METAL WOOD CLUB WITH IMPROVED MOMENT OF INERTIA

• US 20100279793A1
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Harvell, Christopher D., Burnett, Michael Scott, Murphy, Stephen S., Meyer, Jeffrey W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,100,781 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 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A more efficient triangular shape for metal wood clubs or driver clubs is disclosed. This triangular shape allows the clubs to have higher rotational moments of inertia in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and a lower center of gravity.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a high moment of inertia and a low center of gravity comprising:

a hitting surface;

an aft wall;

a heel wall connecting the hitting surface to the aft wall; and

a toe wall connecting the hitting surface to the aft wall,

wherein the golf club head has a volume of greater than about 450 cc, wherein the moment of inertia, I_xx, is the moment of inertia about the horizontal axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head, and a moment of inertia, I_yy, is the moment of inertia about a vertical axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head and is about 4730 g·

cm² to about 5830 g·

cm², the ratio of I_xx/I_yy is between 0.665 and 0.754 to improve the rotational moments of inertia for off center hits in the vertical direction, and wherein from a top view of the golf club head, the heel wall and the toe wall each contain a substantially straight portion.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the club head has an I_xx/I_yy ratio greater than about 0.700.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the I_xx/I_yy ratio is about 0.721 to about 0.754.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity is between 0.807 and 1.017 inches behind a shaft axis.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a face portion is comprised of titanium and a mid-section portion is formed from carbon fiber composites.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a volume of the club head aft of the center of gravity is less than 8% of that of a pear shaped driver.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a trapezoidal shaped crown.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the widest part of the club head from the heel wall to the toe wall is about 5 inches.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the longest part of the club head from the hitting surface to the aft wall is about 5 inches.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the hitting surface has a height of about 2 inches to about 2.8 inches.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the hitting surface has a length from the heel wall to the toe wall of about 4 inches.