Golf club head

• US 7,549,933 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kumamoto, Tomio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US10/770,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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 hollow golf club head having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion and a hosel portion, comprises a metal component made of a metal material, and a resin component made of a fiber reinforced resin, wherein the metal component comprises a face plate forming at least a part of the face portion, and a sole plate forming at least a part of the sole portion, and the resin component comprises a crown plate forming at least a part of the crown portion. A tubular part of the hosel portion into which a club shaft is inserted is formed (a) integrally with the metal component or (b) separately from the metal component and the resin component.

Claims

1. A hollow golf club head having a face portion whose front face defines a club face for striking a ball, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion between the crown portion and sole portion, and a hosel portion, and comprising a metal component made of a metal material, and a resin component made of a fiber reinforced resin, wherein

said metal component comprises a face plate forming almost the entirety of the face portion, and a sole plate forming almost the entirety of the sole portion, the face plate having a width in the toe-heel direction that decreases in a direction toward a lower edge of the face plate, the sole plate having a width in the toe-heel direction that decreases in a direction toward a lower edge of the face plate, the face plate and the sole plate being connected to each other at the lower edge of the face plate along a bent line,

said resin component comprises a crown plate forming the crown portion and a side plate forming the side portion, the resin component being provided with an opening for accommodating the face portion and the sole portion of the metal component and a flange formed along an edge of the opening and supporting only an edge portion of the metal component, whereby a back face of the face plate is exposed to the hollow of the head,

the sole plate is gradually increased in the thickness towards the rear end thereof, whereby a maximum thickness Tr at the rear end is in a range of from 2.0 to 8.0 mm, and a minimum thickness Tf in a front end zone of the sole plate is in a range of from 1.0 to 3.0 mm,

said hosel portion includes a tubular part into which a club shaft is inserted, the tubular part being integrally formed with the metal component, extending upwardly from the sole plate while leaving a space between the face plate, and being connected to the metal component only at the sole plate, and

the metal component is provided along a front end of the sole plate with a continuous or discontinuous slot, and wherein

the total length of the slot along the bent line between the face plate and the sole plate is in a range of not less than 5% but not more than 70% of the overall length of the bent line.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sole plate is provided on the fringe thereof with a continuous or discontinuous rib.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the depth of the center of gravity is in a range of from 40 to 55 mm.

12. The golf club head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sweet spot height is in a range of from 15 to 30 mm.

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

the depth of the center of gravity is in a range of from 40 to 55 mm, and

the sweet spot height is in a range of from 15 to 30 mm.

2. A hollow golf club head having a face portion whose front face defines a club face for striking a ball, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion between the crown portion and sole portion, and a hosel portion, and comprising a metal component made of a metal material, and a resin component made of a fiber reinforced resin, wherein

said resin component comprises a crown plate forming at least a part of the crown portion,

said metal component comprises a face plate forming at least a part of the face portion, and a sole plate forming at least a part of the sole portion, the face plate having a width in the toe-heel direction that decreases in a direction toward a lower edge of the face plate, the sole plate having a width in the toe-heel direction that decreases in a direction toward a lower edge of the face plate, the face plate and the sole plate being connected to each other at the lower edge of the face plate along a bent line,

said resin component is provided with an opening to expose a back face of the face plate to the hollow of the head,

said hosel portion includes a tubular part into which a club shaft is inserted, the tubular part being integrally formed with the metal component, extending upwardly from the sole plate and being connected to the metal component only at the sole plate, and

the metal component is provided along a front end of the sole plate with a continuous or discontinuous slot, and wherein

the total length of the slot along the bent line between the face plate and the sole plate is in a range of not less than 5% but not more than 70% of the overall length of the bent line.

5. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the resin component further includes a side plate forming at least a part of the side portion.

6. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the sole plate is gradually increased in the thickness towards the rear end thereof.

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

the sole plate is gradually increased in the thickness towards the rear end thereof, and

the sole plate is provided on the fringe thereof with a continuous or discontinuous rib.

9. The golf club head according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the metal component further includes a continuous or discontinuous turnup wall forming a part of the side portion.

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

the sole plate is gradually increased in the thickness towards the rear end thereof, and

the metal component further includes a continuous or discontinuous turnup wall forming a part of the side portion.

14. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the sole plate forms almost the entirety of the sole portion.

3. A hollow golf club head having a face portion whose front face defines a club face for striking a ball, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion between the crown portion and sole portion, and a hosel portion, and comprising a metal component made of a metal material, and a resin component made of a fiber reinforced resin, wherein

said resin component comprises a crown plate forming at least a part of the crown portion,

said metal component comprises a face plate forming at least a part of the face portion, and a sole plate forming at least a part of the sole portion, the face plate having a width in the toe-heel direction that decreases in a direction toward a lower edge of the face plate, the sole plate having a width in the toe-heel direction that decreases in a direction toward a lower edge of the face plate, the face plate and the sole plate being connected to each other at the lower edge of the face plate along a bent line,

said resin component is provided with an opening to expose a back face of the face plate to the hollow of the head,

said hosel portion includes a tubular part into which a club shaft is inserted, and the tubular part is formed separately from the metal component and the resin component,

the resin component is integrally provided with a tubular portion protruding into the hollow and forming a socket into which said tubular part of the hosel portion is inserted, and

the metal component is provided along a front end of the sole plate with a continuous or discontinuous slot, and wherein

the total length of the slot along the bent line between the face plate and the sole plate is in a range of not less than 5% but not more than 70% of the overall length of the bent line.

15. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the resin component further includes a side plate forming at least a part of the side portion.

16. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the sole plate is gradually increased in the thickness towards the rear end thereof.

17. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the sole plate is provided on the fringe thereof with a continuous or discontinuous rib.

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

the sole plate is gradually increased in the thickness towards the rear end thereof, and

the sole plate is provided on the fringe thereof with a continuous or discontinuous rib.

19. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the depth of the center of gravity is in a range of from 40 to 55 mm.

20. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the sweet spot height is in a range of from 15 to 30 mm.

21. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein

the depth of the center of gravity is in a range of from 40 to 55 mm, and

the sweet spot height is in a range of from 15 to 30 mm.

22. The golf club head according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the sole plate forms almost the entirety of the sole portion.

4. A hollow golf club head having a face portion whose front face defines a club face for striking a ball, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion between the crown portion and sole portion, and a hosel portion, and comprising a metal component made of a metal material, and a resin component made of a fiber reinforced resin, wherein

said resin component comprises a crown plate forming at least a part of the crown portion,

said metal component comprises a face plate forming at least a part of the face portion, and a sole plate forming at least a part of the sole portion, the face plate and the sole plate being connected to each other along a bent line,

the metal component is provided along a front end of the sole plate with a single continuous slot or alternatively a plurality of slots in a single row, and wherein

the total length of the slot or slots along the bent line between the face plate and the sole plate is in a range of not less than 5% but not more than 70% of the overall length of the bent line.