Iron type golf club head having a single sole runner

Abstract: An iron type golf club head (10) having a single runner (28) centrally located on the bottom sole (22) in a heel-to-toe direction under the center of gravity. The runner (28) extends outwardly from the sole (22) and is progressively thicker in a direction from the leading edge (32) to the rear edge (33) for engaging the ground surface prior to the bottom (22) sole when a golf club is used during the execution of a golf shot.

Description: The invention relates to an iron type golf club head with the features cited in the preamble of claims 1 and 2 respectively. A golf club head of this type is known from EP-A-0 252 678 which has a single knob extending downwardly from the bottom sole thereof. The knob has a ball shaped surface located distanced from the leading edge and the rear edge and accommodates rocking of the blade on the ground or turf longitudinally, forwardly and rearwardly without grounding the sole thereon. GB-A-3 648 845 discloses a golf club head for a wood type golf club which has a runner extending distanced about approximately one third of the length of the bottom sole from the leading edge. The runner is located on the bottom sole of the golf club and is formed as a small rib extending in the swing direction. The rib gradually increases in depth from face to rear and is constructed to reduce resistance to the passage of the head and to help the golfer to control and guide the swing of the golf club. US-A-3 961 796 proposes a keel on the bottom sole of an iron type golf club head. The keel extends over the whole length from the leading edge to the rear edge and has an apex portion being downwardly convexly rounded and located below the centre of the ball striking Zone. This special shape is formed to avoid grass coming between the ball and the ball striking face of the iron head in such a manner that it interferes with frictional contact and will prevent development of proper ball backspin. Hence, the keel is used to part the grass like a comb. It is the object of the invention to provide a new and improved iron type golf club head having a sole with a single skid member which lessens the ground surface area that the club head contacts, minimises the effect of a ground resistance during the execution of a shot by reducing the effect of ground resistance as a ball is being struck and which maintains the proper club face loft angle when the ground is encountered. This object is attained by the features cited in the characterising clauses of claims 1 and 2 respectively. This solution ensures that the leading edge is raised no more than conventional irons above the ground surface at address or when properly contacting the ball. As the skid member tapers rearwardly, the sole of the club head is gradually raised so that as the sole contacts the ground surface, at least the rearward portion of the sole when each side of the skid member is raised above the ground preventing excessive digging into the ground surface, yet permitting the ball striking phase to be low enough to ensure proper contact with the ball on the centre of percussion. This arrangement eliminates undesirable bounds and minimises lateral club head movement, particularly if the shot is being played from a divot, or hard ground surface so that the club head maintains its position relative to the ball without bouncing or excessively penetrating the ground. This also keeps the face of the club head much cleaner so that grass and dirt will not effect the ball as it is struck, and also preventing undue resistance which would reduce the club head speed and cause it to torque during the execution of a swing. The club head is stabilised and prevented from twisting and decelerating due to the increased resistance. On hard ground, the skid member creates a more consistent ground contact result which retains the proper loft angle of the club face relative to the ball to produce more consistent and accurate shots. Advantageous features and embodiments are cited in the dependent claims. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a front elevational view of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the club head of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a bottom view of the club head of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the club head of Figure 1. Figure 5 is an end elevational view taken from the opposite side of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of a golf club head of the present invention. Figure 7 is a bottom view of the club head of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a bottom view of a third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a bottom view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a rear elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is a bottom view of the club head of Figure 10. Figure 12 is a rear elevational view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 is a rear perspective view of the club head of Figure 12. Figure 14 is a bottom view of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 is a bottom view of an eighth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 is a bottom view of a ninth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 is a bottom view of a tenth embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figures 1 through 5 show a first embodiment of a golf club head 10 in accordance with the present invention, including a ball striking face 12, a hosel 14, a heel 16, a toe 18, top ridge 20, and bottom sole 22 having a planar surface defining the lower portion of the club head 10. In a preferred embodiment, the club head 10 is peripheral weighted and includes a peripheral mass 24 defining a cavity 26. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to planar or muscle back type golf club heads. A center of gravity (C.G.), defined as the optimum position on which to strike a golf ball to transfer maximum energy to the ball, is shown positioned approximately in the center of the club head. The present invention resides in the use of a single sole runner 28 located on and positioned outwardly from the bottom sole 22. Preferably, the runner 28 is centrally located with respect to the center of gravity (C.G.). As shown in the drawings, the runner 28 is generally rectangular in shape and includes sides 29 and 30 which, in this embodiment, are parallel to each other in the front-to-rear direction of the club head 10. A front edge 38 of the runner 28 is coincident with the leading edge 32 of the club head. A rear edge 33 of the runner 28 is raised above the bottom sole 22 and is generally coincident with the rear surface 34 of the club head, whereby the runner 28 extends from the leading edge 33 of the ball striking face rearwardly to the rear surface 34 of the club head. Preferably, the thickness of the runner 28 is progressively larger in the front-to-rear direction, so that the ground contacting surface 34 of the runner 28 is further from the bottom sole at the rear edge than it is further toward the leading edge of the club head where, at the leading edge, it is substantially flush with the bottom sole. In this embodiment, the runner 28 is relatively wide and extends at least one-third and up to one-half of the total distance of the bottom sole in the heel-to-toe direction. When striking a golf ball, particularly out of a bad lie, the single runner contacts the ground surface before the sole, thus enabling the club to be swung at a relatively sharp angle to ensure maximum contact with the ball while minimizing the negative effects that would occur if the club head digs into the ground surface. The runner enables the club head to ride along the ground surface without digging into the surface, ensuring that optimum contact is made with the ball, thereby ensuring maximum energy transfer. Both heel and toe portions of the club head 10 are raised above the ground surface by the runner 28 to further minimize the digging in, or snagging, of the club head during a swing. It will be appreciated that the thickness of the runner 28 may be varied in accordance with the loft of a particular golf club. For example, with the high-lofted irons, such as the wedges and nine irons, where it is more likely that a golf ball will be struck with a descending blow, it is contemplated that the runner would have a greater thickness than runners used on low-lofted irons, such as ones, two or three irons for example, where the ball is generally struck with a more sweeping swing path. Figures 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of a golf club head 100 of the present invention which is the same as the club described hereinabove, with the exception that the runner 128 is narrower in the heel-to-toe direction. In this embodiment, the runner 128 extends approximately one-quarter to one-third of the distance in the heel-to-toe direction. Figure 8 shows a third embodiment of a golf club head 200 of the present invention in which the runner 228 is trapezoidal in shape and is narrower at the leading edge 230 and is progressively wider toward the rear edge of 232 of the club head 200. Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of a club head 300 of the present invention, wherein the runner 328 is wider at the leading edge 330 and becomes progressively narrower toward the rear edge 332. Figures 10 and 11 show a fifth embodiment of a club head 400 of the present invention wherein the sole runner 428 is pontoon-shaped, and extends outwardly from the bottom sole in an arcuate configuration in a heel-to-toe direction. Figures 12 and 13 show a sixth embodiment of a golf club head 500 of the present invention in which the runner 528 extends upwardly and rearwardly into a rear cavity of the club head. This arrangement provides additional mass directly under the center of gravity (C.G.) so that the overall weight of the club head may be controlled with the size of the runner. Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17 show four additional embodiments of the present invention, in which the sole runner is eccentrically located with respect to the center of gravity. Figure 14 shows a seventh embodiment of a golf club head 600 having the runner 628 eccentrically located between the toe 618 and the center of gravity (C.G.) on the club head 600 where an edge 630 of the runner 628 is essentially in line with the, center of gravity (C.G.). Figure 15 shows an eighth embodiment of a golf club head 700, wherein a runner 728 is located between the center of gravity (C.G.) and the heel 716, and an edge 730 of the runner 728 is in line with the center of gravity (C.G.). Figure 16 shows a ninth embodiment of a golf club head 800 of the present invention, in which the runner 828 is eccentrically located toward the toe 818, having an edge 830 slightly offset from the center of gravity (C.G.). Figure 17 shows a tenth embodiment of a golf club head 900 of the present invention in which a runner 928 is located toward the heel 916 of the club head and has an edge 930 positioned slightly offset from the center of gravity (C.G.). It will be appreciated that other embodiments of the club head may be provided in keeping within the scope of the present invention, as defined in the following claims:

Claims: An iron type golf club head (10) including a hosel (14), a heel (16), a toe (18), a ball striking face (12), a rear surface, a bottom sole (22) having a planar surface, a leading edge (32) formed at an interface of the ball striking face (12) and bottom sole (22), a rear edge (33) formed at an interface of the bottom sole (22) and the rear surface (34), a center of gravity (C.G.) located proximate the midpoint of said ball striking face (12), and means for engaging a ground surface prior to the bottom sole (22) engaging the ground surface when the golf club head (10) is swung during the execution of a golf shot; characterized in that said ground surface engaging means including a single runner (28) located on said bottom sole (22) and extending outwardly from the planar surface of said bottom sole (22); said runner (28) extending from the leading edge (32) to the rear edge (33) of the golf club head (10), said runner (28) having a planar upper surface and being rectangular in shape and having a first pair of peripheral edges parallel to the leading edge and rear edge of the club head, respectively, and a second pair of peripheral edges perpendicular to the leading edge and the rear edge; said first peripheral edges having a greater length than said second peripheral edges; and said runner (28) including sides (29, 30) progressively thicker in a direction from the leading edge (32) to the rear edge of the club head (10), thereby raising the upper surface of the runner (28) progressively higher from the planar surface of the bottom sole (22) toward the rear surface (34). An iron type golf club head (10) having a loft angle of at least 12 degrees, including a hosel (14), a heel (16), a toe (18), a ball striking face (12), a rear surface (34), a bottom sole (22) having a planar surface, a leading edge (32) formed at an interface of the ball striking face (12) and bottom sole (22), a center of gravity (C.G.), and means for engaging a ground surface prior to the bottom sole (22) engaging the surface when the golf club head (10) is swung during the execution of a golf shot; characterized in that said ground surface engaging means including a single runner (28) located on said bottom sole (22) and extending outwardly from the planar surface of said bottom sole (22); said runner (28) extending from the leading edge (32) to the rear surface (34) of the golf club head (10), said runner (28) having a planar upper surface and being trapezoidal shaped and having first peripheral edges parallel to the leading edge (32) and rear surface (34) and second peripheral edges being angularly oriented to the leading edge (32) and rear surface (34), at least one of said first peripheral edges having a greater length than said second peripheral edges; said runner (28) including sides (29, 30) progressively thicker in a direction from the leading edge (32) to the rear edge of the club head (10), thereby raising the upper surface of the runner (28) progressively higher from the planar surface of the bottom sole (22) toward the rear surface (34). The golf club head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said runner (328) is trapezoidal shaped, the larger base of the trapezoid interfacing with the leading edge (330) of the club head. The golf club head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said runner (228) is trapezoidal shaped, the larger base of the trapezoid interfacing with the rear edge (232) of the club head. The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of said second peripheral edges (630, 730) is in line with a plane perpendicular to the bottom sole and passing through the center of gravity (C.G.). The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said runner (28) extends at least one-third and up to one-half of the distance on said bottom sole (22) in a heel-to-toe direction. The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said runner extends at least one-quarter and up to one-third of the distance on said bottom sole in the heel-to-toe direction. The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the runner (428) is pontoon-shaped, having an arcuate configuration in the heel-to-toe direction. The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the runner (628, 728, 828) is eccentrically located with respect to a plane perpendicular to the bottom sole and passing through the center of gravity (C.G.). The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the runner (828) is eccentrically located toward the toe (818) of the club head (800). The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the runner (728) is eccentrically located toward the heel (716) of the club head (700). The golf club head according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the runner (28) is centrally located with respect to a plane perpendicular to the bottom sole (22) and passing through the center of gravity (C.G.).

Inventors: ANTONIOUS ANTHONY J, ANTONIOUS, ANTHONY J.
Applicants: ANTONIOUS A J, ANTONIOUS, ANTHONY J.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A63B53
IPC codes: A63B53