Wedge type golf club head

• US 9,713,751 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hettinger, Ronald K., Tassistro, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/318,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0479 Wedge-type clubs, details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A wedge type golf club head is disclosed herein where the wedge type golf club head has enhanced performance characteristics such as improved backspin, ball speed, and launch angle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wedge type golf club head having an adjustable center of gravity, where the center of gravity may be adjusted based on different backing profiles that comprises at least one hollow chamber. The wedge type golf club head disclosed above may also have a thickened topline, wherein the thickness of the topline progressively changes as a function of the loft angle of the wedge type golf club head.

Claims

1. A wedge type golf club head comprising:

a hosel;

a body attached to said hosel at a loft angle, wherein said body further comprises a hitting surface and a rear portion; and

a sole at a bottom of said body, connecting said hitting surface to said rear portion,

wherein said rear portion further comprises a thickened topline portion having a first thickness, a thinned central portion having a second thickness, and a hollow cavity located near said sole;

wherein said wedge type golf club head has a center of gravity location that is between about 16 mm and about 20 mm away from said ground; and

wherein said wedge type golf club head has a moment of inertia about an x-axis greater than about 120 kg*mm².

2. The wedge type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said cavity has a volume of greater than about 3750 mm³.

3. The wedge type golf club head of claim 2, wherein said cavity has a volume of greater than about 3900 mm³.

4. The wedge type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said moment of inertia about said x-axis is greater than about 125 kg*mm².

5. The wedge type golf club head of claim 4, wherein said moment of inertia about said x-axis is greater than about 159 kg*mm².

6. The wedge type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said sole further comprises a cover portion, and wherein said cover portion is welded to said body.

7. The wedge type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said sole further comprises a cover portion, and wherein said cover portion is swaged to said body.

8. The wedge type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said sole further comprises a cover portion, and wherein said cover portion is screwed to said body.

9. The wedge type golf club head of claim 1, wherein said hitting surface and said rear portion form an angle θ

of between about 3° and

about 8°

.

10. The wedge type golf club head of claim 9, wherein said angle θ

is between about 4° and

about 6.5°

.

11. A wedge type golf club head comprising:

a hosel;

a body attached to said hosel at a loft angle, wherein said body further comprises a hitting surface and a rear portion; and

a sole at a bottom of said body, connecting said hitting surface to said rear portion,

wherein said rear portion further comprises a thickened topline portion having a first thickness, a thinned central portion having a second thickness, and a hollow cavity located near said sole; and

wherein said hitting surface and said rear portion form an angle θ

of between about 3° and

about 8°

.

12. The wedge type golf club head of claim 11, wherein said angle θ

is between about 4° and

about 6.5°

.

13. The wedge type golf club head of claim 12, wherein said angle is about 5°

.

14. The wedge type golf club head of claim 11, wherein said wedge type golf club head has a Topline Thickness Ratio of greater than about 6.0 degrees/mm and less than about 9.0 degree/mm;

said Topline Thickness Ratio defined as said loft angle of said wedge type golf club head divided by said first thickness of said thickened topline portion.

15. The wedge type golf club head of claim 14, wherein said Topline Thickness Ratio is greater than about 7.0 degree/mm and less than about 9.0 degrees/mm.

16. The wedge type golf club head of claim 15, wherein said Topline Thickness Ratio is greater than about 8.0 degrees/mm and less than about 9.0 degree/mm.

17. A wedge type golf club head comprising:

a hosel;

a body attached to said hosel at a loft angle, wherein said body further comprises a hitting surface and a rear portion; and

a sole at a bottom of said body, connecting said hitting surface to said rear portion,

wherein said rear portion further comprises a thickened topline portion having a first thickness, a thinned central portion having a second thickness, and a hollow cavity located near said sole;

wherein said wedge type golf club head has a center of gravity location that is between about 18.5 mm and about 22.5 mm away from said ground, and

wherein said wedge type golf club head has a moment of inertia about an x-axis greater than about 120 kg*mm².

18. The wedge type golf club head of claim 17, wherein said wedge type golf club head has a Topline Thickness Ratio of greater than about 6.0 degrees/mm and less than about 9.0 degree/mm;

said Topline Thickness Ratio defined as said loft angle of said wedge type golf club head divided by said first thickness of said thickened topline portion.