Golf club head

• US 7,344,452 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Hisashi, Imamoto, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/868,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20050026721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-292
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head includes a front body formed of a titanium-based metal material, an FRP body, a metallic sole plate, and a weight member. The front body has a face portion, a metal sole portion, a metal side portion (toe), a metal crown portion, a metal side portion (heel), and a hosel portion. A slight gap is formed between a front side of the sole plate and the metal sole portion. Preferably, the front body is made of a titanium alloy, while the sole plate is made of stainless steel.

Claims

1. A golf club head of a hollow shell structure, comprising:

a first member that includes titanium-based metal material and includes a face portion and an edge portion continuous with the face portion;

a metal plate that is different member from the first member, extends in a direction, which is different from a toe-heel direction of the golf club head, and includes at least a part of sole portion; and

a second member formed of a fiber reinforced resin and comprising at least a portion of said hollow shell structure, wherein;

the weight of the first member is in a range of 20% to 70% of the weight of the golf club head; and

wherein the metal plate is made of a metal material, which is larger in specific gravity than the titanium-based metal material.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the metal material of the metal plate includes stainless steel.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a weight member that is fixed to the metal plate.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the weight member is larger in specific gravity than the metal plate.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 300 cc to 500 cc; and

the weight of the golf club head is in a range of 180 g to 210 g.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the fiber reinforced resin includes carbon fiber reinforced resin.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

the first member includes a crown portion and a sole portion;

the widths of the crown portion and the sole portion of the first member on a heel side and a toe side are larger than that in a center portion thereof.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the fiber reinforced resin comprises a carbon fiber prepeg, wherein the carbon fiber is oriented in one direction.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a weight of the first member is in a range of 30% to 60% of weight of the golf club head.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between the first member and the metal plate, and a portion of the second member is interposed between the first member and the metal plate.