Aerodynamic golf club head

• US 5,271,622 A
• Filed: 09/30/1992
• Issued: 12/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zebulon Rogerson's Graphic Design
• Original Assignee: Zebulon Rogerson's Graphic Design
• Inventors: Rogerson, Zebulon W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/953,244
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 273/194 A, 273/167 E, 273/173, 273/174, 273/186.2, 273/186.3, 273/187.4, 273/187.5, 273/164.1, 273/167 A
• US Class Current: 473/234
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

An aerodynamic golf club head is provided for increasing the speed of the head during a swing. The head comprises a head body having a face side for hitting the golf ball, a back side at an opposite side of the face side, a toe side connecting the face side to the back side, a heel side at an opposite side of the toe side, and an outer surface extending substantially between the face side and back side and formed by a sole side and a top surface. A substantially straight through hole formed in the head body is provided for allowing air to pass therethrough. The through hole has a first opening which opens in the sole side adjacent the striking face side and a second opening which opens in the top surface adjacent the back side.

Claims

1. An aerodynamic golf club head for hitting a golf ball, said head comprising:

a head body having a solid face side for hitting said golf ball, a back side at an opposite side of said face side, a toe side connecting said face side to said back side, a heel side at an opposite side of said toe side, and an outer surface extending substantially between said face side and back side and formed by a sole side and a top surface, said head body having a substantially straight through hole formed therein for allowing air to pass therethrough, said through hole having a first opening which opens in said top surface adjacent said back side and a second opening which opens in said sole side adjacent said solid face side, said openings for allowing air to enter one of said openings and exit the other one of said openings and thereby improving the aerodynamic efficiency of said club.

2. The head recited in claim 1 further comprising a sole plate attached to said sole side.

3. The head recited in claim 2 wherein a thickness of said sole plate decreases from said face side to said back side.

4. The head recited in claim 2 wherein said sole plate has two v shaped flutes disposed symmetrically about a centerline extending from said back side to said face side, said v shaped flutes tapering inwardly from said back side to said face side, said v shaped flutes thus forming a center rail extending along said center line and disposed between said v shaped flutes and also forming two semi-elliptical regions, each disposed outwardly from a respective v shaped flute.

5. The head recited in claim 4 further comprising at least a first port in said center rail, said port for allowing insertion of a perimeter weight therein.

6. The head recited in claim 4 further comprising a second and third port one disposed in each respective semi-elliptical regions, said ports for allowing insertion of respective perimeter weights therein.

7. The head recited in claim 4 further comprising a first port disposed in said center rail, a second and third port, each disposed in a respective semi-elliptical region, said ports for allowing insertion of respective perimeter weights therein.

8. The head recited in claim 4 wherein said center rail is thicker than said semi-elliptical regions.

9. The head recited in claim 1 further comprising a face insert disposed in said solid face side for providing a hard surface for said golf ball to strike.

10. The head recited in claim 1 wherein said through hole has an inner surface having a shape which is defined by a quadric, said quadric shape for moving a center of mass of said head towards said back side of said head.

11. The head recited in claim 1 further comprising a third opening which opens in said top surface and a fourth opening which opens in said sole side.

12. The head recited in claim 11 wherein said first and third openings have a substantially elliptical shape and are disposed symmetrically about a centerline extending from said face side to said back side, said openings flaring outwardly from said face side to said back side.

13. The head recited in claim 1 wherein said head is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of wood, graphite, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper alloy, ceramic and synthetic resins.

14. The head recited in claim 1 further comprising a means for generating a whistle of a particular frequency which is representative of speed of said golf club head.

15. An aerodynamic golf club head for hitting a golf ball, said head comprising:

a head body having a solid face side for hitting said golf ball, a back side at an opposite side of said face side, a toe side connecting said face side to said back side, a heal side at an opposite side to said toe side, and an outer surface extending substantially between said face side and back side and formed by a sole side and a top surface, said head body having a substantially straight through hole formed therein for allowing air to pass therethrough, said through hole having a first opening which opens in said top surface adjacent said back side, a second opening which opens in said sole side, a third opening which opens in said top surface and a fourth opening which opens in said sold side adjacent said solid face side; and

a sole plate mounted to said sole side and having two v shaped flutes disposed symmetrically about a centerline extending from said back side to said face side, said v shaped flutes tapering inwardly from said back side to said face side, said v shaped flutes thus forming a center rail extending along said center line and disposed between said v shaped flutes and also forming two semi-elliptical regions, each disposed outwardly from a respective v shaped flute.

16. The head recited in claim 15 further comprising a means for generating a whistle of a particular frequency which is representative of speed of said golf club head.

17. The head recited in claim 15 further comprising a first port disposed in said center rail, a second and third port, each disposed in a respective semi-elliptical region, said ports for allowing insertion of respective perimeter weights therein.

18. The head recited in claim 15 further comprising a face insert disposed in said solid face side for providing a hard surface for said ball to strike.

19. The head recited in claim 15 wherein said first and third openings have substantially elliptical shape and are disposed symmetrically about a centerline extending from said face side to said back side, said first and third openings flaring outwardly from said face side to said back side;

and wherein said second and fourth openings are disposed in cooperation with said v shaped flutes respectively.

20. An aerodynamic head of a golf club for hitting a golf ball, said head comprising:

a head body having a face side for hitting said golf ball, a back side at an opposite side of said face side, a toe side connecting said face side to said back side, a heal side at an opposite side of said toe side, and an outer surface extending substantially between said face and back side and formed by a sole side and a top surface, said head body having a substantially straight through hole formed therein for allowing air to pass therethrough, said through hole having a first opening which opens in said top surface, a second opening which opens in said sole side, a third opening which opens in said top surface and a fourth opening which opens in said sole side;

a sole plate mounted to said sole side and having two v shaped flutes disposed symmetrically about a centerline extending from said back side to said face side, and v shaped flutes tapering inwardly from said back side to said face side, said v shaped flutes thus forming a center rail extending along said center line and disposed between said v shaped flutes and also forming two semi-elliptical regions, each disposed outwardly from a respective v shaped flute, and wherein said first and third openings have a substantially elliptical shape and are disposed symmetrically about a centerline extending from said face side to said back side, said first and third openings flaring outwardly from said face side to said back side; and

wherein said second and fourth openings are disposed in said v shaped flutes respectively;

a first port disposed in said center rail, a second and third port, each disposed in said respective semi-elliptical region, said ports for allowing insertion of respective perimeter weights therein; and

a means for generating a whistle of a particular frequency which is representative of speed of said golf club head.