Golf club head

• US 7,597,633 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Hideo, Shimazaki, Hideo, Ban, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/451,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 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 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

This invention provides a golf club head comprising a head main body, a face plate fixed to a front surface side of the head main body to form a face surface, a cavity portion formed in the head main body and open to a face plate side, and a viscoelastic body inserted in a compressed state in a space formed by the cavity portion and the face plate. An end face on the face plate side of a circumferential wall defining the cavity portion comprises a contacting portion contacting with a rear surface of the face plate, and a non-contacting portion spaced apart from the rear surface of the face plate to form a gap communicating with the cavity portion between the non-contacting portion and the rear surface of the face plate.

Claims

1. An iron type golf club head comprising:

a head main body having a front surface side and a rear surface side;

a face plate fixed to the front surface side of said head main body to form a face surface of said golf club head;

a cavity portion formed in said head main body, said cavity portion open to the front surface side and closed by the rear surface side; and

a viscoelastic body inserted in a compressed state in a space formed by said cavity portion,

wherein an axial edge on the front surface of a circumferential wall defining said cavity portion comprises;

a contacting portion that contacts a rear surface of said face plate; and

a non-contacting portion spaced apart from the rear surface of said face plate to form a gap communicating with said cavity portion between said non-contacting portion and the rear surface of said face plate.

2. The head according to claim 1, wherein a front surface and a rear surface of said viscoelastic body are parallel to each other.

3. The head according to claim 2, further comprising a spacer member inserted in said cavity portion on a rear surface side of said viscoelastic body,

wherein said spacer member has a flat surface contacting with said rear surface of said viscoelastic body and presses said viscoelastic body against the face plate side.

4. The head according to claim 3, wherein said spacer member comprises a viscoelastic body with vibration damping performance different from that of said viscoelastic body.

5. The head according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of types of viscoelastic bodies with different vibration damping performance are inserted in a compressed state in a space formed by said cavity portion and said face plate.

6. The head according to claim 1, wherein a width of said viscoelastic body in a direction along said face plate increases downward from an upper portion of said viscoelastic body.

7. The head according to claim 1, wherein said cavity portion is formed on a lower portion side of said head main body.

8. The head according to claim 1, wherein said head main body comprises a second cavity portion formed on a side of said cavity portion.

9. An iron type golf club head comprising:

a head main body;

a face plate fixed to a front surface side of said head main body to form a face surface;

a cavity portion formed in said head main body and open to a face plate side;

a viscoelastic body inserted in a compressed state in a space formed by said cavity portion and said face plate; and

a spacer member inserted in said cavity portion on a rear surface side of said viscoelastic body,

wherein a front surface and a rear surface of said viscoelastic body are parallel to each other,

wherein said spacer member has a flat surface contacting with said rear surface of said viscoelastic body and presses said viscoelastic body against the face plate side, and

wherein an end face on the face plate side of a circumferential wall defining said cavity portion comprises;

a contacting portion contacting with a rear surface of said face plate, and

a non-contacting portion spaced apart from the rear surface of said face plate to form a gap communicating with said cavity portion between said non-contacting portion and the rear surface of said face plate.

10. The head according to claim 9, wherein said spacer member comprises a viscoelastic body with vibration damping performance different from that of said viscoelastic body.

11. An iron type golf club head comprising:

a head main body;

a face plate fixed to a front surface side of said head main body to form a face surface;

a cavity portion formed in said head main body and open to a face plate side; and

a viscoelastic body inserted in a compressed state in a space formed by said cavity portion and said face plate,

wherein an end face on the face plate side of a circumferential wall defining said cavity portion comprises;

a contacting portion contacting with a rear surface of said face plate; and

a non-contacting portion spaced apart from the rear surface of said face plate to form a gap communicating with said cavity portion between said non-contacting portion and the rear surface of said face plate, and

wherein said head main body comprises a second cavity portion formed on a side of said cavity portion.