Golf club head with alignment system

• US 7,396,289 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morris, Thomas C., Rice, Scott A., Soracco, Peter L., Best, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/258,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20060035718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 473251-255, 473/340
• US Class Current: 473/251
• 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head is disclosed. The golf club head includes a first body member and a second body member. The first body member includes a strike face and a top portion. The second body member is coupled to the first body member and extends away from the first body member in a direction opposite the strike face. At least a top portion of the second body member is camouflaged. A preferred method of camouflage is color differentiation, wherein the second body member is darker than the first body member. Specific color values and club head geometries are also disclosed and claimed. The club head may include a body member and a weight member such as a bar that extends rearward from the body member. A cover may be included to camouflage the weight member. A separate core member and high visibility sight lines may also be provided.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body member including a strike face;

a weight member coupled to and extending rearward of said body member;

a cover member coupled to said weight member;

a first high visibility sight line positioned on a top portion of the club head;

a second high visibility sight line positioned on said top portion of the club head; and

a third high visibility sight line positioned on said top portion of the club head;

wherein;

said high visibility sight lines include a luminescent pigment, a natural light emitting substance, or fiber optics;

said first sight line being positioned substantially parallel to said strike face;

said second sight line being positioned substantially perpendicular to said first sight line; and

said third sight line being substantially parallel to said first sight line and said sight lines are positioned such that said second sight line is intermediate said first and third sight lines.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first and third sight lines are spaced apart a distance of at least two inches.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said top portion includes a front edge adjacent said strike face and said first sight line is spaced a maximum of 0.75 inch from said front edge.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a channel for directing ambient light toward at least one of said sight lines.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein said channel directs said ambient light through an interior portion of the club head.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said body member includes a top portion of a first color;

said cover member includes a top portion of a second color; and

said second color is substantially darker than said first color.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein:

said first color has an L* value of approximately 35 to approximately 100; and

said second color has an L* value of approximately 2 to approximately 35.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said cover is designed to conceal at least a portion of the club head.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the club head has a center of gravity and a moment of inertia measured about a substantially vertical axis passing through said center of gravity when the golf club head is on a substantially horizontal surface, said moment of inertia being approximately 4000 g•

cm² to approximately 10,000 g•

cm².

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said moment of inertia is from approximately 5500 g•

cm² to 6500 g•

cm².

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said center of gravity is located a distance of approximately one inch to approximately five inches back from said strike face.