Golf club head

• US 7,371,191 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/143,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20060014592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473288-291
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A hollow golf club head having a face portion for hitting a golf ball comprises

• • a main body made of at least one kind of metal material, said main body having the face portion and at least two openings, and
  • cover members attached to said main body so as to cover said openings, said cover members comprising
  • at least one resin cover member made of a fiber reinforced resin and
  • at least one metal cover member made of a metal material, and
  • said resin cover member and said metal cover member each having specific gravity less than said main body.

Claims

1. A hollow golf club head having a face portion for striking a golf ball comprising

a main body made of at least one kind of metal material, said main body having the face portion and at least two distinct openings, and

cover members attached to said main body so as to cover said openings, said cover members comprising

at least one resin cover member made of a fiber reinforced resin and

at least one metal cover member made of a metal material, and

said resin cover member and said metal cover member each having a specific gravity less than said main body, wherein

the openings comprise an upper opening covered with the metal cover member and a lower opening covered with the resin cover member.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

the head has a volume in the range of from 300 cm³ to 500 cm³.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

a total area of all the openings projected onto a surface of the head is in the range of from 15% to 70% of the entire surface area of the head.

4. The golf club head according to claims 1 or 2 wherein

a total area of all the openings projected onto a surface of the head is in the range of from 30% to 70% of the entire surface area of the head.

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

in a standard condition in which the head is grounded on a horizontal surface at a prescribed lie and loft angles thereof, wherein

the openings are provided in at least two zones of a lower zone which is ⅓

or less of a maximum head height from the horizontal surface, an upper zone which is ⅔

0 or more of the maximum head height from the horizontal surface, and a middle zone which is a zone between the lower zone and the upper zone.

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

the main body comprises three distinct openings which include the upper opening, the lower opening and a middle opening provided between the upper opening and the lower opening.

7. The golf club head according to claim 5, wherein

at least 60% surface area of the upper opening is in the upper zone, and

at least 60% surface area of the lower opening is in the lower zone.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein

the openings comprise

at least one middle opening located between the upper opening and the lower opening and covered with the resin cover member.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

a ratio (S2/S3) between a total area S3 of the surface areas of all said openings covered with the resin cover members and the total area S2 of the surface areas of all said openings covered with the metal cover members is in the range of 0.2 to 0.8.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

said each opening has an surface area projected on the head surface being in the range of from 3% to 40% of the entire surface of the head.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

said upper opening is provided in a crown portion of the main body,

said upper opening comprises a curved front edge by the side of the face portion, and

in a plan view of the club head, the curved front edge includes a center part extending in a circular curve having a center of curvature on the face portion side.

12. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

the ratio (L2/La) between a head length La corresponding to a maximum length in a front-back direction of the head and a horizontal shortest distance L2 from a leading edge to the lower opening is not less than 0.30.

13. A hollow golf club head having a face portion for striking a golf ball comprising

a main body made of at least one kind of metal material, said main body having the face portion and at least two distinct openings including an upper opening and a lower opening, and

cover members attached to said main body so as to cover said openings, said cover members comprising

at least one resin cover member made of a fiber reinforced resin and

at least one metal cover member made of a metal material, and

said resin cover member and said metal cover member each having specific gravity less than said main body, wherein

a ratio (S2/S3) between a total area S3 of the surface areas of all said openings covered with the resin cover members and a total area S2 of the surface areas of all said openings covered with the metal cover members is in the range of 0.2 to 0.8, and

the metal cover is made of a magnesium alloy.

14. A hollow golf club head having a face portion for striking a golf ball comprising

a main body made of at least one kind of metal material, said main body having the face portion and at least two distinct openings including an upper opening and a lower opening, and

cover members attached to said main body so as to cover said openings, said cover members comprising

at least one resin cover member made of a fiber reinforced resin and

at least one metal cover member made of a metal material, and

said resin cover member and said metal cover member each having specific gravity less than said main body, wherein

said upper opening is provided in a crown portion of the main body,

said upper opening comprises a curved front edge adjacent to the face portion, and

in a plan view of the club head, the curved front edge includes a center part extending in a circular curve having a center of curvature on the face portion side.