Reinforced metal golf club head

• US 5,213,328 A
• Filed: 01/23/1992
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MacGREGOR GOLF COMPANY (Dick's Sporting Goods Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MacGREGOR GOLF COMPANY (Dick's Sporting Goods Incorporated)
• Inventors: Long, D. Clayton, Allen, R. Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/824,359
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167-175, 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/164, 273/78, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/183 D, 273/186 A
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown 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 60/52 with slits

Abstract

There is disclosed a hollow reinforced metal golf club head in the shape of a driver. The golf club head is reinforced by at least one rib and preferably three ribs each of which extends along or between the internal surface of the striking face and the internal surface of the top side to reinforce both the striking face and the top side. In addition, the top side has a pattern of corrugated reinforcing protrusions, preferably in the shape of gear teeth, extending rearwardly from adjacent the striking face. The sole of the club head has at least one ridge, and preferably three ridges, each of which extends along more than half the length of the sole and terminates short of the striking face and short of the back side.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising an enclosed metal body in the shape of a head for a golf driver, the metal body having:

a. a front striking face of predetermined height and width,

b. a sole of predetermined length and width,

c. a back side,

d. a toe,

e. a heel,

f. a top side of predetermined length and width, and

g. a hosel positioned adjacent the heel, wherein the metal body has an internal cavity formed by internal surfaces of the striking face, the sole, the back side, the toe, the heel, and the top side and wherein at least one rib extends along and between the internal surface of the striking face to beyond the length of the second member along the top side and the internal surface of the top side to reinforce both the striking face and the top side wherein the rib comprises a first element of substantially uniform cross-sectional area extending along more than half of the height of the internal surface of the striking face and a second member interconnecting the top side and the striking face and extending for less than half of the length of the top side and extending for less than half of the height of the striking face and and wherein the top side has corrugated reinforcing protrusions extending rearwardly from adjacent the striking face.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole has at least one ridge extending along the length of the sole.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the ridge extends along more than half of the length of the sole and terminates short of the internal surface of the striking face and short of the internal surface of the back side.

4. A golf club head comprising an enclosed metal body in the shape of a head for a golf driver, the metal body having:

a. a front striking face of predetermined height and width,

b. a sole of predetermined length and width,

c. a back side,

d. a toe,

e. a heel,

f. a top side of predetermined length and width, and

g. a hosel positioned adjacent the heel,

wherein the metal body has an internal cavity formed by internal surfaces of the striking face, the sole, the back side, the toe, the heel, and the top side and wherein at least one rib extends along and between the internal surface of the striking face and the internal surface of the top side to reinforce both the striking face and the top side, at a part of the rib increasing in cross-sectional dimension away from the striking face as the rib approaches the internal surface of the top side, and wherein the sole has at least one ridge extending along the length of the sole and wherein the ridge extends along more than half of the length of the sole and terminates short of the internal surface of the striking face and short of the internal surface of the back side, wherein a space exits between respective ends of the ridge and the internal surfaces of the striking face and the back side.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the rib comprises a first element of substantially uniform cross-sectional area extending along more than half of the height of the internal surface of the striking face and a second member interconnecting the top side and the striking face and extending for less than half of the length of the top side and extending for less than half of the height of the striking face.

6. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the top side has corrugated reinforcing protrusions extending rearwardly from adjacent the striking face.