Golf club head

• US 5,346,213 A
• Filed: 01/25/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daiwa Seiko Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Daiwa Resort Company Limited (Daiwa House Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Yamada, Magoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US08/008,494
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 273/78, 273/173, 273/174
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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

Abstract

A golf club head includes a metal head body and a face plate made of fiber reinforced resin and fitted to a recess formed in a face portion of the metal head body. A support pin is inserted into the main body from a back portion thereof, threadingly engaged with the face plate and prevented from being exposed on a hitting surface of the face plate. A back portion of the head body is formed with a concave whose outer configuration is substantially the same as that of the face plate. The concave is located at a position of the back portion corresponding to a position of the face plate on the face portion. A central recess is further formed in the back portion within the concave depending on a position of a sweet spot. A flexible member is attached to the central recess. It is possible to reliably prevent the accidental separation of the face plate from the head body, and the damage and/or breakage of the face plate due to the difference in stiffness between the face plate and the metal head body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

an iron main body including integral face, back and sole portions;

a face plate made of synthetic resin and attached to said face portion for defining a hitting surface;

a support pin inserted into said main body from said back portion, threadingly engaged with said face plate and prevented from being exposed on said hitting surface; and

cover means provided on said back of said support pin wherein said cover means is formed of a flexible member.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said support pin is directed substantially perpendicular to said face plate.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said support pin is threadingly engaged with said face plate at a position where a sweet spot is not defined.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein said support pin is threadingly engaged with a toe side portion of said face plate.

5. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein said support pin is threadingly engaged with a heel side portion of said face plate.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said face plate is formed with a protrusion to which said support pin is threadingly engaged.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said face plate is made of fiber reinforced resin.

8. A golf club head comprising:

an iron main body including integral face, back and sole portions;

a face plate made of synthetic resin and attached to said face portion, said face plate defining a first outer configuration around its perimeter, wherein said back portion is formed with a concave area defining a second outer configuration around its perimeter, said concave area being located at a position of said back portion opposite a position of said face plate on said face portion, and wherein said first outer configuration is substantially the same as said second outer configuration.

9. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein said face portion is formed with a recess to which said face plate is fitted.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein said face plate has a predetermined thickness for defining a flush surface together with said face portion.

11. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein an entire outer periphery of said face plate is circumscribed by said face portion.

12. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein a central recess is formed in said back portion within said concave area.

13. The golf club head according to claim 12, further comprising:

a flexible member attached to said central recess.

14. The golf club head according to claim 12, wherein said recess defines a thickness-reduced portion adjacent said face plate arranged to be elastically deformed when a hitting force is applied to said main body.

15. The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein a flexible member is inserted in said central recess.

16. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein said face plate is made of fiber reinforced resin.

17. A golf club head comprising:

an iron main body including integral face, back and sole portions;

a face plate made of synthetic resin and attached to said face portion for defining a hitting surface; and

a support pin inserted into said main body from said back portion, threadingly engaged with said face plate and prevented from being exposed on said hitting surface, wherein said main body is formed with a recess substantially extending from a heel portion proximate a hosel to a toe portion distal said heel portion.

18. The golf club head according to claim 17, wherein said recess defines a thickness-reduced portion adjacent said face plate arranged to be elastically deformed when a hitting force is applied to said main body.

19. The golf club head according to claim 17, wherein a flexible member is inserted in said central recess.