Golf club wood head with optimum aerodynamic structure

• US 6,074,308 A
• Filed: 11/24/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew A. Domas
• Original Assignee: Andrew A. Domas
• Inventors: Domas, Andrew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/200,901
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/327, 473/328, 473/344, 473/349, 473/345, 473/346, 473/347, 473/348, 473/228, 473/350, 473/282, D21/733
• US Class Current: 473/327
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

The present invention consists of an improved golf club head design for a golf club in wherein in one preferred embodiment the club head is preferably molded from a clear acrylic material or polymeric material or a high tech metal alloy wherein a plurality of elongated elliptical or v-shaped gently flaring grooves or indentations extend normal to the club head striking surface and are embedded in at least the crown and sole of the club head. These grooves may be present in the toe surface in larger club heads, such as drivers. These grooves initiate from just behind the striking face or leading edge and extend rearwardly toward the back of the club wood head. The grooves create a corresponding plurality of vortices during the golf swing which redirect and accelerate air flow rearwardly away from the back of the club head, reducing wind resistance and eliminating induced drag of the moving club head, thereby increasing thrust which in turn increases the overall distance a golf ball is capable of traveling during a given shot. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a metal housing or shell is provided with an acrylic insert to achieve increased performance and durability.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a club body;

said club body having a ball striking surface, a crown surface, a toe surface, a rear surface, a heel surface, and an underside surface;

at least one vortex generating means having a gently curving aerodynamic configuration capable of inducing a force against the club head surface wherein each vortex generating means located within each of the crown and underside surfaces, extend rearwardly from just behind a plane containing the ball striking surface;

at least one of the vortex generating means in the crown surface which flares outwardly toward the heel and surfaces as it extends towards the rear of the club head body and having an open terminal end adjacent the rear surface of the club head body and is dimensioned to produce net lift and thrust during a golf swing;

at least one of the vortex generating means in the underside surface is located substantially centrally between the heel and toe surfaces and the vortex generating means flares outwardly toward the heel and toe surfaces as it extends towards the rear surface of the club head body and having an open terminal end adjacent the rear surface of the club head body and is dimensioned to produce net lift and thrust during a golf swing;

and each of the vortex generating means in the crown and the underside surfaces are substantially equal in depth along their respective lengths;

whereby the aerodynamic forces created by the vortex generating means in the crown and underside surfaces create a net lift and thrust during a golf swing.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein at least one vortex generating means in the underside is substantially v-shaped.

3. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein at least one vortex generating means in the crown is substantially v-shaped.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has an outer metal shell and is further provided with an interior polymeric insert adapted to fit within the outer metal shell.

5. The golf club head according to claim 4 in which the insert is made from acrylic.

6. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein there is at least one vortex generating means positioned in the toe surface.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein there are at least two vortex generating means positioned in the crown surface.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein there is one vortex generating means positioned in the underside surface.

9. A golf club wood head comprising:

a club head body comprising an interior solid body insert and an outer metal shell adapted to fit and retain the solid body insert;

said club head body having a ball striking surface, a crown surface, a toe surface, a rear surface, a heel surface, and an underside surface with at least one of said surfaces containing at least one vortex generating means having a gently curving aerodynamic configuration capable of inducing a force against the club head surface wherein the at least one vortex generating means extends rearwardly from just behind a plane containing the ball striking surface and has an open terminal end adjacent the rear surface of the club head body;

said outer metal shell being outfitted with at least one opening for defining said at least one vortex generating means;

said solid body insert substantially filling the interior of the outer metal shell while accommodating the at least one opening defining the vortex generating means.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 in which the solid body insert is made from either acrylic or other polymeric substance.

11. The gold club head according to claim 9 in which the outer metal shell is made from high strength titanium alloy or other metal alloy.