Golf club head

• US 9,731,174 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Mizutani, Naruhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/862,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20160008683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• 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

Abstract

A hollow golf club head comprises a head main body made of a metallic material and having a bottom portion including a first portion and a second portion being connected with the first portion having difference in level, and at least one weight member having a specific gravity larger than that of the head main body and attached to the second portion of the head main body.

Claims

1. A hollow type golf club head comprising:

a head main body including a metallic material, the head main body comprising;

a sole portion comprising;

a primary sole portion having a sole thickness between 0.7 and 1.2 mm; and

a recessed portion being recessed relative to the primary sole portion, the recessed portion including a bottom wall and a side wall that is slanted relative to the primary sole portion, the bottom wall having a bottom wall thickness that is between 0.5 and 1.0 mm and at least 0.2 mm less than the sole thickness, the bottom wall including at least a first tier and a second tier, the first tier having a first height measured normal to a general contour of an exterior surface of the sole portion and the second tier having a second height measured normal to the general contour of the exterior surface of the sole portion;

a weight port within the bottom wall; and

a weight insert secured within the weight port,

wherein the first height and the second height are different.

2. The hollow type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the recessed portion is located on one of a toe region, a heel region, or a central region of the sole portion.

3. The hollow type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the recessed portion further comprises:

a third tier having a third height measured normal to the general contour of the exterior surface of the sole portion,

wherein the third height is less than both the first height and second height.

4. The hollow type golf club of claim 3, wherein the first tier comprises the weight port.

5. The hollow type golf club of claim 4, wherein the second tier comprises:

a second weight port comprising a second weight.

6. The hollow type golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the first tier has a first thickness;

the second tier has a second thickness; and

the third tier has a third thickness,

wherein the third thickness is one of greater than or less than both the first thickness and second thickness.

7. The hollow type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight insert has a specific gravity greater than a specific gravity of the head main body.

8. The hollow type golf club of claim 1, wherein the side wall has a wall thickness that is less than or equal to the sole thickness and greater than or equal to the bottom wall thickness.

9. The hollow type golf club of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the recessed portion has a height between 4 mm and 8 mm measured normal to a general contour of an exterior of the primary sole portion.

10. The hollow type golf club of claim 1, wherein the sole portion is made of the metallic material.

11. The hollow type golf club of claim 1, wherein the sole portion comprises at least one of stainless steel, maraging steel, pure titanium, and titanium alloy.

12. A hollow type golf club head comprising:

a head main body including a metallic material, the head main body comprising;

a sole portion comprising;

a primary sole portion having a sole thickness;

a recessed portion within the sole portion having a recess thickness at least 0.2 mm less than the sole thickness, the recessed portion comprising at least a first tier having a first height measured normal to a general contour of an exterior surface of the sole portion and a second tier having a second height measured normal to a general contour of an exterior surface of the sole portion, the second height being different than the first height; and

a wall connecting the sole portion and the recessed portion having a wall thickness less than or equal to the sole thickness, the wall being slanted relative to the primary sole portion;

a weight port within the recessed portion; and

a weight insert secured within the weight port.

13. The hollow type golf club of claim 12, wherein the recessed portion has a height between 4 mm and 8 mm measured normal to a general contour of an exterior of the primary sole portion.

14. The hollow type golf club of claim 12, wherein the sole portion is made of the metallic material.

15. The hollow type golf club of claim 12, wherein the sole portion comprises at least one of stainless steel, maraging steel, pure titanium, and titanium alloy.

16. The hollow type golf club of claim 12, wherein the wall thickness is greater than or equal to the recess thickness.

17. A hollow type golf club head comprising:

a head main body including a metallic material, the head main body comprising;

a sole portion comprising;

a primary sole portion having a sole thickness between 0.7 and 1.2 mm;

a protruded portion extending outward from the primary sole portion having a protrusion thickness between 0.5 and 1.0 mm and at least 0.1 mm less than the sole thickness, the protruded portion comprising at least a first tier having a first height measured normal to a general contour of an exterior surface of the sole portion and a second tier having a second height measured normal to a general contour of an exterior surface of the sole portion, the second height being different than the first height;

a wall connecting the sole portion and the protruded portion;

a weight port within the protruded portion; and

a weight secured within the weight port.

18. The hollow type golf club of claim 17, wherein the protruded portion has a height between 4 mm and 8 mm measured normal to a general contour of an exterior of the sole portion.

19. The hollow type golf club of claim 17, wherein the sole portion is made of the metallic material.

20. The hollow type golf club of claim 17, wherein the sole portion comprises at least one of stainless steel, maraging steel, pure titanium, and titanium alloy.