Golf clubs and golf club heads

• US 8,414,423 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hatton, Philip J., Oldknow, Andrew G. V.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US13/493,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 473334-339, 473/342, 473/350, 473/324, 473/349, D21/733, D21747-751
• US Class Current: 473/335
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club includes a golf club head having a body, a ball-striking face member and one or more mass members. The body is configured to releasably accommodate a first mass member in a first region on its back surface and a second mass member in a second region on its back surface. At least one of the first and second mass members may be releasably attached to the back surface. The ball-striking face member may have an average density that is less than the average density of the body. The mass members may have an average density that is more than the average density of the ball-striking face member and/or of the body. The mass distribution of the club head may be customized via the selection and attachment of a particular mass member. The golf club head may be an iron-type golf club head.

Claims

1. A system for a head of an iron-type golf club, the system comprising:

an iron-type body extending from a shaft-attachment structure, the iron-type body having a front surface and a back surface, the back surface including a raised central portion and a recessed area integrally formed together, the recessed area extending along a back-surface peripheral edge of the iron-type body and extending around the raised central portion; and

a first mass member releasably attached to the back surface of the iron-type body,

wherein the first mass member is positioned within the recessed area and extends along a back-surface peripheral top edge of the iron-type body,

wherein a back surface of the first mass member is flush with a back surface of the raised central portion, and wherein the recessed area completely encircles the raised central portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the recessed area extends along substantially the entire back-surface peripheral edge of the iron-type body.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mass member further extends along a back-surface peripheral bottom edge of the iron-type body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mass member extends along substantially the entire back-surface peripheral top edge of the iron-type body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mass member extends along substantially the entire back-surface peripheral edge of the iron-type body.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mass member is thinner at the top than at the bottom.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a ball-striking face member located on the front surface of the iron-type body, the ball-striking face having an average density that is less than an average density of the iron-type body, which is less than an average density of the first mass member.

8. The system of claim 1, further including a second mass member configured for releasable attachment to the back surface of the iron-type body.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second mass member has a thickness that differs from a thickness of the first mass member.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second mass member has an average density that differs from an average density of the first mass member.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first mass member and the second mass member is configured to extend along substantially the entire back-surface peripheral edge of the iron-type body.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first mass member and the second mass member is thinner at the top than at the bottom.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first mass member and the second mass member has a constant thickness.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first mass member and the second mass member have different shapes.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first mass member and the second mass member abuts the raised central portion.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the first mass member and the second mass member are configured for interchangeable attachment within the recessed area.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the first mass member and the second mass member are configured for simultaneous attachment within the recessed area.

18. A system for a head of an iron-type golf club, the system comprising:

an iron-type body extending from a shaft-attachment structure, the iron-type body having a front surface and a back surface;

one or more first mass members releasably attached to the back surface of the iron-type body, the one or more first mass members having a first back-surface profile and a first mass distribution; and

one or more second mass members configured for interchangeable attachment with the at least one first mass member, the one or more second mass members having a second back-surface profile different from the first back-surface profile and a second mass distribution different from the first mass distribution, wherein the back surface includes an annular recessed area adjacent to a peripheral edge of the back surface of the iron-type body, wherein the recessed area is integrally formed with the iron-type body, wherein the one or more first mass members are positioned within the recessed area, and wherein the recessed area extends along substantially the entire back-surface peripheral edge of the iron-type body.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more first mass members extend adjacent to substantially the entire back-surface peripheral edge of the iron-type body.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more first mass members form an annular ring and wherein the one or more second mass members form an annular ring.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more first mass members have a thickness along at least a portion of a top edge of the back-surface peripheral edge that is less than a thickness of the one or more first mass members along a least a portion of a bottom edge of the back-surface peripheral edge.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more first mass members include an upper first mass member extending along the back-surface peripheral top edge and a lower first mass member extending along the back-surface peripheral bottom edge.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the upper first mass member has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the lower first mass member.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the first mass distribution has a higher center of gravity than the second mass distribution.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the annular recessed area defines a recessed volume and wherein the one or more first mass members are located entirely within the recessed volume.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more first mass members includes more than one first mass member.