Metal wood golf club head

• US 8,485,920 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Breier, Joshua G., Morris, Thomas C., Chau, Kevin C., Rice, Scott A., Soracco, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/125,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20080227564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/335
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

An improved golf club head is disclosed which comprises the positioning of secondary weights at such low, rearward and outward locations that it causes an alteration in the traditional look of the club head wherein each secondary weight has a portion of the weight that bulges outwards of the natural contour of the club head.

Claims

1. A driver golf club head comprising:

a face, a crown, a toe, a heel, and a sole, wherein, when the club head is at address, the sole has a downward convex predominant curved surface with a toe portion of the sole curving up towards the toe and a heel portion of the sole curving up towards the heel;

two weight pockets comprising bulges outside of the sole;

a weight in each pocket comprising a center of gravity that is outside of the predominant curved surface of the sole;

an idealized line A-A perpendicular to, and extending rearward from, a midpoint of the face, wherein line A-A is horizontal when the club head is at address;

an idealized heel-toe line B-B that comprises the intersection of a hosel axis with the sole, wherein line B-B is horizontal when the club head is at address and line A-A intersects line B-B to define intersection point P,

wherein a center of gravity of each weight is at least 1.5 inches rearward of the intersection point P, at least 0.75 inch from the intersection point P in a heel-toe direction, and no more than 0.25 inches above a center point on the sole.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a club head volume is above 350 cc.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weights are formed from tungsten or nickel or steel.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the crown portion is made from a lightweight material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber composite, polypropylene, or magnesium.

5. A metal wood golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft comprising:

a substantially hollow club head including a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole plate, and a front face;

a heel secondary weight and a toe secondary weight, each secondary weight having a center of gravity positioned within a concave region of the sole plate that is concave as viewed from an inside of the club head,

wherein each concave region defines a bulge outward of a natural contour of the club head and wherein a center of gravity of each secondary weight is outside of the natural contour of the club head,

and further wherein the center of gravity of each secondary weight is at least 0.5 inch rearward of a center point of the sole plate that defines a lowest point on the club head when the club head is at address, at least 0.75 inch from the center point in a heel-toe direction, and at least 0.25 inch above the center point.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the club head volume is between 350 cc and 460 cc.

7. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the secondary weights comprise one selected from the list consisting of tungsten, steel, and nickel.

8. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the crown portion comprises one selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber composite, polypropylene, or magnesium.

9. A driver golf club head comprising:

a face, a crown, a toe, a heel, and a sole, wherein, when the club head is at address, the sole has a downward convex predominant curved surface with a toe portion of the sole curving up towards the toe and a heel portion of the sole curving up towards the heel;

two weight pockets comprising bulges outside of the sole;

a weight in each pocket comprising a center of gravity that is outside of the predominant curved surface of the sole;

an idealized line A-A perpendicular to, and extending rearward from a midpoint of, the face, wherein line A-A is horizontal when the club head is at address;

an idealized heel-toe line B-B that comprises the intersection of a hosel axis with the sole, wherein line B-B is horizontal when the club head is at address and line A-A intersects line B-B to define intersection point P,

wherein a center of gravity of each weight is at least 1.5 inches rearward of the intersection point P and at least 0.75 inch from the intersection point P in a heel-toe direction.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein a club head volume is above 350 cc.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the weights are formed from tungsten or nickel or steel.

12. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the crown portion is made from a lightweight material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber composite, polypropylene, or magnesium.