Hollow club head with weighted sole plate

• US 5,501,459 A
• Filed: 12/16/1994
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Endo Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Endo Seisakusho
• Inventors: Endo, Eimatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M.
• Application Number:
  US08/357,108
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 H, 273/172, 273/173, 273/174, 273/167 A, 273/169, 273/167 F
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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

A golf club head for lowering the center of gravity of a head body. A sole portion of the head body is formed with a concave portion, into which is fitted a denser balance weight of which the specific gravity is greater than that of the head body. The concave portion has a front end located at a face side of the sole portion, while a back end thereof is located backward relative to a center portion of the sole portion, said back portion protruding more backward at its toe side than at its heel side. According to the invention, the center of gravity G of a head body can be drastically lowered and the distance between the center of gravity G and a face can be elongated, thus enlarging so-called a sweet area without weakening a strength of the head body. Further, as the concave portion proturudes more backward at its toe side than its heel side, so-called slicing balls can be prevented.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a metallic and hollow head body having an interior and exterior, said head body having a face for striking a golf ball and a sole portion extending rearwardly from said face along a bottom of the head body, comprising:

a sole portion of the head body formed with a concave portion expanding toward the interior of the head body;

a balance weight being provided in the concave portion, which is disposed on approximately the same plane with the sole portion, the balance weight being formed of material having a larger specific gravity than that of the head body,

wherein a front end of said concave portion is located toward said face, while a back end of said concave portion is located rearwardly relative to a center portion of said sole portion, said back end extending farther at its toe side than at its heel side.

2. A golf club head having a metallic and hollow head body according to claim 1, further comprising two or more ribs slightly protruding toward the exterior of the head body, said ribs extending from the face of the head body rearwardly,

wherein said ribs extend from said face rearwardly in parallel at preset intervals, said ribs having arc-shaped configurations along downwardly directed bottoms, said arc-shaped configurations each having a radius of curvature approximately equal to an orbital radius of the club head during swinging.

3. A golf club head having a metallic and hollow head body according to claim 2,

wherein a front end of said concave portion is located toward said face, while a back end of said concave portion is located rearwardly relative to a center portion of said sole portion, said back end extending farther at its toe side than its heel side.

4. A golf club head having a metallic and hollow head body according to claim 2,

wherein a front end of said concave portion is located toward said face, while a back end of said concave portion is located rearwardly relative to a center portion of said sole portion, said back end extending farther at its heel side than its toe side.

5. A golf club head having a metallic and hollow head body having an interior and exterior, said head body having a face for striking a golf ball and a sole portion extending rearwardly from said face along a bottom of the head body, comprising:

a sole portion of the head body formed with a concave portion expanding toward the interior of the head body;

a balance weight being provided in the concave portion, which is disposed on approximately the same plane with the sole portion, the balance weight being formed of material having a larger specific gravity than that of the head body,

wherein a front end of said concave portion is located toward said face, while a back end of said concave portion is located rearwardly relative to a center portion of said sole portion, said back end extending farther at its toe side than at its heel side,

two or more ribs slightly protruding toward the exterior of the head body, said ribs extending from slightly rearward of said face rearwardly in parallel at preset intervals, said ribs having arc-shaped configurations along downwardly directed bottoms, said arc-shaped configurations each having a radius of curvature approximately equal to an orbital radius of the club head during swinging.

6. A golf club head having a metallic and hollow head body having an interior and exterior, said head body having a face for striking a golf ball and a sole portion extending rearwardly from said face, comprising:

a sole portion of the head body formed with a concave portion expanding toward the interior of the head body;

a balance weight being provided in the concave portion, which is disposed on approximately the same plane with the sole portion, the balance weight being formed of material having a larger specific gravity than that of the head body,

wherein a front end of said concave portion is located toward said face, while a back end of said concave portion is located rearwardly relative to a center portion of said sole portion, said back end extending farther at its heel side than at its toe side.