Golf club head

• US 7,347,795 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• 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:
  US10/868,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-292
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

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. The height of center of gravity (mm) and the head volume V have a relationship of H≦0.05V+7.5.

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, and

a metal plate that is separate and spaced apart 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;

wherein;

H≦

0.05V+7.5

where V denotes volume of the golf club head in cc unit, and H denotes height of center of gravity of the golf club head in mm unit;

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

wherein a gap of 4 mm to 12 mm is formed between a front side of the metal plate and the first member.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 28 mm.

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

a second member formed of a fiber reinforced resin.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the second member directly abuts an inside surface of the first member around a periphery of the club head, and wherein edges of the first and second members are in contact along a crown portion of the first and second members.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein weight of the first member is in a range of 20% to 60% of weight of the golf club head.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a hosel portion is integrally formed with the face portion.

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

a weight member that is fixed to the metal plate.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein the metal plate comprises a cylindrical portion having a threaded inner hole, and the weight member is threadedly secured to the inner hole.

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

volume of the golf club head is in a range of 300 cc to 470 cc; and

weight of the golf club head is in a range of 180 g to 240 g.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 300 cc to 350 cc; and

the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 23.5 mm.

11. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 350 cc to 400 cc; and

the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 25.5 mm.

12. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein:

the volume of the golf club head is in a range of 400 cc to 470 cc; and

the height of the center of gravity is in a range of 20 mm to 28 mm.

13. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the gap is 7 mm to 9 mm.

14. 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 separate and spaced apart 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 weight member that is fixed to the metal plate;

wherein;

H≦

0.05V+7.5

where V denotes volume of the golf club head in cc unit, and H denotes height of center of gravity of the golf club head in mm unit;

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

wherein the metal plate comprises a cylindrical portion having a threaded inner hole, and the weight member is threadedly secured to the inner hole; and

wherein the weight member comprises a flange portion on a lower end thereof, and the cylindrical portion of the metal plate comprises a stepped portion for receiving the flange portion at a lower edge thereof.

15. The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the metal plate is slightly depressed around the periphery of the inner hole.