Golf club head

• US 20070238551A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Yokota, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,572,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprises: a face portion having a front face forming a club face and a rear face facing a hollow; a sole portion extending backward from the face portion and having an outer surface forming an undersurface of the head and an inner surface facing the hollow, the sole portion provided with a tubular part whose hole forms a socket; and a weight member secured in the socket. The tubular part protrudes from the inner surface of the sole portion into the hollow. The sole portion is provided on the outer surface with at least one stiffening groove so that said at least one stiffening groove forms at least one stiffening rib on the,inner surface of the sole portion, and the stiffening groove is partially included in a vicinity zone which is defined as extending 10 mm from the socket.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion having a front face forming a club face and a rear face facing a hollow;

a sole portion extending backward from the face portion and having an inner surface facing the hollow and an outer surface forming an undersurface of the head, the sole portion provided with a tubular part whose hole forms a socket; and

a weight member secured in the socket,

wherein

the tubular part protrudes from the inner surface of the sole portion into the hollow,

the sole portion is provided on the outer surface with at least one stiffening groove so that said at least one stiffening groove forms at least one stiffening rib on the inner surface of the sole portion, and

the stiffening groove is partially included in a vicinity zone which is defined as extending 10 mm from the socket.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

said at least one stiffening groove is not connected to the socket.

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

said at least one stiffening groove is a plurality of grooves extending radially from the socket, each starting from a starting point within the vicinity zone.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

said at least one stiffening groove passes by the socket.

5. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein

the minimum distance between the socket and each said at least one stiffening groove is not less than 1.0 mm and less than 10.0 mm.

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

said at least one stiffening groove extends, starting from the socket.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

said at least one stiffening groove is a plurality of grooves extending radially from the socket, each starting from the socket.

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

each said stiffening groove has a length of not less than 15 mm and an opening width of from 1 to 10 mm.

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

the socket comprises:

a threaded inner part having a first inside diameter at the top of the thread; and

an outer part having a second inside diameter larger than the first inside diameter, and

the weight member comprises;

a threaded part engaging with the threaded part of the socket; and

an increased-diameter part placed within the outer part of the socket.

10. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein

the minimum distance between the socket and each said at least one stiffening groove is not less than 1.0 mm and less than 10.0 mm.

11. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein

the minimum distance between the socket and each said at least one stiffening groove is not less than 1.0 mm and less than 10.0 mm.