Metal wood club

• US 8,517,858 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Soracco, Peter L., Roach, Ryan L., Rice, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/760,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00

Abstract

A golf club head having indentions provided in a transition zone of the club head. The transition zone of the club head is provided between a first portion of the club head having a first thickness and a second portion of the club head having a second thickness. The indentations are provided at non-structural areas to reduce the weight of the transition zone. The mass can then be moved to a more desirable location in the club head, thereby improving the playability characteristics of the club head, including center of gravity and moment of inertia. The transition zone may be provided at different areas of the club head including the hosel, between the face and the body of the club head and between the crown and sole of the club head. The indentations are provided with the desired height, length and width to achieve weight reduction without effecting the structural integrity of the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a first club portion having a first thickness;

a second club portion having a second thickness;

a transition zone having a mass and connecting the first club portion to the second club portion; and

at least two indentations provided in the transition zone,

wherein the indentations reduce the mass of the transition zone by at least 0.5%, wherein the club head is hollow with a volume of at least 250 cubic centimeters and the indentations are provided on an interior nonvisible surface of the hollow portion of the club head, and wherein the transition zone is provided proximate a face insert of the club head and the first portion of the club head is a face insert, the second portion of the club head is a body of the club head, and the transition zone is provided between the face insert and the body of the club head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the indentations reduce the mass of the transition zone by about 10% to about 40%.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the indentations reduce the mass of the transition zone without the indentations by about 0.5 g to about 10 g.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the indentations reduce the mass by about 2 g to about 8 g.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the indentations have a maximum depth between about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the indentations have lengths ranging from about 1 mm to about 20 mm and widths ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity is provided below a horizontal center line of the club head by at least 1 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity is moved toward a rear of the club head by at least 0.5 mm and lowered in the club head by at least about 0.2 mm.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face insert further comprises:

a central zone having a first flexural stiffness; and

an intermediate zone concentric with the central zone, the intermediate zone having a second flexural stiffness, and wherein the first flexural stiffness is higher than the second flexural stiffness.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the moment of inertia about the vertical axis though the center of gravity of the club head, I_yy, is about 2500 g·

cm² to about 6000 g·

cm².

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the moment of inertia about the vertical axis though the center of gravity of the club head, I_xx, is about 1500 g·

cm² to about 5000 g·

cm².

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the moment of inertia about the vertical axis though the center of gravity of the club head, I_zz, is about 1500 g·

cm² to about 6000 g·

cm².

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the mass removed from the transition zone is thereafter provided in the perimeter of the club head.