Golf club head

• US 9,399,156 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Horacek, Robert J., Radcliffe, Nathaniel J., Rae, John J., Wallans, Michael J., Lacey, Sam G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/320,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20140315657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 473287-292, 473324-350, D21/733, D21/747, D21/748, D21/752, D21/759
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• 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 hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown, and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face including a face center and a location corresponding to maximum COR that is toe-ward of the face center, the sole, the crown, the skirt and the striking face defining an interior cavity;

a rib located within the interior cavity, the rib being proximal an intersection of the sole and the striking face; and

a mass located within the interior cavity, the mass contacting the rib, the mass extending from a first side of the rib toward a heel end of the golf club head and extending from a second side of the rib toward a toe end of the golf club head, the mass further contacting the sole, wherein the upper most point of the rib is closer to the intersection of the crown and the striking face than the upper most point of the mass,

wherein the mass and the rib contact the sole only at a portion of the sole having an outer surface that does not contact a substantially planar surface when the golf club head is resting on the substantially planar surface at a lie angle between about 45° and

65°

.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the rib has a height of about 2 mm to 12 mm.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the mass has a width from about 2 mm to about 15 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the mass has a maximum thickness between about 1 mm and 8 mm.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the rib extends beyond the maximum thickness of the mass by a distance of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the mass is substantially rectangle-shaped.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, having a volume greater than 300 cm³.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face having a geometric center, and a location corresponding to maximum COR that is toe-ward of the geometric center, the sole, the crown, the skirt and the striking face defining an interior cavity;

a rib located within the interior cavity, the rib being proximal an intersection of the sole and the striking face; and

a mass located within the interior cavity, the mass contacting the sole and spaced from the crown, the mass having a first portion that extends from a first side of the rib toward a heel end of the golf club head and having a second portion that extends from a second side of the rib toward a toe end of the golf club head, wherein, a first distance between the geometric center and a point on the rib closest to the geometric center is shorter than a second distance between the geometric center and a point on the mass closest to the geometric center,

wherein the mass and the rib contact the sole only at a portion of the sole having an outer surface that does not contact a substantially planar surface when the golf club head is resting on the substantially planar surface at a lie angle between about 45° and

65°

.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the rib has a height of about 2 mm to 12 mm.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the mass has a width from about 2 mm to about 15 mm.

11. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the mass has a maximum thickness between about 1 mm and 8 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the rib extends beyond the maximum thickness of the mass by a distance of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm.

13. The golf club head claim 8, wherein the mass is substantially rectangle-shaped.

14. The golf club head of claim 8, having a volume greater than 300 cm³.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a skirt;

a striking face having a geometric center and a location corresponding to maximum COR that is toe-ward of the face center, the sole, the crown, the skirt and the striking face defining an interior cavity;

a rib located within the interior cavity, the rib having a height, the rib being proximal an intersection of the sole and the striking face; and

a mass located within the interior cavity, the mass having a thickness less than the height of the rib, the mass contacting the sole and spaced from the crown, the mass having a first portion that extends from a first side of the rib toward a heel end of the golf club head and having a second portion that extends from a second side of the rib toward a toe end of the golf club head,

wherein the mass and the rib contact the sole only at a portion of the sole having an outer surface that does not contact a substantially planar surface when the golf club head is resting on the substantially planar surface at a lie angle between about 45° and

65°

.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the rib has a height of about 2 mm to 12 mm.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the mass has a width from about 2 mm to about 15 mm.

18. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the mass has a maximum thickness between about 1 mm and 8 mm.

19. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the rib extends beyond the maximum thickness of the mass by a distance of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm.

20. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the mass is substantially rectangle-shaped.

21. The golf club head of claim 15, having a volume greater than 300 cm³.