Iron-type golf club head with elevated weight bar and stress-relieving structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827469-B1
Application number	US-201715627217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 27, 2012
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a body, an elevated weight bar, and at least one stiffening member is disclosed herein. The elevated weight bar is disposed within a hollow cavity portion of the body and bridges at least a portion of a bottom section of the body, and the at least one stiffening member is also disposed within the hollow cavity portion, extending from a top line section to bottom section of the body and passing through the elevated weight bar without making contact with the elevated weight bar. The elevated weight bar, which is preferably composed of a higher density material than that of the body, may be formed separately from the rest of the body and then affixed to the body by welding or a mechanical fastener.

First claim

We claim as our invention the following:

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a top line section, a bottom section, a face section, a heel side, a toe side, and a hollow cavity at least partially defined by the top line section, the bottom section, and the face section;
an elevated weight bar at least partially disposed within the hollow cavity, the elevated weight bar extending from the heel side to the toe side and bridging at least a central area of the bottom section; and
at least one stiffening member,
wherein the face section comprises an external hitting surface, a face center, and an interior surface facing the hollow cavity,
wherein the elevated weight bar comprises at least one through-bore,
wherein the at least one stiffening member extends from the top line section through the at least one through-bore to the sole section,
wherein no portion of the at least one stiffening member makes contact with the elevated weight bar,
wherein the at least one stiffening member is located no more than 1 inch from the interior surface along a vertical plane extending through the face center, and
wherein neither the elevated weight bar nor the at least one stiffening member makes contact with the interior surface of the face section.

2. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the elevated weight bar is formed separately from the body.

3. The iron-type golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the elevated weight bar is welded to the body.

4. The iron-type golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the elevated weight bar is mechanically affixed to the body.

5. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the top line section comprises at least one upper aperture corresponding to the at least one stiffening member, and wherein the bottom section comprises at least one lower aperture corresponding to the at least one stiffening member.

6. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the body is composed of a first metal material having a first density, wherein the elevated weight bar is composed of a second metal material having a second density, wherein the at least one stiffening member is composed of a third metal material having a third density, and wherein the second density is greater than the first and second densities.

7. The iron-type golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the third density is less than the first density.

8. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stiffening member is a solid rod.

9. The iron-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the at least one stiffening member is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of steel and titanium alloy.

10. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stiffening member is located no more than 0.25 inch from the interior surface along the vertical plane.

11. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stiffening member is integrally formed with the body.

12. An iron-type golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a top line section, a bottom section, a face section, a heel side, a toe side, and a hollow cavity at least partially defined by the top line section, the bottom section, and the face section;
an elevated weight bar at least partially disposed within the hollow cavity, the elevated weight bar extending from the heel side to the toe side and bridging at least a central area of the bottom section; and
first and second stiffening members,
wherein the body is composed of a first metal material having a first density,
wherein the elevated weight bar is composed of a second metal material having a second density,
wherein the second density is greater than the first density,
wherein the face section comprises an external hitting surface, a face center, and an interior surface facing the hollow cavity,
wherein the elevated weight bar comprises first and second through-bores,
wherein the first stiffening member is at least partially disposed within the hollow cavity and extends from the top line section through the first through-bore to the sole section,
wherein the second stiffening member is at least partially disposed within the hollow cavity and extends from the top line section through the second through-bore to the sole section,
wherein the first stiffening member is parallel with the second stiffening member,
wherein no portion of either the first or second stiffening member makes contact with the elevated weight bar,
wherein at least one of the first and second stiffening members is located no more than 0.25 inch from the interior surface along a vertical plane extending through the face center, and
wherein none of the elevated weight bar, the first stiffening member, or the second stiffening member makes contact with the interior surface of the face section.

13. The iron-type golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the first stiffening member is spaced a distance of 0.75 inch to 1.50 inch from the second stiffening member.

14. The iron-type golf club head of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second stiffening members is a solid metal rod.

15. The iron-type golf club head of claim 14 , wherein each of the first and second stiffening members is integrally cast with the body.

16. The iron-type golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the first stiffening member is disposed between the face center and the heel side, and wherein the second stiffening member is disposed between the face center and the toe side.

17. The iron-type golf club head of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second stiffening members has a diameter of 0.050 inch to 0.200 inch.

18. The iron-type golf club head of claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second stiffening members has a radius of curvature of 0.02 inch to 0.1 inch.

19. The iron-type golf club head of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second stiffening members attenuates movement of the top line section and the bottom section when the external hitting surface impacts a golf ball.

20. The iron-type golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the face section comprises a variable thickness.

Assignees

• Callaway Golf Co

Inventors

• Seluga James A
• Myers Matthew
• Ivanova Irina
• Rice Bradley C
• Watson William C

Classifications

• A63B60/42

  Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand · CPC title

• A63B53/0475

  with one or more enclosed cavities · CPC title

• A63B53/047

  iron-type · CPC title

• A63B53/0466 Primary

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B2053/0491

  with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable · CPC title