Iron gold club head and method of producing the same

• US 5,004,242 A
• Filed: 04/25/1990
• Issued: 04/02/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Iwanaga, Takeshi, Ohnishi, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/514,309
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167-175, 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/DIG. 7, 273/DIG. 23
• US Class Current: 473/347
• 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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: Y10S 273/23 High modulus filaments

Abstract

The present invention provides an iron golf club head which comprises a core member, a striking face member and a cladding. The core member is made of a metal having a large specific weight, and has an exposed integral sole portion, an integral riser wall portion, and an integral shaft connecting portion. The striking face member is fixed to a front surface of the core riser wall portion, and made of a light metal reinforced by whiskers and/or fibers. The cladding is also made of a light metal, and covers all surfaces of the riser wall portion and the shaft connecting portion except for a surface portion of the riser wall portion on which the striking face member is fixed.

Claims

1. An iron golf club head comprising:

a core member made of a metallic material having a large specific weight, said core member having an exposed integral sole portion, an integral riser wall portion, and an integral shaft connecting portion, said riser wall portion being formed with at least one through-hole extending between front and rear surfaces thereof;

a composite striking face member fixed to said front surface of said riser wall portion, said, striking face member having a specific weight smaller than that of said core member;

a cladding made of a lightweight metal, said cladding covering all surfaces of said riser wall portion and said shaft connecting portion except for a surface portion of said riser wall portion on which said striking face member is fixed, said cladding having at least one integral projection fitting into said through-hole for connection to said striking face member.

2. The club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said striking face member is made of a lightweight metal containing a reinforcing material, said striking face member being rendered integral with said cladding by means of said projection.

3. The club head as defined in claim 1, said sole portion of said core member has a toe and a heel each integrally formed with a weight portion.

4. The club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said core member is made of a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum bronze, manganese bronze, and beryllium bronze.

5. The club head as defined in claim 1, wherein said core member is made of a colored metal having a large specific weight.

6. The club head as defined in claim 2, wherein said striking face member is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy reinforced with either whiskers or fibers.

7. The club head as defined in claim 6, wherein said whiskers are selected from the group consisting of SiC, Al₂ O₃, BeO, B₄ C, Si₂ N₂, graphite, Cr, Fe, Ni, carbon, and any mixture thereof.

8. The club head as defined in claim 6, wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of SiC, Al₂ O₃, BeO, B₄ C, Si₂ N₂, graphite, Cr, Fe, Ni, SiO₂, carbon, and any mixture thereof.

9. The club head as defied in claim 1, wherein said cladding is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.