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

• US 8,419,568 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US13/314,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 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 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 strike face;

a rear surface generally opposite the strike face, the rear surface including a first recess;

an insert in the recess, the insert comprising a first color and a second recess extending entirely through the insert; and

a captive member at least partially within the second recess, the captive member comprising a second color different from the first color.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the captive member further comprises an anterior surface facing away from the striking face, the insert partially overlapping onto the anterior surface.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a first material and the captive member further comprises a second material, the second material being more rigid than the first material.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first recess further comprises a bottom surface, the captive member spaced from the bottom surface.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the insert and the captive member has a lower specific gravity than the rest of the golf club head.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the insert and the captive member are made from the same material.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the captive member further includes a captive member anterior surface, facing away from the striking face; and

a contrast between the anterior surface of the captive member and the insert defines an insignia.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a main body including a striking face, and a rear surface opposite the striking face, a top portion, and a sole portion opposite the top portion;

a first recess extending into the main body;

an insert in the first recess, the insert including a second recess; and

a captive member at least partially within the second recess, the captive member comprising a captive member anterior surface having a periphery that defines an insignia,

wherein the insert comprises a transparent material and encases the captive member.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the insert further comprises a first material and the captive member further comprises a second material, the second material being more rigid than the first material.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the first recess further comprises a bottom surface and the captive member is spaced from the bottom surface.

11. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein at least one of the insert and the captive member has a lower specific gravity than the main body.

12. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the insert and the captive member are made from the same material.

13. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the first recess comprises a bottom surface and the captive member directly contacts the bottom surface.

14. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the insert comprises a transparent material.