Golf club head

• US 5,335,914 A
• Filed: 04/13/1993
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Plus 2 International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ProGroup, Inc. (Korn Ferry)
• Inventors: Long, Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/047,262
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/167 A, 273/167 D, 273/167 E, 273/167 F, 273/167 G, 273/167 H, 273/167 J, 273/167 K, 273/169, 273/170, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173 , 273/174, 273/164.1, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/194 A, 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/162 R, D21/214, D21/220
• US Class Current: 473/350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club having weight members located at the toe and the hosel of a cavity back club head. The toe weight and hosel weight each have a center of mass which is located above a horizontal line drawn through the center of gravity of the club head when the club head is lying at address. In one preferred embodiment the toe weight extends rearwardly from the toe rim of the club head and rearward of a plane containing the rear edges of the club head to increase the back weighting and therefore the dynamic loft of the club head. The hosel weight extends outwardly from the hosel and is located anywhere within a 90° segment of the outer periphery of the hosel. At one extreme position, the hosel weight extends outwardly in a plane which is generally parallel to the leading edge of the club head and at another extreme position the hosel weight extends rearwardly and generally at right angles to the leading edge of the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a toe, a heel, a body extending between said toe and said heel, and a hosel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft, said club head including a center of gravity located between said toe and said heel, and first and second weight members, said first weight member projecting rearwardly from said toe and said second weight member projecting outwardly from an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel, wherein said angular segment is less than 360°

and said first and second weight members each have at least a portion thereof positioned above a horizontal line containing the center of gravity, said horizontal line being generally parallel to a support surface on which said club head rests when said club head is lying at address.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said angular segment is approximately 90°

and wherein, at one extreme thereof, said second weight member projects away from and generally parallel to a lower leading edge of said club head and, at another extreme thereof, said second weight member projects rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge of said club head.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein said first and second weight members each have a center of mass and said centers of mass of said first and second weight members are each located above said horizontal line.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein said second weight member projects from said hosel rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge.

5. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein said second weight member projects from said hosel away from and generally parallel to said lower leading edge.

6. The golf club head as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.

7. The golf club head as claimed in claim 5 wherein said second weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, 6 or 7 wherein a rear face of said club head is a recessed cavity back surrounded by a top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim and said first weight member projects rearwardly from said toe rim such that said first weight member extends rearwardly of a plane containing said top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim.

9. The golf club head of claim 8 further comprising a third weight member extending rearwardly from said heel rim.

10. A golf club head having a toe, a heel, a body extending between said toe and said heel, and a hostel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft, said body having top and bottom surfaces having rear edges, said club head including a center of gravity located between said toe and said heel, and a first weight member projecting rearwardly from said toe and projecting rearwardly of a plane containing said rear edges of said topand bottom surfaces, said first weight member having a center of mass located above a horizontal line containing said center of gravity of said club head, said horizontal line being generally parallel to a support surface on which said club head rests when said club head is lying at address, wherein a rear face of said club head is a recessed cavity back surrounded by a top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim and said first weight member projects rearwardly from said toe rim.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 further including a second weight member, said second weight member projecting from said hosel within an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel, said angular segment covering approximately 90°

and wherein, at one extreme thereof, said second weight member projects away from and generally parallel to a lower leading edge of said club head and, at another extreme thereof, said second weight member projects rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge of said club head.

12. The golf club head of claim 11 wherein said second weight member projects from said hosel rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge.

13. The golf club head of claim 11 wherein said second weight member projects from said hosel away from and generally parallel to said lower leading edge.

14. The golf club head as claimed in claim 12 wherein said second weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.

15. The golf club head as claimed in claim 13 wherein said second weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.

16. The golf club head of claim 15 further comprising a third weight member extending rearwardly from said heel rim.

17. A golf club head having a toe, a heel, a body extending between said toe and said heel, and a hosel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft, said body having top and bottom surfaces, said club head including a center of gravity located between said toe and said heel, and first and second weight members on said toe and said hosel, respectively, said first and second weight members each having a center of mass, said centers of mass of said first and second weight members each being located above a horizontal line containing said center of gravity of said club head, said horizontal line being generally parallel to a support surface on which said club head rests when said club head is lying at address.

18. The golf club head of claim 17 wherein said first weight member projects rearwardly of a plane containing rear edges of said top and bottom surfaces and said second weight member projects from an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel, wherein said angular segment is less than 360°

.

19. The golf club head of claim 18 wherein said angular segment is approximately 90°

and wherein, at one extreme thereof, said second weight member projects away from and generally parallel to a lower leading edge of said club head and, at another extreme thereof, said second weight member projects rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge of said club head.

20. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein said second weight member projects from said hosel rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge.

21. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein said second weight member projects from said hosel away from and generally parallel to said lower leading edge.

22. The golf club head as claimed in claim 20 wherein said second weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.

23. The golf club head as claimed in claim 21 wherein said second weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.

24. The golf club head of claim 22 wherein a rear face of said club head is a recessed cavity back surrounded by a top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim and said first weight member projects rearwardly from said toe rim such that said first weight member extends rearwardly of a plane containing said top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim.

25. The golf club head of claim 24 wherein said rear face is a recessed cavity back surrounded by a top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim and said first weight member projects rearwardly from said toe rim such that said first weight member extends rearwardly of a plane containing said top rim, bottom rim, toe rim and heel rim.

26. The golf club head of claim 25 further comprising a third weight member extending rearwardly from said heel rim.

27. A golf club head having a toe, a heel, a body extending between said toe and said heel, and a hosel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft, said club head including a center of gravity located between said toe and said heel, and a weight member projecting outwardly from an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel, wherein said angular segment is less than 360°

.

28. The golf club head of claim 27 wherein said angular segment is approximately 90°

and wherein, at one extreme thereof, said weight member projects away from and generally parallel to a lower leading edge of said club head and, at another extreme thereof, said weight member projects rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge of said club head.

29. The golf club head of claim 28 wherein said weight member projects from said hosel rearwardly and generally at right angles to said lower leading edge.

30. The golf club head of claim 28 wherein said weight member projects from said hosel away from and generally parallel to said lower leading edge.

31. The golf club of claim 27 wherein at least a portion of said weight member is positioned above a horizontal line containing the center of gravity, said horizontal line being generally parallel to a support surface on which said club head rests when said club head is lying at address.

32. The golf club of claim 31 wherein said weight member includes a center of mass located above said horizontal line.

33. The golf club head as claimed in claim 27 wherein said weight member tapers upwardly and outwardly along said hosel.