a second hollow portion communicating with the first hollow portion.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

the head body further includes a hosel portion;

a face plate forming the face surface is attached to a front surface of the head body;

the head body has an opening portion penetrating an upper portion of the head body in a back/forth direction thereof;

the head body has a recess portion in a lower portion of the head body, the recess portion being open to the face surface; and

the first hollow portion is formed in the recess portion.

6. The golf club head according to claim 5, wherein:

a recess step portion to which the face plate is fitted is provided in the front surface of the head body; and

a circumferential edge portion of the face plate fitted to the recess step portion is engaged with the head body by caulking the circumferential edge portion of the face plate.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body is made of thermoplastic elastomer.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein JIS C hardness of the elastic body is in a range of 15-80.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body is present in hitting height HT at a center of the golf club head in a width direction thereof, the hitting height HT being defined by:

HT(mm)=(42.67/2)cos θ

where θ

designates a loft angle of the golf club head.

10. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein an opening area of the first hollow portion is larger than that of the second hollow portion.

11. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein a volume of the first hollow portion is larger than that the second hollow portion.

12. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein a volume of the first hollow portion is 3-30 times as large as that of the second hollow portion.

13. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein the elastic body is absent in the second hollow portion.