Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-25
2003-07-15
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06592469
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a golf club head with a composite insert disposed in a back cavity. More particularly, the present invention relates to golf club heads with composite inserts and weight members locked thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional iron golf club has a club head with a striking face for impacting a golf ball, with the angle between the face and a vertical plane known as the “loft.” Irons are typically grouped in a set that includes clubs with numerical designations
1
through
9
, along with a series of wedges such as a pitching wedge, lob wedge, gap wedge and sand wedge. The length of the irons usually decreases through the set as the loft for each club head increases from the long irons to the short irons. The length of the club, along with the club head loft and center of gravity, impart various performance characteristics to the ball's launch conditions upon impact.
Most conventional club heads are made of one homogenous material. This type of construction, however, imposes design constraints on the head configuration, thus limiting the opportunity to produce an iron with forgiving play characteristics while at the same time maintaining a traditional sized head. The use of one homogenous material also may limit the positioning of the head's center of gravity.
To avoid the disadvantages of homogenous construction, it is known to manufacture club heads from a combination of materials. Such a construction advantageously permits the use of materials with various densities for the production of novel club heads. Materials suitable for incorporation in club head designs include composites, such as carbon fiber or graphite. The use of these materials, however, presents challenges in manufacture, because the components must be rugged. The several materials must be locked together in a reliable manner that will avoid separation after considerable use. In addition, the materials must resist breakage due to the loading on the club, and furthermore, the materials must have acceptable wear resistance. Moreover, such materials cannot adversely affect the desired launch characteristics of the club head.
Thus, there exists a need for a golf club head that incorporates a composite construction. In particular, there exists a need for a composite construction that can securely and integrally lock the several components of the club head together, while also providing desirable launch characteristics, durability and wear resistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to golf club heads. Each golf club head includes a front face having a substantially uniform thickness of less than about 0.125 inches, a perimeter weighting surrounding a substantial portion of the front face and defining a back cavity therein and an insert located in the back cavity. The insert includes a lower portion having a first maximum thickness and an upper portion having a second maximum thickness that is less than or equal to the first and having at least a portion of the upper portion having a thickness less than the first maximum thickness. In one embodiment, the insert may include an intermediate portion extending between the upper and lower portions and having a third maximum thickness that is less than or equal to the second and at least a portion of the intermediate portion having a thickness less than the second maximum thickness.
According to one aspect of the invention, the front face thickness is less than about 0.115 inches.
According to another aspect of the invention, the insert may be affixed into the back cavity adhesively, by press fitting, or by molding. The insert can be further locked into the back cavity by an undercut defined in the perimeter weighting. The insert can be comprised of fiber reinforced resin, and a vibration absorber, such as a thin layer of rubber or Kevlar, may optionally be disposed between the insert and the back cavity.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the club heads further include a weight member having a specific gravity of greater than about 10 that is juxtaposed between a portion of the perimeter weighting and the insert. Alternatively, the weight member is coupled into an indentation in the perimeter weighting that is adjacent the back cavity, and the weight member is maintained in the indentation by the insert.
The front face may define a striking surface and the striking surface may be a material different from that of the perimeter weighting.
The present invention is further directed to a set of iron-type golf club heads. A first club head within the set has a face thickness of less than about 0.125 inches and each club head within the set has a face thickness that is equal to or greater than that of a next lower numbered club head in the set. Also, each club head within the set has a center of gravity that is at a height equal to or greater than that of a next lower numbered club head in the set. In one embodiment, each club head in the set further includes a weight member juxtaposed between the perimeter weighting and the insert. The weight member of each club head has a weight that is equal to or less than that of a next lower numbered club head in the set.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to an iron-type club head that includes a front face of substantially uniform thickness, with the thickness being less than about 0.125 inches. The club head also includes perimeter weighting surrounding a substantial portion of the front face and defining a back cavity therein, and an insert located in at least a portion of the back cavity, with the insert formed of a composite fiber reinforced resin to support the front face. The insert may have a bottom portion with a first maximum thickness, a top portion with a second maximum thickness less than or equal to the first, and an intermediate portion extending between the top and bottom portions and having a third maximum thickness less than or equal to the second.
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Acushnet Company
Chambers M.
Sewell Paul T.
Swidler Berlin Shereff & Friedman, LLP
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