Golf clubs and golf club heads

• US 7,258,625 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Michael F., Kawaguchi, Hiroshi, Kodama, Hitoshi, Takano, Tsuneo
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/935,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473345-346, 473/349, 473/327, 473/347, 473/329, 473/335
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A golf club head enables the initial velocity of a ball to be increased and enables the carry to be lengthened. In some example structures, the golf club includes a face plate formed from metal and club head body (e.g., a crown and sole) formed from fiber reinforced plastic. A weighted body is provided inside the rearmost portion of the golf club head and a low rigidity portion whose width becomes gradually narrower as it approaches the rearmost portion is provided in the crown extending from the vicinity of the face plate to the rearmost portion.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a face plate formed from metal;

a crown formed from fiber reinforced plastic attached to the face plate, wherein the crown includes a low rigidity portion extending from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head, wherein the low rigidity portion has a width that becomes gradually narrower as it extends toward the rearmost portion, wherein the low rigidity portion is formed between a first high rigidity portion located adjacent a first side of the low rigidity portion and a second high rigidity portion located adjacent a second side of the low rigidity portion, and wherein the low rigidity portion has a lower rigidity than the first high rigidity portion and the second high rigidity portion;

a sole formed from fiber reinforced plastic attached to the face plate and the crown; and

a weighted member provided inside a space defined by the crown, sole, and face plate, wherein the weighted member is provided at the rearmost portion of the golf club head.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a Young'"'"'s modulus of the fiber reinforced plastic forming the crown is 10 to 100 GPa.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the crown is in a range from 0.4 to 2 mm.

4. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a mass of the weighted member is in a range from 10 to 50 grams.

5. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first high rigidity portion includes a first rib having a greater thickness than a thickness of the low rigidity portion, and the second high rigidity portion includes a second rib having a greater thickness than the thickness of the low rigidity portion.

6. A golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the first rib extends from a main surface of the crown in a direction away from the space, and the second rib extends from the main surface of the crown in a direction away from the space.

7. A golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the first rib extends from a main surface of the crown in a direction toward the space, and the second rib extends from the main surface of the crown in a direction toward the space.

8. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the low rigidity portion is formed from a thinner material than a material making up a major portion of the crown surface.

9. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the low rigidity portion is formed from a lower rigidity material than a material making up a major portion of the crown.

10. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first high rigidity portion and the second high rigidity portion are made from one or more materials having a higher rigidity than a material making up a major portion of the crown.

11. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the crown includes a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a first direction and a second layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

12. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the first direction is substantially orthogonal to the second direction.

13. A golf club head according to claim 12, wherein the first direction is at an angle of approximately 0°

with respect to a hitting surface of the face plate and the second direction is at an angle of approximately 90°

with respect to the hitting surface.

14. A golf club head according to claim 12, wherein the first direction is at an angle of approximately +45°

with respect to a hitting surface of the face plate and the second direction is at an angle of approximately −

45°

with respect to the hitting surface.

15. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head according to claim 1; and

a shaft attached to the golf club head.

16. A golf club according to claim 15, further comprising:

a grip attached to the shaft.

17. A golf club head, comprising:

a face plate;

a club head body attached to the face plate, wherein the club head body includes a deformation wave transmitting system for transmitting at least a portion of the energy contained in a deformation wave generated when a ball is struck by the golf club head away from and toward the face plate, wherein the deformation wave transmitting system includes a low rigidity portion extending from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head, wherein the low rigidity portion has a width that becomes gradually narrower as it extends toward the rearmost portion wherein the low rigidity portion is formed between a first high rigidity portion located adjacent a first side of the low rigidity portion and a second high rigidity portion located adjacent a second side of the low rigidity portion, and wherein the low rigidity portion has a lower rigidity than the first high rigidity portion and the second high rigidity portion; and

a reflecting member for reflecting at least a portion of the energy of the deformation wave incident thereon back to the face plate via the deformation wave transmitting system.

18. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the deformation wave transmitting system extends from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head, wherein the deformation wave transmitting system has a width that becomes gradually narrower as it extends toward the rearmost portion and wherein the deformation wave transmitting system is provided on a convex portion of the club head body so as to protrude from a main surface of the club head body.

19. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the reflecting member is located at least partially within the club head body.

20. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the first high rigidity portion includes a first rib having a greater thickness than a thickness of the low rigidity portion, and the second high rigidity portion includes a second rib having a greater thickness than the thickness of the low rigidity portion.

21. A golf club head according to claim 20, wherein the first rib extends from a main surface of the crown in a direction away from the space, and the second rib extends from the main surface of the crown in a direction away from the space.

22. A golf club head according to claim 20, wherein the first rib extends from a main surface of the crown in a direction toward the space, and the second rib extends from the main surface of the crown in a direction toward the space.

23. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the low rigidity portion is formed from a thinner material than a material making up a major portion of the club head body.

24. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the low rigidity portion is formed from a lower rigidity material than a material making up a major portion of the club head body.

25. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the first high rigidity portion and the second high rigidity portion are made from one or more materials having a higher rigidity than a material making up a major portion of the club head body.

26. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein at least a crown of the club head body includes a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a first direction and a second layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

27. A golf club head according to claim 26, wherein the first direction is substantially orthogonal to the second direction.

28. A golf club head according to claim 27, wherein the first direction is at an angle of approximately 0°

with respect to a hitting surface of the face plate and the second direction is at an angle of approximately 90°

with respect to the hitting surface.

29. A golf club head according to claim 27, wherein the first direction is at an angle of approximately +45°

with respect to a hitting surface of the face plate and the second direction is at an angle of approximately −

45°

with respect to the hitting surface.

30. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head according to claim 17; and

a shaft attached to the golf club head.

31. A golf club according to claim 30, further comprising:

a grip attached to the shaft.

32. A golf club head, comprising:

a face plate formed from metal;

a crown formed from fiber reinforced plastic attached to the face plate, wherein the crown includes a low rigidity portion extending from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head, wherein the low rigidity portion has a width that becomes gradually narrower as it extends toward the rearmost portion, wherein the low rigidity portion is provided on a convex portion of the crown so as to protrude from a main surface of the crown;

a sole formed from fiber reinforced plastic attached to the face plate and the crown; and

a weighted member provided inside a space defined by the crown, sole, and face plate, wherein the weighted member is provided at the rearmost portion of the golf club head.

33. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head according to claim 32; and

a shaft attached to the golf club head.

34. A golf club according to claim 33, further comprising:

a grip attached to the shaft.