Golf club head

• US 5,447,309 A
• Filed: 06/09/1993
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Vincent, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/073,522
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/167 F, 273/167 H, 273/169, 273/170, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173, 273/174, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/194 A, 273/194 B, 273/DIG. 8 , 273/DIG. 23, 273/77 R, 273/78
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown 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

Abstract

The head of a golf club, preferably of the "wood" type, wherein the orthogonal reference passing through the center of gravity of the club head and formed by three axes about which the inertia is maximum, is such that the first two axes are located in a plane inclined with respect to the plane of the ground when the head rests on the ground, forming with the plane of the ground, a dihedron having an internal angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees and/or wherein the axis forms with the vertical plane of the shot, an angle of between 20 and 60 degrees.

Claims

1. A golf club head for a wood type golf club, said club head comprising:

a center of gravity;

an orthogonal reference point at the center of gravity, formed by three axes about which the inertia is maximum, wherein two of the three axes are located in a plane which is inclined with respect to the plane of the ground when the club head rests on the ground, the two axes forming with the plane of the ground, a dihedron having an internal angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees;

said club head further including weight means for weighting the club head and for maximizing the inertia.

2. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a shot plane, and wherein:

a third of the three axes forms, with the vertical plane of the shot, an angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees.

3. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the club head comprises a general plane of symmetry; and

the dihedron comprises an edge, said edge being perpendicular to the general plane of symmetry of the club head.

4. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the club head comprises a general plane of symmetry; and

the dihedron comprises an edge, said edge being inclined to the general plane of symmetry of the club head.

5. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

an assembly of metallic walls constituting a hollow body.

6. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the golf club head comprises a hollow body comprised of a plurality of walls; and

each of the weights is constituted by a local increase in the thickness of a respective wall.

7. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

said weight means comprises at least three weights, each of the three weights having a center of gravity, the three centers of gravity of the three weights forming a triangle located substantially in a weight plane which is inclined with respect to the plane of the ground when the head rests on the ground.

8. A golf club head in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said weights comprise a central weight and two lateral weights.

9. A golf club head in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a hitting surface;

the central weight is located at the front portion and close to the hitting surface; and

the two lateral weights are located at the rear portion.

10. A golf club head in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front upper portion and a rear lower portion;

the central weight is located at the front upper portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the rear lower portion.

11. A golf club head in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front lower portion and a rear upper portion;

the central weight is located at the front lower portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the rear upper portion.

12. A golf club head in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a hitting surface;

the central weight is located at the rear portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the front portion and close to the hitting surface.

13. A golf club head in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a hitting surface;

the two lateral weights are located at the front portion and close to the hitting surface; and

the central weight is located at the rear portion.

14. A golf club head in accordance with claim 24, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises an upper rear portion and a lower front portion;

the central weight is located at the upper rear portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the lower front portion.

15. A golf club head in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a rear lower portion and a front upper portion;

the central weight is located at the rear lower portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the front upper portion.

16. A golf club head in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

the weights comprise respective masses independent of the remainder of the club head.

17. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said weight means comprises at least three weights, each of the three weights having a center of gravity, the three centers of gravity of the three weights forming a triangle located substantially in a weight plane which is inclined with respect to the plane of the ground when the head rests on the ground.

18. A golf club head in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

the weight plane forms, with the plane of the ground, a dihedron having an internal angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees.

19. A golf club head in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

a front and a rear; and

wherein the dihedron is open frontwardly, the inclined weight plane extending from the rear to the front and upwardly.

20. A golf club head in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

a front and a rear; and

wherein the dihedron is open rearwardly, the inclined weight plane extending from the front to the rear and upwardly.

21. A golf club head in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

a front and a rear; and

wherein the dihedron is open frontwardly, the inclined weight plane extending from the front to the rear and upwardly.

22. A golf club head in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

said weights comprise a central weight and two lateral weights.

23. A golf club head in accordance with claim 22, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a hitting surface;

the central weight is located at the rear portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the front portion and close to the hitting surface.

24. A golf club head in accordance with claim 22, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a hitting surface;

the two lateral weights are located at the front portion and close to the hitting surface; and

the central weight is located at the rear portion.

25. A golf club head in accordance with claim 24, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises an upper rear portion and a lower front portion;

the central weight is located at the upper rear portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the lower front portion.

26. A golf club head in accordance with claim 24, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a rear lower portion and a front upper portion;

the central weight is located at the rear lower portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the front upper portion.

27. A golf club head in accordance with claim 22, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a hitting surface;

the central weight is located at the front portion and close to the hitting surface; and

the two lateral weights are located at the rear portion.

28. A golf club head in accordance with claim 27, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front lower portion and a rear upper portion;

the central weight is located at the front lower portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the rear upper portion.

29. A golf club head in accordance with claim 27, wherein:

the golf club head further comprises a front upper portion and a rear lower portion;

the central weight is located at the front upper portion; and

the two lateral weights are located at the rear lower portion.

30. A golf club head in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

the weights comprise respective masses independent of the remainder of the club head.

31. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the club head comprises a general plane of symmetry; and

the dihedron comprises an edge, said edge being perpendicular to the general plane of symmetry of the club head.

32. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the club head comprises a general plane of symmetry; and

the dihedron comprises an edge, said edge being inclined to the general plane of symmetry of the club head.

33. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an assembly of metallic walls constituting a hollow body.

34. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the golf club head comprises a hollow body comprised of a plurality of walls; and

each of the weights is constituted by a local increase in the thickness of a respective wall.

35. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the golf club head comprises an assembly of walls of a low density material.

36. A golf club head in accordance with claim 35, wherein:

the low density material of which the walls are comprised is a composite material.

37. A golf club head in accordance with claim 35, wherein:

the low density material of which the walls are comprised is a thermoplastic material.

38. A golf club head in accordance with claim 35, wherein:

the weights are constituted by steel having a greater density that the low density material.

39. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a shaft connected to said golf club head to comprise a golf club.

40. A golf club head for a wood type golf club, said club head comprising:

a center of gravity;

a vertical shot plane;

an orthogonal reference point at the center of gravity, formed by three axes about which the inertia is maximum, wherein one of the three axes forms with the vertical shot plane an angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees;

said club head further including weight means for weighting the club head and for maximizing the inertia.

41. A golf club head in accordance with claim 40 in combination with a shaft connected to said golf club head to comprise a golf club.

42. A golf club head comprising:

a center of gravity;

a vertical shot plane;

an orthogonal reference point at the center of gravity, the reference point being formed by three axes about which the inertia is maximum, and wherein the three axes are situated in at least one of the following relationships;

(1) two of the three axes are located in a plane which is inclined with respect to the plane of the ground when the club head rests on the ground, the two axes forming with the plane of the ground, a dihedron having an internal angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees; and

(2) one of the three axes forms with the vertical shot plane an angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees;

said club head further including weight means for weighting the club head and for maximizing the inertia.

43. A golf club head in accordance with claim 42 in combination with a shaft connected to said golf club head to comprise a golf club.

44. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a predeterminate distribution of mass, including a center of gravity (G), said body further comprising;

a front portion, said front portion having a hitting surface (2); and

a shot plane (T) extending, during impact with a golf ball during a shot, generally symmetrically through said body and extending frontwardly through said hitting surface (2) and generally perpendicularly with respect to said hitting surface (2) and with respect to a ground plane (S);

an orthogonal reference point at the center of gravity (G), the reference point being formed by three orthogonal axes (X-X'"'"', Y-Y'"'"', Z-Z'"'"') about each of said axes the inertia of the body is maximum, and said three axes being situated in at least one of the following relationships;

(1) two of the three axes (X-X'"'"', Y-Y'"'"', Z-Z'"'"') being located in a plane (P1 or P2) which is inclined with respect to the ground plane (S), the two axes forming, with the plane of the ground, a dihedron having an internal angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees; and

(2) one of the three axes (X-X'"'"', Y-Y'"'"', Z-Z'"'"') forming, with said shot plane (T), an angle comprised between 20 and 60 degrees.