Golf club head

• US 6,572,491 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Mikame, Daisuke, Shimasaki, Hirato, Hasebe, Yuu, Imamoto, Yasunori, Kubota, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/804,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20010007837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 473/334, 473/340, 473/341, 473/345, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/349
• 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 having a hollow construction, including a bar-like gravity adjusting piece (4) which extends longitudinally from a toe (7) towards a heel (8), or vice versa, of the head and is secured directly on an inner surface of a sole portion (2) in a position nearer to a front face (3) or wherein a forward half area (F) of the sole portion (2) as viewed from above, that is nearer to a face member (3′) of the head, has a thickness two or more times greater in at least a portion thereof than an average thickness of a rearward half area (R) of the sole portion, that is nearer to a back side (10).

Claims

1. A golf club head having a hollow construction, a forward area of a sole portion of the head as viewed from above, that is nearer to a front face of the head, having a thickness in at least a portion thereof which is two or more times greater than an average thickness of a rearward area of the sole portion, that is nearer to a back side of the head;

wherein a crown portion extends from a top end of the front face to the back side of the head; and

wherein the sole portion is separately formed and welded to said front face and crown portion on interior surfaces of said front face and crown portion.

2. The golf club head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the forward area of the sole portion has a width smaller than one half of the sole width measured from the leading edge of the front face to the back side end.

3. The golf club head as set forth in claim 2, wherein the total area of the thick portion of the forward area is 25% or more of the forward area.

4. The golf club head as set forth in claim 2, wherein portions of the forward area that are closer to the toe and heel, respectively, are thicker than remaining portions of the forward area which are farther from the toe and heel.

5. The golf club head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the total area of the thick portion of the forward area is 25% or more of the forward area.

6. The golf club head as set forth in claim 5, wherein portions of the forward area that are closer to the toe and heel, respectively, are thicker than remaining portions of the forward area which are farther from the toe and heel.

7. The golf club head as set forth in claim 1, wherein portions of the forward area that are closer to the toe and heel, respectively, are thicker than remaining portions of the forward area which are farther from the toe and heel.

8. A golf club head having a hollow construction comprising:

a face portion,

a crown portion, and

a sole portion, wherein a forward area of the sole portion of the head as viewed from above, that is nearer to a front face of the head, having a thickness in at least a portion thereof which is two or more times greater than an average thickness of a rearward area of the sole portion, that is nearer to a back side of the head;

wherein the sole portion is thicker in the forward area than the rearward area, and said forward area of the sole portion gradually decreases in thickness from said face portion.

9. A golf club head having a hollow construction, a forward area of a sole portion of the head as viewed from above, that is nearer to a front face of the head, having a thickness in at least a portion thereof which is two or more times greater than an average thickness of a rearward area of the sole portion, that is nearer to a back side of the head;

wherein a crown portion extends from a top end of the front face to the back side of the head;

wherein the sole portion is thicker in the forward area than the rearward area, and said forward area of the sole portion gradually decreases in thickness from said face portion; and

wherein the sole portion is separately formed, and welded to said front face and crown portion on interior surfaces of said front face and crown portion.