Iron-type golf club head

• US 7,351,164 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Nicolette, Michael R., Solheim, John A., Cole, Eric V., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/195,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, D21747-752, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

The present invention provides an iron-type golf club head comprising a primary cavity that is approximately parallel to the ground when the club head is resting at normal address. A secondary cavity, positioned within the primary cavity, has a bottom wall that is approximately parallel to the club face and is positioned above the club head sole. An interior wall that forms the secondary cavity is uniform in height while increasing in width in a bottom segment thereof.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a backside which includes a primary cavity, wherein the primary cavity is formed by at least one perimeter weighting element and wherein the primary cavity has a bottom wall; and

a secondary cavity formed by an interior wall positioned within the primary cavity and in contact with the bottom wall thereof, wherein the interior wall has heel and toe ends, wherein the interior wall is approximately uniform in height between its heel and toe ends when measured from the bottom wall of the primary cavity while increasing in width near its heel and toe ends in order to form mass concentrations adjacent its heel and toe ends.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, farther comprising a sole and wherein the secondary cavity is positioned above the sole.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the interior wall comprises a top segment and a pair of bottom segments, wherein one of the bottom segments is located adjacent the heel end of the interior wall and wherein the other bottom segment is located adjacent the toe end of the interior wall, wherein each bottom segment increases in width as it approaches the sole.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein each bottom segment of the interior wall is integrally formed with the sole.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the top segment of the interior wall is approximately uniform in width.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the top segment of the interior wall has a curvilinear shape.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the bottom segments of the interior wall are disposed at opposite ends of said curvilinear.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the secondary cavity has an elliptical shape.

9. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the mass concentrations are disposed near the intersections of the interior wall and the sole.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the mass concentrations are formed integrally with the wall, the sole and the bottom wall of the primary cavity.

11. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a backside which includes a sole and a primary cavity, wherein the primary cavity has a bottom wall, wherein the primary cavity is formed by at least one perimeter weighting element; and

a secondary cavity positioned above the sole, wherein the secondary cavity is formed by an interior wall positioned within the primary cavity in contact with the bottom wall thereof, wherein the interior wall has heel and toe ends, wherein the interior wall is approximately uniform in height between its heel and toe ends when measured from the bottom wall of the primary cavity and includes (i) a top segment which is approximately uniform in width and (ii) a pair of bottom segments located at opposite ends of the top segment which are integrally formed with the sole and increase in width as they approach the sole.

12. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a front face;

a primary cavity formed by at least one perimeter weighting element, wherein the primary cavity has a bottom wall, wherein the perimeter weighting element includes at least one top rail and at least one bottom rail, wherein the bottom rail comprises a surface that faces the interior of the primary cavity, wherein the surface is approximately parallel to the ground when the golf club head is resting at normal address; and

a secondary cavity formed by an interior wall positioned within the primary cavity in contact with the bottom wall thereof, wherein the interior wall has heel and toe ends, wherein the interior wall is approximately uniform in height between its heel and toe ends when measured from the bottom wall of the primary cavity while increasing in width near its heel and toe ends, and wherein the secondary cavity has a bottom wall that is approximately parallel to the plane of the front face.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the interior wall comprises a top segment and a pair of bottom segments, wherein the top segment is approximately uniform in width.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein each of the bottom segments increases in width as it approaches the bottom rail.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein each of the bottom segments is integrally formed with the bottom rail.

16. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the top segment of the interior wall has a curvilinear shape.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the bottom segments of the interior wall are disposed at opposite ends of said curvilinear shape.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the secondary cavity has an elliptical shape.

19. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the interior wall is approximately perpendicular to the front face.

20. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the top rail comprises a surface which faces the interior of the primary cavity and which is approximately parallel to the ground when the golf club head is resting at normal address.