U.S. patent application number 10/619295 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-20 for golf iron.
Invention is credited to Lee, Michael.
Application Number | 20050014573 10/619295 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34062545 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050014573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee, Michael |
January 20, 2005 |
Golf iron
Abstract
A golf club head includes a front surface, a rear surface, a
sole, a top edge, a hosel, and a muscle back portion. The front
surface defines a strike face. The rear surface is opposite the
front surface. The muscle back portion is interposed between the
front surface and the rear surface and defines a cavity disposed in
the muscle back portion. An elastomer can at least partially fill
the cavity.
Inventors: |
Lee, Michael; (Chino Hills,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Scott A. McCollister, Esq.
Fay, Sharpe, Fagan, Minnich & McKee, LLP
7th Floor
1100 Superior Avenue
Cleveland
OH
44114-2518
US
|
Family ID: |
34062545 |
Appl. No.: |
10/619295 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/291 ;
473/335; 473/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/047 20130101;
A63B 53/005 20200801; A63B 53/0475 20130101; A63B 53/042
20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/291 ;
473/335; 473/349 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/04 |
Claims
1. (Canceled).
2. (Canceled).
3. (Canceled).
4. (Canceled).
5. (Canceled).
6. The golf club of claim 20, wherein the muscle back surface
includes an upper ledge that generally follows the contour of the
top edge.
7. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the cavity is vertically
spaced from the sole.
8. (Canceled).
9. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the elastomer comprises
a polyurethane elastomer.
10. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the muscle back portion
covers at least half of the surface area of the rear surface.
11. (Canceled).
12. (Canceled).
13. (Canceled).
14. A golf club comprising: a shaft; and a muscle back iron golf
club head attached to the shaft, wherein the muscle back iron golf
club head includes a face and back, the back having an upper
portion substantially parallel to the face and an extra mass
portion positioned toward the bottom of the club head, wherein the
extra mass portion defines a cavity therein and the cavity is at
least substantially entirely enclosed by the club head.
15. (Canceled).
16. The golf club of claim 14, further comprising a high rebound
elastomer disposed in the cavity.
17. The golf club of claim 14, wherein a substantial portion of the
extra mass portion is positioned below the cavity.
18. The golf club of claim 14, further comprising a high rebound
elastomer at least substantially filling the cavity.
19. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the cavity has a width in
cross-section that is slightly less than a width of the club head
measured along the same line.
20. A golf club head comprising: a sole; a top edge opposite the
sole; a hosel; a front surface defining a strike face; a rear
surface opposite the front surface, the rear surface including a
blade surface and a muscle back surface, the blade surface being
near the top edge and substantially parallel to the front surface,
the muscle back surface being near the sole; and a muscle back
portion interposed between the front surface and the muscle back
surface and defining a cavity disposed in the muscle back portion,
wherein the cavity is not visible from the exterior of the golf
club.
21. The golf club head of claim 20, further comprising an elastomer
material at least substantially filling the cavity, wherein the
elastomer material has a specific gravity less than the material
displaced by the cavity.
22. A golf club head comprising: a sole; a top edge; a hosel; a
front surface defining a strike face; a rear surface opposite the
front surface, the rear surface including an at least substantially
flat blade surface and a contoured muscle back surface, the blade
surface extending to the top edge and the muscle back surface being
near the sole; and a muscle back portion interposed between the
front surface and the muscle back surface and defining a cavity
disposed in the muscle back portion, wherein the cavity is not
visible from the exterior of the golf club.
23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the blade surface is at
least substantially parallel to the front surface.
24. The golf club head of claim 22, further comprising an insert
disposed in the cavity.
25. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the insert comprises a
high-rebound material.
26. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the insert comprises a
liquid, a foam or a compressible material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to golf clubs. More particularly,
this invention relates to golf club irons. The invention is
particularly useful for muscle back iron golf club heads.
[0002] Iron golf club heads are generally available in three
different styles: the blade, the muscle back, and the cavity back.
Hybrids of the three different styles are also available. The blade
type iron has a club head where the back is substantially flat. In
contrast, the muscle back iron positions extra mass toward the
bottom half of the back of the club head. The cavity back positions
mass around the entire back periphery of the club head.
[0003] When struck, a golf ball is most strongly influenced by an
area of concentrated mass closest to where the ball strikes the
face. Muscle back irons concentrate mass towards the bottom half of
the head and therefore help the golf ball get airborne. Muscle back
irons, however, are neutral in concentration of mass in a lateral
direction, providing no corrective bias to a ball struck near the,
heel or the toe of the golf club head. A cavity back club shifts
mass towards the toe and the heel. This shifting of mass increases
the cavity back iron's sweet spot as compared to the blade and the
muscle back design. Accordingly, a perimeter-weighted or cavity
back iron provides more forgiveness to a golfer that does not
consistently strike the ball with the center of the club head.
[0004] A larger sweet spot can also have its drawbacks. Blades and
muscle back irons are designed in a neutral manner, to allow a
consistent ball striker to work the ball. Draws and fades are more
difficult to achieve using perimeter weighted clubs because it
requires the golfer to work against the corrective features built
into the cavity back club. Accordingly, many lower handicap golfers
prefer the blade type iron because they can consistently hit the
smaller sweet spot, thus obviating the need for the cavity back
iron's large sweet spot, and still work the ball when desired.
[0005] Since blades and muscle back irons require more consistent
ball striking capability to play well using them, many golfers feel
a sense of prestige when carrying these clubs in their golf bag.
The higher handicap player, on the other hand, is still confined to
using the cavity back iron to compensate for his deficient ball
striking consistency. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a
golf club head that has the look of a muscle back iron while
delivering some of the features of a cavity back design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to a first embodiment of the invention a golf club
head is provided. The golf club head includes a front surface, a
rear surface, a sole, a top edge, a hosel, and a muscle back
portion. The front surface defines a strike face. The rear surface
is opposite the front surface. The muscle back portion is
interposed between the front surface and the rear surface and
defines a cavity disposed in the muscle back portion. A
compressible material having a specific gravity less than material
displaced can at least partially fill the cavity.
[0007] The rear surface can include a muscle back surface and a
blade surface. The muscle back portion of the club head can be
interposed between the muscle back surface and the front surface.
The muscle back surface can include an upper ledge that transitions
between the muscle back surface and the blade surface. The upper
ledge can have a similar contour to the top edge. The blade surface
can be parallel to the front surface.
[0008] According to another embodiment of the invention a set of
golf clubs is provided. Each of the golf clubs in the set includes
a shaft and a club head. Each club head includes a hosel for
connecting the club head to the shaft, a striking surface, and a
rear portion opposite the striking surface. At least one of the
lower lofted clubs and at least one of the higher lofted clubs in
the set each includes a muscle back portion as an element of the
rear portion and defining a cavity in the muscle back portion. The
cavity of the at least one lower lofted club is larger in volume
than the cavity of the at least one higher lofted club.
[0009] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a golf
club is provided. The golf club includes a shaft and a muscle back
iron golf club head attached to the shaft. The muscle back head
includes a substantially flat back having an extra mass portion
positioned toward the bottom of the club head, wherein the extra
mass portion defines a cavity therein. The cavity can be
substantially entirely enclosed within the club head. The cavity
can be filled with a high rebound elastomer. A substantial portion
to the extra mass can be positioned below the cavity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0010] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a golf club head
according to the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the golf club head of
FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view from the toe end of the golf
club head of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross section of FIG. 2 taken at line 5-5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The detailed embodiments of the present invention are
disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which
may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed
herein are not to be interpreted as limited, but merely as the
basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the
art how to make and/or use the invention.
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a golf club head 10
includes a front surface 12, a rear surface 14, a top edge 16, a
sole 18, and a hosel 20. The golf club head includes a heel portion
22 near the hosel and a toe portion 24 towards an end opposite the
heel portion. The front surface defines a striking face 26. Scores
or grooves 28 are formed in the striking face. The striking face
can comprise a strike face insert (not shown) that is received in
the club head. If the club head uses a strike face insert, the
insert can be made of a different material than the remainder of
the club. For instance, the strike face insert can be made of
titanium and the remainder of the club head can be made of steel.
The striking face can also be made of the same material as the rest
of the club head.
[0017] With reference specifically to FIG. 1, the rear of the club
head has no visible cavity like that of a cavity back iron. The
rear surface 14 includes a muscle back surface 30 and a blade
surface 32. Referring to FIG. 4, the muscle back surface defines a
muscle back portion 34 of the golf club head, which will be
described in more detail below. In the embodiment depicted, the
muscle back surface is contoured and the blade surface is
substantially flat. The blade surface is substantially parallel to
the front surface and provides a blade-like appearance to the upper
portion of the club head. The muscle back surface in this
embodiment is contoured, however it can take a variety of shapes
and forms, i.e. rectangular, triangular, as well as other shapes.
Referring back to FIG. 1, an upper ledge 36 of the muscle back
surface generally follows the contour of the top edge 16. The upper
ledge provides a transition between the muscle back surface and the
blade surface.
[0018] As more clearly visible in FIG. 3, the top edge 16 of the
golf club head is relatively thin. This optional design gives the
upper portion of the golf club head its blade-like design. With
reference to FIG. 4, the sole 18 of the golf club is also
optionally thin. The hosel 20 of the club head receives a shaft
(not shown) to attach the club head to the shaft.
[0019] The muscle back portion 34 of the golf club is positioned
towards the bottom rear portion of the club head. With reference to
FIG. 5, in cross-section, the greatest distance between the muscle
back surface 30 and the front surface 26, as measured perpendicular
to the front surface, can be greater than twice the distance
between the blade surface 22 and the front surface 26. The muscle
back portion can encompass more than half of the surface area of
the rear surface. The muscle back portion shifts the mass of the
club towards the bottom half of the head, thus aiding the ball to
get airborne after contact.
[0020] The muscle back portion 34 defines a cavity 38. The cavity
can run laterally from the heel to the toe of the club head, or
some portion thereof. Moreover, the cavity can be of any shape and
at any location from heel to toe. The cavity can be positioned
vertically towards an upper portion of the muscle back portion,
centrally located, or towards a lower portion. The cavity can have
a width that is slightly less than the width of the club head, i.e.
the distance between the front surface 12 and the rear surface 14.
Similar to a cavity back iron, the cavity 38 is positioned behind
the front surface 12 such that the distance between a front wall 40
of the cavity and the striking surface 26 is similar to a
conventional cavity back iron. However, the use of a compressible
cavity insert can support a thinner striking face 26 to achieve a
higher coefficient of restitution yet provide structural integrity
to a thin-walled strike face.
[0021] The volume of the cavity can be varied. The cavity provides
lateral forgiveness to the club head by redistributing weight to
the toe and the heel, and thus giving the muscle back iron some of
the benefits of the cavity back iron. As noticeable in FIG. 5, a
large portion of the muscle back portion can be positioned under
the cavity so that mass is still concentrated towards the bottom of
the club head, thus aiding the ball to get airborne after
contact.
[0022] Many golfers have difficulty hitting the longer irons. For
example, the three and four iron, the clubs having a lower loft
angle, are more difficult for higher handicap golfers to hit
consistently straight. To compensate for this, the volume of the
cavity can change with the loft angle of the club head. For
example, in a set of clubs the cavity for the three iron can be
larger than the cavity for the six iron. The cavity can also be
positioned more towards the toe of the club head in the lower
lofted clubs than in the higher lofted clubs. This would provide
more forgiveness to the clubs that are usually more difficult for
the higher handicap golfer to hit well. A larger cavity may
necessitate a larger muscle back portion.
[0023] An insert 42 can fit inside of the cavity 38. The insert can
include an elastomer having high-rebound characteristics. The
high-rebound characteristics allow the face of the club deform and
then bounce back, similar to a trampoline. The high-rebound
characteristic provides a greater coefficient of restitution (COR)
value. Such a high rebound elastomer can include a polyurethane
elastomer such as MONOTHANE available from Chemical Innovations
Limited, Preston, England.
[0024] The cavity 38 need not be filled with an insert and can be
left hollow. The cavity can also be filled with a liquid, foam, or
any compressible material including a low-density metal or alloy.
Furthermore, the cavity need not be entirely filled with the
insert.
[0025] The insert can also comprise a material, for example the
elastomer, that provides a dampening effect. This can provide the
golfer a better "feel" of the shot. Such elastomers that provide a
dampening effect are well known in the art. The insert could also
serve a dual function of providing both a dampening effect, as well
as a high-rebound characteristic.
[0026] The invention has been described with reference to the
preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations
will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this
specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention described herein. The invention is intended to include
all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within
the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
* * * * *