Golf club head with improved weight distributions

• US 6,080,069 A
• Filed: 01/16/1998
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Long D. Clayton
• Original Assignee: Arnold Palmer Golf Company (APGC Holdings Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Long, Dabbs Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/007,952
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 473/349, 473/350, 473/290, 473/291, 473/292, 473/333, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/338, 473/339, 473/341, 473/324, 473/328, 473/332, 473/329
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head having improved weight distributions to enhance important moments of inertia of the club head. A hollowed out toe rim cavity is provided in the toe portion of the periphery of the club head which is filled with a lightweight compressible material. The toe rim cavity and insert combination relocates the center of gravity of the club toward the heel, making the club easier to close at impact. The toe rim cavity and insert also redistribute mass on the toe portion of the club, increasing the moment of inertia about the horizontal axis of the club head. The insert also attenuates the vibrations generated at impact between the club head and a golf ball.

Claims

1. A metal golf club head having a toe, a heel, a body extending between said toe and said heel, said body having a front striking face and a rear, a cavity-back in the rear of the body surrounded by a top rim, a bottom rim, a heel rim, and a toe rim, a hosel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft, and a hollow toe rim cavity in the toe rim, said toe rim cavity positioned above the bottom rim and containing an insert of material which has a lower density than the metal.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1 wherein said club head includes a center of gravity located between said toe and said heel, and wherein a horizontal line containing the center of gravity and generally parallel to a lower leading edge of said club head passes through said toe rim cavity.

3. A golf club head according to claim 2 wherein the toe rim cavity tapers in thickness such that its thickness in a plane generally parallel to the striking face of the club decreases upwardly along the toe rim.

4. A golf club head according to claim 2 wherein the toe rim cavity tapers in thickness such that its thickness in a plane generally perpendicular to the striking face of the club decreases upwardly along the toe rim.

5. A golf club head according to claim 1 wherein said insert material is an elastic material selected from the group consisting of rubber, urethane or silicone.

6. A golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a weight member projecting outwardly from an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel, wherein said angular segment is less than 360°

.

7. A golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the toe rim cavity further comprises at least one opening forming a retaining edge in the toe rim cavity and the insert further comprises at least one protruding member which cooperates with the retaining edge to secure the insert within the toe rim cavity.

8. A golf club head according to claim 7 wherein said opening further comprises a rearward opening and a side opening.

9. A golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a notch positioned proximate to the juncture of the toe rim and the bottom rim.

10. A metal golf club head having a toe, a heel, a body extending between said toe and said heel, said body having a front striking face and a rear, a cavity-back in the rear of the body surrounded by a top rim, a bottom rim, a heel rim, and a toe rim, a hosel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft, a weight member projecting outwardly from an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel, wherein said angular segment is less than 360°

, and a hollow toe rim cavity in the toe rim, said toe rim cavity positioned above the bottom rim and containing an insert of material which has a lower density than the metal.

11. A golf club head according to claim 10 wherein said club head includes a center of gravity located between said toe and said heel, and wherein a horizontal line containing the center of gravity and generally parallel to a lower leading edge of said club head passes through said toe rim cavity.

12. A golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the toe rim cavity tapers in thickness such that its thickness in a plane generally parallel to the striking face of the club decreases upwardly along the toe rim.

13. A golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the toe rim cavity tapers in thickness such that its thickness in a plane generally perpendicular to the striking face of the club decreases upwardly along the toe rim.

14. A golf club head according to claim 10 wherein said insert material is an elastic material selected from the group consisting of rubber, urethane or silicone.

15. A golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the toe rim cavity further comprises at least one opening forming a retaining edge in the toe rim cavity and the insert further comprises at least one protruding member which cooperates with the retaining edge to secure the insert within the toe rim cavity.

16. A golf club head according to claim 15 wherein said opening further comprises a rearward opening and a side opening.

17. A golf club head according to claim 10 further comprising a notch positioned proximate to the juncture of the toe rim and the bottom rim.

18. A metal golf club head having

a toe,

a heel,

a body extending between said toe and said heel, said body having a front striking face, a lower leading edge, and a rear, and including a center of gravity,

a cavity-back in the rear of the body surrounded by

a top rim, a bottom rim, a heel rim, and a toe rim,

a hosel extending upwardly from said heel for receiving a golf club shaft,

a weight member projecting outwardly from an angular segment of the periphery of said hosel,

wherein said angular segment is less than 360°

,

a hollow toe rim cavity in the toe rim, said toe rim cavity positioned above the bottom rim and further positioned such that a horizontal line containing the center of gravity and generally parallel to the lower leading edge passes through said cavity,

said toe rim cavity tapering in thickness such that its thickness in a plane generally parallel to the striking face of the club decreases upwardly along the toe rim,

said toe rim cavity further tapering in thickness such that its thickness in a plane generally perpendicular to the striking face of the club decreases upwardly along the toe rim, and

an insert of material which has a lower density than the metal contained within said cavity.

19. A golf club head according to claim 18 wherein said insert material is an elastic material selected from the group consisting of rubber, urethane or silicone.

20. A golf club head according to claim 18 wherein the toe rim cavity further comprises at least one opening forming a retaining edge in the cavity and the insert further comprises at least one protruding member which cooperates with the retaining edge to secure the insert within the toe rim cavity.

21. A golf club head according to claim 20 wherein said opening further comprises a rearward opening and a side opening.

22. A golf club head according to claim 18 further comprising a notch positioned proximate to the juncture of the toe rim and the bottom rim.