Golf club head or other ball striking device with removable and/or movable sole member

• US 9,033,813 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Oldknow, Andrew G. V., Rauchholz, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/485,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473244-248, D21/752
• US Class Current: 473/244
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• 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 ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball and being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges, a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, and a sole member connected to the sole of the body. The sole member may be removably connected to the sole, which can permit removal and replacement with another sole member having a different property. The sole member may additionally or alternately be movably connected to the sole, which can permit adjustment of the sole member, such as to change the lie angle of the head. The sole member may be at least partially received in a receiver in the sole and may form at least a portion of the lowermost surface of the head.

Claims

1. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having a receiver located on the sole; and

a removable sole member received by the receiver and removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head, wherein the sole member has a rear end and two legs extending rearwardly from the rear end, and wherein the legs are separate and extend away from each other,

wherein the sole member completely fills the receiver and has an outer surface that is raised with respect to at least one surface of the sole immediately adjacent the receiver.

2. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the body further has an elongated channel extending continuously across at least a portion of the sole, the channel being defined by edges located on the body and comprising side walls extending inwardly from the edges to a recessed trough, such that the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole.

3. The ball striking device of claim 2, wherein the sole member comprises a plug extending into the channel and at least partially filling a portion of the channel and a cover member extending rearwardly from the plug along the sole of the body.

4. The ball striking device of claim 3, wherein the sole member has an outer surface that is raised with respect to one or more surfaces of the sole immediately adjacent the receiver.

5. The ball striking device of claim 4, wherein the plug of the sole member engages the side walls and the trough of the channel and completely fills the portion of the channel, such that the plug is substantially flush with at least one of the edges of the channel.

6. The ball striking device of claim 5, wherein the receiver and the sole member have complementary connecting structure removably connecting the sole member to the body.

7. The ball striking device of claim 2, wherein the edges of the channel extend generally parallel with an adjacent edge of the peripheral edges of the face.

11. A golf club comprising the ball striking device of claim 1 and a shaft connected to the face member and configured for gripping by a user.

8. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having a receiver located on the sole; and

a removable sole member received by the receiver and removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head, wherein the sole member has a rear end and two legs extending rearwardly from the rear end, and wherein the legs are separate and extend away from each other,

wherein the sole member is moveable between a first position within the receiver and a second position within the receiver to adjust a lie angle of the device, wherein the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a first surface angle relative to the striking surface when the sole member is in the first position, and the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a second surface angle relative to the striking surface when the sole member is in the second position.

9. The ball striking device of claim 8, wherein the sole member is moveable between the first and second positions by rotating the sole member within a cavity in which the sole member is mounted.

10. The ball striking device of claim 8, wherein the sole member is moveable between the first and second positions by removing the sole member from a cavity in which the sole member is mounted in one of the first and second positions and inserting the sole member into the cavity in another of the first and second positions.

12. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having an elongated channel extending across at least a portion of the sole, wherein the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole;

a removable sole member removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head; and

a releasable connection mechanism removably connecting the sole member to the body,

wherein the releasable connection mechanism comprises a plurality of connection members for removably connecting the sole member to the body, and wherein the plurality of connection members comprise a first connection member that connects the sole member to the body at a first location within the channel and a second connection member that connects the sole member to the body at a second location rearward of the channel,

wherein the connection mechanism comprises a tab located on one of the sole and the sole member and a slot located on another of the sole and the sole member, wherein the tab is removably received in the slot to secure the sole member to the body.

13. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the sole member comprises a plug extending into the channel and completely filling a portion of the channel, such that the plug is substantially flush with at least one surface of the sole immediately adjacent the channel, and further comprises and a cover member extending rearwardly from the plug along the sole of the body.

14. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the connection mechanism comprises a fastener connecting the sole member to the sole, wherein the fastener is removable to permit the sole member to be removed from the sole.

15. A golf club comprising the ball striking device of claim 12 and a shaft connected to the face member and configured for gripping by a user.

16. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having an elongated channel extending across at least a portion of the sole, wherein the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole;

a removable sole member removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head; and

a releasable connection mechanism removably connecting the sole member to the body,

wherein the releasable connection mechanism comprises a plurality of connection members for removably connecting the sole member to the body, and wherein the plurality of connection members comprise a first connection member that connects the sole member to the body at a first location within the channel and a second connection member that connects the sole member to the body at a second location rearward of the channel,

wherein the sole member has an outer surface that is angled with respect to surfaces of the sole immediately adjacent the sole member, and wherein the sole member is moveable between a first position and a second position to adjust a lie angle of the device, wherein the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a first surface angle relative to the ball striking surface when the sole member is in the first position, and the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a second surface angle relative to the ball striking surface when the sole member is in the second position.

17. The ball striking device of claim 16, wherein the connection mechanism comprises a post received in an aperture in at least one of the sole and the sole member to connect the sole member to the body, wherein the sole member is moveable by rotation about the post.

18. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having a receiver located on the sole, approximately along a front-to-rear centerline of the body; and

a sole member received by the receiver and removably connected to the sole of the body, the sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head, wherein the sole member has an outer surface that is angled with respect to surfaces of the sole immediately adjacent the receiver, and

wherein the sole member is moveable by rotating the sole member within the receiver between a first position within the receiver and a second position within the receiver to adjust a lie angle of the device, wherein the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a first angle relative to the ball striking surface when the sole member is in the first position, and the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a second angle relative to the ball striking surface when the sole member is in the second position,

wherein the body further has an elongated channel extending continuously across at least a portion of the sole, the channel being defined by edges located on the body and comprising side walls extending inwardly from the edges to a recessed trough, such that the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole.

19. The ball striking device of claim 18, wherein the sole member comprises a plug extending into the channel and at least partially filling a portion of the channel and a cover member extending rearwardly from the plug and along the sole of the body.

20. A golf club comprising the ball striking device of claim 18 and a shaft connected to the face member and configured for gripping by a user.

21. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having a receiver located on the sole; and

a removable sole member received by the receiver and removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head,

wherein the body further has an elongated channel extending continuously across at least a portion of the sole, the channel being defined by edges located on the body and comprising side walls extending inwardly from the edges to a recessed trough, such that the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole, and

wherein the sole member comprises a plug extending into the channel and at least partially filling a portion of the channel and a cover member extending rearwardly from the plug along the sole of the body.

22. The ball striking device of claim 21, wherein the sole member has an outer surface that is raised with respect to one or more surfaces of the sole immediately adjacent the receiver.

23. The ball striking device of claim 22, wherein the plug of the sole member engages the side walls and the trough of the channel and completely fills the portion of the channel, such that the plug is substantially flush with at least one of the edges of the channel.

24. The ball striking device of claim 23, wherein the receiver and the sole member have complementary connecting structure removably connecting the sole member to the body.

25. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole;

a removable sole member removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head; and

a releasable connection mechanism removably connecting the sole member to the body,

wherein the body further has an elongated channel extending continuously across at least a portion of the sole, the channel being defined by edges located on the body, wherein the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole, and

wherein the sole member comprises a plug extending into the channel and completely filling a portion of the channel, such that the plug is substantially flush with at least one surface of the sole immediately adjacent the channel, and further comprises and a cover member extending rearwardly from the plug along the sole of the body.

26. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having a receiver located on the sole; and

a sole member received by the receiver and removably connected to the sole of the body, the sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head, wherein the sole member has an outer surface that is angled with respect to surfaces of the sole immediately adjacent the receiver, and

wherein the sole member is moveable between a first position within the receiver and a second position within the receiver to adjust a lie angle of the device, wherein the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a first angle relative to the ball striking surface when the sole member is in the first position, and the outer surface of the sole member is oriented at a second angle relative to the ball striking surface when the sole member is in the second position,

wherein the body further has an elongated channel extending continuously across at least a portion of the sole, the channel being defined by edges located on the body and comprising side walls extending inwardly from the edges to a recessed trough, such that the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole, and

wherein the sole member comprises a plug extending into the channel and at least partially filling a portion of the channel and a cover member extending rearwardly from the plug and along the sole of the body.

27. A ball striking device comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, the body having a sole configured to face a playing surface and a crown opposite the sole, the body further having an elongated channel extending across at least a portion of the sole, wherein the channel is recessed inwardly from the sole;

a removable sole member removably connected to the sole of the body, the removable sole member forming at least a portion of a lowermost surface of the head; and

a releasable connection mechanism removably connecting the sole member to the body,

wherein the releasable connection mechanism comprises a plurality of connection members for removably connecting the sole member to the body, and wherein the plurality of connection members comprise a first connection member that connects the sole member to the body at a first location within the channel and a second connection member that connects the sole member to the body at a second location rearward of the channel, and

wherein the connection mechanism comprises a post located on one of the sole and the sole member and an aperture located on another of the sole and the sole member, wherein the post has an enlarged, resilient head that is larger than a width of the aperture, the head of the post being received within the aperture to removably retain the sole member to the body.