Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads Having a Configured Shape

• US 20130012334A1
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John T., Tavares, Gary G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,961,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a golf club head which includes a wood type golf club head body including a ball striking face portion at a front side, a rear side, a crown portion, and a sole portion. Further, the sole or crown or rear portion of the club head body may be configured so that the body includes a bump portion which protrudes from the sole or crown or rear portion and an indented portion which recedes into the sole or crown or rear portion and creates a recess in the sole or crown or rear portion of the body. Further, the bump portion and the indented portion may be configured so that a center of gravity of the golf club head body is nearer to one of the heel edge of the body and the toe edge of the body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a wood type golf club head body including a ball striking face portion at a front side thereof, a rear side opposite the front side, a crown portion, and a sole portion;

wherein the sole portion of the golf club head body is configured so that the golf club head body includes;

a bump portion that protrudes from the sole portion; and

an indented portion that recedes into the sole portion and creates a recess in the sole portion of the golf club head body; and

further wherein the bump portion and the indented portion are configured so that a center of gravity of the club head body is nearer to one of a heel edge of the club head body or a toe edge of the club head body.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the bump portion is nearer to the heel edge than the toe edge of the club head body and the indented portion is nearer to the toe edge than the heel edge so that a majority of a volume and a majority of a mass of the club head body are nearer to the heel edge than the toe edge.

3. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the bump portion and the indented portion are separated from each other by a base surface of the sole portion so that the bump portion and the indented portion are positioned a distance apart from each other.

4. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the indented portion and the bump portion are symmetrical with each other relative to a centerline of the sole portion of the golf club head body.

5. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein one of the bump portion or the indented portion is closer to the ball striking face while the other of the bump portion or the indented portion is closer to the rear side.

6. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein a volume of the recess of the indented portion is equal to a volume of the bump portion.

7. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the bump portion is greater than a thickness of the indented portion.

8. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the bump portion includes a material of higher density than other material or materials that comprise the golf club head body.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the bump portion is nearer to the toe edge than the heel edge and the indented portion is nearer to the heel edge than the toe edge so that a majority of a volume and a majority of a mass of the club head body are nearer to the toe edge than the heel edge.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein the bump portion and the indented portion are separated from each other by a base surface of the sole portion so that the bump portion and the indented portion are positioned a distance apart from each other.

11. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein the indented portion and the bump portion are symmetrical with each other relative to a centerline of the sole portion of the golf club head body.

12. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein one of the bump portion or the indented portion is closer to the ball striking face while the other of the bump portion or the indented portion is closer to the rear side.

13. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein a volume of the recess of the indented portion is equal to a volume of the bump portion.

14. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the bump portion is greater than a thickness of the indented portion.

15. The golf club head according to claim 9, wherein the bump portion includes a material of higher density than other material or materials that comprise the golf club head body.

16. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the bump portion and the indented portion are separated from each other by a base surface of the sole portion so that the bump portion and the indented portion are positioned a distance apart from each other.

17. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the bump portion is greater than a thickness of the indented portion.

18. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the bump portion includes a material of higher density than other material or materials that comprise the golf club head body.

19. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head according claim 1; and

a shaft engaged with the golf club head.