Golf club head

• US 7,575,523 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Yokota, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/643,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• 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 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a head main body being provided with at least one hole having a helical groove on its inner surface, and a damper having a thread on its outer surface and screwed to the hole of the head main body, the damper being made of elastic material at least partially for absorbing vibration of the head main body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising

a head main body being provided with at least one hole having a helical groove on its inner surface, the head main body further comprising

a face portion whose front face defines a club face for hitting a ball,

a sole portion extending from a lower edge of the club face toward a back face of the club head and

a turnup wall turned up at a rear side of the sole portion so as to form a gap behind the face portion, and wherein

the hole is provided in the sole portion or the turnup wall,

a damper having a thread on its outer surface and screwed to the hole, wherein

an outer surface of the damper contacting the hole is made of elastic material for absorbing vibration of the head main body.

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

the hole is opened on an outer surface of the head main body, and

the damper is screwed in the hole from outside of the head main body.

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

the head main body comprises

a face portion whose front face defines a club face for hitting a ball and a gap being provided behind the face portion, and

the damper comprises a protruding portion extending from the hole into the gap.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein an axial length of the protruding portion is in a range of from 1.0 to 30.0 mm.

5. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the protruding portion has an end which does not come into contact with the back surface of the face portion.

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

the damper comprises a head, a shank being formed with the thread and a vibrator connected to the end of the shank, and

the vibrator comprises

a neck having a smaller diameter than that of the shank and

a large-diameter portion connected to the end of the neck.

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

an axial length screwing the damper in the hole of the head main body is in the range of from 2 to 20 mm, and

a height of the thread of the damper is from 0.30 to 3.0 mm.

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

the damper comprises a head and a shank being formed with the thread,

the shank has an outer diameter smaller than that of the head, and

the hole comprises a socket portion receiving the head of the damper without protruding the

head to the outside thereof and a main portion in which the shank of the damper is screwed.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the damper is screwed in the hole so as to come into contact with a back surface of the face portion through the gap.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the entire damper is made of elastic material.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1 or 10, wherein said elastic material is a non-metal material.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11, wherein said elastic material has a JIS-A hardness in a range of from 60 to 98 degrees.

13. A golf club head comprising

a head main body being provided with at least one hole having a helical groove on its inner surface, and

a damper having a thread on its outer surface and screwed to the hole, and

the damper being made of elastic material at least partially for absorbing vibration of the head main body,

wherein the head main body comprises

a face portion whose front face defines a club face for hitting a ball and

a gap being provided behind the face portion,

the damper comprises a protruding portion extending from the hole into the gap, and wherein

the damper is screwed in the hole so as to come into contact with a back surface of the face portion through the gap.

14. The golf club head according to claim 13, wherein the entire damper is made of elastic material.

15. The golf club head according to claim 14, wherein said elastic material is a non-metal material.

16. The golf club head according to claim 15, wherein said elastic material has a JIS-A hardness in a range of from 60 to 98 degrees.

17. The golf club head according to claim 13, whefeinhe wherein the protruding portion has an end which does not come into contact with the back surface of the face portion.

18. The golf club head according to claim 13, wherein an axial length of the protruding portion is in a range of from 1.0 to 30.0 mm.

19. The golf club head according to claim 13, wherein an axial length of the protruding portion is in a range of from 3.0 to 10.0 mm.