GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20180304127A1
• Filed: 06/27/2018
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Sargent, Nathan T., Nielson, Joseph Reeve, Johnson, Matthew David, Greensmith, Matthew, Beach, Todd P., Franz, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,799,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface 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 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

wherein the body and the face combine to define an internal cavity;

an elongated channel extending across a portion of the sole, wherein the elongated channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole; and

at least one internal rib connecting to an internal portion of the sole and to an internal portion of the elongated channel.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal rib comprises a pair of internal ribs.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the pair of internal ribs are substantially parallel to each other.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal rib is connected to a rear wall of the elongated channel.

6. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal rib comprises a plurality of internal ribs that are connected to an interior surface of the face of the golf club head and also connect to an interior surface of the crown of the golf club head.

7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal rib extends from a rear of the golf club head along the sole to a rear wall of channel.

8. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal rib has a constant width.

9. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one internal rib has a variable height.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the at least one internal rib has a concave upper surface.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe, wherein the body and the face combine to define an internal cavity;

an elongated channel extending across a portion of the sole in a heel to toe direction, wherein the elongated channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the elongated channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe; and

a plurality of internal ribs connecting to an internal portion of the sole and to an internal portion of the elongated channel.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the plurality of internal ribs are substantially parallel to each other.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of internal ribs are connected to a rear wall of the elongated channel.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of internal ribs also connect to a portion of an interior surface of the crown of the golf club head.

15. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of the internal ribs extend from internal surface of a rear of the golf club head along the sole to a rear wall of elongated channel.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of the internal ribs has a constant width.

17. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of the internal ribs has a variable height.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of the internal ribs has a concave upper surface.

19. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe, wherein the body and the face combine to define an internal cavity;

an elongated channel extending across a portion of the sole, wherein the elongated channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the elongated channel comprises a center portion extending across the sole, a first end portion extending from a first end of the center portion toward a first end of the sole, and an opposed second end portion extending from a second end of the center portion toward an opposite end of the sole, wherein the channel comprises first and second opposing ledges extending within the channel along a length of the channel extending from the first end portion to the second end portion;

a weight assembly configured to clamp the first and second ledges at selected locations along the channel, wherein the weight assembly comprises an outer member, an inner member, and a fastening member that extends between the outer member and the inner member and is configured to cause the inner member and the outer member to clamp onto opposite sides of the first and second ledges; and

an external stiffening member that spans across the elongated channel between the first and second end portions in a direction perpendicular to a length of the channel, wherein the length of the channel extends from the first end portion to the second end portion.

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the weight assembly is slidably positioned within the elongated channel and is configured to slide within the elongated channel from a position adjacent the first end to a position adjacent the second end, and further wherein the weight assembly is positioned within the channel so that each of the outer member and the inner member are positioned inward of an inner surface of the external stiffening member, and can slide underneath the external stiffening member during repositioning of the weight assembly.

21. The golf club head of claim 19, comprising a recessed region positioned within the sole adjacent to the elongated channel, and further comprising a damping member attached to the sole and positioned at least partially within the recessed region.

22. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the first and second ends of the sole comprise the heel and toe of the sole, respectively.

23. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the first and second ends of the sole comprise a forward edge and a rearward edge of the sole, respectively.