Golf club head

• US 20080248896A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Hirano, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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 53/0462 characterised by tapering 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

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a face portion having a front face defining the club face and a rear face facing a hollow, wherein the face portion is provided on the rear face with an upper rib, a lower rib, a toe-side groove and a heel-side groove which extend radially from a thickest central region, so as to form a toe-side upper region, a toe-side lower region, a heel-side upper region and a heel-side lower region. The thickness distribution of the face portion satisfies the following magnitude relations: (Central region>=upper rib); (central region>=Lower rib); (upper rib>Toe-side upper region>Toe-side groove); (Lower rib>Toe-side lower region>Toe-side groove); (upper rib>Heel-side upper region>Heel-side groove); and (Lower rib>Heel-side lower region>Heel-side groove).

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion having a front face defining the club face and a rear face facing a hollow;

a crown portion; and

a sole portion, wherein

said face portion is provided on the rear face with;

a central region defining the largest thickness of the face portion;

an upper rib extending from the central region toward the crown portion;

a lower rib extending from the central region toward the sole portion;

a toe-side groove extending from the central region toward the toe;

a heel-side groove extending from the central region toward heel;

a toe-side upper region between the toe-side groove and the upper rib;

a toe-side lower region between the toe-side groove and the lower rib;

a heel-side upper region between the heel-side groove and the upper rib; and

a heel-side lower region between the heel-side groove and the lower rib, so as to have a thickness distribution satisfying the following magnitude relations;

Central region>

=Upper rib;

Central region>

=Lower rib;

Upper rib>

Toe-side upper region>

Toe-side groove;

Lower rib>

Toe-side lower region>

Toe-side groove;

Upper rib>

Heel-side upper region>

Heel-side groove; and

Lower rib>

Heel-side lower region>

Heel-side groove.

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

both of the upper rib and the lower rib extend along a first straight line, the first straight line inclined to the heel from the sole portion towards the crown portion at an inclination angle of from 10 to 40 degrees with respect to the crown-and-sole direction.

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

both of the toe-side groove and the heel-side groove extend along a second straight line, the second straight line inclined to the heel from the toe towards the heel at an inclination angle of from 10 to 40 degrees with respect to the toe-and-heel direction.

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

both of the upper rib and the lower rib extend along a first straight line, the first straight line inclined to the heel from the sole portion towards the crown portion at an inclination angle of from 10 to 40 degrees with respect to the crown-and-sole direction, and

both of the toe-side groove and the heel-side groove extend along a second straight line, the second straight line inclined to the heel from the toe towards the heel at an inclination angle of from 10 to 40 degrees with respect to the toe-and-heel direction.

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

the central region has a thickness of from 3.10 to 4.00 mm, the toe-side upper region has a thickness of from 1.90 to 2.50 mm, the toe-side lower region has a thickness of from 1.90 to 2.50 mm, the heel-side upper region has a thickness of from 1.90 to 2.50 mm, and the heel-side lower region has a thickness of from 1.90 to 2.50 mm.

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

the central region has an area not less than 13% of the area of the face portion in the front view of the head.

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

the width Wr of the upper rib and the width Wr of the lower rib are smaller than the maximum width Wc of the central region when measured in the direction perpendicular to the first straight line.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7, wherein

the width ratio Wr/Wc is in a range of not less than 0.20, but not more than 0.50.

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

the thickness in the upper rib and the thickness in the lower rib are smaller than the thickness in the central region.

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

the width of the toe-side groove and the width of the heel-side groove are not less than 5 mm.

11. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein

the upper rib and lower rib each have a centroid on the first straight line.

12. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein

the toe-side groove and heel-side groove each have a centroid on the second straight line.

13. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein

the upper rib and lower rib each have a centroid on the first straight line.

14. The golf club head according to claim 4, wherein

the toe-side groove and heel-side groove each have a centroid on the second straight line.