Hollow, metallic golf club head with configured medial ridge

• US 5,785,605 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/548,816
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/327, 473/328, 473/332, 473/343, 473/344, 473/345, 473/346, 473/349, 473/350, 473/282, 473/290, 473/291, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/291
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

In combination with a golf club head which comprises a shell having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a forward facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, the bottom wall characterized as having a medial ridge, the improvement comprising a medial ridge having shallow downward convexity in an upright plane extending forwardly and intersecting the ridge, the ridge having a lowermost local zone, in ball-addressing position of the head, and the head having a center of gravity located in substantially vertical alignment with the local zone.

Claims

1. In combination with a golf club head comprising a shell having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a forward facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, said bottom wall characterized as having a medial ridge, and as forming two shallow recesses, one recess between the ridge and the heel portion, and the other recess between the ridge and the toe portion, said recesses everywhere spaced rearwardly from said front wall, the improvement comprising said medial ridge having a lower surface defining a first shallow downward convexity in a first upright plane extending longitudinally forwardly and intersecting the ridge, said lower surface defining a second downward convexity in a second upright plane extending laterally in a toe-to-heel direction, said ridge having a lowermost local zone, said lowermost local zone located proximate an intersection of said first and second downward convexities, and the head having a center of gravity located in substantially vertical alignment with said local zone.

2. The club head of claim 1 wherein said medial ridge increases in width along said downward convexity and toward said front wall and beyond forward extents of said recesses.

3. The club head of claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has a locally flattened, rearwardly divergent surface that extends at a rearwardly and upwardly extending angle, beyond a rearward extent of said ridge downward convexity, and between rearward extents of said recesses.

4. The club head of claim 1 wherein said upright plane bisects said ridge in a front-to-rear direction relative to the head.

5. The club head as defined in claim 4 wherein said two recesses have a similar configuration with respect to said first vertical plane.

6. The club head of claim 1 wherein said first shallow downward convexity extends throughout the major length of said ridge.

7. The club head of claim 1 wherein said recesses have downward facing surfaces with a shallow upwardly dished configuration, at opposite sides of said ridge.

8. The club head of claim 7 wherein said downward facing surfaces are concave in front-to-rear directions.

9. The club head of claim 8 wherein said downward facing surfaces are also concave in a direction between the heel and toe.

10. The club head of claim 1 wherein said bottom wall defines an opening having a bounding edge, and said bottom wall is in part defined by a sole plate having a peripheral edge rigidly connected to said bounding edge of said opening, whereby the sole plate closes said opening, said ridge having said downward convexity and said recesses being in part defined by the sole plate.

11. The club head of claim 1 wherein said recesses have surfaces that merge with opposite sides of said ridge, proximate said first downward convexity.

12. The club head of claim 1 wherein said front wall has a lowermost U-shaped configuration, forwardly of said ridge, and said recesses.

13. The club head of claim 12 wherein said bottom wall terminates forwardly at a beveled portion that is sloped forwardly and upwardly at an angle substantially less than 45°

, relative to horizontal.

14. The club head of claim 13 wherein said beveled portion extends proximate a forwardmost extent of said ridge.

15. The club head of claim 14 wherein said beveled portion also extends forwardly of said recesses.

16. The club head of claim 14 wherein said downward shallow convexity merges with said beveled portion that extends at the forwardmost extent of the head.

17. The head as defined in claim 1 wherein there is a substantially continuous, hollow, metallic tube extending within the shell proximate the heel portion and from proximate the shell top wall to proximate the shell bottom wall, said tube having a bore to receive a club shaft, said bore aligned with said one shallow recess, in spaced relation to said ridge first downward convexity.

18. A set of golf club heads, each golf club head comprising a shell having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a forward facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, said bottom wall characterized as having a medial ridge, and as forming two shallow recesses, one recess between the ridge and the toe portion, said recesses everywhere spaced rearwardly from said front wall, the improvement comprising said medial ridge having a lower surface defining a first shallow downward convexity in a first upright plane extending longitudinally forwardly and intersecting the ridge, said lower surface defining a second downward convexity in a second upright plane extending laterally in a toe-to-heel direction, said ridge having a lowermost local zone, said lowermost local zone located proximate an intersection of said first and second downward convexities, and the head having a center of gravity located in substantially vertical alignment with said local zone, wherein each recess has a downward facing surface, and is further characterized in that the rearwardmost extent of said downwardly facing surface is inclined forwardly and upwardly relative to the head forward swing path as the head bottom wall engages the turf, said rearwardmost extent of said downwardly facing surface being offset from said ridge first downward convexity.

19. In combination with a golf club head comprising a shell having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a forward facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, said bottom wall characterized as having a medial ridge, and as forming two shallow recesses, one recess between the ridge and the heel portion, and the other recess between the ridge and the toe portion, said recesses everywhere spaced rearwardly from said front wall, the improvement comprising said bottom wall terminating forwardly at a beveled portion that is sloped forwardly and upwardly at an angle substantially less than 45°

, relative to horizontal, and forwardly of said recesses and said ridge, the head having a center of gravity above a lowermost zone of the ridge.

20. The club head of claim 19 wherein said angle is between 22°

and 38°

.

21. The club head of claim 19 wherein said beveled portion extends at the forwardmost extent of said ridge, said ridge has a lowermost local zone, in ball-addressing position of the head, and the head center of gravity is located in substantially vertical alignment with lowermost extent of said bottom wall which is bi-directionally downwardly convergent.

22. The club head of claim 21 wherein said beveled portion also extends forwardly of said recesses.

23. The club head of claim 21 wherein said ridge merges with said beveled portion that extends at the forwardmost extent of the head.

24. A golf club head comprising a shell having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a forwardly facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, the bottom wall defining a downwardly projecting medial ridge that extends forwardly toward said front face and defines a lower surface, said medial ridge having first shallow downward convexity in a first upright plane that extends longitudinally forwardly and intersects the ridge, said lower surface defining a second downward convexity in a second upright plane extending laterally in a toe-to-heel direction, said ridge having a lowermost local zone, said local zone located proximate an intersection of said first and second downward convexities, and the head having a center of gravity located in substantially vertical alignment with said local zone.

25. The club head of claim 24 wherein said ridge terminates forwardly at a beveled portion that is sloped forwardly and upwardly at an angle substantially less than 45°

, relative to horizontal.

26. A golf club head having a toe, a heel, a forwardly facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, the bottom wall having downward convexity in a front-to-rear direction, and downward convexity in a toe-to-heel direction, said bottom wall having a lowermost local zone toward which said convexities converge, in ball-addressing position of the head, and the head having a center of gravity located in vertical alignment with said local zone.

27. The head of claim 26 wherein said local zone defines an apex toward which said convexities converge.

28. The head of claim 27 wherein said center of gravity is located within an upwardly divergent cone originating at said apex, the cone having a vertical axis and defining a 15°

included angle.

29. The head of claim 26 wherein said center of gravity is located within an upwardly divergent cone originating at said local zone, the cone having a vertical axis and defining an included angle substantially less than 30°

, said head defining a downwardly projecting ridge extending forwardly and rearwardly, said cone axis intersecting said ridge.

30. The head of claim 29 wherein said ridge diverges forwardly and terminates at a bevel that slopes forwardly and upwardly at an angle substantially less than 45°

.

31. A golf club head having a toe, a heel, a forwardly facing ball-striking face, and top and bottom walls, the bottom wall having the following:

i) downward convexity in a front-to-rear direction,

ii) downward convexity in a toe-to-heel direction,

said bottom wall having a lowermost local zone toward which said convexities extend in ball-addressing position of the head, and the head having a center of gravity located in substantially vertical alignment with said local zone said head consisting essentially of titanium.

32. The head of claim 31 wherein said local zone defines an apex toward which said at least one convexity extends.

33. The head of claim 32 wherein said center of gravity is located within an upwardly divergent cone originating at said apex, the cone having a vertical axis and defining a 15°

included angle.

34. The head of claim 31 wherein said center of gravity is located within an upwardly divergent cone originating at said apex, the cone having a vertical axis and defining a 15°

included angle.

35. The head of claim 34 wherein said ridge diverges forwardly and terminates at a bevel that slopes forwardly and upwardly at an angle substantially less than 45°

.

36. A golf club head comprising a body having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a ball-striking face, and top and bottom surfaces, said bottom surface characterized as having a forwardly extending medial ridge, and as forming two shallow recesses, one recess between the ridge and the heel portion, and the other recess between the ridge and the toe portion, said recesses spaced rearwardly from said front wall, said recesses being located in substantially mirror imaged positions with respect to a forwardly extending vertical plane bisecting said ridge, the ridge bottom surface defining a downwardly convex bi-directional convergence zone, and the head having a center of gravity located vertically above said convergence zone.

37. The club head of claim 36 wherein said medial ridge increases in width toward said front wall and between forward extents of said recesses.

38. The club head of claim 37 which is metallic and consists essentially of titanium.

39. The club head of claim 36 wherein said bottom surface has a bevel that extends at a rearwardly and upwardly extending angle, beyond rearward extent of said ridge, and between rearward extents of said recesses.

40. The club head of claim 36 wherein said recesses have downward facing surfaces with shallow upwardly dished configuration.

41. The club head of claim 40 wherein said downward facing surfaces are concave in front-to-rear directions.

42. The club head of claim 41 wherein said downward facing surfaces are also concave in directions between the heel and toe.

43. The club head of claim 36 wherein said bottom surface is in part defined by a sole plate having a peripheral edge rigidly connected to the bounding edge of an opening defined by said bottom wall, whereby the sole plate closes said opening, said ridge and recesses being in part defined by the sole plate.

44. The club head of claim 36 wherein said recesses have surfaces that merge in arcuate relation with opposite sides of said ridge.

45. The club had of claim 36 wherein said front wall has lowermost U-shaped configuration, forwardly of said ridge and recesses.

46. The club head of claim 36 wherein said head includes a sole plate peripherally connected to a body rim defining a bottom opening, said sole plate defining major extents of said shallow recesses.

47. The club head of claim 46 wherein said sole plate also defines said ridge.

48. The head of claim 36 wherein the head center of gravity is located at approximately 42% to 50% of the head height, as measured upwardly from said convergence zone to the uppermost head surface, viewed from the front of the head.

49. The club head of claim 36 which is metallic and comprises titanium.

50. The golf club head comprising a metallic body having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a ball striking face, and top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface characterized as having localized undulant and angled surface extents delineated within a first peripheral outline for turf engagement and for urging the head upwardly in response to turf engagement, the head, when viewed toward said bottom wall, presenting a second peripheral overall outline having substantial spacing from said first peripheral outline at least toward said toe portion and toward the head rear, the club head sloping arcuately upwardly and outwardly between said first and second outlines, said surface extents defining a forwardly extending ridge having a bottom surface defining a downwardly convex bi-directional convergence zone, and the head having a center of gravity located vertically above said convergence zone.

51. The head of claim 50 having its center of gravity located at approximately 42% to 50% of the head height, as measured upwardly from the convergence zone to the uppermost head surface, viewed from the front of the head.

52. A set of golf club heads, each head comprising a shell having toe and heel portions, a front wall defining a ball striking face, and top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface characterized as having localized undulant and angled surface extents delineated within a first peripheral outline for turf engagement and for urging the head upwardly in response to turf engagement;

the head, when viewed toward said bottom wall, presenting a second peripheral overall outline having substantial spacing from said first peripheral outline at least toward said toe portion and toward a head rear, the club head sloping arcuately upwardly and outwardly between said first and second outlines, said surface extents defining a forwardly extending ridge having a bottom surface defining a downwardly convex bi-directional convergence zone, and the head having a center of gravity located vertically above said convergence zone.

53. The set of heads, as defined in claim 52, wherein each head has a center of gravity located at approximately 42% to 50% of the head height, as measured upwardly from the lowermost head surface to the uppermost head surface, viewed from the front of the head.