Weighted golf club head

• US 8,257,195 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Erickson, Joel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/475,497
• Time in Patent Office: 109 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body into the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a cavity, a frontal opening, and a protrusion; and

a metal face component comprising a striking face and a return portion,

wherein the face component covers the frontal opening,

wherein the striking face and the return portion form a face component cavity,

wherein the protrusion is located within the cavity proximate the frontal opening and extends upwards from the sole and into the face component cavity without touching the striking face,

wherein the protrusion extends from a heel side of the body to a toe side of the body and does not comprise any hollow regions,

wherein the golf club head has a mass of no less than 180 grams and no more than 215 grams, and

wherein the golf club head a volume of no less than 120 cubic centimeters and no more than 470 cubic centimeters.

2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a fairway wood-type head.

3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the metal material is selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy and stainless steel.

4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is forged.

5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is cast.

6. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the striking face has variable thickness.

7. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the striking face has a constant thickness.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face component is forged.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face component is cast.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body and the face component are integrally cast.

11. A fairway wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a crown, a sole, a cavity, and a protrusion; and

a metal face component comprising a striking face and a return portion,

wherein the striking face and the return portion form a face component cavity,

wherein the protrusion extends from the sole,

wherein the protrusion extends from a heel side of the body to a toe side of the body and does not comprise any hollow regions,

wherein the protrusion is located within the cavity and extends into the face component cavity without touching the striking face,

wherein the body is integrally cast,

wherein the face component is integrally forged, and

wherein the face component is welded to the body.

12. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the protrusion comprises at least 20% of the mass of the body.

13. The wood-type golf club head of claim 12, wherein the protrusion comprises approximately 30% of the mass of the body.

14. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the golf club head has a mass of no less than 180 grams and no more than 215 grams.

15. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the golf club head has a volume of no less than 120 cubic centimeters and no more than 300 cubic centimeters.

16. A fairway wood-type golf club head comprising:

a stainless steel body comprising a crown, a sole, a cavity, a hosel, and a protrusion; and

a stainless steel face component comprising a striking face and a return portion,

wherein the striking face and the return portion form a face component cavity,

wherein the protrusion is located within the cavity, extends from a heel side of the body to a toe side of the body, and extends upwards from the sole into the face component cavity without touching the striking face,

wherein the protrusion does not comprise any hollow regions,

wherein the body is integrally cast,

wherein the face component is integrally forged, and

wherein the golf club head has a mass of no less than 180 grams and no more than 215 grams.

17. The fairway wood-type golf club head of claim 16, wherein the face component is welded to the body.

18. The fairway wood-type golf club head of claim 16, further comprising a weight pad, wherein the weight pad is affixed to the sole.