Metal wood type golf club head

• US 5,851,159 A
• Filed: 01/07/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BGI Acquisition, LLC (Lion Gate LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bruce D. Burrows
• Inventors: Burrows, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/797,303
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 473/345, 473/346, 473/328, 473/349, 473/350, 473/286, 473/344, 473/327
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club head of the metal wood-type is provided, wherein the sole plate of the club head includes a downwardly open recess defined by a generally centrally located dome element. Internal stiffening ribs may be provided within the club head to extend between the dome element and a selected club head side wall, preferably such as the front or ball impact face of the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a metal head formed from assembled first and second head members to define, when assembled, a sole plate, a front wall and a rear wall and a heel segment and a toe segment generally upstanding from said sole plate and having upper margins thereof joined to a cap plate to define a hollow enclosed head construction;

said sole plate having a generally hemisperical dome element formed generally centrally therein to define a downwardly open cavity.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said first head member comprises a base member including said sole plate joined to said front and rear walls and to said heel and toe segments, said second head member comprising said cap plate.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 further including at least one stiffening rib connected between said dome element and an inboard side of a selected one of said front and rear walls and said heel and toe segments.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein said stiffening rib is connected between said dome element and said front wall.

5. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein said rib is integrally formed with said dome element and said selected one of said front and rear walls and said heel and toe segments.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said first head member comprises a base member including said cap plate joined to said front and rear walls and to said heel and toe segments, and wherein said second head member comprises said sole plate.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said dome element has an opening size extending at least one-fifth the maximum heel-to-toe width dimension of said front wall of the club head.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said dome element has a depth extending at least one-fifth to about one-half the maximum height of said front wall of the club head.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 further including at least one stiffening rib connected between said dome element and an inboard side of said front of the club head.

10. A golf club head, comprising:

a metal head formed from assembled first and second head members to define, when assembled, a sole plate, a front wall and a rear wall and a heel segment and a toe segment generally upstanding from said sole plate and having upper margins thereof joined to a cap plate to define a hollow enclosed head construction;

said sole plate having a dome element formed generally centrally therein to define a downwardly open cavity, said sole plate circumscribing said cavity at the front, rear, heel and toe sides thereof;

said cavity having an opening size extending at least about one-fifth to about one-half the maximum heel-to-toe dimension of said front wall of the club head, and said cavity having a depth extending at least about one-fifth to about one-half the maximum height of said front wall of the club head.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 further including at least one stiffening rib connected between said dome element and an inboard side of said front wall.

12. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein said first head member comprises a base member including said sole plate joined to said front and rear walls and to said heel and toe segments, said second head member comprising said cap plate.

13. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein said first head member comprises a base member including said cap plate joined to said front and rear walls and to said heel and toe segments, and wherein said second head member comprises said sole plate.

14. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein said dome element has a generally hemispherical shape.