Head Patents (Class 473/324)
  • Patent number: 7258624
    Abstract: The partial crown portion member comprises: the edge frame made from metal; and the shell body provided inside the edge frame and made from resin enveloping the inner edge of the edge frame. Inside the edge frame, the plural through-holes penetrating the front surface of the edge frame to the rear surface thereof are provided, while the shell body is inserted in the through-holes by casting manner. Since the front and rear surfaces of the inner edge of the edge frame, the through-holes are enveloped by casting manner, the adhesiveness thereof can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kenji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7247103
    Abstract: An golf club head is provided, having enhanced sound and feel characteristics. The club head has a hollow main body including a ball-striking face, a sole, a crown, a hosel, and a side portion extending rearwardly from the face. The body further includes a heel region adjacent to the hosel and a toe region opposing the heel region, and it defines a volume of at least 100 cc. The club head further includes a stiffening member disposed within the body and attached to both the sole and the crown. The member is spaced apart from the striking face and disposed within the body in a region having a first zone extending less than half the distance from the heel region to the toe region and a second zone extending less than half the distance from a rearmost point, thereby forming a local stiffness zone in the body to influence vibration modes and acoustic properties of the club head in a prescribed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Charles E. Golden, Kraig A. Willett
  • Publication number: 20070161432
    Abstract: Golf club heads having an Al2O3 material impact surface are described. All or a portion of the head may be made of an Al2O3 material, or the Al2O3 material may be in the form of a sheet or insert and applied to a golf club face. Embodiments of this disclosure have an enhanced coefficient of restitution value in the context of collision with a golf ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventor: Russell W. Perkins
  • Patent number: 7241230
    Abstract: A golf club head containing a face portion having a front face defining a club face for hitting a ball and a hollow portion provided behind the face portion, wherein the frequency F(fix) of a local minimum value of the first-order vibration mode in a frequency response function of the club head obtained by vibrating an input point on the club face and measuring the response at an output point on the club face is in a range of from 200 to 1400 Hz; and the frequency F(free) of the smallest local minimum value of a frequency response function of the club head obtained by hitting the input point and measuring the response at the output point is in a range of from 5000 to 9000 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Masaya Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 7232380
    Abstract: A golf club head has a ratio of a head mass to a head volume equal to or grater than 3 g/cm2, and a face portion that includes an impact surface is configured by a member made from an aluminum alloy having a maximum tensile strength equal to or greater than 600 MPa. The aluminum alloy is made by using a rapid quenching method. The golf club head can improve the carry distance and the flight direction characteristics of a hit golf ball compared with a conventional golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Norihiko Nakahara
  • Patent number: 7229362
    Abstract: Ball striking devices may include: (a) a sole member; (b) at least one intermediate body member; (c) a crown member; and (d) a face member. The materials making up the sole member, the intermediate body member(s), and the crown member may be selected so that the densities of the materials generally increase as one moves in a direction from the sole member toward the crown member. Such devices may be formed as golf club heads and/or golf clubs (such as “wood-type” golf clubs and golf club heads).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary G. Tavares
  • Patent number: 7223179
    Abstract: A method of designing a golf club head, including the steps of using a golf club head model and a golf ball model both of which are composed of a plurality of finite elements; impacting the head model against the ball model; and measuring a time period T2 in which the face of the head model is in contact with the ball model and a time period T1 from the time of contact between the head model and the ball model until the time when a vertical force acting on the face of the golf club head model takes a peak value; setting the ratio of the time period T2 to the time period T1 high and increase a frictional force acting in a direction in which the backspin of a golf ball decreases and a period of time in which the frictional force acts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Masaya Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 7198575
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising an outer shell and a strike plate having a strike face. The outer shell and the strike face define a club head volume. A heel/toe axis extends through the center of gravity of the club head. The heel/toe axis is generally parallel to the strike face and generally horizontal relative to a ground plane when the club head is at an address position. The rotational moment of inertia about the heel/toe axis is related to the club head volume by the equation Ixx ?,46*HV+77, where Ixx is the rotational moment of inertia about the heel/toe axis in units of kg-mm2 and HV is the club head volume in units of cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, David Anderson, Benoit Vincent
  • Patent number: 7182699
    Abstract: A golf club head has a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion and a hosel portion. Each portion is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. The side portion is formed integrally entirely from its toe side to its back side and its heel side. The side portion and the hosel portion are cast integrally. The face portion, the crown portion and the sole portion are molded separately from one another. The face portion, the crown portion, the sole portion and the side portion are welded integrally so as to form a golf club head. The Young's modulus of the crown portion is lower than any Young's modulus of the face portion, the sole portion, the side portion and the hosel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 7175539
    Abstract: A golf club head including a basal body having a metallic surface, and a multilayer coating deposited on the metallic surface, wherein the multilayer coating includes a clear first layer deposited on the metallic surface and a colored clear second layer deposited on the clear first layer, whereby the basal body is visible through the multilayer coating. Preferably, the basal body has a mirror finish surface, satin finish surface, orange peel finish surface or the like under the multilayer coating. The multilayer coating further includes an iridescent layer deposited on the colored clear layer, wherein the iridescent layer includes an iridescent material which is dispersed therein while maintaining a certain degree of transparence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Yoshinori Sano
  • Patent number: 7172519
    Abstract: A golf club head composed of a damascene patterned metal, such as a Damascus steel, is disclosed. The golf club head may be a putter head or an iron-type club head with a majority of the club head body formed of the damascene patterned metal, or a wood-type club head or an iron-type club head with a damascene patterned metal face insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Wayne H. Byrne, Ronald K. Hettinger, Uday V. Deshmukh, Herbert Reyes
  • Patent number: 7160205
    Abstract: A golf club head whose head volume is in a range of from 355 to 450 cc comprises a hollow body comprising a face portion and sole portion each made of a metal material, and the hollow body has a structure producing a ball-hitting sound whose maximum sound pressure level occurs around 6.3 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Akio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7147573
    Abstract: A golf club head (20) with an adjustable weight member (50) is disclosed herein. The weight member (50) is preferably positioned within a recess (40) of the golf club head (20). The weight member (50) is attached to a cable (42) and moved to a desired location and locked in place within a recess (40). The weight member (50) is preferably composed of a material having a greater density than the density of the material of a body (22) of the golf club head (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Thomas J. DiMarco
  • Patent number: 7137906
    Abstract: A golf club head in which a frequency F (fix) indicating a primary minimum value of a frequency transfer function of a head obtained by firmly fixing the head to a vibrator and measured in accordance with an vibrator method is between 600 and 1200 (Hz), and a frequency F (free) indicating a primary minimum value of a frequency transfer function of the head obtained by making the head in a free state and measured in accordance with an impact hammer method is between 2500 and 4000 (Hz).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Masaya Tsunoda, Hisashi Kakiuchi, Masahide Ohnuki, Hiroto Setokawa
  • Patent number: 7128660
    Abstract: The performance of a golf club may be enhanced through the provision of a void space behind a face plate and above the sole plate, to decrease club weight and provide single or combinations of selectable weighting elements within volumetric coordinates of an orthonormal matrix about the void space. The weighting coordinates are provided in response to ball strike, flight analysis and physiologic observation of the golf strike swing. Ball backspin, trajectory, penetration and hook or slice may be modified through the use of a definable weighting strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Elizabeth P. Gillig Revocable Trust
    Inventor: John P. Gillig
  • Patent number: 7101291
    Abstract: A golf club head which includes a main body provided with a socket, and a weight member disposed in the socket, wherein the socket is a tubular portion extending to the inside of the main body and deforming a through-hole extending therethough, the weight member having a main portion accommodated by the through-hole, and secured in the through-hole by a crushable portion which, after being crushed by the application of pressure causes the socket to expand, locking the weight member in the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sri Sports Limited
    Inventor: Akio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7096558
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a golf club head comprises: hot forging a material of a beta titanium alloy into the face plate, slow cooling the forged face plate; and assembling a golf club head from the face plate and other component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Yoshinori Sano
  • Patent number: 7090590
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a golf club head body having a toe and an engaging portion to which a striking plate is mounted, a hosel mounted to a side of the golf club head body, and a heel between the hosel and the engaging portion of the golf club head body. The heel includes a hole for reducing a weight of the heel, thereby shifting a center of gravity of the golf club head toward the toe of the golf club head body and increasing an inertial momentum of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Nelson Precision Casting Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chan-Tung Chen
  • Patent number: 7090591
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a head substrate having a coating film formed on a surface thereof. The coating film contains a shiny layer made of a shiny coating material containing metal oxide-coated glass pieces, with the content of the glass pieces in the shiny coating material being in a range of 0.01 wt % to 1.0 wt % relative to the solid component of the shiny coating material. Furthermore, the coating film has a total thickness of not more than 100 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Yoshinori Sano
  • Patent number: 7086964
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a golf club head body and a weight member mounted in a recession of the golf club head body. The weight member includes at least one compartment for receiving a filling material. The weight member is mounted in the recession of the golf club head body before a brazing process for bonding the weight member with the golf club head body. During the brazing process, the filling material is melted and fills a gap between the weight member and walls delimiting the recession of the golf club head body to thereby increasing bonding strength between the weight member and the walls delimiting the recession of the golf club head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Fu Sheng Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chan-Tung Chen, Wen-Hung Tseng
  • Patent number: 7077758
    Abstract: A golf putter in which most of the clubhead mass is distributed at three or more individual or one or more arcuate locations within a “Mass Ring” approximately equidistant from, and as remote as possible from, the clubhead planar center of mass with the clubshaft axis preferably forward of the clubhead center of mass thus maximizing both putter and clubhead planar moment of inertia for improved putter performance during mis-hits. Maximum remote mass is achieved by interconnecting the remote high mass areas (Mass Ring) with the putterface striking area and the putter shaft connection point with a light weight rigid open (see thru) truss system so arranged to enhance the visibility of the Sighting Field and/or aim or Sight Line on the putterhead while preventing undesirable vibration of individual clubhead members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Rohrer Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Rohrer
  • Patent number: 7066830
    Abstract: A method and apparatus providing a golf club head configured to minimize sliced golf shots. The golf club head includes a club head body having an external surface with a toe portion, a heel portion and a sole portion, the heel portion having a hosel extending therefrom. The club head body also includes a ball striking face disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion, which defines a horizontal center line and a vertical center line located symmetrically on the ball striking face. The ball striking face includes a bulge radius and a roll radius merging to an apex defined to be along an apex angle ranging from approximately 54° to 80° from the vertical center line toward the toe portion and below the horizontal center line. With this arrangement, the position of the apex is configured to minimize sliced golf shots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Inventor: Michael W. Day
  • Patent number: 7063628
    Abstract: A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60) and an aft-body (61) is disclosed herein. The face component (60) has a striking plate portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61) is composed of a crown portion (62), a sole portion (64) and optionally a ribbon section (90). The face component (60) is composed of a metal material, and the aft-body (61) is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum. A plating layer (300) is disposed on at least a portion of the aft-body (61). The plating layer (300) preferably comprises a nickel or nickel-based alloy material. The club head (42) preferably has a volume in the range of 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Herbert Reyes, Wayne H. Byrne
  • Patent number: 7056235
    Abstract: An improved golf training system and method of using the system is provided. The golf training system may also be used as a new game. The system includes a golf club having an enlarged hitting surface and shorter shaft, and a tee that comes in variable extended lengths. By gradually and incrementally lowering the length of the tee and extending the length of the club, a player is able to learn proper swing mechanics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventor: Christopher J. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 7041002
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a part made of a martensitic iron alloy which has: a nickel (Ni) content of from 9.0 to 12.0 weight %; a chromium (Cr) content of from 11.0 to 12.5 weight %; a titanium (Ti) content of from 1.5 to 1.8 weight %; a molybdenum (Mo) content of from 0.75 to 1.2 weight %; a carbon (C) content of not more than 0.05 weight %; a phosphorus (P) content of not more than 0.015 weight %; a silicon (Si) content of not more than 0.25 weight %; a magnesium (Mg) content of not more than 0.25 weight %; and a sulfur (S) content of not more than 0.01 weight %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Akio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7022029
    Abstract: A golf club head has a hollow body with a front, striking face, a rear face, an upper face, a heel and a toe, and an open lower end, the body having an internal cavity. At least one filler member of solid cork or synthetic cork material cut to match the shape and dimensions of at least part of the cavity is positioned in the cavity, and a sole plate is secured over the open lower end of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Ceramixgolf.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce G. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 6994635
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a residual compressive stress layer on the inside surface of the club face using a peening treatment. The peening treatment also may remove material from the club head, such as unwanted alpha case on a titanium club head. The body of the club head further may be subjected to a peen treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Raymond Poynor
  • Patent number: 6991558
    Abstract: A club head for a golf club comprises a strike face and an outer shell. The strike face and the outer shell define a head volume of the club head. The club head has a first axis that extends generally horizontally and parallel to the strike face, a first moment of inertia about the first axis, a second axis that lies generally vertically and perpendicular to the first horizontal axis, a second moment of inertia about the second axis, and a center of gravity lying below a horizontal centerline of the club head. The first moment of inertia in units of kg-mm2 is greater than or equal to approximately 77 plus 0.46 times the head volume in units of cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., lnc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, David Anderson, Benoit Vincent
  • Patent number: 6988954
    Abstract: A weed cutting golf club includes a shaft terminating in a clubhead, the clubhead defining a compartment having a downwardly directed opening. A power source is carried by one of the clubhead and the shaft. A motor is carried within the compartment and coupled to the power source. A drive shaft extends in a downward direction from the motor through the opening and terminates in a hub. Cutting members extend from the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Inventors: John Clark Buell, Troy Nicholas Nowell
  • Patent number: 6989506
    Abstract: A golf club head includes two metal parts which are connected each other by welding their opposite surfaces. A method of making the golf club head constitutes: making the two metal parts, wherein at least one of them is provided with a small protrusion along the surface to be welded; and laser welding the opposite surfaces by applying a laser beam to at least the protrusion so that the molten material of the protrusion penetrates into a gap between the opposite surfaces to connect the two metal parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Masanori Yabu
  • Patent number: 6974393
    Abstract: A golf club head has a body with a front, striking face, a rear face, an upper face and a lower face. A lightweight sole plate of glass fiber reinforced plastic material is secured across the lower face of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: CeramixGolf.com
    Inventors: Bruce G. Caldwell, Franklin L. Gage, Michael A. Bluff, Sr., Ronald G. Holder
  • Patent number: 6974392
    Abstract: A golf club having a ball-contacting surface formed by a very thin layer of lubricant for reducing the spin imparted to a golf ball. By maintaining the thickness of lubricant exposed at the ball-contacting surface to be less than 20 microns, the integrity of the lubricant layer is improved and the mechanical locking effect between the soft lubricant and the golf ball is minimized. The thin lubricating layer may be supported by a reinforcing structure to convey the force of the golf ball impact to the club head without indentation of the thin lubricating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Inventor: Dale U. Chang
  • Patent number: 6958019
    Abstract: A golf putter in which most of the clubhead mass is distributed at three or more prescribed locations within a “Mass Ring” approximately equidistant from, and as remote as possible from, the clubhead planar center of mass with the clubshaft axis preferably forward of the clubhead center of mass thus maximizing both putter and clubhead planar moment of inertia for improved putter performance during mis-hits. Maximum remote mass is achieved by interconnecting the remote high mass areas (Mass Ring) with the putterface striking area and the putter shaft connection point with a light weight rigid open (see thru) truss system so arranged to enhance the Sighting Field and/or sight or aim line on the putterhead while preventing undesirable vibration of individual clubhead members. Such Sighting Field and Sight Line can be further enhanced via use of one of several light weight replaceable and angular adjustable Sighting Fields and/or Sight Lines preferable to an individual golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Rohrer Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Rohrer
  • Patent number: 6955612
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a golf club head. The method includes the steps of: casting a cast body provided with a recession thereon; cutting the cast body to form with at least one cut opening in the recession on the golf club head; adhering a carbon-fiber plate to the recession to seal the cut opening; defining a buffer groove between the carbon-fiber plate and the cast body; and filling with an elastic material into the buffer groove; processing the cast body to an end product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Fu Sheng Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuan-Ping Lu
  • Patent number: 6951518
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a face insert disposed in a cavity formed in the front face of the club head. The face insert has a front surface for impacting a golf ball and a back surface having a cavity formed therein for receiving a second insert. A second insert, composed of a material different from the first insert, is disposed in the cavity formed in the back of the first insert. Because the edges of the second insert are not exposed, the second insert can be made of very soft materials including silicone rubbers and gels, which would not be suitable for use in an application in which the edges are exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John K. Solheim, David D. Jones
  • Patent number: 6939248
    Abstract: A wood golf club head is adapted to achieve the maximum flight distance or optimum trajectory of a golf ball, by incorporating features to achieve an appropriate correlation between launch angle and backspin speed of a golf ball that is struck by the club head. A wood golf club head is designed to achieve a launch angle and a backspin speed of a golf ball located in an angle-spinspeed region defined by an ellipse having a center point O(21, 1800), length of a major axis L equal to 2100(rpm), length of a minor axis S equal to 5.7(deg), and tilt angle ? of the major axis measured in a counterclockwise direction from the vertical axis equal to 0.25(deg), wherein the horizontal coordinate designates the launch angle(deg) of the golf ball, the vertical coordinate designates the backspin speed(rpm) of the golf ball, and the horizontal and vertical axes have the same numerical scale. Preferably, the wood golf club head has a face formed of a low friction material and a loft angle of 13 to 20 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Mizuno Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Naruo, Yoshihiro Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 6932715
    Abstract: A golf club head including a head base body which surface is formed with a coating film, the coating film including a topcoat layer consisting of an acrylic resin coating material containing polyethylene wax of 1.0 to 10.0 parts by weight with respect to acrylic resin solid content of 100 parts by weight. It is possible to improve abrasion resistance while making the best use of excellent impact resistance of the acrylic resin coating material, and thus, to effectively prevent peeling of the coating film. Further, it is possible to enhance the interlayer adhesion of inner layers with the topcoat layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Sano
  • Patent number: 6929560
    Abstract: A golf training device for improving a golfer's swing having a weighted contoured head that provides for proper feel of a mechanically correct golf swing. The device emulates a golf club having an elongated hollow shaft with an upper end grip end portion and a weighted contoured head at its oppositely disposed bottom end. The weighted contoured head has a flat bottom with an enlarged contoured upstanding toe end portion in longitudinally spaced relation to the shaft engagement portion. The toe end portion defines a center of gravity outwardly and beyond the lower profile of the main body member allowing the golfer to swing through in a natural beneficial manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventors: David Z. Roshala, J. David Wible
  • Patent number: 6926616
    Abstract: A golf club head of the present invention. A cast head body 31 is constituted by a hollow outer shell. Said hollow outer shell define a top portion 35, a sole portion 37, a heel wall 45, a toe portion 39 and a face opening portion 33. A shaft securing portion 43 is formed adjacent to the heel wall and extended from the top portion to the sole portion. And a first hollow portion 47 is formed between the shaft securing portion and the heel wall of the head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Daiwa Seiko, Inc.
    Inventors: Harunobu Kusumoto, Akinori Sasamoto
  • Patent number: 6916253
    Abstract: A golf club with hollow construction, having a lowered center of gravity while retaining its inherent features such as a large moment of inertia and a deep position of the center of gravity. A head 1 comprises a face portion 10 for forming a face 3; a head body 11 including a shaft connecting portion 8 and a frame portion 15 joined to a rear peripheral surface of the face portion 10; a rear shell 12 joined to a rear peripheral surface of the frame portion 15. The rear shell 12 forms a hollow portion 17 together with the face portion 10 and the head body 11. The head 1 further includes a balance weight 13 joined to the rear shell 12 on the hollow portion 17 side. Therefore, there can be provided a golf club in which a miss hit leads to a less likelihood of unsuccessful consequence, so that it is easy to use even for beginners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Endo Seisakusho
    Inventor: Hitoshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 6899637
    Abstract: A golf club head has a hollow body with a front, striking face, a rear face, an upper face, a heel and a toe, and an open lower end, the body having an internal cavity. At least one filler member of solid cork or synthetic cork material cut to match the shape and dimensions of at least part of the cavity is positioned in the cavity, and a sole plate is secured over the open lower end of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Ceramixgolf.Com
    Inventor: Bruce G. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 6881158
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a golf club head body and a weight member. The golf club head member has a recession in which the weight member is mounted. The weight member is securely mounted in the recession of the golf club head body by a welding procedure that uses a welding material. The weight member is made of a material having a melting point higher than that of the golf club head body, avoiding melting of the weight member during the welding procedure. Only a portion of the golf club head body fuses with the welding material while using the welding material for proceeding with the welding procedure for the weight member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Fu Sheng Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shun-Fa Yang, Chan-Tung Chen, Yan-Zheng Su
  • Patent number: 6881292
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a golf club head comprises steps of: forming a plurality of through holes and annular recessed flanges thereof on a crown plate, a sole plate and a side plate of a main body blank; preparing a plurality of carbon-fiber plates by carbon-fiber fabrics; inserting a plurality of carbon-fiber reinforcing members and an air-inflating bag into the main body blank; adhering the carbon-fiber plates to the corresponding annular recessed flanges; inserting the main body blank into a die assembly and then injecting air into the air-inflating bag to thereby support the carbon-fiber plates and the reinforcing members; drawing out the flat air-inflating bag and precise processing the finished main body to accomplish an end product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Fu Sheng Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun-Fang Chen
  • Patent number: 6880222
    Abstract: A golf club head has a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, a side portion and a hosel portion. Each portion is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. The side portion is formed integrally entirely from its toe side to its back side and its heel side. The side portion and the hosel portion are cast integrally. The face portion, the crown portion and the sole portion are molded separately from one another. The face portion, the crown portion, the sole portion and the side portion are welded integrally so as to form a golf club head. The Young's modulus of the crown portion is lower than any Young's modulus of the face portion, the sole portion, the side portion and the hosel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 6881159
    Abstract: A fairway wood type golf club having a club head with a major body and a minor body is disclosed herein. The major body is composed of a metal material and has a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge portion. The minor body is preferably composed of a composite material and has a crown section and a ribbon section. The striking plate section preferably has variable face thickness. The minor body is preferably attached by a liquid adhesive to the ledge section of the major body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: J. Andrew Galloway, Richard C. Helmstetter, Matthew T. Cackett, Alan Hocknell, D. Clayton Evans, Herbert Reyes, Garth W. Smith, James M. Murphy, Augustin W. Rollinson
  • Patent number: 6878074
    Abstract: A golf club head composed of a damascene patterned metal, such as a Damascus steel, is disclosed. The golf club head may be a putter head or an iron-type club head with a majority of the club head body formed of the damascene patterned metal, or a wood-type club head or an iron-type club head with a damascene patterned metal face insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Wayne H. Byrne, Ronald K. Hettinger, Uday V. Deshmukh, Herbert Reyes
  • Patent number: 6872152
    Abstract: A method for forming a golf club head comprises placing an uncured composite material between a core and a mold that comprises a first piece and a second piece. The second piece is moved towards the first piece such that the uncured composite material is compressed between the core and at least a portion of the mold. The uncured composite material is heated. A first portion of the golf club head is removed from the mold. A second portion of the golf club head is provided. The first portion is attached to the second portion. In certain arrangements, the second portion is formed from a metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Erik Zedelmayer
  • Patent number: 6860822
    Abstract: A putter head including a toe portion, a heel portion, a generally vertically extending wall and an insert. The wall has a front strike face, a rear surface, an upper layer, and a lower layer. The upper layer, the lower layer and the rear surface each extend from the heel portion to the toe portion to define a recess rearwardly extending into the wall from the strike face. The rear surface of the wall is formed with variable thickness thereby providing the recess with a variable rearward depth. The insert substantially fills the recess and connects to the wall. The insert has a front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and a rear surface. The front surface is exposed, while the top and bottom surfaces are substantially covered by the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventor: Michael D. Vrska, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6849005
    Abstract: An iron type golf club head having a rear surface having upper and lower portions; the upper portion being defined by a blade type iron structure between a top ridge surface and the lower portion; and a lower peripheral weight on the lower portion of the rear surface forming a rear cavity between the bottom sole surface the said upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Inventor: Guerin DuBose Rife
  • Patent number: 6835142
    Abstract: The device according to the invention uses the chemical energy stored in an explosive charge to increase the speed of a golf ball at impact with a golf club head. The device serves also as a training tool for the golf swing precision since the charge is set off only when the golfer hits the “sweet spot” on the club's head. Otherwise, the golfer experiences a regular swing. A golf club head has a cavity accepting a .22 caliber blank. The blank charge is set off upon impact with the golf ball. The high pressure of the gas thus released causes the golf club to propel the golf ball farther and faster than the regular golf club impact. Furthermore, since the discharge creates a loud “bang”, this sound confirms that the hit was perfect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Inventor: George Levosinski