Golf club head

• US 6,012,990 A
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Nishizawa, Yoh
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/035,096
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/345, 473/346, 473/347, 473/348, 473/349, 473/350, 473/334, 473/338
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

Disclosed is a golf club head comprising a hollow head main body comprising a metallic sole portion and a metallic outer mold which have been molded solidly together, wherein at least one part of the sole portion is formed of a heavy metal having a specific gravity which is 3.5 to 11 times the specific gravity of the metal constituting the outer mold. Also disclosed is a golf club head comprising a hollow head main body wherein a metallic sole portion and a metallic outer mold which have been molded solidly together; and wherein assuming a coordinate system wherein when the head main body is placed in a stationary position on a horizontal plane surface, a position of the center of gravity of the head main body is deemed as an origin O, a line perpendicular to the plane surface, which passes through the origin O is deemed as a Y axis, and a line parallel to the plane surface and perpendicular to a leading edge of the head main body, which passes through the origin O is deemed as an X axis, a weight is positioned in a lower left quadrant partitioned below the X axis and to the back of the Y axis, the foregoing weight being formed of a heavy metal having a specific gravity which is 3.5 to 11 times the specific gravity of the metal constituting the head main body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a hollow head main body having a front side, a rear side and center of gravity and comprising a metallic outer shell and a metallic sole portion molded solidly together, wherein at least part of the sole portion is formed of a heavy metal having a specific gravity of about 3.5 to 11 times the specific gravity of the metallic outer shell, wherein, when the head main body is placed on a horizontal plane surface, an X axis parallel to the horizontal plane surface and passing through the center of gravity, and a Y axis perpendicular to and intersecting the X axis at the center of gravity define cross-sectional quadrants including a lower rear quadrant adjacent the rear side of the main body, and wherein the sole portion formed of heavy metal is confined to the lower rear quadrant of the main body.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said sole portion set has a thickness of about 2 to 3 mm.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said metallic outer shell comprises a metal selected from at least one of titanium, aluminum and stainless steel.

4. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein said heavy metal is selected from at least one of tantalum and tungsten.