Golf club head

• US 5,295,689 A
• Filed: 01/11/1993
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S2 Golf, Inc. (Women's Golf Unlimited, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: S2 Golf, Inc. (Women's Golf Unlimited, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lundberg, Harry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/002,708
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/77 R, 273/167 H, 273/171, 273/173, 273/169, 273/167 F, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/194 A
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing

Abstract

A golf club head has a pyramid-shaped truss located within an interior of the club head. The truss employs a triangular base placed directly behind a club head striking plate, with a plurality of struts extending from the base to converge at an apex at the tail of the club head. Two of the struts are preferably affixed to an inner side of a club head sole. The struts may be tubular or solid. The truss prevents distortion of the club head at head-ball impact, and also reduces the tendency of the club head to twist about its center of gravity when contact is made with the ball. The truss is particularly applicable to hollow, metal "wood" club heads, which typically must be designed with thinner striking plates. The truss also facilitates manufacture of composite graphite club heads by inexpensive injection molding techniques without compromising club head strength.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a striking plate having an outer side and an interior side;

a tail spaced from the interior side of said striking plate;

a sole extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a top cover disposed opposite said sole and extending between said striking plate and said tail; and

a plurality of struts engaging the interior side of said striking plate and extending toward said tail, at least two of said struts converging to form a point adjacent the tail of the club head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said struts are interconnected by a plurality of base rods, said base rods defining a support cell directly behind said striking plate.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein said base rods define a polygonal support cell.

4. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein said struts in cooperation with said base rods define a triangular pyramid truss having a pyramid base engaging the interior side of said striking plate with a pyramid point adjacent said tail.

5. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein said base rods define an equilateral triangle.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 including three struts.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein at least two struts are affixed to an inner side of said sole.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said struts engage the tail at said point.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said struts are tubular.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein all said struts converge at said point.

11. The golf club head of claim 1 including at least one interior brace member extending between two of said struts intermediate said striking plate and said tail.

12. A golf club head, comprising:

a striking plate with an outer side and an interior side;

a tail spaced from the interior side of said striking plate;

a sole extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a top cover disposed opposite said sole and extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a plurality of struts engaging the interior side of said striking plate and extending toward said tail, said struts converging to form an apex adjacent the tail of the club head; and

a plurality of base rods engaging the interior side of said striking plate and interconnecting said struts to define a support cell directly behind said striking plate.

13. The golf club head of claim 12 including three struts.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 wherein said base rods define an equilateral triangle.

15. The golf club head of claim 12 wherein at least two struts are affixed to an inner side of said sole.

16. The golf club head of claim 12 wherein said struts and said base rods are tubular.

17. The golf club head of claim 12 including at least one interior brace member extending between two of said struts intermediate said striking plate and said tail.

18. The golf club head of claim 12 wherein said struts in cooperation with said base rods define a triangular pyramid truss having a pyramid base engaging the interior side of said striking plate with a pyramid point adjacent said tail.

19. A golf club, comprising:

an elongated shaft having a grip end and a lower end;

a head having a hosel, the lower end of said shaft disposed in said hosel;

a striking plate on said head, said striking plate having an outer side and an interior side;

a tail spaced from the interior side of said striking plate;

a sole having an inner side extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a top cover disposed opposite said sole and extending between said striking plate and said tail;

at least three struts engaging the interior side of said striking plate and extending toward said tail, two of said struts affixed to the inner side of said sole, all of said struts converging to form an apex adjacent said tail; and

a plurality of base rods interconnecting said struts and defining a support cell in the shape of an equilateral triangle directly behind said striking plate;

wherein said struts and said base rods cooperate to define a triangular pyramid truss for supporting said striking plate on impact with a golf ball.

20. A golf club head, comprising:

a striking plate having an outer side and an interior side;

a tail spaced from the interior side of said striking plate;

a sole extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a top cover disposed opposite said sole and extending from said striking plate to said tail; and

a plurality of struts engaging the interior side of said striking plate and extending toward said tail, at least two of said struts converging to form an apex adjacent the tail of the club head;

said struts interconnected by a plurality of base rods, said base rods defining a support cell directly behind said striking plate.

21. The golf club head of claim 20 wherein said base rods define a polygonal support cell.

22. The golf club head of claim 21 wherein said base rods define an equilateral triangle.

25. The golf club head of claim 20 wherein said struts in cooperation with said base rods define a triangular pyramid truss having a pyramid base engaging the interior side of said striking plate with a pyramid point adjacent said tail.

23. A golf club head, comprising:

a striking plate having an outer side and an interior side;

a tail spaced from the interior side of said striking plate;

a sole extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a top cover disposed opposite said sole and extending from said striking plate and said tail; and

a plurality of struts engaging the interior side of said striking plate and extending toward said tail, at least two of said struts converging to form an apex adjacent the tail of the club head;

wherein at least two struts are affixed to an inner side of said sole.

24. A golf club head, comprising:

a striking plate having an outer side and an interior side;

a tail spaced from the interior side of said striking plate;

a sole extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a top cover disposed opposite said sole and extending between said striking plate and said tail;

a plurality of struts engaging the interior side of said striking plate and extending toward said tail, at least two of said struts converging to form an apex adjacent the tail of the club head; and

at least one interior brace member extending between two of said struts intermediate said striking plate and said tail.