Wood type golf club head

• US 7,147,572 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kohno, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US10/720,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 473/314, 473/345, 473/330, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/314
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

The invention provides a wood type golf club head, wherein in a measuring state where a center line of a shaft axis arranged within a vertical plane and is inclined at a set lie angle, and a face angle is set to zero, a distance (d) of center of gravity corresponding to a shortest distance between the center line of the shaft axis and a center of gravity (G) of the head is between 45 and 50 (mm), and a point (T) on which a horizontal tangential line passing through an area center of gravity (FC) of the face surface and being in contact with the face surface intersects a perpendicular line dropped to the tangential line from a sweet spot (SS) is arranged on the tangential line within 2 (mm) from the area center of gravity FC close to a toe, and within 4 (mm) close to a heel.

Claims

1. A wood-type club head having (1) a center of gravity (G) defined by the distribution of weight in the club head, (2) a face with a sweet spot (SS) located where the face is intersected by a line perpendicular to the face extending through the center of gravity (G) of the club head, (3) a toe, (4) a heel and (5) a neck with a shaft insertion hole defining a shaft axis, wherein, in a state of the club head for performing measurements on the club head, the shaft axis is inclined at a set lie angle with respect to a horizontal plane and lies in a vertical plane, and a horizontal line tangent to the face at an area center of gravity (FC) of the face is parallel to the vertical plane, and wherein:

the volume of the club head is in the range of from 350 cm³ to 500 cm³;

a distance (d) corresponding to a shortest distance between the shaft axis and the center of gravity (G) of the club head is in the range of from 45 mm to 50 mm;

a point (T) at which the horizontal line is intersected by a perpendicular line extending from the sweet spot (SS) of the face is located away from the area center of gravity (FC) and within 4 mm from the area center of gravity (FC) in the direction toward the heel.

2. A wood type golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distance (d) is between 47 and 48 (mm).

3. A wood-type club head according to claim 1, wherein the face has a face bulge having a radius of curvature in the range of from 254 mm to 356 mm.

4. A wood-type club head according to claim 1, wherein the face has a face roll having a radius of curvature in the range of from 254 mm to 356 mm.

5. A wood-type club head according to claim 1, wherein the face has a face bulge and a face roll each having a radius of curvature in the range of from 254 to 356 mm.

6. A wood-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the club head comprises a bead main body and a face plate attached to the head main body,

the main body is composed of titanium alloy of Ti-6Al-4V;

and

the face plate is composed of titanium alloy of Ti-4.5Al-3V-2Mo-2Fe.

7. A wood-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

a moment of inertia around the normal axis passing through the center of gravity of the club head is not less than 3400 g·

cm², and

a moment of inertia around the axis passing through the center of gravity of the club head and parallel to both the horizontal plane and the vertical plane is not less than 2000 g·

cm².

8. A wood-type club head having (1) a center of gravity (G) defined by the distribution of weight in the club head, (2) a face with a sweet spot (SS) located where the face is intersected by a line perpendicular to the face extending through the center of gravity (G) of the club head, (3) a toe, (4) a heel and (5) a neck with a shaft insertion hole defining a shaft axis, wherein, in a state of the club head for performing measurements on the club head, the shaft axis is inclined at a set lie angle with respect to a horizontal plane and lies in a vertical plane, and a horizontal line tangent to the face at an area center of gravity (FC) of the face is parallel to the vertical plane, and wherein:

the volume of the club head is in the range of from 350 cm³ to 500 cm³;

a distance (d) corresponding to a shortest distance between the shaft axis and the center of gravity (G) of the club head is in the range of from 45 mm to 50 mm;

a point (T) at which the horizontal line is intersected by a perpendicular line extending from the sweet spot (SS) of the face is located within 2 mm from the area center of gravity (FC) in the direction toward the toe and within 4 mm from the area center of gravity (FC) in the direction toward the heel;

the toe and heel each has a thickness being in the range of from 0.8 mm to 2.2 mm; and

the thickness of the toe is larger than the thickness of the heel.

9. A wood-type club head according to claim 8, wherein

a moment of inertia around the normal axis passing through the center of gravity of the club head is not less than 3400 g·

cm², and

a moment of inertia around the axis passing through the center of gravity of the club head and parallel to both the horizontal plane and the vertical plane is not less than 2000 g·

cm².

10. A wood-type club head according to claim 8, wherein said distance (d) is between 47 and 48 (mm).

11. A wood-type club head according to claim 8, wherein the face has a face bulge having a radius of curvature in the range of from 254 mm to 356 mm.

12. A wood-type club head according to claim 8, wherein the face has a face roll having a radius of curvature in the range of from 254 mm to 356 mm.

13. A wood-type club head according to claim 8, wherein

the club head comprises a head main body and a face plate attached to the head main body,

the main body is composed of titanium alloy of Ti-6Al-4V;

and

the face plate is composed of titanium alloy of Ti-4.5Al-3V-2Mo-2Fe.

14. A wood-type club head according to claim 8, wherein the point (T) is located away from the area center of gravity (FC) in the direction toward the heel.