GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH CONCAVE INSERT

• US 20100130305A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Soracco, Peter L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,545 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 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-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 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising a plurality of body members cooperatively defining an interior volume, wherein the plurality of body members comprise

a first body member having a sole portion and a face portion;

and

a second body member coupled to the first body member along a first portion of a skirt, wherein the second body member comprises a second skirt portion having a concave indentation extending into the interior volume and at least one convex bulge extending away from the interior volume.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one weight member is positioned within the at least one convex bulge.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second body member forms a portion of a crown of the club head.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first body member comprises a metallic material, and wherein the second body member comprises a light-weight metal alloy, a plastic, or a composite material.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first body member comprises a first material having a first density, and wherein second body member comprises a second material having a second density less than said first density.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first body member comprises a first material having a first thickness, and wherein the second body member comprises a second material having a second thickness less than said first thickness.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the first thickness is from 0.03 inch to 0.05 inch, and wherein second thickness is from 0.015 inch to 0.025 inch.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight member is has a mass from 1 gram to 50 grams.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one convex bulge comprises a first convex bulge located on a heel side of the club head and a second convex bulge is located on a toe side of the club head.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the at least one weight member comprises a first weight member positioned within the first convex bulge and a second weight member positioned within the second convex bulge.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the first weight member has a greater mass than the second weight member.

12. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the second weight member has a greater mass than the first weight member.

13. A golf club head, comprising a plurality of body members cooperatively defining an interior volume, wherein the plurality of body members comprise

a first body member having a sole portion and a face portion, wherein the first body member has a first thickness;

and

a second body member coupled to the first body member along a skirt portion, wherein the second body member comprises at least one concave indentation extending into the interior volume and at least one convex bulge extending away from the interior volume, wherein the second body member has a second thickness less than the first thickness, and wherein a weight member is positioned within the at least one convex bulge.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the first thickness is from 0.03 inch to 0.05 inch, and wherein the second thickness is from 0.015 inch to 0.025 inch.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the at least one concave indentation is positioned at the back of the club head.

16. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the at least one convex bulge comprises a first convex bulge on a heel side of the club head and a second convex bulge on a toe side of the club head.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the first and second convex bulges each comprise weight members positioned within, and wherein the weight members have substantially equal masses.

18. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the first and second convex bulges each comprise weight members positioned within, and wherein one of the weight members has a greater mass than the other.

19. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the plurality of body members further comprises a third body member comprising a crown.

20. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the second body member comprises a crown.