Progressive set of golf club heads

• US 9,168,437 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Roach, Ryan L., Breier, Joshua G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US14/265,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20140235366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A set of progressive golf clubs with an elliptical pad construction on the back of the striking face that corresponds to a location, shape and size of a predetermined golfer'"'"'s impact pattern for the lofts and lengths of each of the golf clubs in the set. The elliptical pad progressively changes in location, shape and size from the long irons, to the mid irons, to the short irons, and to the wedges, based on the location, shape and size of a predetermined golfer'"'"'s impact pattern for each of the long irons, mid irons, short irons, and wedges.

Claims

1. A progressive set of iron-type golf club heads, comprising:

a first iron-type golf club head, comprising a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a heel, a toe, and a first elliptical area of increased thickness positioned on a back of the striking face; and

a second iron-type golf club head, comprising a second body defining a second striking face, a second top line, a second sole, a second heel, a second toe, and a second elliptical area of increased thickness positioned on a back of the second striking face,

wherein the second elliptical area of increased thickness is shaped more like a circle than the first elliptical area of increased thickness, wherein boundaries of the first elliptical area and the second elliptical area are defined by a protrusion on the on the back of the striking faces due to the increased thickness and wherein the first golf club head has a design loft that is lower than the design loft of the second club head.

2. The progressive set of iron-type golf club heads of claim 1, wherein

a first major axis, a first minor axis and a first location of the first elliptical area of increased thickness correspond to a first predetermined impact pattern of a golfer;

and

a second major axis, a second minor axis and a second location of the second elliptical area of increased thickness correspond to a second predetermined impact pattern of a golfer.

3. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 2, further comprising;

a third golf club head, comprising a body defining a third striking face, a third top line, a third sole, a third heel, a third toe, and a third elliptical area of increased thickness, the third elliptical area of increased thickness having a third major axis, third minor axis and third thickness;

wherein the third major axis, third minor axis and third location correspond to a third predetermined impact pattern of a golfer.

4. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 3,

wherein the difference between the first major axis and first minor axis is greater than the difference between the second major axis and second minor axis;

and

the difference between the second major axis and second minor axis is greater than the difference between the third major axis and third minor axis.

5. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 2, wherein the difference between the first major axis and first minor axis is greater than the difference between the second major axis and second minor axis.

6. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 1, wherein the progressive set of golf club heads includes 4 iron and 8 iron golf club heads.

7. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 1, wherein the first golf club head has a club length that is longer than the club length of the second golf club head.

8. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 1, wherein,

when a first ratio is defined as an area of the back of the striking face to an area of the first elliptical area of increased thickness, and

when a second ratio is defined as an area of the back of the second striking face to an area of the second elliptical area of increased thickness,

the first ratio is greater than the second ratio.

9. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 1, wherein the progressive set of golf club heads includes 3 iron and 7 iron golf club heads.

10. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 1, wherein the progressive set of golf club heads includes a 5 iron and a 9 iron golf club head.

11. A set of iron-type golf club heads comprising:

a first iron-type club head, a second iron-type club head, and a third iron-type club head, all of progressively varying design loft, wherein each club head has a body defining a topline, toe, sole, heel, hosel, and ball-striking face, and further wherein each club head includes an area of increased thickness on a back of the ball-striking face,

wherein the area of increased thickness varies progressively with iron length through the set, wherein each area of increased thickness is progressively more elliptical as the iron-type heads have a lower loft, and wherein boundaries of the elliptical areas are defined by a protrusion on the on the back of the striking faces due to the increased thickness.

12. A progressive set of iron-type golf club heads, comprising:

where pad is defined as an area of increased thickness,

a first iron-type golf club head, comprising a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a back of the striking face, a heel, and a toe;

wherein the back of the striking face of the first golf club head comprises a first elliptical pad, the first elliptical pad having a first major axis, first minor axis and first thickness;

wherein the first elliptical pad has a first location and the first major axis, first minor axis and first location of the first elliptical pad correspond to a first location and first size of a predetermined golfer'"'"'s impact pattern based on a loft and club length of the first golf club head;

a second iron-type golf club head, comprising a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a back of the striking face, a heel, and a toe;

wherein the back of the striking face of the second golf club head comprises a second elliptical pad, the second elliptical pad having a second major axis, second minor axis and second thickness;

wherein the second elliptical pad has a second location and the second major axis, second minor axis and second location of the second elliptical pad correspond to a second location and second size of a predetermined golfer'"'"'s impact pattern based on a loft and club length of the second golf club head;

wherein the first elliptical pad has a first thickness that is smaller than the second thickness of the second elliptical pad, wherein the second elliptical pad is shaped more like a circle than the first elliptical pad, wherein the progressive set of golf club heads includes 6 iron, 8 iron and pitching wedge golf club heads.

13. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 12, wherein the striking face of the first golf club head has the same thickness as the thickness of the striking face of the second golf club head.

14. The progressive set of golf club heads of claim 12, further comprising;

a third golf club head, comprising a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a back of the striking face, a heel, and a toe;

wherein the back of the striking face of the third golf club head comprises a third elliptical pad, the third elliptical pad having a third major axis, third minor axis and third thickness;

wherein the third elliptical pad has a third location and the third major axis, third minor axis and third location of the third elliptical pad correspond to a third location and third size of a predetermined golfer'"'"'s impact pattern based on a loft and club length of the third golf club head;

wherein the second elliptical pad has a second thickness that is smaller than the third thickness of the third elliptical pad.