Golf club head

• US 7,611,423 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• 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:
  US11/434,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-291
• 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 having a first viscoelastic body made of a first viscoelastic material and a second viscoelastic body made of a second viscoelastic material with a loss coefficient the temperature dependence of which is different from that of a loss coefficient of the first viscoelastic material.

Claims

1. 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, said cavity portion open to the front surface side; and

a plurality of viscoelastic bodies disposed within said cavity portion,

wherein said plurality of viscoelastic bodies are made of viscoelastic materials with loss coefficients the temperature dependences of which are different,

wherein said plurality of viscoelastic bodies are arranged along a rear surface of said face plate, and

wherein each viscoelastic body is in tight contact with the rear surface of said face plate.

2. The head according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of viscoelastic bodies are arranged in a toe-heel direction.

3. The head according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of viscoelastic bodies are arranged in a vertical direction.

4. The head according to claim 1, wherein an axial edge on the front surface of a circumferential wall defining said cavity portion comprises:

a contacting portion that contacts the 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 between said non-contacting portion and the rear surface of said face plate.

5. The head according to claim 1, further comprising a rear viscoelastic body disposed behind the plurality of viscoelastic bodies within said cavity portion.

6. 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, said cavity portion open to the front surface side;

a first viscoelastic body disposed within said cavity portion; and

a second viscoelastic body disposed within said cavity portion,

wherein said first and second viscoelastic bodies are made of viscoelastic materials with loss coefficients the temperature dependences of which are different,

wherein said second viscoelastic body includes a portion covering a circumferential surface of said first viscoelastic body, and

wherein said first viscoelastic body and said portion of said second viscoelastic body are in tight contact with a rear surface of said face plate.

7. The head according to claim 6, wherein said second viscoelastic body includes another portion covering a rear portion of said first viscoelastic body.

8. The head according to claim 6, wherein an axial edge on the front surface of a circumferential wall defining said cavity portion comprises:

a contacting portion that contacts the 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 between said non-contacting portion and the rear surface of said face plate.

9. The head according to claim 6, further comprising a rear viscoelastic body disposed behind said first and second viscoelastic bodies within said cavity portion.