METAL WOOD CLUB WITH IMPROVED MOMENT OF INERTIA

• US 20120322579A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Golden, Charles E., De La Cruz, Noah, Callinan, Daniel S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,636,610 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head having at least two discrete weight members positioned on the sole to optimize moment of inertia is disclosed. A first weight member is located toward and substantially parallel with the face edge of the sole. A second member is located toward the back of the sole and substantially centered between the heel and toe edges of the sole. In one embodiment, a golf club head includes a sole comprising four sections and wherein a rib of material connects two of said sections. In another embodiment, a golf club head includes a cavity formed between the crown and sole and having an opening at the back of the club head. In yet another embodiment, a golf club head is tapered to form a waist and has a back that has a bowed-shape.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising a face, crown, skirt, hosel and sole,

wherein the sole comprises at least a first weight member, a second weight member, and a non-weighted section;

wherein the first weight member is located toward and substantially parallel to the face edge of the sole and is substantially centered between a toe edge and a heel edge of the sole, and

wherein the second weight member is located toward a back edge of the sole and is substantially centered between the toe edge and heel edge of the sole,

wherein the non-weighted section completes the remainder of the sole,

wherein the first and second weight members have a higher density than the non-weighted section of the sole or have a higher thickness than the non-weighted section of the sole to increase the moment of inertia of the golf club head,

further comprising a cavity formed between the crown and the sole, and

wherein the cavity forms a protrusion extending out from the skirt of the golf club head,

wherein the sole further comprises four sections,

wherein a first section has an edge coinciding with the entire face edge of the sole and which tapers as it extends back toward the back edge of the sole forming a waist and which then flutes slightly at its terminating edge, and

wherein a second section has a bow-shape and a first edge coinciding and connecting with the terminating edge of the first section and a second edge that extends off of the sole, unconnected to the skirt or crown, to form the back edge of the sole such that the extremities of the bow-shaped second section extend beyond the terminal end of the crown of the golf club head to form the cavity between the crown and the sole, and

wherein a third section comprises the area between the toe edge of the sole and the first section and which has a terminating edge that comprises a portion of the edge of said cavity, and

wherein a fourth section comprises the area between the heel edge of the sole and the first section and which has a terminating edge that comprises a portion of the edge of said cavity.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the third and fourth sections comprise the same material as the skirt and crown and wherein no ornamental or structural seams exist between said sections and skirt and crown.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the third and fourth sections are depressed with respect to the first and section sections such that the sole has a varied elevation.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the first weight is located within the first section and wherein the second weight is located within the second section.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the second weight comprises all or a substantial portion of the second section.

6. A golf club head comprising a face, a crown, a skirt, a hosel and a sole,

wherein the sole comprises at least a first weight member, a second weight member, and a non-weighted section;

wherein the first weight member is located toward and substantially parallel to the face edge of the sole and is substantially centered between a toe edge and a heel edge of the sole, and

wherein the second weight member is located towards a back edge of the sole and is substantially centered between the toe edge and heel edge of the sole,

wherein the first and second weight members form a weighted section and have a higher density than the non-weighted section of the sole to increase the moment of inertia of the golf club head, and

wherein a side edge section and a back edge section of the second weight member are not attached to any part of the sole.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the second weight member is bow-shaped.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the second weight member has a back edge that curves toward the sole.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the second weight member comprises two separate sub-weights, wherein a first sub-weight is located toward the back and toe edge of the bow-shaped weight member, and a second sub-weight is located toward the back and heel edge of the bow-shaped weight member.

10. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the second weight member and the sole combine to create a terminus cavity at the back of the club head.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the sole further comprises four section,

wherein a first section comprises the area beginning at the face edge and continuing back approximately one-third of the length of the sole and which extends along the length of the face edge, and

wherein a second section begins at the back edge and extends toward the face edge about one-third of the length of the sole, and

wherein a third section comprises the area between the toe edge and the first and second sections and a rib that connects the first and second sections, and

wherein a fourth section comprises the area between the heel edge and the first and second sections and the rib that connects the first and second sections.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third and fourth sections comprises the same material as the skirt and crown and wherein no ornamental or structural seams exist between the sections and the skirt and crown.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third and fourth sections comprise composite.

14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third and fourth sections are depressed with respect to the first and second sections such that the sole has a varied elevation.

15. A golf club head comprising a face, a crown, a skirt, a hosel and a sole,

wherein the sole comprises at least a first weight member, a second weight member, and a non-weighted section;

wherein the first weight member is located toward and substantially parallel to the face edge of the sole and is substantially centered between a toe edge and a heel edge of the sole, and

wherein the second weight member is located towards a back edge of the sole and is substantially centered between the toe edge and heel edge of the sole,

wherein the first and second weight members form a weighted section and have a higher density than the non-weighted section of the sole to increase the moment of inertia of the golf club head,

wherein a side edge section and a back edge section of the second weight member are not attached to any part of the sole, and

wherein the second weight member has a back edge that curves toward the sole.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the second weight member and the sole combine to create a terminus cavity at the back of the club head.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the first weight member is located between about 1.0 and about 4.0 cm from the face edge of the sole.