GOLF CLUB HEADS WITH TURBULATORS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE GOLF CLUB HEADS WITH TURBULATORS

• US 20170065859A1
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Henrikson, Erik M., Wood, Paul D., Hart, John, Jertson, Martin R., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,300,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/006 Surfaces specially adapted for reducing air resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A golf club head includes a crown surface having an apex at a highest point and extending between the face, the rear, the heel and the toe of the golf club head. The golf club head also includes a plurality of crown turbulators projecting from the surface of the crown and located between the face and the apex, wherein each adjacent pair of crown turbulators is separate and spaced apart to define a space between the adjacent pair of crown turbulators.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion, a rear portion, a heel end, a toe end, a sole portion, a crown portion, a leading edge positioned between the face portion and the crown portion, and an apex positioned at a highest point on the crown portion;

a turbulator projecting outwardly from the crown portion, positioned at least partially between the leading edge and the apex;

the turbulator extending at least partially between the face portion and the rear portion to define a width; and

the turbulator extending a distance at least partially between the heel end and the toe end.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the turbulator is a continuous strip extending from the heel end to the toe end.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the width of the turbulator is less than the distance the turbulator extends from the heel end to the toe end.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the turbulator comprises a plurality of turbulator segments projecting outwardly from the crown portion.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of turbulator segments has a width less than the distance it extends from the heel end to the toe end.

6. The turbulator of claim 1, wherein the turbulator is positioned in a curvilinear manner on the crown portion.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the width of the turbulator is less than 0.75 inches.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the turbulator is positioned between 0.25 inches and 4.5 inches from the face portion.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a distance between the turbulator and the face portion varies from the heel end to the toe end.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the turbulator is positioned on the leading edge.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the turbulator comprises a height within the range of 0.02 inches to 0.5 inches.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the turbulator comprises a height which varies from the heel end to the toe end.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion, a rear portion, a heel end, a toe end, a sole portion, a crown portion, a leading edge positioned between the face portion and the crown portion, and an apex positioned at a highest point on the crown portion; and

a plurality of sole turbulators defined by grooves disposed in the sole portion;

at least one sole turbulator of the plurality of sole turbulators extending from near the face portion towards the rear portion defining a length, wherein a width of at least one sole turbulator of the plurality of sole turbulators varies along the length of the at least one sole turbulator.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least one sole turbulator of the plurality of sole turbulators is curved.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, further comprising:

a centerline extending perpendicularly from a center portion of the face portion towards the rear portion of the club head; and

the plurality of sole turbulators comprising a first end near the face portion and a second end towards the rear portion, wherein the second end of at least one of the sole turbulators of the plurality of sole turbulators is positioned closer to the centerline than the first end of the at least one sole turbulator.

16. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sole turbulators progressively increase in length in a direction from the face portion towards the toe end.

17. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein a distance separating a first sole turbulator of the plurality of sole turbulators from a second sole turbulator of the plurality of sole turbulators remains constant across the length of the first and second sole turbulators.

18. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein a depth of at least one of the sole turbulators of the plurality of sole turbulators varies across its length.

19. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein a side wall of at least one of the sole turbulators of the plurality of sole turbulators is non-perpendicular relative to a bottom of the at least one sole turbulator.

20. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein a volume defined by the plurality of turbulators comprises between 15 to 25 cubic centimeters.