Head for iron type golf club

• US 5,377,985 A
• Filed: 07/20/1993
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/093,611
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/167 R, 273/167 F, 273/169, 273/171, 273/173, 273/164.1, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/194 A, 273/167 H
• US Class Current: 473/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 head body portion comprises a plate-shaped face wail portion of approximately 2 mm to approximately 3.5 mm in thickness and a shaft connecting portion. The face wall portion is provided with weighting projections at four places thereof, toe side upper and lower portions and heel side upper and lower portions of a rear portion thereof.

Claims

1. A head for an iron type golf club, comprising a head body portion including a plate-shaped face wall portion of approximately 2 mm to approximately 3.5 mm in thickness and a shaft connecting portion, said face wall portion having a rear surface weighted in four corners thereof with weighting projections at toe side upper and lower portions and heel side upper and lower portions, wherein a distance A between outer peripheral ends of said projections on an upper side of said rear surface of said head, a distance B between opposed surfaces of said projections on said upper side of said rear surface of said head, a distance C between outer peripheral ends of said projections on a sole side of said rear surface of said head, a distance D between opposed surfaces of said projections on said sole side of said rear surface of said head, a distance E between outer peripheral ends of said projections on said toe side of said rear surface of said head, a distance F between opposed surfaces of said projections on said toe side of said rear surface of said head, a distance G between outer peripheral ends of said projections on said heel side of said rear surface of said head, and a distance H between opposed surfaces of said projections of said heel side of said head meet the requirements of 90%≧

B/A≧

40%, 90%≧

D/C≧

40% 90%≧

E/F≧

30% and 90%≧

H/G≧

30%.

2. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections are curved in accordance with an outer peripheral configuration of said face wall portion.

3. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections are curved in their outer peripheral sides in conformity with an outer peripheral configuration of said face wall portion, while inside portions of said projections are formed with two planes which intersect at substantially right angles.

4. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections are formed in a crescent configuration as viewed from the rear surface of said head.

5. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections are formed in a disk-shaped configuration.

6. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections and said face wall portion are integrated into a single unit.

7. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections made separately from said face wall portion are secured to said face wall portion.

8. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said face wall portion is fitted with a thin covering member of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm in thickness on said surface to cover said weighted four corners.

9. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein reinforcing ribs of 1 mm to 10 mm in width and 0.5 mm to 10 mm in height are attached to said rear surface of said face wall portion.

10. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 9, wherein said reinforcing ribs are located between every two weighted four corners to connect said four corners.

11. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 9, wherein said reinforcing ribs are attached to a middle portion of said rear surface of said face wall portion from said toe side to said heel side of said head.

12. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 9, wherein said reinforcing ribs cross at right angles substantially in a middle portion of said rear surface of said face wall portion.

13. The head for an iron type golf club as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projections are formed in a triangular configuration as viewed from the rear surface of said head.