Golf club head with tuning and vibration control means

• US 5,595,552 A
• Filed: 12/15/1995
• Issued: 01/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Solheim, John A., Wright, David E., Kubica, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US08/573,525
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 473/332, 473/324, 473/341, 473/349, 473/350, D21/214, D21/220, 273/167 R
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head includes a heel end, a toe end, a front face arranged to impact a golf ball, and a back face disposed rearwardly of the front face. A perimeter weighting element protrudes rearwardly away from the front face and defines a cavity in the back face. The perimeter weighting element includes a top rail and a sole. A plurality of ribs are disposed in the cavity for eliminating undesirable vibrations in the golf club head when the front face impacts a golf ball and for attenuating other vibrations in the golf club head. Each of the ribs extends generally radially relative to the cavity from an inner end to an outer end that merges with the perimeter weighting element. An elliptically shaped geometric region is formed in a bottom surface of the cavity for assisting the plurality of ribs in eliminating the undesirable vibrations and in attenuating the other vibrations.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a heel end, a toe end, a front face arranged for impact with a golf ball, a back face disposed rearwardly of said front face, and a perimeter weighting element protruding rearwardly away from said front face defining a cavity in said back face, said cavity having a bottom surface;

said perimeter weighting element including a top rail and a sole, said top rail extending between said body heel and toe ends along an upper portion of said body, and said sole extending between said body heel and toe ends along a lower portion of said body;

a plurality of ribs disposed in said cavity for eliminating undesirable vibrations in the club head caused when said front face impacts a golf ball and for attenuating other vibrations in the club head, each of said ribs having an outer end that merges with said perimeter weighting element;

a geometric region formed in said bottom surface of said cavity for assisting said plurality of ribs in eliminating said undesirable vibrations and in attenuating said other vibrations, said body having a center of gravity located within said geometric region; and

a ring formed integrally with and rising above said geometric region, said ring encircling said center of gravity.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of said ribs extends generally radially relative to said cavity from an inner end to said outer end thereof.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said plurality of ribs is comprised of five ribs, one of said ribs extends toward said toe end of said body, two of said ribs extend toward said top rail, and two of said ribs extend toward said sole.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein one of said two ribs that extend toward said top rail is parallel to a vertical axis through said body.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said plurality of ribs is comprised of four ribs, one of said ribs extends toward said toe end of said body, one of said ribs extends toward said top rail, one of said ribs extends toward said heel end of said body, and one of said ribs extends toward said sole.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said one rib that extends toward said top rail and said one rib that extends toward said sole both are parallel to a vertical axis through said body.

7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said plurality of ribs is comprised of eight ribs, one of said ribs extends toward said toe end of said body, three of said ribs extend toward said top rail, one of said ribs extends toward said heel end of said body, and three of said ribs extend toward said sole.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein one of the three ribs that extend toward said top rail and one of the three ribs that extend toward said sole both are parallel to a vertical axis through said body.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said perimeter weighting element comprises an upper toe weight adjacent a toe end of said top rail, a lower toe weight adjacent a toe end of said sole, and a lower heel weight adjacent a heel end of said sole.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of said ribs has a generally arch-shaped cross-section.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said body has a center of gravity located within said geometric region.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a projection formed integrally with and rising above said geometric region, said projection being encircled by said ring.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said plurality of ribs, said geometric region, said ring, and said projection comprise means for tuning the club head and for controlling vibration in the club head.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said geometric region is an elliptically shaped region.

15. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a hosel adjacent said heel end of said body.

16. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a heel end, a toe end, a front face arranged for impact with a golf ball, a back face disposed rearwardly of said front face, and a perimeter weighting element protruding rearwardly away from said front face defining a cavity in said back face, said cavity having a bottom surface;

said perimeter weighting element including a top rail and a sole, said top rail extending between said body heel and toe ends along an upper portion of said body, and said sole extending between said body heel and toe ends along a lower portion of said body;

means for tuning the club head and for controlling vibration in the club head, said tuning and vibration controlling means including a plurality of ribs disposed in said cavity and a geometric region formed in said bottom surface of said cavity for eliminating undesirable vibrations in the club head caused when said front face impacts a golf ball and for attenuating other vibrations in the club head; and

said tuning and vibration controlling means further including a ring and a projection formed on said geometric region, and wherein said ring encircles said projection.