Golf club head

• US 7,140,974 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Chao, Bing-Ling, Vincent, Benoit, Weed, Brian, Zimmerman, Gery, Larsen, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/831,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20050239575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club head has a body having a top, a sole, a toe end, a heel end, and a forward wall. The forward wall defines a front opening about which a face support is disposed. The face support receives a face plate, thereby enclosing the front opening of the body. The face support includes portions proximate to the top, the toe end, and the heel end, each portion having a peripheral member extending rearward from the forward wall and a rear member extending inward from the peripheral member, with respect to the front opening. The face support can be combined with a preferred face construction and weight elements to optimize club head performance to help a golfer achieve greater distance and control.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body having a top, a sole, a toe end, a heel end, and a forward wall, the forward wall defining a front opening, the body further having a face support disposed about the front opening, the face support having portions proximate to the top, the toe end, and the heel end, the face support including

a peripheral member extending rearward from the forward wall for a length between about 3 mm and 30 mm, measured from a forward surface of the forward wall, the peripheral member having a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, and

a rear member extending inward from the peripheral member, with respect to the front opening, for a length of at least about 2 mm and no more than about 25 mm, the rear member having a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm; and

a face plate received by the face support.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the face support further includes a portion proximate to the sole of the body, the portion proximate to the sole having a rear member extending inward with respect to the front opening and configured to support a lower edge of the face plate.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the face support further includes a portion proximate to the sole of the body, the portion proximate to the sole having

a peripheral member extending rearward from the forward wall for a length between about 3 mm and 30 mm, measured from a forward surface of the forward wall, the peripheral member having a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, and

a rear member extending inward from the peripheral member, with respect to the front opening, for a length of at least about 2 mm and no more than about 25 mm, the rear member having a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the rear member of the face support is continuous about the front opening, the rear member extending inward from the peripheral member of each of the portions of the face support.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the peripheral member has a thickness of about 1 mm and a length between about 4 mm and 6 mm, and the rear member has a thickness between about 0.6 mm and 1.5 mm and a length between about 2 mm and 7 mm.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein a junction of the peripheral and rear members of the face support has a maximum thickness of between about 1.5 and 2 mm.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the rear member tapers from a junction of the peripheral and rear members to an inward end, the inward end having a thickness of between about 0.6 and 0.9 mm.

8. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the peripheral member is spaced from a skirt of the body at one or both of the toe and heel ends a horizontal distance of at least 1.5 mm measured about 2 mm inward from a side forward surface of the body at the front opening.

9. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the face support further includes a portion proximate to the sole, the portion proximate to sole having a rear member extending inward with respect to the front opening the portion proximate to sole face disposed such that the front surface of the face plate is substantially flush with the forward wall of the body.

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the portion proximate to the sole further having a peripheral member, the peripheral member extending rearward from the forward wall proximate to the sole for a length between about 3 mm and 30 mm, the peripheral member having a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, the rear member extending inward from the peripheral member, with respect to the front opening, for a length of at least about 2 mm and no more than about 25 mm, the rear member having a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the peripheral member is spaced from the top a vertical distance of at least 1 mm measured about 2 mm rearward of an upper forward surface of the body at the front opening.

12. A golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the peripheral member is spaced from the sole a vertical distance of at least 1 mm measured about 2 mm rearward of a lower forward surface of the body at the front opening.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a crown;

a sole;

a skirt disposed between the crown and the sole, the skin having a toe end and a heel end;

a forward wall coupled to the crown, the sole, and the skirt, the forward wall defining a front opening;

a peripheral member coupled to at least a portion of a periphery of the front opening and extending rearwardly therefrom;

a rear member directly coupled to the peripheral member and extending inwardly therefrom, partially towards a center of the front opening; and

a face plate coupled to the rear member.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of each of the peripheral member and the rear member is disposed proximate to the crown, the sole, the toe end, or the heel end, or combinations thereof.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the peripheral member extends between about 3 mm and 30 mm from a forward surface of the forward wall.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the peripheral member extends between about 4 mm and 6 mm from a forward surface of the forward wall.

17. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the peripheral member has a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

18. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the peripheral member is spaced a first distance of at least 1.5 mm measured in a horizontal direction from the skirt, and wherein the first distance is measured about 2 mm rearward from a side forward surface proximate the front opening.

19. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the peripheral member is spaced a first distance of at least 1 mm measured in a vertical direction from the crown, and wherein the first distance is measured about 2 mm rearward from an upper forward surface proximate the front opening.

20. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the peripheral member is spaced a first distance of at least 1 mm measured in a vertical direction from the sole, and wherein the first distance is measured about 2 mm rearward of a lower forward surface proximate the front opening.

21. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the rear member is continuous about the periphery of the front opening.

22. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the rear member extends between about 2 mm and 25 mm from an inner surface of the peripheral member, relative to the center of the front opening.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the rear member extends between about 2 mm and 7 mm from an inner surface of the peripheral member, relative to the center of the front opening.

24. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the rear member has a thickness between about 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

25. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the rear member has a thickness between about 0.6 mm and 1.5 mm.