Golf club head

• US 7,077,762 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kouno, Masaru, Kato, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US10/657,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20040048682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 473/314, 473/316, 473345-346, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/314
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A golf club head which has a head volume v of not less than 300 cc, and a gravity point distance C (mm) satisfying the following condition: C≦0.12×V−8, and optionally, the ratio (M/V) of the moment of inertia M (g·sq.cm) of the club head around a vertical axis passing through the gravity point of the club head to the head volume V (cc) is se in a range of from 9.0 to 11.0, and a sweet spot height is set in a range of from 25 to 40 mm.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

an open-front hollow main body, and a face plate attached to the front of the main body, wherein

the main body is made of a titanium alloy, and

the face plate is made of a titanium alloy different from the main body,

said golf club head having a head volume V of not less than 300 cc, and

a gravity point distance C (mm) satisfying the following condition;

0.12 X V-20≦

C ≦

0.12 X V-12

wherein

in a state of the club head which is set on a horizontal plane HP such that a club shaft center line CL is inclined at its lie angle beta while keeping the club shaft center line CL on a vertical plane VP1, and the club face is inclined at its face angle delta with respect to the vertical plane VPI,

the gravity point distance C is defined as the shortest distance between the shaft center line CL and a projected gravity point Ga which is the gravity point G of the club head projected on the vertical plane VP1, wherein

in a cross section of the club head along the vertical plane VP 1, the shortest distance E between a heel end and the shaft center line CL is in a range of from 8 to 16 mm, wherein the heel end is defined as the farthest point from the shaft center line CL in the direction perpendicular to the shaft center line CL towards the heel of the head,

the ratio (M/V) of the moment of inertia M (g·

sq.cm) of the club head around a vertical axis passing through the gravity point of the club head to the head volume V (cc) is in a range from 9.0 to 11.0, and

a sweet spot height is in a range of from 25 to 40 mm.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the head volume V (cc) and gravity point distance C (mm) satisfy the following condition

(5) C ≧

0.12 X V−

18.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, which is composed of an open-front hollow main body, and a face plate attached to the front of the main body, so that the golf club head has a closed hollow.

4. A golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the main body and face plate are each made a titanium alloy, and the face plate is welded to the main body.