Hollow golf club head
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hollow golf club comprising:
- (A) a shaft (200) having a proximal end (210) and a distal end (220);
(B) a grip (300) attached to the shaft proximal end (210); and
(C) a golf club head (400) having(i) a face (500) positioned at a front portion (402) of the golf club head (400) where the golf club head (400) impacts a golf ball, wherein the face (500) has a loft of at least 12 degrees and no more than 30 degrees, and wherein the face (400) includes an engineered impact point (EIP), a top edge height (TEH), and a lower edge height (LEH);
(ii) a sole (700) positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head (400);
(iii) a crown (600) positioned at a top portion of the golf club head (400);
(iv) a skirt (800) positioned around a portion of a periphery of the golf club head (400) between the sole (700) and the crown (600), wherein the face (500), sole (700), crown (600), and skirt (800) define an outer shell that further defines a head volume that is less than 300 cubic centimeters, and wherein the golf club head (400) has a rear portion (404) opposite the face (500);
(v) a bore having a center that defines a shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define an origin point, wherein the bore is located at a heel side (406) of the golf club head (400) and receives the shaft distal end (220) for attachment to the golf club head (400), and wherein a toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) is located opposite of the heel side (406);
(vi) a club head (400) mass of less than 270 grams;
(vii) a center of gravity (CG) located;
(a) vertically toward the crown (600) of the golf club head (400) from the origin point a distance Ycg;
(b) horizontally from the origin point toward the toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) a distance Xcg that is generally parallel to the face (500) and the ground plane (GP); and
(c) a distance Zcg from the origin toward the rear portion (404) in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure Xcg;
(viii) the engineered impact point (EIP) located;
(a) vertically toward the crown (600) of the golf club head (400) from the origin point a distance Yeip, wherein 0.5″
>
(Yeip−
Ycg)>
−
0.5″
;
(b) horizontally from the origin point toward the toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) a distance Xeip that is generally parallel to the face (500) and the ground plane (GP), wherein 0.5″
>
(Xeip−
Xcg)>
−
0.5″
; and
(c) a distance Zeip from the origin toward the face (500) in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure Xcg, wherein (Zeip+Zcg)<
2.0″
;
(ix) a stress reducing feature (1000) including a crown located SRF (1100) located on the crown (600) and a sole located SRF (1300) located on the sole (700), wherein;
(a) the crown located SRF (1100) has a CSRF length (1110) between a CSRF toe-most point (1112) and a CSRF heel-most point (1116), a CSRF leading edge (1120) having a CSRF leading edge offset (1122), a CSRF width (1140), and a CSRF depth (1150), wherein the CSRF leading edge (1120) is located behind a plane defined by the shaft axis (SA) and the Xcg direction a distance that is at least ten percent of the difference between the maximum top edge height (TEH) and the minimum lower edge height (LEH);
(b) the sole located SRF (1300) has a SSRF length (1310) between a SSRF toe-most point (1312) and a SSRF heel-most point (1316), a SSRF leading edge (1320) having a SSRF leading edge offset (1322), a SSRF width (1340), and a SSRF depth (1350);
wherein(c) the minimum CSRF leading edge offset (1122) is less than the difference between the maximum top edge height (TEH) and the minimum lower edge height (LEH), and the minimum SSRF leading edge offset (1322) is at least two percent of the difference between the maximum top edge height (TEH) and the minimum lower edge height (LEH).
15 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hollow golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature including a crown located stress reducing feature, located on the crown of the club head, and a sole located stress reducing feature, located on the sole of the club head. The location and size of the stress reducing features, and their relationship to one another, play a significant role in reducing the peak stress seen on the golf club'"'"'s face during an impact with a golf ball, as well as selectively increasing deflection of the face.
440 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A hollow golf club comprising:
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(A) a shaft (200) having a proximal end (210) and a distal end (220); (B) a grip (300) attached to the shaft proximal end (210); and (C) a golf club head (400) having (i) a face (500) positioned at a front portion (402) of the golf club head (400) where the golf club head (400) impacts a golf ball, wherein the face (500) has a loft of at least 12 degrees and no more than 30 degrees, and wherein the face (400) includes an engineered impact point (EIP), a top edge height (TEH), and a lower edge height (LEH); (ii) a sole (700) positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head (400); (iii) a crown (600) positioned at a top portion of the golf club head (400); (iv) a skirt (800) positioned around a portion of a periphery of the golf club head (400) between the sole (700) and the crown (600), wherein the face (500), sole (700), crown (600), and skirt (800) define an outer shell that further defines a head volume that is less than 300 cubic centimeters, and wherein the golf club head (400) has a rear portion (404) opposite the face (500); (v) a bore having a center that defines a shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define an origin point, wherein the bore is located at a heel side (406) of the golf club head (400) and receives the shaft distal end (220) for attachment to the golf club head (400), and wherein a toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) is located opposite of the heel side (406); (vi) a club head (400) mass of less than 270 grams; (vii) a center of gravity (CG) located; (a) vertically toward the crown (600) of the golf club head (400) from the origin point a distance Ycg; (b) horizontally from the origin point toward the toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) a distance Xcg that is generally parallel to the face (500) and the ground plane (GP); and (c) a distance Zcg from the origin toward the rear portion (404) in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure Xcg; (viii) the engineered impact point (EIP) located; (a) vertically toward the crown (600) of the golf club head (400) from the origin point a distance Yeip, wherein 0.5″
>
(Yeip−
Ycg)>
−
0.5″
;(b) horizontally from the origin point toward the toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) a distance Xeip that is generally parallel to the face (500) and the ground plane (GP), wherein 0.5″
>
(Xeip−
Xcg)>
−
0.5″
; and(c) a distance Zeip from the origin toward the face (500) in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure Xcg, wherein (Zeip+Zcg)<
2.0″
;(ix) a stress reducing feature (1000) including a crown located SRF (1100) located on the crown (600) and a sole located SRF (1300) located on the sole (700), wherein; (a) the crown located SRF (1100) has a CSRF length (1110) between a CSRF toe-most point (1112) and a CSRF heel-most point (1116), a CSRF leading edge (1120) having a CSRF leading edge offset (1122), a CSRF width (1140), and a CSRF depth (1150), wherein the CSRF leading edge (1120) is located behind a plane defined by the shaft axis (SA) and the Xcg direction a distance that is at least ten percent of the difference between the maximum top edge height (TEH) and the minimum lower edge height (LEH); (b) the sole located SRF (1300) has a SSRF length (1310) between a SSRF toe-most point (1312) and a SSRF heel-most point (1316), a SSRF leading edge (1320) having a SSRF leading edge offset (1322), a SSRF width (1340), and a SSRF depth (1350);
wherein(c) the minimum CSRF leading edge offset (1122) is less than the difference between the maximum top edge height (TEH) and the minimum lower edge height (LEH), and the minimum SSRF leading edge offset (1322) is at least two percent of the difference between the maximum top edge height (TEH) and the minimum lower edge height (LEH). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A hollow golf club comprising:
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(A) a shaft (200) having a proximal end (210) and a distal end (220); (B) a grip (300) attached to the shaft proximal end (210); and (C) a golf club head (400) having; (i) a face (500) positioned at a front portion (402) of the golf club head (400) where the golf club head (400) impacts a golf ball, wherein the face (500) has a loft of at least 12 degrees and no more than 30 degrees, and wherein the face (400) includes an engineered impact point (EIP) and a top edge height (TEH); (ii) a sole (700) positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head (400); (iii) a crown (600) positioned at a top portion of the golf club head (400); (iv) a skirt (800) positioned around a portion of a periphery of the golf club head (400) between the sole (700) and the crown (600), wherein the face (500), sole (700), crown (600), and skirt (800) define an outer shell that further defines a head volume that is less than 300 cubic centimeters, and wherein the golf club head (400) has a rear portion (404) opposite the face (500); (v) a bore having a center that defines a shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define an origin point, wherein the bore is located at a heel side (406) of the golf club head (400) and receives the shaft distal end (220) for attachment to the golf club head (400), and wherein a toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) is located opposite of the heel side (406); (vi) a club head (400) mass of less than 270 grams; (vii) a center of gravity (CG) located; (a) vertically toward the crown (600) of the golf club head (400) from the origin point a distance Ycg; (b) horizontally from the origin point toward the toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) a distance Xcg that is generally parallel to the face (500) and the ground plane (GP); and (c) a distance Zcg from the origin toward the rear portion (404) in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure Xcg; (viii) a club moment arm (CMA) from the CG to the engineered impact point (EIP) of less than 1.3 inches; and (ix) a stress reducing feature (1000) including a crown located SRF (1100) located on the crown (600) and a sole located SRF (1300) located on the sole (700), wherein; (a) the crown located SRF (1100) has a CSRF length (1110) between a CSRF toe-most point (1112) and a CSRF heel-most point (1116), a CSRF leading edge (1120), a CSRF width (1140), and a CSRF depth (1150); (b) the sole located SRF (1300) has a SSRF length (1310) between a SSRF toe-most point (1312) and a SSRF heel-most point (1316), a SSRF leading edge (1320), a SSRF width (1340), and a SSRF depth (1350); and (c) a SRF connection plane (1500) passes through a portion of the crown located SRF (1100) and the sole located SRF (1300), wherein a CG-to-plane offset (1600) is the shortest distance from the center of gravity (CG) to the SRF connection plane (1500), and the CG-to-plane offset (1600) is at least twenty-five percent of the club moment arm (CMA) and less than seventy-five percent of the club moment arm (CMA). - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A hollow golf club comprising:
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(A) a shaft (200) having a proximal end (210) and a distal end (220); (B) a grip (300) attached to the shaft proximal end (210); and (C) a golf club head (400) having; (i) a face (500) positioned at a front portion (402) of the golf club head (400) where the golf club head (400) impacts a golf ball, wherein the face (500) has a loft of at least 12 degrees and no more than 30 degrees, and wherein the face (400) includes an engineered impact point (EIP), a top edge height (TEH), a lower edge height (LEH), and a face thickness (530) of less than 0.100 inches; (ii) a sole (700) positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head (400); (iii) a crown (600) positioned at a top portion of the golf club head (400); (iv) a skirt (800) positioned around a portion of a periphery of the golf club head (400) between the sole (700) and the crown (600), wherein the face (500), sole (700), crown (600), and skirt (800) define an outer shell that further defines a head volume that is less than 300 cubic centimeters, and wherein the golf club head (400) has a rear portion (404) opposite the face (500); (v) a bore having a center that defines a shaft axis (SA) which intersects with a horizontal ground plane (GP) to define an origin point, wherein the bore is located at a heel side (406) of the golf club head (400) and receives the shaft distal end (220) for attachment to the golf club head (400), and wherein a toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) is located opposite of the heel side (406); (vi) a club head (400) mass of less than 270 grams; (vii) a center of gravity (CG) located; (a) vertically toward the crown (600) of the golf club head (400) from the origin point a distance Ycg; (b) horizontally from the origin point toward the toe side (408) of the golf club head (400) a distance Xcg that is generally parallel to the face (500) and the ground plane (GP); and (c) a distance Zcg from the origin toward the rear portion (404) in a direction generally orthogonal to the vertical direction used to measure Ycg and generally orthogonal to the horizontal direction used to measure Xcg; and (viii) a stress reducing feature (1000) including a crown located SRF (1100) located on the crown (600) and a sole located SRF (1300) located on the sole (700), wherein a stress-to-deflection ratio of the peak stress on the face to the peak deflection of the face when exposed to an approximate impact force is less than 4500 ksi per inch of deflection, wherein the approximate impact force is applied to the face (500) over a 0.6 inch diameter, centered on the engineered impact point (EIP), and the approximate impact force is at least 1000 lbf and no more than 4000 lbf. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification