GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20170036074A1
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• 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 10,583,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 that, when oriented in a reference position, comprises:

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 fully-recessed region consisting of all points on the exterior surface of the top portion located such that every imaginary infinite straight line that passes through any one of such points also penetrates the exterior surface of the top portion, the fully-recessed region comprising at least one sub-region and having an associated volume consisting of all spatial points above the top portion of the club head located such that every imaginary infinite straight line that passes through any one of such spatial points also penetrates the exterior surface of the top portion, the associated volume being no greater than 4 cc, wherein, in an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the imaginary vertical hosel plane;

the exterior surface of the top portion includes a path comprising a first endpoint and a second endpoint rearward of the first endpoint; and

an imaginary infinite straight line passes through the first endpoint and the second endpoint and not does not penetrate the exterior surface of the top portion, a segment of the imaginary straight line delimited by the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a forwardmost point and a rearwardmost point opposite the forwardmost point, wherein the rearwardmost point comprises a height, H_rear, and the exterior surface comprises a maximum height, H_max, such that a ratio H_rear/H_max is no greater than 0.50.

3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the imaginary vertical plane passes through the face center.

4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein a maximum distance, measured perpendicular to the imaginary infinite straight line, between the segment and the exterior surface of the top portion is no greater than 0.90 mm.

5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 3, wherein the fully-recessed region further comprises a second sub-region and the first sub-region and the second sub-region are substantially mirrored about the imaginary vertical plane.

6. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the associated volume is no greater than 2 cc.

7. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is no less than 22 mm.

8. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first endpoint and the center apex, as projected onto the imaginary vertical plane, is no less than 40 mm.

9. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the volume is greater than 150 cc.

10. The wood type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the volume is between 400 and 460 cc.

11. A wood-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, comprises:

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;

an imaginary vertical central plane extending perpendicular to the imaginary vertical hosel plane and including the face center;

a fully-recessed region consisting of all points on the exterior surface of the top portion located such that every imaginary infinite straight line that passes through any one of such points also penetrates the exterior surface of the top portion, the fully-recessed region comprising at least a first sub-region and a second sub-region,

wherein, in the imaginary vertical central plane;

the exterior surface of the top portion includes a path comprising a first endpoint and a second endpoint rearward of the first endpoint; and

an imaginary infinite straight line passes through the first endpoint and the second endpoint and not does not penetrate the exterior surface of the top portion, a segment of the imaginary straight line delimited by the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

12. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, further comprising:

a forwardmost point and a rearwardmost point opposite the forwardmost point, wherein the rearwardmost point comprises a height, H_rear, and the exterior surface comprises a maximum height, H_max, such that a ratio H_rear/H_max is no greater than 0.50.

13. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the first sub-region and the second sub-region are substantially mirrored about the imaginary vertical central plane.

14. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein a maximum distance, measured perpendicular to the imaginary infinite straight line, between the segment and the exterior surface of the top portion is no greater than 0.90 mm.

15. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein a two-dimensional space is bounded by the first endpoint, the second endpoint, the path, and the imaginary infinite straight line.

16. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the fully-recessed region having an associated volume consisting of all spatial points above the top portion of the club head located such that every imaginary infinite straight line that passes through any one of such spatial points also penetrates the exterior surface of the top portion, the associated volume being no greater than 4 cc.

17. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein a distance between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is no less than 22 mm.

18. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein a distance between the first endpoint and the center apex, as projected onto the imaginary vertical central plane, is no less than 40 mm.

19. The wood-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the volume is greater than 250 cc.

20. The wood type golf club head of claim 19, wherein the volume is between 400 and 460 cc.