Iron golf club heads, iron golf clubs and golf club evaluating method

• US 6,368,232 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jiro Hamada
• Original Assignee: Jiro Hamada
• Inventors: Hamada, Jiro, Ito, Takaoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/551,654
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/329, 473/349, 473/350, 473/332, 473/345, 473/346, 473/347, 473/348, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/338, 473/290, 473/291, 473/292, 473/293, D21/747-752
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-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

Abstract

A variety of novel club heads and iron golf clubs with the novel heads are provided by reexamining the conventional views that iron golf clubs with a low center of gravity have good performance, and introducing a new criterion for evaluation to obtain iron golf clubs capable of sending the ball better distance. A club head includes a face forming portion having a face formed on the forward surface thereof, and a sole forming portion extending rearwardly from the lower end of the face forming portion. The sole forming portion has a sole formed on the bottom thereof. The sole forming portion is provided with one of a hole, a hollow portion and a filling portion near the face forming portion.

Claims

1. A head of an iron golf club, comprising:

a face forming portion having a face formed on a forward surface thereof; and

a sole forming portion extending rearwardly from a lower end of said face forming portion, said sole forming portion having sole formed on a bottom thereof,

wherein a thickness of the head is defined by a distance from the forward face of the head to a rearward face of the head in a direction perpendicular to the forward face of the head, said thickness of the head at an upper end of the head being less than two-and-a-half times said thickness of the head at a middle portion of the head,

wherein said sole forming portion is provided with a portion having a smaller specific gravity than that of a rest of said sole forming portion near said face forming portion, said smaller specific gravity portion having a length extending in a front to rear direction of the head, and

wherein said sole forming portion extends rearwardly so that weight is redistributed to a rearward end of said sole forming portion in at least an amount corresponding to the reduction in weight of the head due to the presence of said smaller specific gravity portion, thereby substantially shifting a center of gravity of the head toward a rearward end of the head.

2. A head of an iron golf club according to claim 1, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion is elongated in a widthwise direction of said head.

3. An iron golf club having the head of claim 1.

4. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 1, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion is formed of a metal material.

5. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 4, wherein said metal material includes one of aluminum and titanium.

6. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 1, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion extends virtually to said face forming portion.

7. A head of an iron golf club, comprising:

a face forming portion having a face formed on a forward surface thereof; and

a sole forming portion extending rearwardly from a lower end of said face forming portion, said sole forming portion having a sole formed on a bottom thereof,

wherein a thickness of the head is defined by a distance from the forward face of the head to a rearward face of the head in a direction perpendicular to the forward face of the head, said thickness of the head at an upper end of the head being less than two-and-a-half times said thickness of the head at a middle portion of the head,

wherein said sole forming portion is provided with a portion having a smaller specific gravity than that of a rest of said sole forming portion at a position closer to said face than a center of gravity of said head, said smaller specific gravity portion having a length extending in a front to rear direction of the head, and

wherein said sole forming portion extends rearwardly so that weight is redistributed to a rearward end of said sole forming portion in at least an amount corresponding to the reduction in weight of the head due to the presence of said smaller specific gravity portion, thereby substantially shifting a center of gravity of the head toward a rearward end of the head.

8. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 7, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion is formed of a metal material.

9. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 8, wherein said metal material includes one of aluminum and titanium.

10. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 7, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion extends virtually to said face forming portion.

11. A head of an iron golf club, comprising:

a face forming portion having a face formed on a forward surface thereof; and

a sole forming portion extending rearwardly from a lower end of said face forming portion, said sole forming portion having a sole formed on a bottom thereof,

wherein a thickness of the head is defined by a distance from the forward face of the head to a rearward face of the head in a direction perpendicular to the forward face of the head, said thickness of the head at an upper end of the head being less than two-and-a-half times said thickness of the head at a middle portion of the head,

wherein a portion having a smaller specific gravity than that of a rest of said sole forming portion is formed in a lower portion of said head near a clubface, said smaller specific gravity portion having a length extending in a front to rear direction of the head, and

wherein said sole forming portion extends rearwardly so that weight is redistributed to a rearward end of said sole forming portion in at least an amount corresponding to the reduction in weight of the head due to the presence of said smaller specific gravity portion, thereby substantially shifting a center of gravity of the head toward a rearward end of the head.

12. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 11, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion is formed of a metal material.

13. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 12, wherein said metal material includes one of aluminum and titanium.

14. The head of an iron golf club according to claim 11, wherein said smaller specific gravity portion extends virtually to said face forming portion.