GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20070298907A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• 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 7,520,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• 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

Abstract

A golf club head includes a front body formed of a titanium-based 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 is formed between a front side of the sole plate and the metal sole portion. Preferably, the front body is made of a titanium alloy, while the sole plate is made of stainless steel. The height of center of gravity (mm) and the head volume V have a relationship of H≦0.05V+7.5.

Claims

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

a first member that includes titanium-based metal material and includes a face portion and an edge portion continuous with the face portion, and

a metal plate that is separate and spaced apart 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;

wherein;

H≦

0.05V+7.5

where V denotes volume of the golf club head in cc unit, and H denotes height of center of gravity of the golf club head in mm unit and

wherein the metal plate is made of a metal material, which is larger in specific gravity than the titanium-based metal material.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 28 mm.

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

a second member formed of a fiber reinforced resin.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein weight of the first member is in a range of 20% to 60% of weight of the golf club head.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a hosel portion is integrally formed with the face portion.

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

a weight member that is fixed to the metal plate.

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

volume of the golf club head is in a range of 300 cc to 470 cc; and

weight of the golf club head is in a range of 180 g to 240 g.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 300 cc to 350 cc; and

the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 23.5 mm.

9. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 350 cc to 400 cc; and

the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 25.5 mm.

10. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 400 cc to 470 cc; and

the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 28 mm.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a gap of 7 mm to 9 mm is formed between a front side of the metal plate and the first member.

12. The golf club head according to claim 6, wherein the metal plate comprises a cylindrical portion having a threaded inner hole, and the weight member is threadedly secured to the inner hole.

13. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the second member directly abuts an inside surface of the first member around a periphery of the club head, and wherein edges of the first and second members are in contact along a crown portion of the first and second members.

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

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

a second member formed of a fiber reinforced resin;

a metal plate made of a metal material, which is larger in specific gravity than the titanium-based metal material, that is separate and spaced apart 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 weight member formed of a metal whose specific gravity is greater than that of the metal plate;

wherein;

H≦

0.05V+7.5

where V denotes volume of the golf club head in cc unit, and H denotes height of center of gravity of the golf club head in mm unit.

15. The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein a center of the weight member is placed astern of center of gravity of the golf club head.

16. The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the weight member comprises one of tungsten or a tungsten alloy.

17. The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the specific gravity of the weight member is greater than 10.