"Iron"-type golf club head

• US 5,766,092 A
• Filed: 04/12/1994
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Mimeur, Nicolas, Guibaud, Jean-Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/226,467
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/77 R, 273/167 H, 273/167 J, 273/DIG. 8, 273/78, 273/DIG. 23, 273/169, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173, 473/287-292, 473/324-350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• 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 iron-type golf club head comprising a hollow metal body (1) incorporating an internal cavity (2) delimited by a series of walls (10, 11, 12, 13) including an impact wall (10) connected peripherally at all points to other walls (11, 12, 13). The inner surface (100) of the impact wall (10) is coated with a thin layer (4) of a viscoelastic resin which has damping properties, and which fills only a portion of the internal cavity (2). The resin layer assures reduced interference vibrations peculiar to "hollow" irons, i.e., those incorporating an internal cavity for improved weight distribution.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising a hollow metal body incorporating an internal cavity delimited by a plurality of walls, including an impact wall attached peripherally at all points to other walls, wherein said impact wall has an internal surface coated with a thin layer of a viscoelastic resin having damping properties, said resin layer only partially filling said internal cavity and having a specific gravity between 1 and 2, said layer being adapted for molding under low pressure or by gravity subsequent to formation of said golf club head using a reaction injection molding process (RIM).

2. Iron-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said resin layer has a thickness of between 1 and 8 mm.

3. Iron-type golf club head according to claim 2, wherein a volume of said resin layer is a maximum of 50% of a total volume of said internal cavity.

4. Iron-type golf club head according to claim 3, wherein a volume of said internal cavity remaining available is filled with a foam of an expanded plastic material having a specific gravity of less than 1.

5. Iron-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said resin layer has edges which are at least partially lodged in a peripheral groove, whether continuous or discontinuous, located inside said internal cavity and in proximity to said impact wall.

6. Iron-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said impact wall comprises interior ribs which project toward an interior of said cavity.

7. Iron-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said rear wall comprises interior ribs which project toward an interior of said cavity.