Golf club head with multiple undercuts

• US 6,962,538 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Roach, Ryan L., Best, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/796,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20050202899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/332, 473/334, 473/335, 473/345, 473/350
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

The present invention relates to a golf club head having multiple undercuts. The club head includes a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, and a back, and having a heel and a toe. The back contains a cavity. Multiple undercuts in the form of a plurality of recesses are provided within the cavity. The recesses extend away from the cavity. The recesses may be oriented in a variety of ways. In a first arrangement, the recesses are aligned longitudinally to the striking face in a heel-to-toe direction. In a second arrangement, the recesses are recesses are aligned transverse to the striking face in a front-to-back direction and extend in a heel-to-toe direction. In a third arrangement, the plurality of recesses includes both longitudinally arranged and transversely arranged recesses. An insert, such as a weight insert, a dampening insert, or a combination insert, is preferably positioned within each of the recesses.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, and a back, and having a heel and a toe; and

wherein;

said back contains a cavity therein; and

said cavity contains a plurality of recesses therein, said recesses extending away from said cavity; and

wherein said recesses are aligned substantially longitudinally to said striking face in a heel-to-toe direction, and said plurality of recesses includes a first recess positioned in a heel portion of said cavity, a second recess positioned in a toe portion of said cavity, and a third recess intermediate said first and second recesses, said third recess having a volume greater than the combined volumes of said first and second recesses.

2. The club head of claim 1, wherein said first and second recesses each have a volume from approximately 1 cubic centimeter to approximately 10 cubic centimeters.

3. The club head of claim 1, wherein said first and second recesses each have a depth of approximately 0.300 inch to approximately 0.800 inch.

4. The club head of claim 3, wherein said first and second recesses each have a depth of approximately 0.450 inch to approximately 0.700 inch.

5. The club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a first weight member positioned within said first recess; and

a second weight member positioned within said second recess.

6. The club head of claim 5, wherein said first and second weight members each have a mass greater than or equal to approximately 10 grams.

7. The club head of claim 5, wherein said first weight member has a specific gravity greater than a specific gravity of the club head, and said second weight member has a specific gravity greater than said club head specific gravity.

8. The club head of claim 7, wherein said first weight member specific gravity and said second weight member specific gravity are substantially equal.

9. The club head of claim 5, wherein:

said first weight member has a first specific gravity;

said second weight member has a second specific gravity; and

said first specific gravity is less than said second specific gravity.

10. The club head of claim 5, wherein:

said first weight member has a first specific gravity;

said second weight member has a second specific gravity; and

said first specific gravity is greater than said second specific gravity.

11. The club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a dampening insert positioned within one of said first and second recesses; and

a weight insert positioned within the other of said first and second recesses.

12. The club head of claim 1, wherein said first and second recesses each have a volume from approximately 1 cubic centimeter to approximately 10 cubic centimeters, and said third recess has a volume greater than each of said first and second recesses.

13. The club head of claim 1, wherein said third recess has a volume greater than twice the combined volumes of said first and second recesses.

14. The club head of claim 1, wherein said first and second recesses each have a depth of approximately 0.300 inch to approximately 0.800 inch and said third recess has a depth of approximately 0.450 inch to approximately 0.700 inch.

15. The club head of claim 14, wherein said first and second recesses each have a depth of approximately 0.450 inch to approximately 0.700 inch and said third recess has a depth of approximately 0.250 inch to approximately 0.500 inch.

16. The club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a first weight member positioned within said first recess;

a second weight member positioned within said second recess; and

a third weight member positioned within said third recess.

17. The club head of claim 16, wherein said first and second weight members each have a mass greater than or equal to approximately 10 grams, and said third weight member has a mass less than approximately 10 grams.

18. The club head of claim 16, wherein said first weight member has a specific gravity greater than a specific gravity of the club head, said second weight member has a specific gravity greater than said club head specific gravity, and said third weight member has a specific gravity less than said club head specific gravity.

19. The club head of claim 16, wherein

said first weight member has a first specific gravity;

said second weight member has a second specific gravity; and

said third weight member has a third specific gravity.

20. The club head of claim 19, wherein said first and second specific gravities are each greater than said third specific gravity.

21. The club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a first weight member positioned within said first recess;

a second weight member positioned within said second recess; and

a dampening member positioned within said third recess.

22. The club head of claim 21, wherein said first and second weight members each have a mass greater than or equal to approximately 10 grams, and said dampening member has a mass less than approximately 10 grams.

23. The club head of claim 21, wherein said first weight member has a specific gravity greater than a specific gravity of the club head, said second weight member has a specific gravity greater than said club head specific gravity, and said dampening member has a specific gravity less than said club head specific gravity.

24. The club head of claim 1, wherein said recesses are aligned substantially transverse to said striking face in a front-to-back direction and extend in a heel-to-toe direction, and wherein said plurality of recesses includes a first recess positioned adjacent said back.

25. The club head of claim 24, wherein said first recess has a volume of approximately 1 cubic centimeter to approximately 10 cubic centimeters.

26. The club head of claim 25, further comprises a weight member positioned within said second recess.

27. The club head of claim 26, wherein said weight member has a specific gravity greater than a specific gravity of the club head, and said dampening member has a specific gravity less than said club head specific gravity.

28. The club head of claim 24, further comprising a dampening member positioned within said first recess.

29. The club head of claim 24, further comprises a dampening member positioned within said first recess and a weight member positioned within said second recess.

30. The club head of claim 29, wherein said weight member has a mass of approximately 10 to approximately 20 grams.

31. The club head of claim 24, further comprising a weight member positioned within said first recess and a dampening member positioned within said second recess.

32. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said plurality of recesses includes:

a first recess aligned substantially transverse to said striking face in a front-to-back direction and extending in a heel-to-toe direction;

a second recess aligned substantially longitudinally to said striking face in a heel-to-toe direction and positioned in a heel portion of said cavity; and

a third recess aligned substantially longitudinally to said striking face in a heel-to-toe direction and positioned in a toe portion of said cavity.

33. The golf club head of claim 32, further comprising:

a dampening member positioned within said first recess;

a first weight member positioned within said second recess; and

a second weight member positioned within said third recess.

34. The golf club head of claim 32, further comprising a fourth recess intermediate said second and third recesses.

35. The club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of recesses includes both a weight member and a dampening member positioned therein.

36. The club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is an iron-type golf club head.

37. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, and a back, and having a heel and a toe;

said back containing a cavity therein;

said cavity containing a plurality of recesses therein, said recesses extending away from said cavity and being aligned substantially longitudinally to said striking face in a heel-to-toe direction;

said plurality of recesses including a first recess positioned in a heel portion of said cavity, a second recess positioned in a toe portion of said cavity, and a third recess intermediate said first and second recesses;

a first weight member having a first specific gravity positioned within said first recess;

a second weight member having a second specific gravity positioned within said second recess; and

a third weight member having a third specific gravity positioned within said third recess;

wherein said first and second specific gravities are each less than said third specific gravity.

38. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, and a back, and having a heel and a toe;

said back containing a cavity therein;

said cavity containing a plurality of recesses therein, said recesses extending away from said cavity and being aligned substantially longitudinally to said striking face in a heel-to-toe direction;

said plurality of recesses including a first recess positioned in a heel portion of said cavity, a second recess positioned in a toe portion of said cavity, and a third recess intermediate said first and second recesses;

a first weight member having a first specific gravity positioned within said first recess;

a second weight member having a second specific gravity positioned within said second recess; and

a third weight member having a third specific gravity positioned within said third recess;

wherein one of said first and second specific gravities is greater than said third specific gravity, and the other of said first and second specific gravities is less than said third specific gravity.

39. The club head of claim 38, wherein said first and second specific gravities are substantially equal.

40. The club head of claim 38, wherein said first specific gravity is greater than said second specific gravity.

41. The club head of claim 38, wherein said first specific gravity is less than said second specific gravity.