Weight structure on a golf club head

• US 5,776,010 A
• Filed: 01/22/1997
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Hilton, Thomas R., Bistline, Donald A., Helmstetter, Richard C., Dennis, Victor S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/787,154
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324-350, 473/291, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 iron type golf club head which comprises a head body having a ball-striking front face, a rear side, a top, a bottom, a toe, and a heel; a recess formed in the head body proximate the head body rear side and bottom; and an inset positioned in the recess; the head body having a weight W₁ and the inset having a weight W₂, and wherein W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.25 and 0.90.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a) a head body having front, top and bottom walls, a rear side, and a heel and a toe, said head body comprising a first material, and

b) an inset proximate said bottom wall and said rear side, said inset comprising a second material of a density substantially greater than the density of the first material, said inset having a concealable portion of predetermined shape and adapted for abrading, to adjust the weight of the inset, when the inset is separated from the head body,

c) said concealable portion projecting in spaced relation from said bottom wall and from said rear side.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said concealable portion protrudes internally of said body, and said inset and head body have interengaged shoulders which seat the inset in said body, said concealable abradable portion offset from said interengaged shoulders.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 including fastener means for removably attaching the inset to said head body.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said head body defines a first recess into which said inset is removably received.

5. The golf club head of claim 4 wherein said first recess is elongated in a direction extending generally between said toe and heel.

6. The golf club head of claim 4 wherein said head body defines a second and relatively smaller recess into which said concealable portion of the inset is received.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said concealable portion protrudes internally of said body, and said inset and head body have interengaged shoulders which seat the inset in said body, said concealable abradable portion offset from said interengaged shoulders, and including fastener means for removably attaching the inset to said head body, in spaced relation to said concealable portion, said fastener means projecting toward said front wall.

15. The golf club head of claim 4 wherein the inset has bore means to receive fastener means securing the inset to said head body, said bore means spaced from said inset concealed portion of predetermined shape, which is configured for abrading.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a) a head body having a b all-striking front face, a rear side, a top, a bottom, a toe, and a heel, said rear side forming a cavity,

b) a recess formed in the head body proximate the head body rear side and bottom, and below the cavity, and

c) an inset consisting essentially of tungsten and positionable in said recess, said head body having a weight W₁ and said inset having a weight W₂, and wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.25 and 0.90,

d) said body having a volume V₁ and said inset having a volume V₂, and where V₁ is greater than V₂,

e) said head body consisting essentially of titanium.

f) said body having a density M₁ and said inset having a density M₂, and wherein the ratio M₂ /(M₁ +M₂) is between 0.70 and 0.90.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein said body has a rearwardly projecting top flange, a rearwardly projecting bottom flange, the bottom flange having a bottom surface, said recess intersecting said bottom flange bottom surface and a rearwardmost extent of said bottom flange.

10. The golf club head of claim 9 wherein said inset is secured to said bottom flange, said inset having a bottom surface which is substantially flush with said bottom flange bottom surface, and a rearwardmost surface which is substantially flush with, rearwardmost extent of said bottom flange.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 including fastener means securing said inset to said head body, said fastener means everywhere located above the level of said inset bottom surface.

12. The golf club head of claim 11 wherein said fastener means has a rearwardmost extent located proximate said rearwardmost surface.

13. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein said inset has a block configuration, and with a length less than the head length between the heel and toe.

14. The golf club head of claim 11 wherein the inset has a concealed portion of predetermined shape, and which is configured for abrading to adjust the overall weight of the inset prior to securing of the inset to said head bottom flange.

16. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.30 and 0.90.

17. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.35 and 0.45.

18. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is about 0.45.

19. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio V₂ / (V₁ +V₂) is between about 0.10 and 0.20.

20. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio V₂ / (V₁ +V₂) is between about 0.12 and 0.17.

21. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio V₂ / (V₁ +V₂) is about 0.15.

22. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein said ratio M₂ /(M₁ +M₂) is between 0.75 and 0.85.

23. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein said ratio M₂ /(M₁ +M₂) is about 0.80.

24. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.45 and 0.90, the ratio V₂ / (V₁ +V₂) is about 0.15;

and the ratio M₂ /(M₁ +M₂) is about 0.80.

25. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.45 and 0.90.

26. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.55 and 0.90.

27. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.65 and 0.90.

28. A golf club head comprising:

a) a head body having a ball-striking front face, a rear side, a top, a bottom, a toe, and a heel, said rear side forming a cavity,

b) a recess formed in the head body proximate the head body rear side and bottom, and below the cavity, and

c) an inset consisting essentially of tungsten and positionable in said recess, said head body having a weight W₁ and said inset having a weight W₂, and wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.25 and 0.90,

d) said body having a volume V₁ and said inset having a volume V₂, and where V₁ is greater than V₂,

e) said head body consisting essentially of titanium,

f) said rear side having a cavity therein for distributing weight about the periphery of the golf club head, said cavity being defined by a generally planar rear surface rearward of said front face, a generally continuous cavity wall generally perpendicular to said rear surface, and an undercut about the periphery of said rear surface joining said rear surface with the cavity wall.

29. The golf club head of claim 28 wherein said cavity is above a flange projecting away from said front face, said recess formed in said flange proximate said rear side and said bottom, said recess being spaced from said front face.

30. The golf club head of claim 28 wherein the inset has a lowermost surface flush with said bottom and being generally coplanar with said rear side, said inset having a concealable portion of predetermined shape adapted to be selectively abraded to adjust the weight of said inset before said inset is fixed to said body.

31. The golf club head of claim 28 including fastening means for fixing said inset to said body within said recess.

32. The golf club head of claim 28, including a medallion securely fixed to said rear side.

33. A golf club head comprising:

a) a head body having a front wall defining a ball-striking front face, a rear side, a top wall having a top, a bottom wall having a bottom, a toe, and a heel, said rear side forming a cavity,

b) a recess formed in the head body proximate the head body rear side and bottom, and below the cavity, and

c) an inset consisting essentially of tungsten and positionable in said recess, said head body having a weight W₁ and said inset having a weight W₂, and wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.25 and 0.90,

d) said body having a volume V₁ and said inset having a volume V₂, and where V₁ is greater than V₂,

e) said head body consisting essentially of titanium,

f) said front wall also defining a rear face, and corner walls being defined between said top wall and said heel and toe,

g) said body defining a forwardly extending main recess located rearwardly of said front wall,

h) said body also defining an undercut recess located directly rearwardly of said front wall to intersect said main recess and extending outwardly from said main recess toward at least one of said top wall and bottom walls, and also toward at least one of said corner walls, proximate said rear face,

i) the thickness of said one of said top and bottom walls measured in a plane generally parallel to said front wall front face and proximate said rear face being less than the thickness of said one of said top and bottom walls measured in a plane generally parallel to said front face and distal said rear face.

34. A golf club head comprising:

a) a head body having a front wall defining a ball-striking front face, a rear side, a top wall having a top, a bottom wall having a bottom, a toe, and a heel, said rear side forming a cavity,

b) a recess formed in the head body proximate the head body rear side and bottom, and below the cavity, and

c) an inset consisting essentially of tungsten and positionable in said recess, said head body having a weight W₁ and said inset having a weight W₂, and wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.25 and 0.90,

d) said body having a volume V₁ and said inset having a volume V₂, and where V₁ is greater than V₂,

e) said head body consisting essentially of titanium,

f) said front wall also defining a rear face,

g) said body defining a forwardly extending main recess located rearwardly of said front wall,

h) said body also defining an undercut recess located rearwardly of said front wall rear face and extending outwardly from said main recess and toward said top wall, proximate said rear face,

i) the thickness of said top wall measured in a plane generally parallel to said front wall front face and proximate said rear face being less than the thickness of said top wall measured in a plane generally parallel to said front face and distal said rear face.

35. A golf club head comprising:

a) a head body having a front wall defining a ball-striking front face, a rear side, a top wall having a top, a bottom wall having a bottom, a toe, and a heel, said rear side forming a cavity,

b) a recess formed in the head body proximate the head body rear side and bottom, and below the cavity, and

c) an inset consisting essentially of tungsten and positionable in said recess, said head body having a weight W₁ and said inset having a weight W₂, and wherein the ratio W₂ /(W₁ +W₂) is between about 0.25 and 0.90,

d) said body having a volume V₁ and said inset having a volume V₂, and where V₁ is greater than V₂,

e) said head body consisting essentially of titanium,

f) said front wall also defining a rear face,

g) said body defining a forwardly extending main recess located rearwardly of said front wall,

h) and said body having at least one projection extending rearwardly from said front wall and outwardly of said main recess, said projection being rearwardly elongated,

i) said body defining a first auxiliary recess located rearwardly of said front face and forwardly of the main extent of said projection, said auxiliary recess extending into proximity with outer surface extent of the head,

j) the thickness of said projection measured in a plane generally parallel to said front wall front face and proximate said rear face being less than the thickness of said projection measured in a plane generally parallel to said front face and distal said rear face.