Golf club head with aerodyamic design

• US 5,435,558 A
• Filed: 03/04/1994
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Makser, S.A.
• Original Assignee: Makser, S.A.
• Inventors: Iriarte, D Jose J. D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/206,529
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 273/77 R, 273/162 R, 273/167 R, 273/167 E, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/167 H, 273/167 D, D21/214-220
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head of an improved aerodynamic design, which includes deep cavities for airflow stabilization. Adjacent rims of these cavities meet to form a central rib. Cavities can be joined at both ends of the rib to form a continuous cavity or can be separated along their entire length to create two different cavities and in either case run parallel to the edges of the rear face. The cavities accommodate air turbulence and swirl, and the centrifugal force produced by the swirl in those cavities in the head imparts a thrust upon it which thus minimizes drag and maximizes the force with which it strikes and drives the ball. The cavities also minimize undesired aerodynamic vibration in the golf club so as to enhance the player'"'"'s accuracy.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising a front face for striking a golf ball and a rear surface located opposite the front face, the rear surface having two lateral cavities separated by a central, lateral rib, and bounded by a pointed edge, the two cavities extending continuously and completely across the rear surface.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the lateral cavities separated by the central rib are joined by a connecting cavity, the lateral cavities and the connecting cavity forming a continuous cavity.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the lateral cavities cover the whole of the rear surface and are completely separated by a central rib, the lateral cavities ending in respective terminal cavities.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central, lateral rib extends continuously and completely across the rear surface.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the two lateral cavities are parallel.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the two lateral cavities have a semi-circular shape in cross-section.

7. A golf club head comprising a front face for striking a golf ball and a rear surface located opposite the front face, the rear surface having a trailing edge for stimulating and establishing detachment of fluid flow around the golf club head, the rear surface having a shape for containing fluid vortices formed along the rear surface, the shape including a central, lateral rib, the shape being bounded by the trailing edge and extending continuously and completely across the rear surface.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the shape for containing fluid vortices is a continuous, hollow cavity surrounding the central rib and bounded by the trailing edge.

9. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the shape for containing fluid vortices includes two lateral, parallel cavities separated by the central, lateral rib.

10. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the shape for containing fluid vortices is substantially semi-circular in cross-section.

11. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the trailing edge has a sharp, pointed cross-section.