Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 10,695,624 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2019
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Original Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Inventors: Parsons, Robert R., Schweigert, Bradley D., Nicolette, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US16/419,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20190314689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 473332, 473345, 473346, 473349, 473343
• 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 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 53/0433 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/006 Surfaces specially adapted for reducing air resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, a top portion, and a crown portion covering an opening in the top portion. The crown portion may include a raised central crown portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, and a top portion having an opening; and

a crown portion attached to the top portion and covering the opening, the crown portion comprising;

a toe-side crown portion, a heel-side crown portion, and a raised central crown portion located between the heel-side crown portion and the toe-side crown portion, the raised central crown portion having a maximum height that is greater than a maximum height of the toe-side crown portion and greater than a maximum height of the heel-side crown portion;

a first contoured transition region between the toe-side crown portion and the raised central crown portion; and

a second contoured transition region between the heel-side crown portion and the raised central crown portion,

wherein the heel-side crown portion has an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 5% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the raised central crown portion has an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 40% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the toe-side crown portion has an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 10% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the heel-side crown portion has an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 10% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a first integral rib proximate to the first contoured transition region.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a second integral rib proximate to the second contoured transition region.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a first integral rib disposed within the first contoured transition region, the first integral rib comprising a plurality of layers of composite material, the crown portion having a thickness greater than 2.1 millimeters proximate to the first integral rib.

8. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a second integral rib disposed within the second contoured transition region, the second integral rib comprising a plurality of layers of composite material, the crown portion having a thickness greater than 2.1 millimeters proximate to the second integral rib.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, a top portion having an opening and a forward portion extending from the front portion to the opening; and

a crown portion attached to the top portion and covering the opening, the crown portion comprising;

a toe-side crown portion, a heel-side crown portion, and a raised central crown portion located between the heel-side crown portion and the toe-side crown portion;

a first contoured transition region extending between and separating the toe-side crown portion and the raised central crown portion, the first contoured transition region comprising a first integral rib disposed within the first contoured transition region; and

a second contoured transition region extending between and separating the heel-side crown portion and the raised central crown portion, the second contoured transition region comprising a second integral rib disposed within the second contoured transition region.

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the raised central crown portion has a maximum height that is greater than a maximum height of the toe-side crown portion.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the raised central crown portion has a maximum height that is greater than a maximum height of the heel-side crown portion.

12. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the first integral rib is connected to the second integral rib by a central integral rib, the central integral rib extending a distance of at least 3 centimeters along a junction formed between the crown portion and the forward portion of the top portion.

13. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the crown portion is positioned at least 8 millimeters rearward of the front portion and forms a junction with the forward portion of the top portion.

14. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the raised central crown portion has a minimum thickness of less than 0.65 millimeter.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, a top portion having an opening and a forward portion extending from the front portion to the opening; and

a crown portion attached to the top portion and covering the opening, the crown portion comprising;

an outer layer of composite material and an inner layer of composite material;

a toe-side integral rib extending from a front perimeter of the crown portion toward a rear perimeter of the crown portion, the toe-side integral rib comprising a plurality of layers of composite material disposed between the outer layer of composite material and the inner layer of composite material;

a heel-side integral rib extending from the front perimeter of the crown portion toward the rear perimeter of the crown portion, the heel-side integral rib comprising a plurality of layers of composite material disposed between the outer layer of composite material and the inner layer of composite material;

a central integral rib extending from the toe-side integral rib to the heel-side integral rib, the central integral rib extending along a junction formed between the front perimeter of the crown portion and the forward portion of the top portion; and

a raised central crown portion extending from the toe-side integral rib to the heel-side integral rib and extending from the central integral rib toward the rear perimeter of the crown portion.

16. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the raised central crown portion has an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 40% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

17. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, the crown portion further comprising a toe-side crown portion extending from the toe-side integral rib to a toe-side perimeter of the crown portion, the toe-side crown portion having an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 10% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

18. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, the crown portion further comprising a heel-side crown portion extending from the heel-side integral rib to a heel-side perimeter of the crown portion, the heel-side crown portion having an outer surface area that is greater than or equal to 5% of a total outer surface area of the crown portion.

19. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, the crown portion further comprising a toe-side crown portion extending from the toe-side integral rib to a toe-side perimeter of the crown portion, wherein the raised central crown portion has a maximum height that is greater than a maximum height of the toe-side crown portion.

20. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, the crown portion further comprising a heel-side crown portion extending from the heel-side integral rib to a heel-side perimeter of the crown portion, wherein the raised central crown portion has a maximum height that is greater than a maximum height of the heel-side crown portion.