Golf club head with stiffening member

• US 10,406,414 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Galvan, Darryl C., Cleghorn, Richard L., Evans, Clayton, Luttrell, Stephanie, Myrhum, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US16/109,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20180361216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0429 the face insert comprising two or more layers of material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• 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 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, a weight port, an internal cavity, and a stiffening member. The weight port is affixed to the sole. The stiffening member is located in the interior cavity and permanently affixed to the hosel. The stiffening member is also permanently affixed to the sole and the weight port.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;

a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, said sole comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a skirt extending between the crown and the sole;

a shaft engagement member including a bore, said bore located along a shaft axis;

a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge;

an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face;

a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face;

a weight port disposed on said sole, said weight port extending into said interior cavity of said golf club head, said weight port configured to receive a weight;

a stiffening member located in said interior cavity, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said shaft engagement member, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said sole, and said stiffening member permanently affixed to said weight port, said stiffening member permanently affixed to a portion of said sole located on a far side of said weight port from said shaft engagement member.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said stiffening member and said sole are formed together as a monolithic structure.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said stiffening member extends over at least a portion of said weight port.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said stiffening member extends all the way over said weight port.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said weight port is affixed to a rear portion of said sole.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said weight port forms a recess on the exterior surface of said sole of said golf club head, said recess of said weight port configured to receive said weight.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second weight port disposed on said sole, wherein said stiffening member is permanently affixed to said second weight port.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said weight is removable, and wherein said weight port is configured to receive each of a plurality of removable weights, each of said plurality of removable weights having a different mass.

9. A golf club head, comprising:

a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;

a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, said sole comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a skirt extending between the crown and the sole;

a shaft engagement member including a bore, said bore located along a shaft axis;

a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge;

an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face;

a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face;

a weight port disposed on said sole;

a stiffening member located in said interior cavity, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said shaft engagement member, and said stiffening member permanently affixed to said weight port.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said stiffening member extends over at least a portion of said weight port.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said stiffening member extends all the way over said weight port.

12. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said weight port is affixed to a rear portion of said sole.

13. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said weight port forms a recess on the exterior surface of said sole of said golf club head, said recess of said weight port configured to receive said weight.

14. The golf club head of claim 9, further comprising a second weight port disposed on said sole, wherein said stiffening member is permanently affixed to said second weight port.

15. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said weight is removable, and wherein said weight port is configured to receive each of a plurality of removable weights, each of said plurality of removable weights having a different mass.

16. A golf club head, comprising:

a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;

a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, said sole comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a skirt extending between the crown and the sole;

a shaft engagement member including a bore, said bore located along a shaft axis;

a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge;

an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face;

a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face;

a weight disposed on said sole;

a stiffening member located in said interior cavity, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said shaft engagement member, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said sole, and said stiffening member permanently affixed to said weight.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said stiffening member and said sole are formed together as a monolithic structure.

18. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said stiffening member extends over at least a portion of said weight.

19. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said stiffening member extends all the way over said weight.

20. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said weight is affixed to a rear portion of said sole.