Golf club head

• US 5,776,011 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHARLES SU & PHIL CHANG
• Original Assignee: Echelon Golf
• Inventors: Su, Charles, Chang, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W.
• Application Number:
  US08/723,234
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 473/345, 473/349, 473/350, 473/334, 473/338, 473/305, 473/335, 473/342, 473/327, 473/317
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A metalwood golf club head is provided by attaching three distinct stamped pieces: a face and hosel piece, a crown piece and a bottom piece. The hosel of the face and hosel piece has a diameter and a narrowed section adjacent the heel, the narrowed section having a width from the toe to heel direction which is less than the diameter of the hosel. The bottom piece includes a threaded opening for threadably coupling a removable weight which may be selected from a set of removable weights, with each removable weight in the set having a different weight. Weighting is provided on a rear surface of the face, and may take the form of either a plurality of concentric masses or a spiral mass extending rearwardly from the rear surface of the face.

Claims

1. A metalwood golf club head, comprising:

a ball-striking face having a toe, a heel, a top edge, a bottom edge, a center of percussion located at an approximate center of the face, a rear surface, and a spiral mass provided at the rear surface of the face behind the center of percussion;

a hosel connected to the face, the hosel having a diameter and a narrowed section adjacent the heel and having a width from the toe to heel direction which is less than the diameter of the hosel; and

a sole plate connected to the face, the sole plate comprising a threaded opening and a removable weight threadably coupled to the threaded opening.

2. The club head of claim 1, wherein the spiral mass comprises a raised edge extending rearwardly from the rear surface, and further comprising an inner end and an outer end, with the spiral mass extending gradually in a spiral manner to a wider diameter from the inner end to the outer end.

5. The club head of claim 1, further comprising a set of removable weights, each removable weight having a different weight, and wherein one of the removable weights is threadably coupled to the threaded opening.

6. The club head of claim 5, wherein each removable weight has a different length.

7. The club head of claim 1, wherein the face and the hosel are provided together in one stamped piece.

3. A metalwood golf club head, comprising:

a ball-striking face having a toe, a heel, a top edge, a bottom edge, a center of percussion located at an approximate center of the face, a rear surface, and a plurality of concentric masses provided at the rear surface of the face substantially behind the center of percussion;

a hosel connected to the face, the hosel having a diameter and a narrowed section adjacent the heel and having a width from the toe to heel direction which is less than the diameter of the hosel; and

a sole plate connected to the face, the sole plate comprising a threaded opening and a removable weight threadably coupled to the threaded opening.

4. The club head of claim 3, wherein the plurality of concentric masses comprises at least a first concentric mass and a second concentric mass, the first concentric mass having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the second concentric mass and being positioned inside the second concentric mass.

8. A metalwood golf club head, comprising:

a face and hosel piece comprising a face and a hosel provided in one stamped piece, the face having a toe, a heel, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a center of percussion located at an approximate center of the face, the hosel having a diameter and a narrowed section adjacent the heel and having a width from the toe to heel direction which is less than the diameter of the hosel;

a crown piece comprising a peripheral edge and a front edge;

a bottom piece having a peripheral side wall connected to a sole plate, the peripheral side wall comprising a peripheral edge, and the sole plate comprising a front edge; and

wherein face and hosel piece, the crown piece and the bottom piece are provided as three distinct stamped pieces, with the peripheral edge of the crown piece attached to the peripheral edge of the bottom piece, the front edge of the crown piece attached to the top edge of the face and hosel piece, and the front edge of the bottom piece attached to the bottom edge of the face and hosel piece.

9. The club head of claim 8, wherein the face and hosel piece further comprises a curved hosel edge below the hosel, and the crown piece further comprises a curved edge adjacent the heel, wherein the curved edge of the crown piece is attached to the curved hosel edge of the face and hosel piece.

10. The club head of claim 8, wherein the sole plate comprises a threaded opening, and wherein the club head further comprises a removable weight threadably coupled to the threaded opening.

11. The club head of claim 10, further comprising a set of removable weights, each removable weight having a different weight, and wherein one of the removable weights is threadably coupled to the threaded opening.

12. The club head of claim 11, wherein each removable weight has a different length.

13. The club head of claim 8, wherein the face comprises a rear surface, and a spiral mass provided at the rear surface of the face behind the center of percussion.

14. The club head of claim 13, wherein the spiral mass comprises a raised edge extending rearwardly from the rear surface, and further comprising an inner end and an outer end, with the spiral mass extending gradually in a spiral manner to a wider diameter from the inner end to the outer end.

15. The club head of claim 8, wherein the face comprises a rear surface, and a plurality of concentric masses provided at the rear surface of the face substantially behind the center of percussion.

16. The club head of claim 15, wherein the plurality of concentric masses comprises at least a first concentric mass and a second concentric mass, the first concentric mass having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the second concentric mass and being positioned inside the second concentric mass.

17. A method of manufacturing a metalwood golf club head, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing three distinct stamped pieces;

(i) a face and hosel piece comprising a face and a hosel provided in one stamped piece, the face having a toe, a heel, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a center of percussion located at an approximate center of the face, the hosel having a diameter and a narrowed section adjacent the heel and having a width from the toe to heel direction which is less than the diameter of the hosel;

(ii) a crown piece comprising a peripheral edge and a front edge; and

(iii) a bottom piece having a peripheral side wall connected to a sole plate, the peripheral side wall comprising a peripheral edge, and the sole plate comprising a front edge;

(b) attaching the peripheral edge of the crown piece to the peripheral edge of the bottom piece;

(c) attaching the front edge of the crown piece to the top edge of the face and hosel piece; and

(d) attaching the front edge of the bottom piece to the bottom edge of the face and hosel piece.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of providing either a plurality of concentric masses or a spiral mass at a rear surface of the face behind the center of percussion.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the sole plate further comprises a threaded opening, and further comprising the steps of:

(e) providing a set of removable weights, each removable weight having a different weight; and

(f) threadably coupling one of the removable weights to the threaded opening.