Golf club head

• US 7,988,565 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Abe, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/512,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20100029408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, D21/752
• US Class Current: 473/328
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A head 2 is hollow. The head 2 has a sole part 8. The sole part 8 has a groove forming part k1 having a recessed outer surface g1 and a protruding inner surface s1. The sole part 8 has a first groove forming part k1 and a second groove forming part k1. The first groove forming part k1 and the second groove forming part k1 have a front-back directional length. A distance between the first groove forming part k1 and the second groove forming part k1 in a toe-heel direction is wider toward a back of the head. Preferably, the first groove forming part k1 and the second groove forming part k1 exist on a back of a face surface 13. Preferably, the sole part 8 has a connecting groove part r1. The connecting groove part r1 is formed by connecting a front end of the first groove forming part k1 to a front end of the second groove forming part k1 with each other.

Claims

1. A hollow golf club head comprising:

a sole part,

wherein the sole part has a first groove forming part and a second groove forming part which have a recessed outer surface and a protruding inner surface;

the first groove forming part and the second groove forming part have a front-back directional length; and

a distance between the first groove forming part and the second groove forming part in a toe-heel direction increases in a direction toward a back of the head;

the sole part further comprising;

a plurality of sets of the first groove forming part and the second groove forming part,

wherein the sole part is absent of any other groove forming parts between the first groove forming part and the second groove forming part of a first set of the plurality of sets, and

wherein the sole part is absent of any other groove forming parts between the first groove forming part and the second groove forming part of a second set of the plurality of sets.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first groove forming part and the second groove forming part of each of the first and second sets exist on a back of a face surface.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the sole part has a connecting groove part formed by connecting a front end of the first groove forming part and a front end of the second groove forming part of each of the first and second sets with each other.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein a length Lr of the connecting groove part in each of the first and second sets is 100 mm or greater and 200 mm or less.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the sole part has a first connecting groove part formed by connecting a front end of the first groove forming part and a front end of the second groove forming part of the first set of the plurality of sets with each other, a second connecting groove part formed by connecting a front end of the first groove forming part and a front end of the second groove forming part of the second set of the plurality of sets with each other;

wherein the first connecting groove part is provided on a toe side relative to a center section plane of the head; and

the second connecting groove part is provided on a heel side relative to the center section plane of the head.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a ratio [ta/tb] of a thickness ta (mm) of the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets to an average thickness tb (mm) of the sole part excluding the groove forming parts is 1.0 or greater and 2.0 or less.

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

a between an extending direction of the first groove forming part and an extending direction of the second groove forming part adjacent to the first groove forming part in each of the first and second sets is 5 degrees or greater and 60 degrees or less.

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

t between the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets located closest to a toe side and a front-back direction is 10 degrees or greater and 60 degrees or less; and

an angle θ

h between the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets located closest to a heel side and the front-back direction is 10 degrees or greater and 60 degrees or less.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein an absolute value of an angle θ

1 between an extending direction of the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets nearest to a center section plane and a front-back direction is 5 degrees or greater and 30 degrees or less.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein an angle θ

2 between an extending direction of the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets farthest from a center section plane and a front-back direction is 10 degrees or greater and 60 degrees or less.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein an angle θ

3 between an extending direction of the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets located closest to a toe side and an extending direction of the groove forming part located closest to a heel side is 20 degrees or greater 120 degrees or less.

12. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a straight line Lx connects a point on the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets located closest to a front and a point on the groove forming part located closest to a back with each other;

and

a ratio [m1/L1] of a maximum distance m1 (mm) between a point existing on the groove fonning part and the straight line Lx to a length L1 (mm) of the straight line Lx is equal to or less than 0.5.

13. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a height H1 (mm) of a protruding part on an inner surface side of the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets is 0.1 mm or greater and 3 mm or less.

14. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a difference (H1−

D1) between a height H1 (mm) of a protruding parts on an inner surface side of the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets and a groove depth D1 (mm) on an outer surface side of the groove forming part is 0.1 mm or greater and 2 mm or less.

15. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a groove Mt other than the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets is formed on the sole part;

and

the groove Mt and the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets are not crossed with each other.

16. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a length Lk1 of the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets is 30 mm or greater and 150 mm or less.

17. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a difference [Lk11−

Lk12] between a length Lk11 (mm) of the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets nearest to a center section plane on a toe side relative to the center section plane and a length Lk12 (mm) of the groove forming parts in each of the first and second sets farthest from the center section plane on the toe side relative to the center section plane is 5 mm or greater and 80 mm or less.

18. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a difference [Lk11−

Lk12] between a length Lk11 (mm) of the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets nearest to a center section plane on a heel side relative to the center section plane and a length Lk12 (mm) of the groove forming part in each of the first and second sets farthest from the center section plane on the heel side relative to the center section plane is 5 mm or greater and 80 mm or less.

19. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the head is 350 cc or greater and 460 cc or less.

20. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a weight of the head is 170 g or greater and 220 g or less.