Golf club head

• US 20080125246A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Kiyofumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,614,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 hollow golf club head comprises a face portion having a front face defining a clubface and a rear face facing the hollow. The face portion is provided in the rear face with a central protrusion and a plurality of radial protrusions extending radially from the central protrusion towards the peripheral edge of the face portion. The radial protrusions include at least one variable-width radial protrusion having a variable width increasing towards the peripheral edge from the radially inside. Preferably, a variable-width radial protrusion extending towards the crown portion, and a variable-width radial protrusion extending towards the sole portion of the club head are included.

Claims

1. A hollow golf club head comprising a face portion having a front face defining a clubface and a rear face facing the hollow, the face portion provided in the rear face with a central protrusion and a plurality of radial protrusions extending radially from the central protrusion towards the peripheral edge of the face portion, whereby, between the radial protrusions, resultant reduced-thickness parts extending radially from the central protrusion towards the peripheral edge of the face portion are formed, wherein

the radial protrusions include at least one variable-width radial protrusion having a width increasing towards the peripheral edge from the radially inside.

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

the central protrusion comprises a main part having a substantially constant thickness of from 2.5 to 4.0 mm, and a thickness-transitional part surrounding the main part,

the radial protrusions have a thickness less than the thickness of the main part,

the reduced-thickness parts have a minimum thickness of 1.6 to 3.0 mm, and

the thickness-transitional part has a thickness decreasing towards the peripheral edge so as to merge with the radial protrusions.

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

the minimum width of the variable-width radial protrusion occurs near or at the radially inner end thereof, and

the ratio of the maximum width to the minimum width of the variable-width radial protrusion is in a range of 1.1 to 5.0.

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

at least one of the reduced-thickness parts which is adjacent to said at least one variable-width radial protrusion has a substantially constant width.

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

the increasing of the width of the variable-width radial protrusion is continuous.

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

the increasing of the width of the variable-width radial protrusion is stepwise.

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

said at least one variable-width radial protrusion includes two variable-width radial protrusions which extend towards a crown and a sole of the club head.

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

a vertical line passing through the sweet spot of the clubface is included within the widths of said two variable-width radial protrusions.

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

said at least one variable-width radial protrusion includes two variable-width radial protrusions which extend towards a toe and a heel of the club head.