Golf club head

• US 8,187,119 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Rae, John J., Radcliffe, Nathaniel J., Horacek, Robert J., Lacey, Sam G., Brunski, Jeff D., Schaeffer, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/354,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20090124411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• 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 53/0437 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/44 Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry ; Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/10 Streamlined, light-weight or high-speed protocols, e.g. express transfer protocol [XTP] or byte stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol

Abstract

An exemplary golf club head having additional discretionary mass may be realized by utilizing light-weight materials, a favorable average vertical distance, and/or articulation points. By using a preferred break length, the additional discretionary mass may be placed low and deep in the club head to improve the location of the center of gravity as well as the inertial properties. In one example, the center of gravity may be positioned to substantially align the sweet spot with the face center of the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a total mass between about 150 g and about 250 g;

a face portion comprising a center apex and a top edge;

a hosel having a hosel centerline, wherein the golf club head is oriented relative to an imaginary horizontal ground plane so that the hosel centerline is in a first imaginary vertical plane generally parallel to the top edge of the face portion, the hosel centerline oriented at an angle of 60°

relative to the imaginary horizontal ground plane;

at least one support ledge and at least one non-metallic portion attached to the at least one support ledge, the at least one non-metallic portion comprising at least about 30% of the total mass;

a first imaginary vertical line extending from the center apex to the imaginary horizontal ground plane;

a break length that denotes a horizontal distance, at a height of between about 5 mm and about 10 mm relative to the imaginary horizontal ground plane in a direction substantially perpendicular to the face portion, between the first imaginary vertical line and an outer surface of a rear portion of the club head, the break length being between about 96 mm and about 140 mm; and

a volume of at least about 300 cm³.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a striking surface including a sweet spot and a face center, the sweet spot being substantially coincident with the face center.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises a polymeric material.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises a composite material.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the break length is between about 100 mm and about 140 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a peripheral edge forming a perimetric boundary of the golf club head in a top plan view; and

a second imaginary vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the face portion, the second imaginary vertical plane containing a path that originates at the top edge of the face portion and terminates at the peripheral edge of the golf club head, the path characterized by an intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and a top portion of the club head, the path comprising at least two articulation points.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a peripheral edge forming a perimetric boundary of the golf club head in a top plan view; and

a second imaginary vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the face portion, the second imaginary vertical plane containing a path that originates at the top edge of the face portion and terminates at the peripheral edge of the golf club head, the path characterized by an intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and a top portion of the club head, wherein imaginary vertical segments between the path and the imaginary horizontal ground plane are evenly spaced along the path, in its entirety, in horizontal increments of 1 cm, the imaginary vertical segments averaging between about 20 mm and about 45 mm in length.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the imaginary vertical segments average between about 36 mm and about 41 mm in length.

9. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the imaginary vertical segments average between about 37 mm and about 40 mm in length.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a primary high-low moment of inertia of at least about 2500 g·

cm².

11. A golf club head comprising:

a striking surface comprising a center apex and a top edge;

a top portion;

a bottom portion;

a hosel having a hosel centerline, wherein the club head is oriented relative to an imaginary horizontal ground plane so that the hosel centerline is in a first imaginary vertical plane generally parallel to the top edge of the striking surface, the hosel centerline oriented at an angle of 60°

relative to the imaginary horizontal ground plane;

a total mass between about 150 g and about 250 g;

at least one non-metallic portion comprising at least 30% of the total mass;

a peripheral edge forming a perimetric boundary of the golf club head in a top plan view;

a second imaginary vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the striking surface, the second imaginary vertical plane containing a path that originates at the top edge of the striking surface and terminates at the peripheral edge of the golf club head, the path characterized by an intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the top portion of the club head, wherein imaginary vertical segments between the path and the imaginary horizontal ground plane are evenly spaced along the path, in its entirety, in horizontal increments of 1 cm, the imaginary vertical segments averaging between about 20 mm and about 45 mm in length; and

a volume of at least about 300 cm³.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the striking surface includes a sweet spot and a face center, the sweet spot being substantially coincident with the face center.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, further comprising a first resonant frequency of vibration between about 2000 Hz and about 7500 Hz, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, further comprising a dominant resonant frequency, the dominant resonant frequency being one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the first resonant frequency of vibration is between about 2500 Hz and about 6000 Hz.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, further comprising a dominant resonant frequency, the dominant resonant frequency being one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the first resonant frequency of vibration is between about 3000 Hz and about 5000 Hz.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, further comprising a dominant resonant frequency, the dominant resonant frequency being one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

19. The golf club head of claim 11, further comprising a primary high-low moment of inertia of at least about 2500 g·

cm².

20. The golf club head of claim 11, further comprising a primary heel-toe moment of inertia of at least about 3500 g·

cm².

21. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the path comprises at least two articulation points.

22. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the imaginary vertical segments average between about 36 mm and about 41 mm in length.