GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20110028243A1
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroshi, MATSUNAGA, Hideo, Kubota, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 8,187,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A golf club head includes a face member having a ball-striking face and an oval thick portion positioned in a central portion of the ball-striking face. The oval thick portion has an oval shape having recesses formed by recessing both sides in a major axis direction in an arc-shaped fashion. The recesses are directed to a toe-side upper portion and a heel-side lower portion. The thickness of the thick portion becomes thickest at a central portion and is gradually reduced from the central portion towards the periphery. The face member is formed such that a portion outside the thick portion is thinner than the thick portion. An occupancy rate of the oval thick portion in the ball-striking face is in a range of 25 to 45%.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a face member made of a metal material;

wherein the face member includes a ball-striking face, and an oval thick portion positioned in a central portion of the ball-striking face;

the oval thick portion has an oval shape viewed in a direction crossing the ball-striking face, the oval shape having recesses formed by recessing both sides of the oval shape in a major axis direction thereof along the face member in an arc-shaped fashion;

the oval thick portion is formed on the face member such that the recesses are directed to a toe-side upper portion and a heel-side lower portion, respectively;

the oval thick portion has a thickness that becomes thickest at a central portion of the oval thick portion and is gradually reduced from the central portion towards a periphery of the oval thick portion;

the face member is formed such that a portion which lies outside the thick portion is thinner than the oval thick portion; and

an occupancy rate of the oval thick portion in the ball-striking face is in a range of 25 to 45%,

wherein an occupancy rate of the toe-side upper portion and the heel-side lower portion in a portion of the ball-striking face which excludes the oval thick portion is 60% or more.

2. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the face member excluding the thick portion is 2.5 mm or less.

3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recesses in the oval thick portion viewed in the direction crossing the ball-striking face are concave relative to a location outside of the oval thick portion.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein an inclination of the major axis of the oval thick portion is in a range from 10°

to 30°

from a horizontal line tangent to a sole of the golf club head.

5. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature of the recesses is from 12 mm to 25 mm;

and a radius of curvature of arcs of crown and sole sides of the oval thick portion is from 35 mm to 60 mm.

15. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a major axis, and a minor axis of the oval shape is in a range of 5:

4 to 5;

6.

6. A golf club head, comprising:

a face member made of a metal material;

wherein the face member includes a ball-striking face, and an oval thick portion positioned in a central portion of the ball-striking face;

the oval thick portion has an oval shape viewed in a direction crossing the ball-striking face, the oval shape having recesses formed by recessing both sides in a major axis direction in an arc-shaped fashion;

the oval thick portion is formed on the face member such that the recesses are directed to a toe-side upper portion and a heel-side lower portion, respectively;

the oval thick portion has a thickness that becomes thickest at a central portion of the oval thick portion and is gradually reduced from the central portion towards a periphery of the oval thick portion;

the face member is formed such that a portion which lies outside the thick portion is thinner than the oval thick portion; and

an occupancy rate of the oval thick portion in the ball-striking face is in a range of 25 to 45%,

wherein the recesses in the oval thick portion viewed in the direction crossing the ball-striking face are concave relative to a location outside of the oval thick portion.

7. The golf club head as claimed in claim 6, wherein an occupancy rate of the toe-side upper portion and the heel-side lower portion in a portion of the ball-striking face which excludes the oval thick portion is 60% or more.

8. The golf club head as claimed in claim 6, wherein a thickness of the face member excluding the thick portion is 2.5 mm or less.

9. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein an inclination of the major axis of the oval thick portion is in a range from 10°

to 30°

from a horizontal line tangent to a sole of the golf club head.

16. The golf club head according to claim 6, wherein a ratio of a major axis and a minor axis of the oval shape is in a range of 5:

4 to 5;

6.

10. A golf club head, comprising:

a face member made of a metal material;

wherein the face member includes a ball-striking face, and an oval thick portion positioned in a central portion of the ball-striking face;

the oval thick portion has an oval shape viewed in a direction crossing the ball-striking face, the oval shape having recesses formed by recessing both sides in a major axis direction in an arc-shaped fashion;

the oval thick portion is formed on the face member such that the recesses are directed to a toe-side upper portion and a heel-side lower portion, respectively;

the oval thick portion has a thickness that becomes thickest at a central portion of the oval thick portion and is gradually reduced from the central portion towards a periphery of the oval thick portion;

the face member is formed such that a portion which lies outside the thick portion is thinner than the oval thick portion; and

an occupancy rate of the oval thick portion in the ball-striking face is in a range of 25 to 45%,

wherein a radius of curvature of the recesses is from 12 mm to 25 mm; and

a radius of curvature of arcs of crown and sole sides of the oval thick portion is from 35 mm to 60 mm.

11. The golf club head as claimed in claim 10, wherein an occupancy rate of the toe-side upper portion and the heel-side lower portion in a portion of the ball-striking face which excludes the oval thick portion is 60% or more.

12. The golf club head as claimed in claim 10, wherein a thickness of the face member excluding the thick portion is 2.5 mm or less.

13. The golf club head as claimed in claim 10, wherein the recesses in the oval thick portion viewed in the direction crossing the ball-striking face are concave relative to a location outside of the oval thick portion.

14. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein an inclination of the major axis of the oval thick portion is in a range from 10°

to 30°

from a horizontal line tangent to a sole of the golf club head.

17. The golf club head according to claim 10, wherein a ratio of a major axis and a minor axis of the oval shape is in a range of 5:

4 to 5;

6.