Golf club heads with back cavity inserts and weighting

• US 6,592,469 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/768,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20020098910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 473/288, 473/290, 473/291, 473/251, 473/324, 473/329, 473/340, 473/342, 473/347, 473/350, 473/349, 473/334-339
• US Class Current: 473/350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Golf club heads and sets of golf club heads are provided with a thin front face for striking a golf ball and a peripheral weighting surrounding the back of the front face and defining a cavity. An insert is formed in the cavity behind at least a portion of the front face. The golf club heads may also include a weight member which is locked onto the club head by the insert.

Claims

1. An iron-type club head comprising:

(a) a front face of substantially uniform thickness, the tbickness being less than about 0.125 inches;

(b) a perimeter weighting surrounding the front face and defining a back cavity therein; and

(c) an insert located in at least a portion of the back cavity, the insert being comprised of a lower portion having a first maximum thickness and an upper portion having a second maximum thickness less than or equal to the first and having at least a portion of the upper portion having a thickness less than the first maximum thickness,

wherein the perimeter weighting comprising an indentation adjacent the back cavity, and wherein a weight member having a specific gravity of greater than about 10 is coupled into the indentation by the insert.

3. The club head of claim 1, wherein the front face thickness is less than about 0.115 inches.

4. The club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is adhesively affixed in the back cavity.

5. The club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is press fit into the back cavity.

6. The club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is molded into the back cavity.

7. The club head of claim 1, wherein the perimeter weighting further defines an undercut, and the insert is locked into the back cavity by the undercut.

8. The club head of claim 1, wherein the insert is comprised of fiber reinforced resin.

9. The club head of claim 1, further comprising a vibration absorber located in at least a portion of the back cavity.

10. The club head of claim 9, wherein the vibration absorber is disposed between the insert and the back cavity.

11. The club head of claim 1, wherein the front face defines a striking surface and the striking surface is a material different than that of the perimeter weighting.

2. The club head of claim l, wherein the insert further comprises an intermediate portion extending between the upper and lower portions and having a third maximum thickness less than or equal to the second maximum thickness.

12. A set of iron-type club heads wherein each of the club heads comprises:

(a) a front face;

(b) a perimeter weighting surrounding a substantial portion of the front face and defining a back cavity therein; and

(c) an insert located in the back cavity, the insert being comprised of a lower portion having a first maximum thickness and an upper portion of having a second maximum thickness less than or equal to the first and having at least a portion of the upper portion having a thickness less than the first maximum thickness; and

wherein a first club head within the set has a face thickness of less than 0.125 inches, and

wherein each club head further comprises a weight member juxtaposed between the perimeter weighting and the insert, wherein the weight member of each club head within the set has a weight that is equal to or less than a next club head in the set with a lower club number.

13. The set of club heads of claim 12, wherein each club head within the set has a face thickness that is equal to or greater than a next club head in the set with a lower club number.

14. The set of club heads of claim 12, wherein each club head within the set has a center of gravity that is at a height equal to or greater than a next club head in the set with a lower club number.

15. An iron-type club head comprising:

(a) a front face of substantially uniform thickness, the thickness being less than about 0.125 inches;

(b) a perimeter weighting surrounding the front face and defining a back cavity therein; and

(c) an insert located in at least a portion of the back cavity, the insert being comprised of a composite fiber reinforced resin to support the front face, wherein the insert comprises a bottom portion having a first maximum thickness and a top portion having a second maximum thickness less than the first,

wherein a weight member having a specific gravity of greater than 10 is juxtaposed between the perimeter weighting and the insert.

16. The club head of claim 15, wherein the insert further comprises an intermediate portion extending between the top and bottom portion and having a third maximum thickness less than or equal to the second maximum thickness.

17. The club head of claim 15, wherein the front face thickness is less than about 0.115 inches.

18. The club head of claim 15, wherein the insert is adhesively affixed in the back cavity.

19. The club head of claim 15, wherein the insert is press fit into the back cavity.

20. The club head of claim 15, wherein the insert is molded into the back cavity.

21. The club head of claim 15, wherein the perimeter weighting further defines an undercut, and the insert is locked into the back cavity by the undercut.