IP Library Granted Patent US 7,470,201
Granted Patent B2
US 7,470,201 · App. 10/537,775 · Granted Dec 30, 2008

Hollow golf club head

Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,470,201
App. No.
10/537,775
Granted
Dec 30, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf club head of the present invention includes a face portion having an impact surface that impacts a golf ball and is made from a metallic material, and a crown portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, and the toe portion that are adjacent to the face portion. In at least two portions from among the crown portion, the heel portion, the sole portion, and the toe portion, at least one from among dissimilar metallic materials that differ from the metallic material of the impact surface and fiber reinforced plastic materials is used in regions along ends that are adjacent to the face portion, within a range of 30 mm from the adjacent ends. Thereby, the golf club has a structure that easily deforms with respect to golf ball impacts, and the face portion deforms more than conventional face portions. The coeffecient of restitution of a struck golf ball therefore increases, the initial velocity of the golf ball increases, and the carry distance increases.

Claims (8)

1. A hollow golf club head, comprising a face portion having an impact surface that impacts a golf ball and is made from a metallic material, and a crown portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, and a toe portion that are adjacent to the face portion,

wherein, in at least two portions from among the crown portion, the heel portion, the sole portion, and the toe portion, at least one material of dissimilar metallic material that differs from the metallic material and a fiber reinforced plastic material is used in regions along edges that are adjacent to the face portion, within a range of 30 mm from the adjacent edges,

wherein said at least two portions from among the crown portion, the heel portion, the sole portion, and the toe portion are divided into two portions along the edges that are adjacent to the face portion, in regions within a range of 30 mm from the adjacent edges, each of said at least two portions having a first member that extends to the face portion and a second member as a portion other than the first member,

wherein joining portions are formed by joining members made from a fiber reinforced plastic material, each joining member joining the first member and the second member of each of said at least two portions, said first members not overlapping said second members, and

wherein a thickness t 1 of the first member which is joined by the joining member ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness t 2 of the joining member which joins to the second member ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

2. The hollow golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the dissimilar metallic material is an alloy material selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, stainless steel alloy, and aluminum alloy.

3. The hollow golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein an elastic modulus of fibers of the fiber reinforced plastic material is less than 27×10 3 kg-f/mm 2 .

4. The hollow golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the first member and the second member respectively are joined to the joining member with an adhesive.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2005
From: NAKAHARA, NORIHIKO; YAMAMOTO, SHINJI
To: YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD., THE
Reel/Frame 017266/0334 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2002-355820 · Dec 6, 2002 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060052177A1 · Mar 9, 2006