Muscle-back, with insert, iron type golf club head

• US 8,083,610 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Roberts, Douglas E., Garner, Trent E., Wolfe, Kevin A., Stone, Daniel J., Beck, Christopher J., Harman, Todd D., Newsome, Brent L., Wallans, Michael J., Radcliffe, Nathaniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/478,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20090239682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, D21747-751, D21/759
• 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 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A muscle-back iron golf club head includes a blade-like upper mass, a muscle-like lower mass, a planar front surface, a top surface, a sole surface, a heel surface, a toe surface, and a rear surface having a first contour. A recess is in the rear surface, the recess having a first portion in the blade-like upper mass and a second portion in the muscle-like lower mass. An insert may be provided in the recess, and such insert may substantially fill the recess and may include a back surface having a second contour which is different from the first contour of the club head rear surface.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a front surface;

a rear surface generally opposite the front surface, the rear surface comprising a lower, contoured muscle portion and an upper, non-perimeter weighted blade portion having generally uniform thickness, and extending to the muscle portion;

a heel recess located entirely in the contoured muscle portion, the heel recess having a heel insert therein;

a toe recess located entirely in the contoured muscle portion, the toe recess having a toe insert therein; and

a central recess located at least partially in the contoured muscle portion, the central recess having a central insert therein, the central insert including

a resilient body; and

a captive member comprising an anterior surface facing away from the striking face and a posterior surface facing toward the striking face, the anterior surface being partially bounded by the resilient body, the posterior surface being spaced apart from the rear surface of the club head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the heel insert and the toe insert have a density greater than the density of the rest of the club head.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central insert has a lower specific gravity than the rest of the golf club head.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the resilient body comprises a first color and the captive member comprises a second color different from the first color, the first color and the second color in combination defining an insignia on the golf club head.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the resilient body comprises a first contoured anterior surface and the captive member comprises a second contoured anterior surface spaced from the first contoured anterior surface, the second contoured anterior surface and the first contoured anterior surface in combination comprising an insignia on the golf club head.