Golf club with weight and external rib in recess on sole

• US 10,709,940 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2018
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitagawa, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M
• Application Number:
  US16/149,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20190134471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 473349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• 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 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head includes a face including a ball striking surface, a sole defining the bottom of the golf club head, and an external rib in a recess that is formed in the external surface of the golf club head. The external rib includes a first rib, a second rib, and a third rib. The first rib is elongated in the toe-heel direction of the golf club head. The second rib is elongated in the face-back direction of the golf club head. The third rib extends continuously from the first rib to the second rib.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a crown defining a top of the golf club head;

a sole defining a bottom of the golf club head;

a face including a ball striking surface, the face extending between the crown and the sole;

an attachment part provided in the sole;

an attachment member detachably attached to the attachment part; and

an external rib in a recess, the recess being formed in a sole-side external surface of the golf club head, the external rib being exposed to an outside of the golf club head,

the external rib including

a first rib elongated in a toe-heel direction of the golf club head;

a second rib provided on a back side of the attachment part and elongated in a face-back direction of the golf club head, the second rib protruding from the sole-side external surface in a direction away from the crown in the recess; and

a third rib extending continuously from the first rib to the second rib, the third rib at least partially surrounding the attachment part,

wherein the second rib extends from the third rib toward a back of the golf club head.

2. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third rib is spaced apart from the attachment part.

3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess includes

a first recess elongated in the toe-heel direction;

a second recess elongated in the face-back direction; and

a third recess extending continuously from the first recess to the second recess.

4. The golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the golf club head has a hollow structure, and

a cross section of each of the first recess, the second recess, and the third recess taken along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof has a substantially trapezoidal shape that decreases in width from a side of the external surface of the golf club head to a side of an internal surface of the golf club head, the external surface being an external surface of the hollow structure, the internal surface being an internal surface of the hollow structure.

5. The golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the first rib is in the first recess,

the second rib is in the second recess, and

the third rib is in the third recess.

6. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the golf club head has a hollow structure, and

a cross section of each of the first rib, the second rib, and the third rib taken along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof has a substantially trapezoidal shape that decreases in width from a side of an internal surface of the golf club head to a side of the external surface of the golf club head, the external surface being an external surface of the hollow structure, the internal surface being an internal surface of the hollow structure.

7. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a length of the external rib in the toe-heel direction is 60 mm or more and 120 mm or less, and

a length of the external rib in the face-back direction is 40 mm or more and 110 mm or less.

8. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first rib and the third rib protrudes from the sole-side external surface in the direction away from the crown in the recess.