Iron-type golf clubs

• US 7,186,188 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Burnett, Michael Scott, Gilbert, Peter J., Pettibone, Bruce R., Kays, Christopher R., Diaz, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/193,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 473289-291, 473/350, 473/332, 473/342
• US Class Current: 473/290
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• 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 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A set of iron-type golf clubs includes long irons with channel back configurations and short irons with cavity back configurations. The rear face configurations transition from channel backs through to pure cavity backs for increased performance continuum for the set. Additional design parameters for the set may also be systematically varied through the set, such as groove type and depth, loft angle, cavity volume, hitting face roughness, and sole width. At least one of the clubs of the set includes a sandwich-type construction for the hitting face having a dampening element disposed between a hitting face insert and a lightweight reinforcing core. In one embodiment, at least one club head is oversized.

Claims

1. A set of iron-type golf clubs comprising at least three clubs, wherein a face thickness (FT) for each club is in accordance with

FT=α

*(0.00125 in/deg*LA+0.06 in)

where LA is a loft angle in degrees and α

ranges from about 0.8 to about 1.2, wherein α

is about 1.

2. The set of clubs according to claim 1, wherein the clubs systematically transition from channel back clubs in the long irons of the set to cavity back clubs in the short irons of the set.

3. The set of clubs of claim 1, wherein at least one club includes an oversized club head.

4. A set of iron-type golf clubs comprising at least three clubs, wherein a face thickness (Ft) for each club is in accordance with

FT=α

*(0.0125 in/deg* LA+0.06 in)

where LA is a loft angle in degrees and a ranges from about 0.8 to about 1.2, further comprising at least one dampened club which comprises a body comprising a hitting face, a hitting face insert is disposed in the hitting face, a rear face comprising a rear flange having a channel formed therewithin, a core configured to be inserted at least partially within the channel and in contact with the hitting face insert, and a dampening element disposed between the core and the hitting face insert.

5. The set of clubs according to claim 4, wherein the dampened club is a long iron.