Golf club iron

• US 6,875,124 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Burnett, Michael Scott, Gilbert, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US10/452,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20040242339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 473/342, 473/344, 473/350, 473290-291, D21/748, D21/733
• US Class Current: 473/290
• 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 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• 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

An iron golf club head having a thin (less than 0.12 inches) first section that has an expanded unsupported front face region. The first section including a central portion forming part of a leading edge and wrapping around a sole section of the club, to create an increase the coefficient of restitution of the club head to greater than 0.8. The club head utilizes a rear insert that in addition to providing support for the front face, also allows for the fine tuning of swing weights with no change in geometry or size of the club head. This is accomplished this by the utilization of weight adjustment inserts that impregnate tungsten loaded plastic into sheets of carbon graphite and epoxy. The percentage of tungsten creating a weight range without any size change in the sheets.

Claims

1. An iron golf club head comprising:

a body having a perimeter weight, a front face, and a leading edge;

the front face having a front insert forming a first section comprising at least 50 percent of the front face and a central portion of the leading edge, and having a first thickness;

the front face having a second section comprising a second thickness being greater than the first thickness;

the second section forming a heel portion and a toe portion of the leading edge; and

the perimeter weight comprising a sole section, the central portion of the leading edge wrapping around and attaching to the sole section;

wherein the central portion has a width of about 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches, and a depth between about 0.30 inch to 1.0 inch.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the first section has a thickness ranging from about 0.06 inch to about 0.12 inch.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the insert has an area between 2.5 square inches and 4.0 square inches.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.79.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the first section has a substantially uniform thickness.

6. The club head of claim 1, wherein the first section is welded to the front face.

7. The club head of claim 1, wherein the first section is made from forged stainless steel.

8. The club head of claim 1, wherein the first section is made from stamped stainless steel.

9. The club head of claim 1, wherein the front face is made of high strength steel having a yield strength greater than 100,000 psi and an elongation less than about 15%.

10. The club head of claim 1, wherein the front face is made of titanium alloy having a yield strength between 100,000 psi and 150,000 psi.

11. The club head of claim 1, wherein the heel and toe portions each have a sole thickness that is at least twenty percent greater than the thickness of the first section.

12. The club head of claim 1, wherein the thickness of each of the heel and toe portions is about 0.12 inch to about 0.25 inch.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the perimeter weight surrounds a rear cavity, and a composite insert is interposed within the rear cavity and attached to a back surface of the front face.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the perimeter weight includes:

a rear cavity defined therein;

a composite insert comprising of a high specific gravity filler loaded plastic; and

the composite interposed within the rear cavity and attached to a back surface of the front face.

15. An iron golf club head comprising:

a body having a perimeter weight, a front face comprising a front plate, and a leading edge;

the front plate forming at least 50 percent of the front face and a central portion of the leading edge, and having a first thickness;

the front face having a second section comprising a second thickness being greater than the first thickness;

the second section forming heel and toe portions of the leading edge; and

the perimeter weight comprising a sole section, the central portion of the leading edge wrapping around and attaching to the sole section;

wherein the central portion has a width of about 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches, and a depth between about 0.30 inch to about 1.0 inch.

16. The golf club of claim 15, wherein the front plate has a thickness ranging from about 0.06 inch to about 0.12 inch.

17. The golf club of claim 15, wherein the front plate has an area between 2.5 square inches and 4.0 square inches.

18. The golf club of claim 15, wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.79.

19. The golf club of claim 15, wherein the front plate has a substantially uniform thickness.

20. The club head of claim 15, wherein the front plate is welded to the front face.

21. The club head of claim 15, wherein the front plate is made from forged stainless steel.

22. The club head of claim 15, wherein the front plate is made from stamped stainless steel.

23. The club head of claim 15, wherein the front plate is made of high strength steel having a yield strength greater than 100,000 psi and an elongation less than about 15%.

24. The club head of claim 15, wherein the front plate is made of titanium alloy having a yield strength between 100,000 psi and 150,000 psi.

25. The club head of claim 15, wherein the heel and toe potions each have a sole thickness that is at least twenty percent greater than the front plate.

26. The club head of claim 15, wherein the thickness of each of the heel and toe portions is about 0.12 inch to about 0.25 inch.

27. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the perimeter weight surrounds a rear cavity, and a composite insert is interposed within the rear cavity and attached to a back surface of the front face.

28. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the perimeter weight includes:

a rear cavity defined therein;

a composite insert comprising of a high specific gravity filler loaded plastic; and

the composite insert interposed within the rear cavity and attached to a back surface of the front face.

29. An iron golf club head comprising:

a body having a perimeter weight, a front face, and a leading edge;

the front face having a front insert forming a first section comprising at least 50 percent of the front face and a central portion of the leading edge, and having a first thickness;

the front face having a second section comprising a second thickness being greater than the first thickness; and

the second section forming a heel portion and a toe portion of the leading edge,

wherein the thickness of each of the heel and toe portions is about 0.12 inch to about 0.25 inch.

30. An iron golf club head comprising:

a body having a perimeter weight, a front face comprising a front plate, and a leading edge;

the front plate forming at least 50 percent of the front face and a central portion of the leading edge, and having a first thickness;

the front face having a second section comprising a second thickness being greater than the first thickness; and

the second section forming heel and toe portions of the leading edge,

wherein the thickness of each of the heel and toe portions is about 0.12 inch to about 0.25 inch.