GOLF CLUB WITH FLEXURE

• US 20170014690A1
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morin, John, de la Cruz, Noah, Frame, Nick, Golden, Charles E., Hebreo, Jonathan, Franz, Michael E., Martens, Grant M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,099,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0429 the face insert comprising two or more layers of material
• 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head including a face having a flat ball-striking surface and a body that form a flexure. The golf club head has a feature formed in a sole of the golf club head that provides a flexure.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a face, wherein the face defines a forward ball-striking surface that is flat;

a body coupled to the face, wherein the body forms a perimeter portion of the golf club head and a rear wall spaced from the face, wherein the combined face and body define a sole, wherein the sole includes an aperture;

a hosel extending away from the face and body and providing an attachment structure for a golf club shaft; and

a flexure forming a portion of the perimeter of the aperture, wherein the flexure is a wall that is spaced from a rear surface of the face by a thin sole portion, wherein a height of the flexure measured in a vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in an address position is in a range of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, wherein a thickness of the thin sole portion measured in a vertical direction relative to the ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in the address position is in a range of about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, wherein the height of the flexure is greater than the thickness of the thin sole portion, and wherein the height of the flexure is greater than the thickness of the thin sole portion.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole includes a plurality of apertures.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the flexure is curved so that a distance between the flexure and the face is greater at heel and toe portions of flexure than at a central portion of the flexure.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the aperture is elongate and generally extends in a heel to toe direction in the sole of the golf club head.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein a maximum length of the aperture in a heel to toe direction is in a range of about 40.0 mm to about 70.0 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein a maximum length of the aperture in a heel to toe direction is about 55.0 mm.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the flexure is formed as a separate component and coupled to the body.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the flexure is removably coupled to the body.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the flexure is mechanically coupled to the body at a plurality of locations along the flexure.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a cap, wherein the flexure is recessed from an outer surface of the sole, and wherein the cap is disposed in the recess so that an outer surface of the cap is flush with the surrounding portions of the outer surface of the sole.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the cap is fixed in the recess over only a portion of the perimeter of the cap.

12. A golf club head, comprising:

a face, wherein the face defines a ball-striking surface that is flat;

a body coupled to the face, wherein the body forms a perimeter portion of the golf club head and a rear wall spaced from the face, wherein the combined face and body define a sole, wherein the sole includes a first sole member that overlaps a second sole member, wherein the overlapping portions of the first sole member and the second sole member are spaced by a flexible member to form a flexure; and

a hosel extending away from the face and body and providing an attachment structure for a golf club shaft.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the flexible member is constructed from a flexible material having a Shore A durometer in a range of about 20 to about 60.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the flexible member is constructed from polyurethane.

15. A golf club head, comprising:

a face plate, wherein the face defines a ball-striking surface that is flat;

a body coupled to a portion of the perimeter of the face, wherein the body forms a perimeter portion of the golf club head and a rear wall spaced from the face, wherein the combined face and body define a sole, wherein the sole includes a recess on a forward edge of the sole that is adjacent the face so that the sole and the face combine to form a flexure that is a slot; and

a hosel extending away from the face and body and providing an attachment structure for a golf club shaft,

wherein the slot extends along a heel to toe axis of the golf club head, and wherein the slot has a maximum length that is between about 40.0 mm and about 70.0 mm, wherein at least one end of the slot is tapered so that a portion of the slot has a maximum width and a length of the maximum width portion that is about 40% to 90% of the maximum length of the slot.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the maximum length of the slot is about 55.0 mm.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the length of the portion of the slot having maximum width is about 60% to 90% of the maximum length of the slot.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the length of the portion of the slot having maximum width is about 90% of the maximum length of the slot.

19. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the curved end of the slot has a curved taper.

20. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the portion of the face forming a portion of the slot has a thickness between about 1.0 mm and about 3.0 mm.