Golf club head

• US 5,711,722 A
• Filed: 09/03/1996
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyajima, Tetsuya, Ezaki, Hiroshi, Shimasaki, Hirato
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/707,286
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/344, 473/346, 473/349, 473/350, 473/329, 473/332, 473/330, 473/331, 473/345
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

An enlarged golf club head has a front wall decreased in thickness, which is sufficient strength, easy to menufacture, and has no increase in total weight. It is a wood or iron golf club head with a plate wall made of a metal, a front side of which provides a front wall having a ball striking front face and a back face at the opposite side thereof, the back face having a plurality of ridges projecting rearwardly of the back face. The ridges extend vertically, horizontally or in both directions of the club head and are disposed at a back of at least a sweet spot of the front face.

Claims

1. A wood or iron golf club head comprising:

a plate wall made of a metal having a front face for striking a ball and a back face opposite said front face;

said back face having a plurality of ridges projecting rearwardly from the back face;

said ridges including one of vertical ridges, horizontal ridges and both vertical and horizontal ridges;

said ridges being disposed at least in an area behind a sweet spot area of the front face;

said ridges having top portions which are semicircular in cross section and said ridges defining troughs therebetween with said troughs having bottoms which are semicircular in cross section such that said ridges define circular convexities and circular concavities; and

said ridges having a height in a range of 1 to 5 mm and said ridges being spaced at intervals in a range of 2 to 10 mm.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said ridges are formed higher in a central area of said back face than in an area surrounding the central area.

3. A golf club head according to claim 2, wherein said ridges are formed more densely in said central area.

4. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said metal is one of stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum and aluminum alloy.

5. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said ridges are formed more densely in a central area of said back face than in an area surrounding the central area.

6. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said plate wall has a thickness of 1 mm exclusive of said height of said ridges.

7. A wood or iron golf club head comprising:

a plate wall made of a metal having a front face for striking a ball and a back face opposite said front face;

said back face having a plurality of ridges projecting rearwardly from the back face;

said ridges including one of horizontal ridges and both vertical and horizontal ridges;

said ridges being disposed in a central area behind a sweet spot area of the front face and in a surrounding area surrounding said central area;

at least one of said horizontal ridges extending through both said central area and said surrounding area; and

said central area including additional ones of said horizontal ridges, which are limited to said central area, resulting in a horizontal ridge density of said central area being greater than a horizontal ridge density of said surrounding area.

8. A golf club head according to claim 7, wherein said ridges have top portions which are semicircular in cross section and said ridges define troughs therebetween with said troughs having bottoms which are semicircular in cross section such that said ridges define circular convexities and circular concavities.

9. A golf club head according to claim 7, wherein said metal is one of stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum and aluminum alloy.

10. A wood or iron golf club head comprising:

a plate wall made of a metal having a front face for striking a ball and a back face opposite said front face;

said back face having a plurality of ridges projecting rearwardly from the back face;

said ridges including one of vertical ridges and both vertical and horizontal ridges;

said ridges being disposed in a central area behind a sweet spot area of the front face and in a surrounding area surrounding said central area;

at least one of said vertical ridges extending through both said central area and said surrounding area; and

said central area including additional ones of said vertical ridges, which are limited to said central area, resulting in a vertical ridge density of said central area being greater than a vertical ridge density of said surrounding area.

11. A golf club head according to claim 10, wherein said ridges have top portions which are semicircular in cross section and said ridges define troughs therebetween with said troughs having bottoms which are semicircular in cross section such that said ridges define circular convexities and circular concavities.

12. A golf club head according to claim 10, wherein said metal is one of stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum and aluminum alloy.

13. A wood or iron golf club head comprising:

a plate wall made of a metal having a front face for striking a ball and a back face opposite said front face;

said back face having a plurality of ridges projecting rearwardly from the back face;

said ridges including one of horizontal ridges, vertical ridges and both vertical and horizontal ridges;

said ridges being disposed at least in a central area behind a sweet spot area of the front face; and

ones of said ridges in said central area having heights increasing in reverse relation to a distance from a center of said central area.

14. A golf club head according to claim 13, wherein said ridges have top portions which are semicircular in cross section and said ridges define troughs therebetween with said troughs having bottoms which are semicircular in cross section such that said ridges define circular convexities and circular concavities.

15. A golf club head according to claim 13, wherein said metal is one of stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum and aluminum alloy.

16. A wood or iron golf club head comprising:

a plate wall made of a metal having a front face for striking a ball and a back face opposite said front face;

said back face having a plurality of ridges projecting rearwardly from the back face;

said ridges including one of vertical ridges, horizontal ridges and both vertical and horizontal ridges;

said ridges being disposed in at least a central area behind a sweet spot area of the front face; and

said ridges having top portions which are semicircular in cross section and said ridges defining troughs therebetween with said troughs having bottoms which are semicircular in cross section such that said ridges define circular convexities and circular concavities.