Golf club

• US 5,158,296 A
• Filed: 09/16/1991
• Issued: 10/27/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kunsam Lee
• Original Assignee: Kunsam Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Kunsam
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/760,371
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167-175, 273/77 R, 273/164, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, D21/214, D21/215, D21/216
• US Class Current: 473/327
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/006 Surfaces specially adapted for reducing air resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00

Abstract

A golf club is disclosed herein of the driver type having a golf ball engaging head with a central plate located at the commonly referred to area as the "sweet spot" with a surrounding flat edge marginal region extending to the top and bottom of the head. A plurality of open-ended passageways extends in fixed parallel spaced-apart relationship through the edge marginal region about the plate from the front of the head to the rear thereof. The undersurface or bottom is aerodynamically configured so that oncoming air flow (ram air) is conducted through the open passageways and around the top and bottom of the head as the club is swung by the golfer whereby air resistance and surface friction is reduced.

Claims

1. A golf club of the driver type comprising:

an elongated shaft having a hand-gripping end and a club head carried on an end opposite said hand-gripping end;

said club head comprising a weighted mass having a broad flat frontal surface with a curved aerodynamic undersurface and a broad flat top surface terminating with a rear surface;

said broad flat frontal surface being of lesser dimension between said top surface and said undersurface than the dimension of said top surface between said frontal surface and said rear surface;

a plurality of open-ended passageways extending through said club head mass from said flat frontal surface to said rear surface;

said passageways being in a single continuous row of spaced-apart individual passageways each being of constant cross-sectional diameter and adapted to conduct oncoming ram air through said club head mass thus reducing friction, surface tension, and drag;

said passageways conducting said oncoming ram air completely through said club head mass from said flat frontal surface to said rear surface;

said flat frontal surface including an edge marginal region surrounding a central portion;

said continuous row of open-ended passageways disposed through said edge marginal region about said central portion;

an oblong ball impact plate carried on said central portion of said flat frontal surface surrounded by said passageways;

said club head frontal surface edge marginal region providing a reduced area as compared with the area of said impact plate whereby said single row of open-ended passageways is arranged about and around said impact plate in a series of adjacent ones of said open-ended passageways.

said club head mass undersurface being curved and extending between said frontal surface and said rear surface;

said club head weighted mass being structurally unweakened by said single row of passageways.