Golf club heads with energy storage characteristics
First Claim
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1. A golf club head comprising:
- a body having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface is not visible from an exterior of the golf head, the body comprising;
a strikeface;
a sole;
a crown;
a heel;
a toe; and
a transition region extending rearward from the strikeface to the sole, the transition region comprising;
a first tier directly abutting the strike face;
a first tier transition region directly abutting the first tier opposite the strike face;
a second tier directly abutting the first tier transition region opposite the first tier;
a second tier transition region directly abutting the second tier opposite the first tier transition region; and
a third tier directly abutting the second tier transition region opposite the second tier;
wherein;
the inner surface extends across each of the first tier, the first tier transition, the second tier, the second tier transition, and the third tier;
the first tier comprises a first thickness that is substantially constant or decreases from the strikeface to the first tier transition region;
the second tier comprises a second thickness that is substantially constant or decreases from the first tier transition region to the second tier transition region, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness;
the third tier comprises a third thickness that is substantially constant or decreases from the second tier transition region to the sole, wherein the third thickness is smaller than the first thickness and the second thickness;
each of the first thickness, second thickness, and third thickness is measured between the inner surface and outer surface of the body;
the outer surface is continuous across the transition region between the strikeface and the sole;
the first and second tier lengths are measured in a direction from the strikeface towards a rear of the golf club head;
the inner surface of the first tier transition comprises;
a first arcuate surface comprising a first radius of curvature and extending rearward from the first tier and a second arcuate surface comprising a second radius of curvature and extending forward from the second tier, the first arcuate surface being convex and the second arcuate surface being concave when viewed normal to the inner surface;
the inner surface of the second tier transition comprises a third arcuate surface comprising a third radius of curvature and extending rearward from the second tier and a fourth arcuate surface comprising a fourth radius of curvature and extending forward from the third tier, the third arcuate surface being convex and the fourth arcuate surface being concave when viewed normal to the inner surface;
the first and the second radius of curvature of the first tier transition are at least 2 times the difference between the first thickness and the second thickness of the first tier and the second tier, respectively, andthe third and the fourth radius of curvature of the second tier transition are at least 2 times the difference between the second thickness and the third thickness of the second tier and the third tier, respectively; and
the inner surface is continuous from the first tier to the third tier.
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Abstract
Embodiments of golf club heads with energy storage characteristics are presented herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head comprises a body comprising a strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a crown, and an internal radius transition from the strikeface to at least one of the sole or the crown. In many embodiments, the internal radius transition region is not visible from an exterior of the golf club head and comprises a first tier, a second tier and a tier transition region between the first tier and the second tier.
99 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A golf club head comprising:
a body having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface is not visible from an exterior of the golf head, the body comprising; a strikeface; a sole; a crown; a heel; a toe; and a transition region extending rearward from the strikeface to the sole, the transition region comprising; a first tier directly abutting the strike face; a first tier transition region directly abutting the first tier opposite the strike face; a second tier directly abutting the first tier transition region opposite the first tier; a second tier transition region directly abutting the second tier opposite the first tier transition region; and a third tier directly abutting the second tier transition region opposite the second tier; wherein; the inner surface extends across each of the first tier, the first tier transition, the second tier, the second tier transition, and the third tier; the first tier comprises a first thickness that is substantially constant or decreases from the strikeface to the first tier transition region; the second tier comprises a second thickness that is substantially constant or decreases from the first tier transition region to the second tier transition region, wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness; the third tier comprises a third thickness that is substantially constant or decreases from the second tier transition region to the sole, wherein the third thickness is smaller than the first thickness and the second thickness; each of the first thickness, second thickness, and third thickness is measured between the inner surface and outer surface of the body; the outer surface is continuous across the transition region between the strikeface and the sole; the first and second tier lengths are measured in a direction from the strikeface towards a rear of the golf club head; the inner surface of the first tier transition comprises; a first arcuate surface comprising a first radius of curvature and extending rearward from the first tier and a second arcuate surface comprising a second radius of curvature and extending forward from the second tier, the first arcuate surface being convex and the second arcuate surface being concave when viewed normal to the inner surface; the inner surface of the second tier transition comprises a third arcuate surface comprising a third radius of curvature and extending rearward from the second tier and a fourth arcuate surface comprising a fourth radius of curvature and extending forward from the third tier, the third arcuate surface being convex and the fourth arcuate surface being concave when viewed normal to the inner surface; the first and the second radius of curvature of the first tier transition are at least 2 times the difference between the first thickness and the second thickness of the first tier and the second tier, respectively, and the third and the fourth radius of curvature of the second tier transition are at least 2 times the difference between the second thickness and the third thickness of the second tier and the third tier, respectively; and the inner surface is continuous from the first tier to the third tier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising; a strikeface defining a forward portion of the body; a sole transition extending from the strikeface; a sole extending from the sole transition and defining a rearward portion of the body; a heel; and a toe; wherein the strikeface, the sole transition, and the sole each have a respective outer surface and a respective inner surface the outer surface being opposite the inner surface; and wherein the sole transition includes; a first tier being most proximate to the strikeface, a third tier being most proximate to the sole, and a second tier between the first tier and the third tier; the first tier being coupled to the second tier via a first tier transition, the inner surface of the first tier transition including a first arcuate surface comprising a first radius of curvature and extending rearward from the first tier and a second arcuate surface comprising a second radius of curvature and extending forward from the second tier, the first arcuate surface being convex and the second arcuate surface being concave when viewed normal to the inner surface; the second tier being coupled to the third tier via a second tier transition, the inner surface of the second tier transition including a third arcuate surface comprising a third radius of curvature and extetnding rearward from the second tier and a fourth arcuate surface comprising a fourth radius of curvature and extending forward from the third tier, the first arcuate surface being convex and the second arcuate surface being concave when viewed normal to the inner surface; the first tier having a first thickness, the second tier having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, and the third tier having a third thickness that is less than the second thickness, each of the first thickness, second thickness, and third thickness being measured between the inner surface and outer surface of the respective tier; the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are at least 2 times the difference between the first thickness and the second thickness; and the third radius of curvature and the fourth radius of curvature are at least 2 times the difference between the second thickness and the third thickness. - View Dependent Claims (16)
Specification