Metalwood type golf clubhead having an improved structural system for reduction of the cubic centimeter displacement and the elimination of adverse aerodynamic drag effect

Abstract

A metalwood type golf clubhead, including a clubhead body having a toe, heel, top crown surface, bottom sole surface, side surfaces, rear surface and ball-striking clubface, having an inwardly disposed lower surface located between the bottom sole surface and the top crown surface. The inwardly disposed lower structure provides improved weight distribution for better balance, additional strength and stability to clubhead and considerably decreases the overall cc displacement and overall weight/mass at the bottom of the clubhead without decreasing the size of the ball striking face and/or the upper top crown surface.

1 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body with a toe, heel, top crown surface, bottom sole surface, side wall surfaces, rear wall surface and ball-striking clubface, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 a reinforcing and stabilizing member extending outwardly from said side and rear wall surfaces to form outermost perimeter weighting of said clubhead and providing low profile, aerodynamic surfaces to said clubhead; said reinforcing and stabilizing member being located on said side and rear wall surfaces, between said top crown surface and said bottom sole; and an inwardly disposed lower surface located between said bottom sole surface and said top crown surface.    
   
   
       2 . The clubhead of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing and stabilizing member is located approximately midway between said top crown surface and said bottom sole separating said side and said rear surfaces into upper wall and lower wall surfaces.  
   
   
       3 . The clubhead of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing and stabilizing member includes front ball-striking surfaces coincident with and parallel to said ball-striking clubface at said heel and said toe, said reinforcing and stabilizing member extending around the entire outer side wall and rear surfaces of said clubhead from said heel to said toe.  
   
   
       4 . The clubhead of  claim 1  wherein said inwardly disposed lower surface is formed of an inwardly curved concave structure.  
   
   
       5 . The clubhead of  claim 4  wherein said inwardly disposed lower surface is a continuous curved concave surface having a constant diameter between said bottom sole surface and said top crown surface.  
   
   
       6 . The clubhead of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing and stabilizing member extending from and beyond said sidewalls is integrally formed with said clubhead body and has a variable thickness.  
   
   
       7 . The clubhead of  claim 2  wherein said reinforcing and stabilizing member has a thickness greater than the thickness of said clubhead body specifically located to add mass for increasing moment of inertia effectiveness.  
   
   
       8 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body having a shell with a toe, heel, upper crown surface, bottom sole surface, side surfaces, rear surface and ball-striking clubface, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 means on said side surfaces expanding outer perimeter weighting and providing improved low profile aerodynamics to said clubhead, said means including a raised, elongated, aerodynamically shaped reinforcing and stabilizing member extending outwardly from said side surfaces and said rear surface; said member having a first front ball-striking surface located at said toe area and a second front ball-striking surface located at said heel area, said first and second front ball-striking surface being coincident with and parallel to said ball-striking clubface; said member extending around the entire side surfaces and rear surface of said clubhead; and, said reinforcing and stabilizing member located adjacent said top crown surface and said bottom sole surface; and, a continuously inwardly curving, opposing concave lower surfaces located between said bottom sole surface and said side and rear wall surfaces.    
   
   
       9 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body having a shell with a toe, heel, top crown surface, bottom sole, side surfaces, rear surface and ball-striking clubface with a bulge and roll surface configuration, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 reinforcing and stabilizing means on said side surfaces for adding reinforcement and stabilizing to said clubhead, expanding perimeter weighting and providing improved low profile and more effective aerodynamics, said means including at least one raised, elongated, aerodynamically shaped member extending outwardly from said side surfaces, said member having at least one front ball-striking surface being parallel to and coincident with and expanding said ball-striking clubface; said member extending around the side and rear periphery of said clubhead; and said aerodynamically shaped member being located midway on said side surfaces of said clubhead body; and, a continuously inwardly curving, opposing concave lower surfaces located between said bottom sole surface and said side and rear wall surfaces.    
   
   
       10 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body with a toe, heel, top crown surface, sidewalls, bottom sole surface and ball-striking clubface, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 an inwardly disposed lower surface located between said bottom sole surface and an outer edge of said upper crown surface; said inwardly disposed lower surface decreasing the overall mass and cc displacement of said clubhead while maintaining a selected size of said top crown and said ball striking clubface.    
   
   
       11 . The wood type golf clubhead of  claim 10  wherein said lower surface forms a concave track with inwardly curved surfaces between said bottom sole surface and said upper crown surface.  
   
   
       12 . The wood type golf clubhead of  claim 11  further including a wall surface between said bottom sole surface and said concave track.  
   
   
       13 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body with a toe, heel, top crown surface, sidewalls, bottom sole surface and ball-striking clubface, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 an inwardly disposed lower surface located between said bottom sole surface and an outer edge of said upper crown surface; said inwardly disposed lower surface decreasing the overall mass and cc displacement of said clubhead while maintaining a selected size of said top crown and said ball striking clubface; said inwardly disposed lower surface forming a continuous curving, concave lower surface located between said top crown and said bottom sole surface.    
   
   
       14 . The clubhead of  claim 13  being further defined by said inwardly disposed lower surfaces extends downwardly and inwardly from an outer edge of said top crown surface to said bottom sole surface at an angle less than 45 degrees.  
   
   
       15 . The clubhead of  claim 14  wherein said bottom sole surface has a surface area less than half the surface area of said top crown surface.  
   
   
       16 . The clubhead of  claim 14  wherein said inwardly disposed lower surface is further defined as being concave with a bottom as a furthermost inwardly disposed area.  
   
   
       17 . The clubhead of  claim 16  wherein said concave lower surface is continuously curving between said top crown surface and said bottom sole surface.  
   
   
       18 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body with a toe, heel, top crown surface, sidewalls, bottom sole surface and ball-striking clubface, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 an inwardly disposed lower surface located between said bottom sole surface and an outer edge of said upper crown surface; said inwardly disposed lower surface decreasing the overall mass and cc displacement of said clubhead while maintaining a selected size of said top crown and said ball striking clubface; said inwardly disposed lower surface formed by a plurality of angular, planar surfaces located between said top crown surface and said bottom sole surface.    
   
   
       19 . The wood type golf club of  claim 14  wherein said inwardly disposed lower surface is defined by two planar surfaces formed at an obtuse angle relative to each other.  
   
   
       20 . The wood type golf club of  claim 14  wherein said inwardly disposed lower surface is defined by surfaces formed in a trapezoidal configuration.  
   
   
       21 . A wood type golf clubhead including a clubhead body with a toe, heel, top crown surface, sidewalls, bottom sole surface and ball-striking clubface, wherein the improvement comprises: 
 an inwardly disposed lower surface located between said bottom sole surface and an outer edge of said upper crown surface; said inwardly disposed lower surface decreasing the overall mass and cc displacement of said clubhead while maintaining a selected size of said top crown and said ball striking clubface; said inwardly disposed lower surface formed by a plurality of continuously curving, track-like, concave lower surfaces located between said top crown surface and said bottom sole surface.