Golf club head with concave insert

• US 8,038,545 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Soracco, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/696,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20100130305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• 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 hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising a plurality of body members cooperatively defining an interior volume, wherein the plurality of body members comprise;

a first body member; and

a second body member coupled to the first body member the first and second body members forming an interior volume of the golf club head, the second body member comprising a concave indentation extending into the interior volume along a toe portion of the golf club head;

wherein the first body member comprises a first material having a first density and first thickness, and the second body member comprises a second material having a second density and second thickness;

wherein the second density is less than the first density, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second body member forms a portion of a crown of the club head.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first body member comprises a metallic material, and wherein the second body member comprises a light-weight metal alloy, a plastic, or a composite material.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first thickness is from 0.03 inch to 0.05 inch, and wherein second thickness is from 0.015 inch to 0.025 inch.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the concave indentation is configured to displace at least 10 cubic centimeters within the interior volume as compared to a golf club head without the concave indentation.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional concave indentation on the second body.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one convex bulge on the second body, the convex bulge extending away from the interior volume.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the concave indentation has an oblong shape extending farther in a front to back direction of the club head than in a crown to sole direction.