Wood type aerodynamic golf club head having an air foil member on the upper surface

• US 5,511,786 A
• Filed: 09/19/1994
• Issued: 04/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony J. Antonious
• Original Assignee: Anthony J. Antonious
• Inventors: Antonious, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/308,422
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 E, 273/164.1, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/194 A, 273/187.4, 273/186.2, 273/162 R, 273/167 R, 273/77 R, 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• 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 wood type golf club head having an aerodynamic upper surface, creating an air flow pattern to reduce drag on the club head, including a raised aerodynamic airfoil member extending upwardly from the top surface in a heel to toe direction.

Claims

1. A wood type golf club head including a heel, toe, top surface, rear surface, and front including a ball striking face, said top surface being coincident with an upper part of said ball striking face wherein the improvement comprises:

aerodynamic means formed on said top surface creating an air flow configuration to reduce the aerodynamic drag on the club head providing greater acceleration and increased club head speed for a given force when swinging the club;

said aerodynamic means including a raised aerodynamic air foil member extending upwardly from said top surface and having a longitudinal axis in a heel-to-toe direction and located on said top surface between said front and said rear surface.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic member is located approximately midway between said front and said rear surfaces.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the width of said aerodynamic member is within the range of one-quarter inch to one inch.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic member extends upwardly at least one-eighth inch above said top surface.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic member is generally rectangular in shape.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic member is formed of a series of parallel struts.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 further including a series of aerodynamic grooves formed between said aerodynamic member and the rear surface of said club head said grooves extending perpendicular to the airfoil member and between the member and the rear surface of the club head in a front-to-rear direction.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 further including an aerodynamic channel formed perpendicular to said airfoil member and extending in a front-to-rear direction on said top surface of said club head.

9. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein said channel includes a bottom surface coincident with the top surface of the club head.

10. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein said channel includes a bottom surface located below said top surface of said club head.

11. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said airfoil member includes a series of angular strut members positioned on said top surface.