All-metallic golf club head

• US 4,489,945 A
• Filed: 03/12/1982
• Issued: 12/25/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maruman Golf Kabushikikaisha
• Original Assignee: Muruman Golf Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US06/357,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 K, 273/167 H, 273/169, 273/170, 273/171, 273/172, 273/80.5, 273/80.6
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 60/52 with slits

Abstract

An all metallic club head including a hollow body and a sole plate attached in a cut-out in the hollow body. The hollow body includes a front wall providing a generally flat impact face of a club head, a top wall defining a generally round upper side of the club head, a rear wall defining a back of the club head and a bottom wall providing the cut-out through which the hollow body opens downwards and a hosel extending integrally from the top wall. The front wall has a lower half which increases its thickness towards the edge of the cut-out. The sole plate is provided on its inner side with a raise extending longitudinally adjacent to the lower end of the front wall to form a weighting block on the heel side and a further weighting block on the toe side of the club head. The toe side weighting block is heavier than the heel side weighting block.

Claims

1. An all-metallic golf club head comprising a hollow body formed of cast metal and ;

including a front wall providing a generally flat impact face of the club head, a top wall defining a generally round upper side of the clup head, a rear wall defining a back of the club head, a bottom wall providing the edge of a cutout through which said hollow body opens downwards and a hosel extending integrally from said top wall at the heel side of the club head, a lower part of said hosel extending downwardly into said hollow body toward said bottom wall, wherein said front wall the lower half of which increases its thickness toward said edge of said cutout, and the heel end of said lower half of said front wall lies under said lower part of said hosel, and

a sole plate formed of cast metal and attached in said cutout in close conformity with the configuration of said cutout of said hollow body and provided on its inner, forward side thereof with a raised portion extending longitudinally adjacent to the lower end of said front wall to form a weighting block on the heel side and a further weighting block on the toe side of the club head, wherein said toe-side weighting block is heavier than said heel-side weighting block

wherein the increase in thickness of the lower half of said front wall moves a center of gravity of said club head towards the front wall and the bottom wall,

the raised portion of the sole plate also moves the center of gravity towards the front wall and the bottom wall,

a balance of weight between the toe side weighting block and the heel side weighting block moves the center of gravity to be approximately midway between the toe and the heel of the club head,

the extension of the lower part of the hosel into the hollow body moves the center of gravity towards the bottom wall,

whereby a sweet spot of the club coincides with the center of the front face of the club head.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the angle constituted by the internal side of said lower half of said front wall of said hollow body and by said sole plate is not more than 90°

.

3. A golf club head according to claim 2, wherein said hollow club head is filled with a foamable plastic material therein.

4. A golf club head according to claim 3, wherein said raised portion of said sole plate is formed with a through-hole from which a charge of said foamable plastic material is introduced into the hollow interior of said hollow club head.

5. A golf club head according to claim 4, wherein said through-hole is formed on said heel-side weighting block adjacent to said toe-side weighting block.

6. A golf club head according to claim 5, wherein a self-tapping screw is inserted in the expanded foamed plastic material within said hollow club head through said through-hole.

7. A golf club head according to claim 3, wherein lead powder is mixed with said foamable plastic material.

8. A golf club head according to claim 4, wherein said hollow body and said sole plate are formed from stainless steel.

9. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body is further integrally formed on its inner side with spaced-apart ribs at the upper half of said front wall which extend vertically and upwardly from the top of said lower half of said front wall up to the lower surface of said top wall.

10. A golf club head according to claim 9, wherein said internal side of said lower half of said front wall lies between the outer surface of said front wall and an extension from said hosel and said raised portion on said sole plate is positioned in alignment with said extension from said hosel.

11. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein said hollow body is further formed with a recess at the edge of said cutout of said bottom wall and said sole plate is formed at its outer edge with a projection which is adapted to engage with said recess of said body when said sole plate is attached to said body.

12. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein said sole plate is formed with another projection on its outer edge which is used to engage with the edge of said cutout of said bottom wall of said hollow body when said sole plate is attached to said body.