Golf club head

• US 20050026722A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Hisashi, Imamoto, Yasunori
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club head includes a front body formed of a metal material, an FRP body, a metallic sole plate, and a weight member. The front body has a face portion, a metal sole portion, a metal side portion (toe), a metal crown portion, a metal side portion (heel), and a hosel portion. A slight gap in a range of 4 mm to 12 mm is formed between a front side of the sole plate and the metal sole portion. This part is formed of the FRP body. Preferably, the metal material of the front body includes a titanium-based alloy or a zirconium-based amorphous alloy. The sole plate is made of stainless steel.

Claims

1. A golf club head of a hollow shell structure, comprising:

a first member that includes a metal material and includes a face portion and an edge portion continuous with the face portion;

a metal plate that is different member from the first member, extends in a direction, which is different from a toe-heel direction of the golf club head, and includes at least a part of sole portion; and

a second member formed of a fiber reinforced resin, wherein;

the first member and the metal plate are apart from each other; and

the second member joints the first member with the metal plate.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the metal plate made of a metal material, which is larger in specific gravity than the metal material of the first member.

3. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the metal material of the metal plate includes stainless steel.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a weight member that is fixed to the metal plate and is larger in specific gravity than the metal plate.

5. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein the metal plate defines a cylindrical portion to which the weight member is fixed.

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

volume of the golf club head is in a range of 300 cc to 500 cc; and

weight of the golf club head is in a range of 180 g to 210 g.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the second member between the first member and the metal plate recesses from the metal plate and a bottom surface of the first member.

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

the first member is formed by forging; and

the first member includes a hose portion formed by machining.

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

the first member includes a crown portion and a sole portion;

widths of the crown portion and the sole portion of the first member on a heel side and a toe side are larger than that in a center portion thereof.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the metal material of the first member includes a titanium-based metal.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the metal material of the first member includes an amorphous metal.