Weighted Golf Iron Club Head

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the manufacture and resulting construction of a golf iron club head and, more particularly, to "sweet spot"-enhancement of the ball-striking surface of the club head.

In golf iron club head manufacture, it is understood that the club head embodies what, in golf parlance, is known as a "sweet spot" acknowledged to be the medial location of the club head ball-striking inclined surface bounded in a vertical perspective between a top and a bottom edge and in a horizontal perspective between a toe and a heel. Exemplifying this understanding is U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,131 issued to D. Clayton Long on May 5, 1992, and more particularly the discussion in col. 2, lines 39-60. The thrust of the Long patent, and numerous other prior patents, is to contribute to sweet spot-enhancement, usually by an increase in the area thereof, so that the contact of the striking surface with the golf ball occurs in the sweet spot, either directly or in the increased occupied area thereof. It is postulated in this prior patented literature that "A golf club with a larger sweet spot on the striking face helps compensate for an off-center shot by a golfer . . . a reduction of the twisting and other vibrational forms of energy loss experienced from a shot hit on the striking face at a point other than the center of mass" (Long, col. 2, lines 52-54, 57-60).

All known prior art efforts at sweet spot-enhancement contemplate adding weight to the club head in clearance locations to the sweet spot, such as to the left and right thereof in the toe and heel respectively, with the expectation that this will contribute to optimum height in the trajectory and length and direction in the flight of the struck golf ball. While some ball-striking efficacy might result, it is believed that significantly all that occurs is that the overall weight of the club head is increased and the golfer is provided with a heavier golf club to use which, for the size and stature of the golfer and for the golfer's playing ability, might not be appropriate, unless the starting weight of the golf club is selected to factor in the added weight.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved weighted golf iron club head overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. More particularly, it is an object to achieve, using weight distribution, sweet spot-enhancement, i.e. significant improvement in the ball-striking efficacy of the club head, while maintaining the same starting overall weight of the club head and, even more important, without detracting from the club head configuration as it relates to its intended end use, namely hitting a golf ball.

More particularly, and as will be better understood from the succeeding detailed description in which a prior art and a within inventive No. 5 iron are compared to better demonstrate the patentable advance of the latter, the starting weight for the selected construction material is 256 grams and remains as such in the inventive No. 5 iron after weight distribution according to the present invention. In this regard, underlying the present invention is the recognition that in the typical use of a golf club iron the ball is never intentionally struck near or at the top edge of the club face, but always at the "sweet spot" or below, and thus removal of top edge central portion incident to its relocation is totally consistent with the continued use of the golf club iron as intended. By way of further explanation, for example, if the removed club head portion was from the toe, this would certainly adversely affect the use of the golf club iron because a "toe" hit is part of the game, even though possibly never intended, because it can and does occur. In contrast, a "top edge" hit with an iron, for all practical purposes, never occurs.

The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims.

FIGS. 1-6 are views, at perspectives as specifically subsequently noted, of a prior art No. "5" iron club head which are provided for comparison with views FIGS. 7-11 at the same perspective, but of the within inventive iron club head, also a No. "5";

FIG. 1, more particularly, is a perspective view of the prior art iron club head in attached relation to a shaft and constituting a golf club;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are isolated illustrations of the prior art iron club head respectively in plan, front elevation, right side elevation, rear and bottom views; and

FIGS. 7-11 are isolated illustrations of the within inventive iron club head respectively also for direct comparison with the prior art iron club head of FIGS. 2-6, in plan, front elevation, right side elevation, rear and bottom views.

As is already well known and illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, a typical golf iron club head, generally designated 10, herein selected to be a No. 5, but exemplifying also Nos. 2-9 and specialty golf shot club heads for "chipping", "sand shots" and the like, is assembled at the distal end of a shaft 12 inserted in the hosel 14 to constitute a usable golf club 15. As best understood from the enlarged scale depictions of the iron club head 10 of FIGS. 2-6, the body of the club head includes, in addition to the hosel 14, a heel 16, a central ball-striking inclined face 18 and a toe 20. The actual body 22 presenting the striking surface 18 is typically of metal construction material and bounded by a top edge 24 and a bottom edge 26, and sometimes said face 18, in golf parlance, is referred to as embodying a "sweet spot" particularly the specific area 18A thereof between lines of demarkation 28 and 30 delineating surface 18 from the toe 20 and heel 16.

The medial horizontal orientation of sweet spot area 18A, as best shown in FIG. 4, lies in vertical plane 32 that measures a distance 34, which typically is approximately 1/2 inch, rearwardly of the vertical plane 36 of the hosel 14. Underlying the present invention is the recognition that the ball-striking efficacy of a golf iron club head is a function of the distance 34 relationship of the planes 32 and 36, wherein the closer the planes 32 and 36 are to each other, the more efficient is the sweet spot 18A as a ball-striking surface.

Reference should now be made to the illustrations of the within inventive golf iron club head as shown in FIGS. 7-11 in which, to enhance an understanding of the patentable differences over the prior art golf iron club head of FIGS. 1-6, the same parts are designated by the same, but primed reference numerals. The significant difference is, as best understood from a consideration of FIGS. 9 and 10, the removal of the metal construction material, or whatever construction material is being used such as metal per se, graphite or the like, as denoted by area 38 illustrated in phantom perspective, from the specifically selected location in the medial length portion of the upper or top edge 24 and relocating this removed weight to a clearance position below area 38 to preferably the sole or rear of the bottom edge 26, said relocation area being more particularly denoted and designated 40. An important consequence is that the distance 34' is significantly reduced between the planes 32' and 36' with attendant efficiency resulting from a sweet spot hit on the golf ball and also, as observed in practice, an improvement in results even with an off-center toe or heel hit of the golf ball.

Not only is the removed weight 38 better utilized at location 40 for the ball-striking function intended, but the removal from location 38A noted in FIG. 9 is from the worst location adversely bearing on the efficacy of the club head. To demonstrate this point, it is noted that it is common practice in the manufacture of golf club irons to embody, by removal of construction material, a rear area 42, as best illustrated in FIG. 10, and redistribute the weight occasioned by this removal to other club head areas, such as the heel 16', toe 20', or sole or bottom edge 26'. But this is counterproductive, particularly with respect to the lower region of the recess 42, since said lower region area favorably contributes to locating the sweet spot plane 34' in an optimum position for ball-striking, and thus said lower region area should not have been removed for weight-distribution purposes. The current practice of weight distribution is thus not followed in the manufacture of the within golf club iron 10', and has resulted in a vastly superior ball-striking device.

It should be understood that, while it is within the contemplation of the present invention to always remove the construction material preparatory to weight distribution from the top edge 24', the relocation is not limited to a rear sole location 40, i.e. along the toe, central and heel portions thereof, but can advantageously be at only the toe, only the central portion, only at the heel, and at any combinations of such locations. The selection for removal from the top edge 24' results from the recognition that, in the typical use of a golf club iron, the ball is never intentionally struck near or at the top of the club face 18', but always at the "sweet spot" or below, and thus removal of the top edge central portion incident to its relocation is totally consistent with the continued use of the golf club iron as intended. By way of further explanation, for example, if the removed club head portion is from the toe, this would certainly adversely affect the use of the golf club iron because a "toe" hit is part of the game, even though possibly never intended, because it can and does occur. In contrast, a "top edge" hit with an iron for all practical purposes, never occurs.

While the golf iron club head for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail, is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.