GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20140113744A1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: KUAN, Jimmy H., LACEY, Samuel G., NIVANH, Dan S., RADCLIFFE, Nathaniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,492,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center, a bottom portion, a top portion including an exterior surface, a hosel including an imaginary vertical hosel plane, a forwardmost point, and a rearwardmost point. In an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the hosel plane and passing through the face center, the exterior surface includes a path having a first point and a second point rearward of the first point. An imaginary infinite straight line passes through the first point and the second point, but does not penetrate the exterior surface. A segment of the imaginary straight line is delimited by the first point and the second point. A maximum distance between the segment and the exterior surface of the top portion is no greater than 0.70 mm and a distance between the first point and the second point is no less than 22 mm.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a striking face including a face center and a center apex;

a bottom portion and a top portion opposite the bottom portion, the top portion including an exterior surface;

a hosel including an imaginary centerline and an imaginary vertical hosel plane containing the imaginary centerline;

a forwardmost point and a rearwardmost point opposite the forwardmost point; and

a volume no less than 150 cc,

wherein the golf club head is in a reference position; and

wherein, in an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the imaginary vertical hosel plane;

the exterior surface of the top portion includes a continuous straight segment bounded by a first endpoint and a second endpoint rearward of the first endpoint; and

an imaginary infinite straight line is collinear with the segment, but does not penetrate the exterior surface of the top portion.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is no less than 4 mm.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the distance between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is no less than 8 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the volume is no less than 250 cc.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the volume is no less than 320 cc.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the rearwardmost point comprises a height, H_rear, and the exterior surface comprises a maximum height, H_max, and further wherein a ratio H_rear/H_max is no greater than 0.50.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein H_rear/H_max is no greater than 0.40.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein H_rear/H_max is no greater than 0.25.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising an overall width, W_o, wherein the imaginary vertical plane is spaced from the face center by a lateral distance no greater than 0.25 W_o.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the imaginary vertical plane passes through the face center.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein a distance between the second endpoint and the rearwardmost point is no greater than 45 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the distance between the second endpoint and the rearwardmost point is no greater than 25 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a distance D₄ is defined between the first point and the center apex, the golf club head has an overall length L_o, and a ratio of the distance D₄ to the overall length L_o is no less than 0.35.