GOLF CLUB HEADS WITH OPTIMIZED CHARACTERISTICS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20190321702A1
• Filed: 07/03/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Schweigert, Bradley D., Stokke, Ryan M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,857,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• 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

Embodiments of golf club heads comprising a head interior and a hosel structure, the head interior bounded by a head front portion, a head rear portion, a head heel portion, a head toe portion, a head top portion, and a head sole portion, the golf club heads further comprising various optimized characteristics, are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a head body comprising;

a head front portion;

a head rear portion;

a head heel portion;

a head toe portion;

a head sole portion;

a head top portion; and

a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;

a face portion at the head front portion and comprising;

a strikeface centerpoint;

a strikeface perimeter; and

a face height bounded by the strikeface perimeter, the strikeface centerpoint positioned at a midpoint of the face height;

a head center of gravity; and

a weight structure located towards the sole portion and the rear portion of the head body, the weight structure having a weight center;

at least one of;

a first performance characteristic;

or a second performance characteristic;

a third performance characteristic;

wherein;

when the golf club head is at an address position over a ground plane;

a head vertical axis extends through the head center of gravity and is orthogonal to the ground plane; and

a head horizontal axis extends through the head center of gravity, and is orthogonal to the head vertical axis;

a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint;

a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the hosel axis, and orthogonal to the ground plane;

a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane;

a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point;

a head CG height of the head center of gravity is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point;

a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between;

a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and

a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;

the head CG depth is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm;

the face height is approximately 33 mm to approximately 71 mm, measured parallel to the loft plane;

the first performance characteristic comprises;

the head CG height being less than or equal to approximately 5.08 mm;

the second performance characteristic comprises;

a CG performance ratio of less than or equal to 0.56, as defined by (a) 76.2 mm minus the face height, divided by an absolute value of the head CG height;

the third performance characteristic comprises;

(a) the head volume magnitude added to (b) a ratio between the head CG depth divided by an absolute value of the head CG height;

wherein the third performance characteristic is greater than or equal to 425 cc.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

a weight center elevation axis extends between the weight center and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a head CG elevation is measured, along the head vertical axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane;

a weight center elevation is measured, along the weight center elevation axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane; and

a weight center depth of the weight center is measured, parallel to the ground plane, between;

the second intersection point at the intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and

a fourth intersection point at an intersection between the weight center elevation axis and the ground plane.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein:

a depth ratio, defined by the weight center depth over the head CG depth, is less than 2.54; and

an elevation ratio, defined by the weight center elevation over the head CG elevation, is greater than 0.44.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the head CG elevation is less than approximately 28.5 mm.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the weight center elevation is less than approximately 12.5 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

The weight center depth is greater than approximately 99.7 mm.

7. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the head CG depth is approximately 30 mm to approximately 102 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the head CG depth is approximately 35 mm to approximately 102 mm.

9. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the head CG depth is approximately 42 mm to approximately 102 mm.

10. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

the head CG depth is approximately 44 mm to approximately 102 mm.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the head center of gravity is located between the head depth plane and the head sole portion.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

a clock grid comprises at least;

a 12 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 3 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 4 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 5 o'"'"'clock ray;

an 8 o'"'"'clock ray; and

a 9 o'"'"'clock ray;

when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'"'"'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane;

the clock grid is centered along the 12 o'"'"'clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion;

the 3 o'"'"'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion;

the 9 o'"'"'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion;

a perimeter of the weight structure is at least partially bounded by the 4 o'"'"'clock ray and the 9 o'"'"'clock ray; and

a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'"'"'clock ray and the 8 o'"'"'clock ray.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the head body comprises a driver-type body;

a head volume of the golf club head is approximately 420 cc to approximately 470 cc; and

a head weight of the golf club head is approximately 185 grams to approximately 225 grams.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight structure comprises:

a weight mass of approximately 2 grams to approximately 50 grams; and

a weight volume of approximately 1 cc to approximately 30 cc.

15. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the golf club head comprises the first and second performance characteristics.

16. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the golf club head comprises the first performance characteristic.

17. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the golf club head comprises the second performance characteristic.

18. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the head CG height is approximately 0 mm to approximately 3.81 mm.

19. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the head CG height is approximately 0 mm to approximately 4.45 mm.

20. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

an area of the strikeface is approximately 23.6 cm² to approximately 45.2 cm².