Golf club head

• US 7,585,233 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Roger Cleveland Golf Company Incorporated (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Radcliffe, Nathaniel J., Wallans, Michael J., Horacek, Robert J., Lacey, Sam G., Rae, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/441,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20070275792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 473287-292, 473324-350, D21/733, D21/747, D21/748, D21/752, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/0433 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face;

an interior cavity defined by the sole, the crown, the skirt, and the striking face;

a junction interconnecting the sole, the crown, and the skirt to the striking face, the junction comprising a height H between about 1 mm and about 20 mm and a length between about 1 mm and about 20 mm; and

at least one stiffening mound at least partially disposed within the junction proximate at least one of the sole and the skirt, no stiffening mound being disposed proximate the crown.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein H is between about 1 mm and about 14 mm and L is between about 1 mm and about 14 mm.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein H is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm and L is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a volume greater than 200 cm³.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a volume greater than 300 cm³.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiffening mound comprises a thickness T between about 1 mm and about 8 mm.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein T is between about 3 mm and about 7 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one substantially planar rib disposed proximate the at least one stiffening mound.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the at least one substantially planar rib is at least in part coupled with the at least one stiffening mound.

10. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face;

an interior cavity defined by the sole, the crown, the skirt, and the striking face;

a top region;

a bottom region;

a toe region;

a heel region;

a junction interconnecting the sole, the crown, and the skirt to the striking face, the junction comprising a height H between about 1 mm and about 20 mm and a length L between about 1 mm and about 20 mm; and

at least one stiffening mound at least partially disposed within the junction and located entirely in at least one of the bottom region, the toe region, and the heel region, no stiffening mound being located proximate the top region.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, further comprising at least one substantially planar rib at least in part coupled with the at least one stiffening mound, the at least one substantially planar rib comprising a maximum true height, H_max, between about 2 mm and about 12 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein H_max is between about 4 mm and about 8 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein H is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm and L is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the at least one stiffening mound comprises a width between about 2 mm and about 15 mm.

15. The golf club head of claim 10, further comprising at least one substantially planar rib disposed proximate the at least one stiffening mound.

16. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face having a face center;

an interior cavity defined by the sole, the crown, the skirt, and the striking face;

a junction interconnecting the sole, the crown, and the skirt to the striking face, the junction comprising a height H between about 1 mm and about 20 mm and a length between about 1 mm and about 20 mm;

an imaginary vertical plane oriented substantially perpendicular to the striking face and passing through the face center;

at least one first point of intersection between the junction and the imaginary vertical plane;

at least one first stiffening mound at least partially disposed within the junction and located entirely in the proximity of the at least one first point of intersection, the at least one first stiffening mound comprising a width and a length, wherein the width and the length of the at least one first stiffening mound are substantially the same dimension;

an imaginary horizontal plane passing through the face center;

at least one second point of intersection between the junction and the imaginary horizontal plane; and

at least one second stiffening mound at least partially disposed within the junction and located entirely in the proximity of the at least one second point of intersection.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face having a face center;

an interior cavity defined by the sole, the crown, the skirt, and the striking face;

a junction interconnecting the sole, the crown, and the skirt to the striking face, the junction comprising a height H between about 1 mm and about 20 mm and a length between about 1 mm and about 20 mm;

an imaginary vertical plane oriented substantially perpendicular to the striking face and passing through the face center;

at least one point of intersection between the junction and the imaginary vertical plane;

at least one first stiffening mound at least partially disposed within the junction and located entirely in the proximity of the at least one point of intersection, the at least one first stiffening mound comprising a width and a length, wherein the width and the length of the at least one first stiffening mound are substantially the same dimension;

a toe region;

a heel region; and

at least one second stiffening mound at least partially disposed within the junction and located entirely in at least one of the toe region and the heel region.

18. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face having a face center;

an interior cavity defined by the sole, the crown, the skirt, and the striking face;

an imaginary vertical plane oriented substantially perpendicular to the striking face and passing through the face center;

a junction interconnecting the sole, the crown, and the skirt to the striking face, the junction comprising a beveled region at the interconnection of the sole and the striking face; and

at least one point of intersection between the junction and the imaginary vertical plane;

at least one stiffening mound disposed in the interior cavity at least partially within the beveled region and located entirely in the proximity of the at least one point of intersection.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, further comprising at least one substantially planar rib disposed proximate the at least one stiffening mound.

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the at least one substantially planar rib is at least in part coupled with the at least one stiffening mound.

21. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the at least one stiffening mound comprises a thickness T between about 1 mm and about 8 mm.

22. The golf club head of claim 21, wherein T is between about 3 mm and about 7 mm.

23. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the at least one stiffening mound comprises a width between about 2 mm and about 15 mm.

24. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a striking face having a face center;

an interior cavity defined by at least the sole, the crown, and the striking face;

a junction interconnecting the sole and the crown to the striking face, the junction comprising a beveled region at the interconnection of the sole and the striking face; and

at least one stiffening mound disposed in the interior cavity at least partially within the beveled region and located entirely in the proximity of the beveled region.

25. The golf club head of claim 24, further comprising at least one substantially planar rib disposed proximate the at least one stiffening mound.

26. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein the at least one substantially planar rib is at least in part coupled with the at least one stiffening mound.

27. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the at least one stiffening mound comprises a thickness T between about 1 mm and about 8 mm.

28. The golf club head of claim 27, wherein T is between about 3 mm and about 7 mm.

29. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the at least one stiffening mound comprises a width between about 2 mm and about 15 mm.