Golf club assembly and golf club with aerodynamic features

• US 9,314,677 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John Thomas, Boyd, Robert, Tavares, Gary G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/312,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20140302943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, D21/752, D21/759
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a rear, and a hosel region. The heel includes an airfoil-like surface shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil that extends over a majority of the length of the heel. The back may include a Kammback feature having a concavity extending from the heel-side to the toe-side of the back. The heel-side edge of the concavity may be shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil. Further, the sole may include a diffuser that extends at an angle of from approximately 10 degrees to approximately 80 degrees from a moment-of-impact trajectory direction. A hosel fairing that extends from the hosel region toward the toe may also be provided on the crown. A golf club including the golf club head is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A golf club head for a driver, the golf club head comprising:

a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region located at an intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole;

the sole including a diffuser that extends from adjacent the hosel region toward the toe, wherein the diffuser is recessed within the sole;

wherein the diffuser includes one or more vanes projecting from and connecting to a bottom surface of the diffuser in a heel-to-toe direction; and

the diffuser extends over a majority of the sole;

wherein the one or more vanes are spaced from a first side of the diffuser adjacent to the ball striking face and a second side of the diffuser nearest the back of the body.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the diffuser includes a width that increases as the distance from the hosel region increases.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the diffuser includes a width that remains constant.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the diffuser includes a depth that is variable.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the diffuser includes a depth from approximately 2 mm to approximately 10 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the diffuser includes a cross-sectional area that increases as the diffuser extends away from the hosel region.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the one or more vanes taper at either end to gradually merge with the bottom surface of the diffuser.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the one or more vanes includes a maximum height measured from the depth of the diffuser that ranges from approximately 3 mm to 10 mm.

9. A golf club head for a driver, the golf club head comprising:

a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region located at an intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole;

the sole including a diffuser that extends from adjacent the hosel region toward the toe, wherein the diffuser is recessed within the sole, the diffuser having a width measured from a first side of the diffuser adjacent to the ball striking face along a perpendicular to a centerline of the diffuser to a second side of the diffuser nearest the back of the body, and a depth measured from an imaginary surface that extends from the portion of the sole surface adjacent the first side to the portion of the sole adjacent the second side to a bottom surface of the diffuser;

wherein the diffuser includes a vane that projects from and connects to the bottom surface of the diffuser and is spaced from and centered between the first side and the second side of the diffuser, the vane extending over a majority of the sole.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the vane extends only partially along the length of the diffuser.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the diffuser includes a plurality of vanes.

12. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the vane extends from the hosel region to the toe.

13. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the vane has a maximum height equal to the depth of the diffuser.

14. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the vane has a maximum height less than the depth of the diffuser.

15. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the vane maximum height is 3 mm to 10 mm.

16. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the vane tapers at either end to merge with the bottom surface of the diffuser.

17. A golf club comprising:

a shaft; and

the golf club head according to claim 9, wherein the golf club head is secured to a first end of the shaft.

18. A golf club head for a driver, the golf club head comprising:

a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region located at an intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole;

the sole including a diffuser that extends from adjacent the hosel region toward the toe, wherein the diffuser is recessed within the sole, the diffuser having a width measured from a first side of the diffuser adjacent to the ball striking face along a perpendicular to a centerline of the diffuser to a second side of the diffuser nearest the back of the body, and a depth measured from an imaginary surface that extends from the portion of the sole surface adjacent the first side to the portion of the sole adjacent the second side to a bottom surface of the diffuser;

wherein the width of the diffuser increases and the depth of the diffuser decreases as the distance from the hosel region increases;

wherein the diffuser includes a vane that projects from a bottom surface of the diffuser and is centered between the first side and the second side of the diffuser, the vane extending over a majority of the sole.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the depth of the diffuser ranges from approximately 2 mm to approximately 10 mm.

20. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the vane includes a maximum height measured from the depth of the diffuser that ranges from approximately 3 mm to 10 mm.