Golf club head or other ball striking device having impact-influencing body features

• US 10,150,017 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, Robert M., Oldknow, Andrew G. V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/225,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A ball striking device has a face with a striking surface and a body extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face. A channel extends across at least a portion of the sole, and includes a trough defined between front and rear edges and extending in a heel-toe direction. The device further has internal interconnection structure for connection of a shaft to the head. The device may have a hosel connected to the body proximate the heel, with the hosel having the internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of the shaft to the hosel. A bore or access opening may be provided that intersects the channel, to access the interconnecting structure. The device may further include one or more stiffening ribs on the sole.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face having an outer periphery;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face, wherein the face and the body define an interior cavity, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface, a crown opposite the sole, a heel, and a toe;

an internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of a shaft to the heel of the body in an adjustable configuration;

an access opening extending through the sole and providing access to the internal interconnection structure; and

an inwardly recessed channel extending across at least a portion of the sole of the body, wherein the channel comprises an inwardly recessed trough defined between a front edge and a rear edge extending in a heel-toe direction,

wherein the channel crosses a centerline of the sole, and wherein the access opening is located such that a first portion of the access opening is positioned more proximate to the outer periphery of the face than the front edge of the channel at the centerline of the sole, and a second portion of the access opening is positioned farther from the outer periphery of the face than the front edge of the channel at the centerline of the sole.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the access opening intersects the channel.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a portion of the channel passes between the access opening and a rear of the golf club head.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has at least one weight member located on the sole.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the at least one weight member is releasable by having a threaded connection.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel has a center portion, a heel portion and a toe portion, and wherein a width of the channel defined between the front and rear edges is greater proximate the center portion as compared to at least one of the heel portion and the toe portion.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel has a center portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion, and wherein at least one of the front and rear edges of the channel is spaced further from the outer periphery of the face at the center portion compared to the heel portion and the toe portion.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel has a center portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion, and wherein at least one of the front and rear edges of the channel is spaced closer to the outer periphery of the face at the center portion compared to the heel portion and the toe portion.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel further comprises a wall extending outwardly from the trough to the front edge or the rear edge of the channel and defining a portion of the channel, wherein the wall also defines a portion of the access opening.

10. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face having an outer periphery;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face, wherein the face and the body define an interior cavity, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface, a crown opposite the sole, a heel, and a toe;

an internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of a shaft to the heel of the body in an adjustable configuration;

an access opening extending through the sole and providing access to the internal interconnection structure; and

an inwardly recessed channel extending across at least a portion of the sole of the body, wherein the channel comprises an inwardly recessed trough defined between a front edge and a rear edge extending in a heel-toe direction,

wherein the channel crosses a centerline of the sole, and wherein the access opening and the front edge of the channel at the centerline of the sole are spaced from the outer periphery of the face by equal distances, and

wherein the channel further comprises a wall extending outwardly from the trough to the front edge or the rear edge of the channel and defining a portion of the channel, wherein the wall also defines a portion of the access opening.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the access opening intersects the channel.

12. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein a portion of the channel passes between the access opening and a rear of the golf club head.

13. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the golf club head has at least one weight member located on the sole.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the at least one weight member is releasable by having a threaded connection.

15. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the channel has a center portion, a heel portion and a toe portion, and wherein a width of the channel defined between the front and rear edges is greater proximate the center portion as compared to at least one of the heel portion and the toe portion.

16. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the channel has a center portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion, and wherein at least one of the front and rear edges of the channel is spaced further from the outer periphery of the face at the center portion compared to the heel portion and the toe portion.

17. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the channel has a center portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion, and wherein at least one of the front and rear edges of the channel is spaced closer to the outer periphery of the face at the center portion compared to the heel portion and the toe portion.

18. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face having an outer periphery;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face, wherein the face and the body define an interior cavity, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface, a crown opposite the sole, a heel, and a toe;

an internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of a shaft to the heel of the body in an adjustable configuration;

an access opening extending through the sole and providing access to the internal interconnection structure; and

an inwardly recessed channel extending across at least a portion of the sole of the body, wherein the channel comprises an inwardly recessed trough defined between a front edge and a rear edge extending in a heel-toe direction between a heel portion and a toe portion,

wherein a width of the channel defined between the front and rear edges is greater proximate a center portion of the channel as compared to at least one of the heel portion and the toe portion, and

wherein the channel further comprises a wall extending outwardly from the trough to the front edge or the rear edge of the channel and defining a portion of the channel, wherein the wall also defines a portion of the access opening.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the access opening intersects the channel.

20. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein a portion of the channel passes between the access opening and a rear of the golf club head.

21. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the golf club head has at least one weight member located on the sole.

22. The golf club head of claim 21, wherein the at least one weight member is releasable by having a threaded connection.

23. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the channel further has a center portion, and wherein at least one of the front and rear edges of the channel is spaced further from the outer periphery of the face at the center portion compared to the heel portion and the toe portion.

24. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the channel further has a center portion, and wherein at least one of the front and rear edges of the channel is spaced closer to the outer periphery of the face at the center portion compared to the heel portion and the toe portion.

25. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face having an outer periphery;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face, wherein the face and the body define an interior cavity, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface, a crown opposite the sole, a heel, and a toe;

an internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of a shaft to the heel of the body in an adjustable configuration;

an access opening extending through the sole and providing access to the internal interconnection structure; and

an inwardly recessed channel extending across at least a portion of the sole of the body, wherein the channel comprises an inwardly recessed trough defined between a front edge and a rear edge extending in a heel-toe direction,

wherein the channel crosses a centerline of the sole, and wherein the access opening and the front edge of the channel at the centerline of the sole are spaced from the outer periphery of the face by equal distances, and

wherein the access opening intersects the channel.

26. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face having an outer periphery;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the outer periphery of the face, wherein the face and the body define an interior cavity, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface, a crown opposite the sole, a heel, and a toe;

an internal interconnection structure adapted for connection of a shaft to the heel of the body in an adjustable configuration;

an access opening extending through the sole and providing access to the internal interconnection structure; and

an inwardly recessed channel extending across at least a portion of the sole of the body, wherein the channel comprises an inwardly recessed trough defined between a front edge and a rear edge extending in a heel-toe direction between a heel portion and a toe portion,

wherein a width of the channel defined between the front and rear edges is greater proximate a center portion of the channel as compared to at least one of the heel portion and the toe portion, and

wherein the access opening intersects the channel.