Golf club head and golf club set

• US 6,984,180 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasebe, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US10/386,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20030176231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 473/345, 473/346, 473/350, 473/290, 473/291
• US Class Current: 473/291
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• 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 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• 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

Abstract

A golf club head is formed by integrally welding a face portion and a back portion with each other. The face portion has a circumferential edge portion in its back surface. The circumferential edge portion is made of a flat surface all over its circumference. In the rear surface of the face portion, the part other than the circumferential edge portion is formed as a recess portion. In the bottom surface of the recess portion, a first bottom surface which is the deepest, a second bottom surface which is the second deepest, a third bottom surface which is the third deepest, and a fourth bottom surface which is the shallowest are formed in descending order. Three ribs are provided vertically to extend through the recess portion.

Claims

1. An iron-type hollow golf club head comprising:

a face portion;

a back portion; and

a sole portion;

wherein the face portion, the back portion, and the sole portion define a hollow portion,

wherein the face portion is thicker as approaching to a lower portion thereof at least on a toe side thereof so as to form a plurality of step-like portions, and

wherein at least one rib is provided that extends from a top edge portion of the face portion to a bottom edge portion of the face portion.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of step-like portions extend in a width direction of the face portion and are provided on a back surface of the face portion facing the hollow portion so that the face portion is thicker stepwise as approaching to the lower portion thereof.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rib extends vertically near a central portion of a back surface of the face portion in a width direction of the face portion.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the rib is provided near a central portion of a back surface of the face portion in a width direction of the face portion so that the rib is thicker than the face portion on a toe side.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a loft angle is not larger than 43°

.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the face portion increases from the top edge portion of the face portion to the bottom edge portion of the face portion.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein at least two columns of step-like portions are provided which are disposed parallel to each other.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein the at least one rib separates the two columns of step-like portions.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the step-like portions are formed in a recessed area of the face portion.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of columns of step-like portions are provided which extend from an upper portion to a lower portion of a back surface of the face portion.

11. An iron-type hollow golf club head comprising:

a face portion;

a back portion; and

a sole portion;

wherein the face portion, the back portion, and the sole portion define a hollow portion,

wherein the face portion is thicker as approaching to a lower portion thereof at least on a toe side thereof so as to form a plurality of step-like portions, and

wherein a rib extending vertically is provided near a central portion of a back surface of the face portion in a width direction of the face portion.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of step-like portions extend in a width direction of the face portion and are provided on a back surface of the face portion facing the hollow portion so that the face portion is thicker stepwise as approaching to the lower portion thereof.

13. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the rib is provided near a central portion of a back surface of the face portion in a width direction of the face portion so that the rib is thicker than the face portion on a toe side.

14. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein a loft angle is not larger than 43°

.

15. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of the face portion increases from a top edge portion of the face portion to a bottom edge portion of the face portion.

16. The golf club head according to claim 15, wherein the rib is provided to extend from the top edge portion to the bottom edge portion.

17. The golf club head according to claim 16, wherein at least two columns of step-like portions are provided which are disposed parallel to each other.

18. The golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the rib separates the two columns of step-like portions.

19. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the step-like portions are formed in a recessed area of the face portion.

20. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of columns of step-like portions are provided which extend from an upper portion to a lower portion of a back surface of the face portion.