Golf club heads with arcuate port structures and tuning elements

• US 9,545,548 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2015
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Petersen, David L., Stokke, Ryan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US14/623,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20150231458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 473/350, 473/332, 473/334, 473/336, 473/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0479 Wedge-type clubs, details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Some embodiments include a golf club head with an arcuate port structure and tuning element. Other embodiments for related golf club heads and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a strike portion comprising;

a strikeface; and

a backface opposite the strikeface, the backface comprising a perimeter portion at a top end of the backface;

a rear portion coupled to the strike portion at a bottom end of the strike portion;

a port structure at least partially defined within the rear portion, the port structure comprising a slot extending from a slot opening to a slot base; and

a tuning element, wherein the tuning element is arcuate and is located within and substantially conformal with the port structure;

wherein;

the bottom end of the strike portion is located closer to the slot base than the slot opening;

the slot comprises;

a heel wall;

a toe wall;

a rear wall extending from the slot opening to the slot base, and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall, the rear wall comprising a first rear wall curve along a first direction extending between the slot opening and the slot base wherein the first rear wall curve is convex in the first direction extending between the slot opening and the slot base; and

a front wall extending from the slot opening to the slot base, and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall, the strike face being located closer to the front wall than the rear wall, and the front wall comprising a first front wall curve along the first direction; and

the distance from the slot opening to the slot base is greater than the distance from the front wall to the rear wall.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the backface is at least partially concave.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

a middle portion of the front wall between the heel wall and the toe wall is an approximately constant distance from a middle portion of the rear wall between the heel wall and the toe wall along the first direction.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the front wall comprises a second front wall curve along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the rear wall is approximately straight along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the front wall is a shorter distance from the rear wall at the heel wall and the toe wall than at a midpoint between the heel wall and the toe wall.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the heel wall is at an angle of greater than 90 degrees with respect to the rear wall; and

the toe wall is at an angle of greater than 90 degrees with respect to the rear wall.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

a distance between the strikeface and the front wall is greater at the slot base than at the slot opening.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the port structure comprises a cap recess at the slot opening extending beyond the front wall, the rear wall, the heel wall, and the toe wall.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a heel-to-toe length of approximately 1.0 inch to approximately 3.0 inches.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a height of approximately 0.1 inch to approximately 1.0 inch.

15. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a front-to-rear thickness;

the front-to-rear thickness at the heel wall and the toe wall is less than the front-to-rear thickness at a midpoint between the heel wall and the toe wall;

the front-to-rear thickness at the heel wall and the toe wall is greater than or equal to approximately 0.025 inch; and

the front-to-rear thickness at the midpoint between the heel wall and the toe wall is less than or equal to approximately 0.5 inch.

16. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a cap extending beyond the slot and seated within a cap recess at the slot opening extending beyond the front wall, the rear wall, the heel wall, and the toe wall.

17. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the tuning element can be inserted into the port structure in only one orientation.

18. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a different material than the rear portion or the strike portion.

2. A golf club head comprising:

a strike portion comprising;

a strikeface; and

a backface opposite the strikeface, the backface comprising a perimeter portion at a top end of the backface;

a rear portion coupled to the strike portion at a bottom end of the strike portion;

a port structure at least partially defined within the rear portion, the port structure comprising a slot extending from a slot opening to a slot base; and

a tuning element, wherein the tuning element is arcuate and is located within and substantially conformal with the port structure;

wherein;

the bottom end of the strike portion is located closer to the slot base than the slot opening;

the slot comprises;

a heel wall;

a toe wall;

a rear wall extending from the slot opening to the slot base, and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall, the rear wall comprising a first rear wall curve along a first direction extending between the slot opening and the slot base wherein the first rear wall curve is convex in the first direction extending between the slot opening and the slot base; and

a front wall extending from the slot opening to the slot base, and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall, the strike face being located closer to the front wall than the rear wall, and the front wall comprising a first front wall curve along the first direction; and

the distance from the slot opening to the slot base is greater than the distance from the front wall to the rear wall;

wherein;

the first front wall curve comprises a portion of a first circle having a first radius;

the first rear wall curve comprises a portion of a second circle having a second radius; and

the first circle and the second circle are approximately concentric.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the second radius is smaller than the first radius.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the second radius is approximately 0.5 inch to approximately 1.5 inches.

19. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

a middle portion of the front wall between the heel wall and the toe wall is an approximately constant distance from a middle portion of the rear wall between the heel wall and the toe wall along the first direction.

20. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the front wall comprises a second front wall curve along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall.

21. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the rear wall is approximately straight along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and extending between the heel wall and the toe wall.

22. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the front wall is a shorter distance from the rear wall at the heel wall and the toe wall than at a midpoint between the heel wall and the toe wall.

23. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the heel wall is at an angle of greater than 90 degrees with respect to the rear wall; and

the toe wall is at an angle of greater than 90 degrees with respect to the rear wall.

24. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

a distance between the strikeface and the front wall is greater at the slot base than at the slot opening.

25. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the port structure comprises a cap recess at the slot opening extending beyond the front wall, the rear wall, the heel wall, and the toe wall.

26. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a front-to-rear thickness;

the front-to-rear thickness at the heel wall and the toe wall is less than the front-to-rear thickness at a midpoint between the heel wall and the toe wall;

the front-to-rear thickness at the heel wall and the toe wall is greater than or equal to approximately 0.025 inch; and

the front-to-rear thickness at the midpoint between the heel wall and the toe wall is less than or equal to approximately 0.5 inch.

27. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a cap extending beyond the slot and seated within a cap recess at the slot opening extending beyond the front wall, the rear wall, the heel wall, and the toe wall.

28. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the tuning element can be inserted into the port structure in only one orientation.

29. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

the tuning element comprises a different material than the rear portion or the strike portion.