Golf club head with improved aerodynamic characteristics

• US 8,753,224 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Wee Joung
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/763,403
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 473/327, 473/328, 473/228, 473/345, 473/349, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/327
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• 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

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a face component, a heel side, a toe side, and a rear side, and an air spoiler affixed to the rear side of the body is disclosed herein. In particular, the air spoiler comprises an upper shelf that extends outwards from the crown and approximately parallel to a ground plane, and is supported by one or more ribs that extend perpendicularly from the upper shelf towards the crown. The air spoiler may be used in connection with any type of golf club head, and particularly a wood-type golf club such as a driver or fairway wood.

Claims

1. A driver-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a heel side, a toe side, a rear side, a composite crown, a metal sole, a metal face component, and a volume of no more than 480 cc; and

an air spoiler comprising an upper shelf and three ribs permanently affixed to the crown at a rear side of the body,

wherein each of the upper shelf and the three ribs has a thickness of no less than 0.001 inch and no more than 0.050 inch,

wherein the air spoiler has a mass of no more than 20 grams, and

wherein the upper shelf blends smoothly with the crown and extends towards the rear side of the body approximately parallel with a horizontal ground plane.

2. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 wherein the air spoiler is affixed to the crown with epoxy.

3. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the air spoiler is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, composite, and aluminum alloy.