Golf clubhead with a high polar moment of inertia

• US 4,898,387 A
• Filed: 12/27/1988
• Issued: 02/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clifton D. Finney
• Original Assignee: Clifton D. Finney
• Inventors: Finney, Clifton D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/289,908
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/167 R, 273/167 F, 273/169-172, 273/167 G, 273/173, 273/167 H, 273/167 D, D21/217-220
• US Class Current: 473/341
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence

Abstract

There is disclosed a putter head no longer, no wider, no higher, nor heavier than ordinary at 5.0×2.0×1.2 inches and 302 grams. Yet, it has a polar moment of inertia about 8300 g-cm².

The polar inertial efficiency of a golf clubhead is defined as its actual moment of inertia divided by its maximum theoretical polar moment of inertia.

The theoretical polar moment of inertia is an intrinsic property of every golf clubhead. It is determined by positioning half the mass of the head at a toe point and the other half at a heel point a heel-to-toe length apart, and then calculating the polar moment of inertia from the center of mass for the system. Thus, for the preceeding head the theoretical moment of inertia is 12,200 g-cm² giving an inertial efficiency in excess of 0.69.

By comparison, the polar inertial efficiency of any thin bar is shown to be 0.33. Prior art clubheads generally have inertial efficiencies close to this value, with the best clubheads having values slightly larger.

The putter head includes a low density striking face of alumininum and a toe section with a lead weight. The toe weight has an expanded surface area along the toe.

Mechanical expressions are developed which provide insight for the design of a clubhead with a high polar moment of inertia. The expressions involve masses, densities, lengths, and surface areas. It is also shown that a correctly designed, weighted clubhead is superior to a similar, un-weighted clubhead.

Claims

1. A golf clubhead comprising:

a. a toe and heel, a front and rear, and a top and sole with an elongated ball striking surface toward said front;

b. a fastening means to affix a shaft between said heel and said toe;

c. a geometric center of said striking face, and a vertical axis through said geometric center;

d. a toe section and a heel section;

e. a body casting of a material having a predetermined lower density, said body casting comprising in said toe section a portion of said elongated ball striking surface, and at least one toe cavity; and

f. said toe section of said head from a plane perpendicular to the length line of said head through said geometric center to the extreme of said toe comprising;

i. a toe weight means comprising at least one toe weight attached to said clubhead in said toe cavity, whereby each of said toe weights is of a material having some predetermined higher density greater than said predetermined lower density of said body casting;

ii. a mass distribution means to decrease the relative mass consisting of said body casting and said toe weight means in the region of said toe section near the center of mass of said clubhead and to position a most substantial portion of the mass of said toe weight means adjacent said toe behind said ball striking surface; and

iii. a characteristic feature of said most substantial portion of said toe weight means adjacent said toe comprising a relatively thin expanded surface whereby both the width and the height of said toe weight means are generally greater than the length of said relatively thin expanded surface to resist twisting forces when a golf ball is struck.

2. The golf clubhead of claim 1 whereby the ratio of masses of said toe weight means to the total mass of said toe section is at least 0.15;

and whereby the ratio of densities of said toe weight means to said body casting is at least 1.20.

3. The golf clubhead of claim 2 whereby said toe weight means includes a tungsten-containing material to enhance the density of said toe weight means to at least 13.0 grams per cubic centimeter.

4. The gold clubhead of claim 2 whereby said toe weight means has both a width and a height greater than its length and generally runs parallel with the width line of said clubhead.

5. The golf clubhead of claim 4 whereby the inertial efficiency of said toe section as determined from said vertical axis is at least 0.50.

6. The golf clubhead of claim 2 whereby said ratio of masses is at least 0.60;

and whereby said ratio of densities is at least 4.0.

7. The golf clubhead of claim 6 whereby said toe weight means includes a tungsten-containing material to enhance the density of said toe weight means to at least 13.0 grams per cubic centimeter.

8. The golf clubhead of claim 6 whereby the ratio of the horizontal length between said vertical axis through said geometric center of said ball striking surface and the closest point to said toe weight means relative to the half-length of said clubhead is at least 0.80.

9. The golf clubhead of claim 8 whereby the inertial efficiency of said toe section as determined from said vertical axis is at least 0.65.

10. A golf clubhead comprising:

a. a toe and heel, a front and rear, and a top and sole with an elongated ball striking surface toward said front;

b. a fastening means to affix a shaft between said heel and said toe;

c. a geometric center of said striking face, and a vertical axis through said geometric center;

d. a toe section and a heel section;

e. a body casting of a material having a predetermined lower density, said body casting comprising in said toe section a portion of said elongated ball striking surface, and at least one toe cavity; and

f. said toe section of said head from a plane perpendicular to the length line of said head through said geometric center to the extreme of said toe comprising;

i. a toe weight means comprising at least one toe weight attached to said clubhead in said toe cavity, whereby each of said toe weights is of a material having some predetermined higher density greater than said predetermined lower density of said body casting;

ii. a mass distribution means to decrease the relative mass consisting of said body casting and said toe weight means in the region of said toe section near the center of mass of said clubhead and to position the center of mass of said toe weight means adjacent said toe behind said ball striking surface; and

iii. a characteristic feature of said toe weight means adjacent said toe comprising a relatively thin expanded surface whereby both the width and the height of said toe weight means are generally greater than the length of said relatively thin expanded surface to resist twisting forces when a golf ball is struck.

11. The golf clubhead of claim 10 whereby the ratio of mass of said toe weight means to the total mass of said toe section is at least 0.15;

and whereby the ratio of densities of said toe weight means to said body casting is at least 1.20.

12. The golf clubhead of claim 11 whereby said toe weight means includes a tungsten-containing material to enhance the density of said toe weight means to at least 13.0 grams per cubic centimeter.

13. The golf clubhead of claim 12 whereby the inertial efficiency of said toe section as determined from said vertical axis is at least 0.50.

14. The golf clubhead of claim 11 whereby said ratio of masses is at least 0.60;

and whereby said ratio of densities is at least 4.0.

15. The golf clubhead of claim 14 whereby said toe weight means includes a tungsten-containing material to enhance the density of said toe weight means to at least 13.0 grams per cubic centimeter.

16. The golf clubhead of claim 14 whereby the ratio of the horizontal length between said vertical axis through said geometric center of said ball striking surface and said center of mass of said toe weight means relative to the half-length of said clubhead is at least 0.90.

17. The golf clubhead of claim 16 whereby the inertial efficiency of said toe section as determined from said vertical axis is at least 0.65.