Iron club head for golf

• US 4,928,972 A
• Filed: 05/23/1989
• Issued: 05/29/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Tatsuo, Tadokoro, Toyohiko, Fujimura, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/355,665
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 273/78, 273/169, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173, 273/174, 273/167 H, 273/167 F, 273/167 J, 273/77 A
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A fiber reinforcement, which can be of solid or hollow construction, and a synthetic resin back up are disposed in a recess provided on the side of the club head remote from the shooting surface. A mass can be adjustably imbedded in the synthetic resin backup so as to increase the inertial moment of the club head. A rise member extending upwardly from the sole face of the club head can also be provided so that the center of gravity can be more easily adjusted. The fiber reinforcement is relatively thin for shorter shafted golf clubs having high degrees of loft, and increases progressively to a greater thickness for longer shafted golf clubs having relatively small degrees of loft. A back plate made of a woven cloth can be provided adjacent the fiber reinforcement to aid in reinforcing the shooting surface and to withstand the tension acting across the rear of the club head upon impact. The synthetic backup can be transparent or semi-transparent to expose the esthetics of the woven cloth. Bonding tape can be provided between the fiber reinforcement and the main body and between the fiber reinforcement and the back plate to facilitate the manufacture of the club head and to minimize the shock and vibration effect caused by striking a ball.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising, a main body member having a front side and a rear side, said main body member being made of a metal, said rear side including a recess, said front side including a wall section having an inner surface in communication with said recess and a shooting surface remote from said inner surface, a fiber reinforcement member disposed in said recess adjacent said inner surface of said wall section, a back plate disposed in said recess adjacent and generally coextensive in area with said fiber reinforcement member and remote from said inner surface of said wall section, and support means for fixing said fiber reinforcement member and said back plate in said recess, said fiber reinforcement member and said back plate establishing a reinforcement for said shooting surface when said golf club head strikes a ball.

2. The golf club head in claim 1, wherein said support means is made of a vibration damping material to minimize the shock and vibration felt by a player when said golf club head strikes a ball.

3. The golf club head in claim 1, wherein said support means is made of a resilient synthetic resin for minimizing the shock and vibration effect caused by striking a ball with said golf club head.

4. The golf club head in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said fiber reinforcement member from said front side to said rear side of said golf club head is relatively thin for shorter shafted golf clubs having a greater degree of loft, and becomes progressively thicker for longer shafted clubs having relatively small degrees of loft.

5. The golf club head in claim 1, wherein said back plate is a woven cloth.

6. The golf club head in claim 5, wherein said woven cloth is made of carbon fibers.

7. The golf club head in claim 6, wherein said main body member includes a toe portion and a heel portion, and the longitudinal direction of said carbon fibers of said woven cloth are substantially aligned from said, toe portion to said heel portion.

8. The golf club head in claim 5, wherein said woven cloth is made of aramide fibers.

9. The golf club head in claim 8, wherein said main body member includes a toe portion and a heel portion, and the longitudinal direction of said aramide fibers of said woven cloth are substantially aligned from said toe portion to said heel portion.

10. The golf club head in claim 1, wherein said rear side includes an upwardly extending rear upright remote from said wall section such that said reinforcement member, said back plate and said support means are disposed between said rear wall member and said wall section, said rear upright having a predetermined size so as to adjust the center of gravity of said golf club head.

11. The golf club head in claim 1 further comprising a first bonding tape between said fiber reinforcement member and said inner surface of said wall section.

12. The golf club head in claim 11, further comprising a second bonding tape between said fiber reinforcement member and said back plate.