Metal wood club

• US 7,704,155 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Harvell, Christopher D., Burnett, Michael Scott, Murphy, Stephen S., Bennett, Thomas Orrin, Perez, Eddie G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/850,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 473/292, 473/328, 473/314, 473/245, 473/248
• US Class Current: 473/245
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/0023 Measuring of sport goods, e.g. bowling accessories, golfclubs, game balls
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/24 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes

Abstract

In one embodiment, a golf club head is presented having a sole with three recessed cavities for attachment to a hosel-bending tool. In another embodiment, a golf club head is presented having a sole that includes one predetermined contact area proximal to the toe edge of the sole. In another embodiment, a golf club head is presented having a sole in which pads of material are incorporated that may be milled to vary the relief of the sole and to modify mass characteristics of the club head. Yet another embodiment presents a golf club head having a body with a cavity to receive a cartridge that has a constant density and weight.

Claims

1. A golf club having a shaft, a grip, a hosel and a club head, the club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, wherein the sole has a varying relief closer to a toe of the club head and wherein the sole meets the ground plane at one predetermined contact area, wherein said contact area is located on or toe-ward of the line that projects from the tip of the grip through center of gravity of the club

wherein the contact area comprises a sphere segment disposed to the sole, and

wherein the body has a coordinate system with an y-axis located horizontal to the club face, a x-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face, and

wherein the sphere segment is located on the sole such that the center of the sphere defined by the sphere segment is located away from the geometric center of the face of the club head by about 0.5 mm in the y-direction toward the toe of the club head, about 7.5 mm in the x-direction toward the sole of the club head, and about 26 mm in the z-direction away from the face of the club head.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the angle formed by the line extending from the contact area to the surface of the sole on the heel side of the contact area and the ground plane is between about 1 and about 9 degrees.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sole remains in contact with the ground on said predetermined contact area over about a 10-degree range of lie angle positions.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the contact area can be partially removed from the club head to vary its location.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the club head is lofted or delofted by up to 2°

without substantially changing the face angle of the club head.