GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20100048324A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroshi, Ban, Wataru, Wada, Kozue
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0633 without electronic means
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

There is provided a golf club head that produces a loud hitting sound satisfying the golfer even if the volume of the golf club head having a hollow structure is increased to at least about 400 cc. A golf club head 1 having a hollow structure comprises a face part 2, a side part 3 comprising a back side, a sole part 4, a crown part 5, and a hosel part 9 having a shaft insertion hole, and the crown part 5. The crown part comprises a thick region 6 and a thin region 8. The thick region 6 extends through a distance W_A of at least about 20 mm from the center axis line C of the shaft insertion hole toward the highest point T of the crown part 5 and extends through a distance W_B of at least about 30 mm from the center axis line C of the shaft insertion hole toward the back side so that the crown part 5 has the first-order natural frequency of at least about 3000 Hz.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a hollow structure, which is made of a metal and has a volume of at least about 400 cubic centimeters, comprising:

a hosel part having a shaft insertion hole;

a crown part comprising a thin region and a thick region;

a face part,

a sole part, and

a side part comprising a back side;

wherein the thick region of the crown part extends through a distance WA of at least about 20 millimeters from a center axis line C of the shaft insertion hole toward the highest point T of the crown part and extends through a distance WB of at least about 30 millimeters from the center axis line C toward the back side so that the crown part has the first-order natural frequency of at least about 3000 hertz.

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

a body member comprising the sole part, the side part, the face part, and at least a part of the crown part having an opening; and

a crown member which closes the opening and is joined to the body member,

wherein the body member has a partially thick structure extending from the sole part to the side or face part.

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

a body member comprising the sole part, the side part, the crown part, and at least a part of the face part having an opening; and

a crown member which closes the opening and is joined to the body member,

wherein the body member has a partially thick structure extending from the sole part to the side or face part.

4. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the partially thick structure is one rib or a plurality of ribs each having a shape extending substantially in the vertical direction from the inner surfaces of the sole part and the side part or face part.

5. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein the horizontal length of the rib from the sole part to the side part or face part is at least about 40 millimeters.

6. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein the thickness of the rib in a tip end part on the head center side is smaller than that in a part in which the rib is in contact with the inner surfaces of the sole part and the side part or face part.