Golf club head

• US 9,522,310 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Abe, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/453,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A hollow golf club head has a crown portion extending from a face portion and configured so as to generate good ball hitting sound. The crown portion is provided with a first region having a first thickness, a second region having a second thickness and a third region having a third thickness, wherein the third thickness is less than the second thickness which is less than the first thickness. The first region is disposed in a face portion side of the crown portion and extending in the toe-heel direction. The third region is disposed backward of the first region. The second region surrounds the third region.

Claims

1. A golf club head with a hollow therein, said golf club head comprising:

a face portion having a club face for hitting a ball, and a crown portion extending from the face portion to form a top surface of the club head, wherein

the crown portion provided with a first region having a first thickness, a second region having a second thickness less than the first thickness, and a plurality of third regions having a third thickness less than the second thickness,

wherein

the first region is disposed in a face portion side of the crown portion and extends in the toe-heel direction,

the third regions are disposed backward of the first region, and

the second region surrounds the third regions, and

wherein,

in a top view of the club head in its standard state, said third regions extend along respective directions radiating from the vicinity of a point substantially on a straight line extending between a sweet spot and a center of gravity of the head while gradually increasing their widths measured perpendicularly to the respective radial directions, and

at least three of the third regions are disposed on the heel side of the center of gravity of the head and at least three of the third regions are disposed on the toe side of the center of gravity of the head.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein in the top view of the golf club head under its standard state, the area of the first region is 8% to 30% of the area of the crown portion.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein in the top view of the golf club head under its standard state, the area of the second region is 40% to 80% of the area of the crown portion.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein in the top view of the golf club head under its standard state, the area of the third region is 10% to 25% of the area of the crown portion.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first thickness is 0.6 to 1.7 mm, the second thickness is 0.5 to 0.9 mm and the third thickness is 0.3 to 0.6 mm.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first thickness is constant, the second thickness is constant, and a 1st transitional zone of which thickness is gradually decreased from the first region to the second region is formed between the first region and the second region.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the second thickness is constant, the third thickness is constant, and a 2nd transitional zone of which thickness is gradually decreased from the second region to the third region is formed between the second region and the third region.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein

four of the third regions are disposed on the heel side of the center of gravity of the head, and

four of the third regions are disposed on the toe side of the center of gravity of the head.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first thickness is constant, the second thickness is constant, the third thickness is constant,

a first transitional zone of which thickness is gradually decreased from the first region to the second region is formed between the first region and the second region, and

a second transitional zone of which thickness is gradually decreased from the second region to the third region is formed between the second region and each of the third regions.