Golf club head

• US 10,507,365 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Beach, Todd P., Sargent, Nathan T., Willett, Kraig Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US15/980,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20180345094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

Golf club heads are described herein, and in one embodiment including a body with an exterior surface defining a first body volume of at least about 400 cm³. The body has a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, and a back portion. A face positioned at the front portion of the body and is configured to receive an impact. A top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion is further described. The top portion silhouette profile defines the outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction. At least one indentation can be located on the bottom portion below the crown silhouette profile. The removal of the at least one indentation from the bottom portion can create a second body volume that is at least 12 cm³ larger than the first body volume.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, a back portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion;

a sole located on the bottom portion of the golf club head;

a face positioned at the front portion of the body, the face being configured to receive an impact;

a top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion, the top portion silhouette profile defining outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction, the golf club head having a bottom portion volume below the top portion silhouette profile and a top portion volume above the top portion silhouette profile;

a center sole portion extending from the front portion of the body to the back portion of the body, the center sole portion comprising;

a planar surface extending rearwardly along the bottom portion of the golf club head in a generally Y-direction;

a toeward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the planar surface when viewed in an address position;

a first edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a toe side of the planar surface and defining a transition between the planar surface and the toeward sole surface;

a heelward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the planar surface when viewed in the address position; and

a second edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a heel side of the planar surface and defining a transition between the planar surface and the heelward sole surface;

wherein the golf club head has a head origin defined as a position on a face plane at a geometric center of the face, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to a ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive x-axis extends towards the heel portion, a y-axis extending perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive y-axis extends from the face and through a rearward portion of the body, and a z-axis extending perpendicular to the ground plane, to the x-axis and to the y-axis when the head is in the address position where a positive z-axis extends from the head origin and generally upward,

wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity with an x-axis coordinate between about −

2 mm and about 7 mm, a y-axis coordinate between about 15 mm and about 50 mm, and a z-axis coordinate between about −

7 mm and about 2 mm,

wherein a heel-toe dimension of the golf club head is between about 119 mm and about 127 mm,

wherein a top-bottom dimension of the golf club head is between about 63 mm and about 71 mm, and

wherein the bottom portion volume is greater than 60 percent of a total volume of the golf club head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a weight port located on the center sole portion near the back portion of the golf club head.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the club head center of gravity is positioned toeward of the weight port and heelward of the toeward sole surface.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity y-axis coordinate is between about 30 mm and about 40 mm.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis, I_CGz, between about 450 kg·

mm² and about 650 kg·

mm².

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a front-rear dimension of the golf club head is between about 111 mm and about 127 mm.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.810.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis, I_CGz, between about 450 kg·

mm² and about 650 kg·

mm²;

a front-rear dimension is between about 111 mm and about 127 mm; and

the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.810.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body has a volume of at least about 400 cm³.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head is positioned toeward of the head origin.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a rearwardmost point of the golf club head is located below the center of gravity of the golf club head.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a width of the planar surface of the center sole portion is between about 25 mm and about 35 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a width of the planar surface of the center sole portion is between about 22 mm and about 31 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a length of the planar surface of the center sole portion is between about 65 mm and about 69 mm.

15. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face has an area of at least about 4,000 mm².

16. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein in a y-z plane passing through the origin, at a distance CG_y from the origin, a height of the crown is less than a height of the face.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, a back portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion;

a sole located on the bottom portion of the golf club head;

a crown positioned on the top portion of the golf club head opposite the sole;

a face positioned at the front portion of the body, the face being configured to receive an impact;

a top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion, the top portion silhouette profile defining outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction, the golf club head having a bottom portion volume and a bottom portion surface area S_b below the top portion silhouette profile and a top portion volume and a top portion surface area S_t above the top portion silhouette profile, the top portion surface area including a surface area of the face;

a center sole portion extending from the front portion of the body to the back portion of the body, the center sole portion comprising;

a planar surface extending rearwardly along the bottom portion of the golf club head in a generally Y-direction;

a toeward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the planar surface when viewed in an address position;

a first edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a toe side of the planar surface and defining a transition between the planar surface and the toeward sole surface;

a heelward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the planar surface when viewed in the address position; and

a second edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a heel side of the planar surface and defining a transition between the planar surface and the heelward sole surface;

wherein the golf club head has a head origin defined as a position on a face plane at a geometric center of the face, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to a ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive x-axis extends towards the heel portion, a y-axis extending perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive y-axis extends from the face and through a rearward portion of the body, and a z-axis extending perpendicular to the ground plane, to the x-axis and to the y-axis when the head is in the address position where a positive z-axis extends from the head origin and generally upward, wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity with a x-axis coordinate between about −

2 mm and about 7 mm, a y-axis coordinate between about 15 mm and about 50 mm, and a z-axis coordinate between about −

7 mm and about 2 mm; and

wherein;

the body has a volume of at least about 400 cm³;

the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis, I_CGz, between about 450 kg·

mm² and about 650 kg·

mm²;

a heel-toe dimension of the golf club head is between about 119 mm and about 127 mm;

a top-bottom dimension of the golf club head is between about 63 mm and about 71 mm;

a front-rear dimension of the golf club head is between about 111 mm and about 127 mm;

the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.810; and

wherein the bottom portion volume is greater than 60 percent of a total volume of the golf club head.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, further comprising a weight port located on the center sole portion near the back portion of the golf club head.

19. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the center of gravity y-axis coordinate is between about 30 mm and about 40 mm.

20. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head is positioned toeward of the head origin.

21. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein a rearwardmost point of the golf club head is located below the center of gravity of the golf club head.

22. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein a ratio of the top portion surface area S_t to the bottom portion surface area S_b is between about 0.70 to about 0.96.

23. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, a back portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion;

a sole located on the bottom portion of the golf club head;

a crown positioned on the top portion of the golf club head opposite the sole;

a face positioned at the front portion of the body, the face being configured to receive an impact;

a top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion, the top portion silhouette profile defining outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction, the golf club head having a bottom portion surface area S_b below the top portion silhouette profile and a top portion surface area S_t above the top portion silhouette profile, the top portion surface area including a surface area of the face;

a center sole portion extending from the front portion of the body to the back portion of the body, the center sole portion comprising;

a planar surface extending rearwardly along the bottom portion of the golf club head in a generally Y-direction;

a toeward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the planar surface when viewed in an address position;

a first edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a toe side of the planar surface and defining a transition between the planar surface and the toeward sole surface;

a heelward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the planar surface when viewed in the address position; and

a second edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a heel side of the planar surface and defining a transition between the planar surface and the heelward sole surface;

wherein the golf club head has a head origin defined as a position on a face plane at a geometric center of the face, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to a ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive x-axis extends towards the heel portion, a y-axis extending perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is in the address position where a positive y-axis extends from the face and through a rearward portion of the body, and a z-axis extending perpendicular to the ground plane, to the x-axis and to the y-axis when the head is in the address position where a positive z-axis extends from the head origin and generally upward, wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity with a x-axis coordinate between about −

2 mm and about 7 mm, a y-axis coordinate between about 15 mm and about 50 mm, and a z-axis coordinate between about −

7 mm and about 2 mm; and

wherein;

the body has a volume of at least about 400 cm³;

the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis, I_CGz, between about 450 kg·

mm² and about 650 kg·

mm²;

a heel-toe dimension of the golf club head is between about 119 mm and about 127 mm;

a top-bottom dimension of the golf club head is between about 63 mm and about 71 mm;

a front-rear dimension of the golf club head is between about 111 mm and about 127 mm;

the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.810; and

a ratio of the top portion surface area S_t to the bottom portion surface area S_b is between about 0.70 to about 0.96.