Golf club heads with optimized characteristics and related methods

• US 9,675,851 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Stokke, Ryan M., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/836,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20150360096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473313-314, 473316, 473409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads with optimized characteristics including optimizing the center of gravity location as it relates to the head volume, and the hosel moment of inertia relative to the horizontal and vertical moments of inertia, are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a head body comprising

a head interior bounded by;

a head front portion;

a head rear portion;

a head heel portion;

a head toe portion;

a head top portion; and

a head sole portion;

and

a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;

a head center of gravity;

a head horizontal axis extending through the head center of gravity, from the head heel portion to the head toe portion, and parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is at an address position over the ground plane;

a hosel moment of inertia about the hosel axis;

a horizontal moment of inertia about the head horizontal axis;

wherein

the hosel moment of inertia is approximately 7000 g·

cm² to approximately 11000 g·

cm²; and

the horizontal moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 39% of the hosel moment of inertia;

a strikeface having a strikeface centerpoint;

a loft plane tangent to the strikeface centerpoint; and

a weight structure located towards the head sole portion and the head rear portion of the head body;

a clock grid comprises;

a 12 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 3 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 4 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 5 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 8 o'"'"'clock ray; and

a 9 o'"'"'clock ray;

when the golf club head is at the address portion, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'"'"'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane;

the clock grid is centered along the 12 o'"'"'clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion;

the 3 o'"'"'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion;

the 9 o'"'"'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion;

a perimeter of the weight structure is bounded between the 4 o'"'"'clock ray and the 9 o'"'"'clock ray; and

a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'"'"'clock ray and the 8 o'"'"'clock ray.

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

the horizontal moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 40% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the horizontal moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 45% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the horizontal moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 50% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the horizontal moment of inertia is approximately 2800 g·

cm² to approximately 4300 g·

cm².

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a head vertical axis extending through the head center of gravity, from the head top portion to the head sole portion, and perpendicular to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane; and

a vertical moment of inertia about the head vertical axis;

wherein the vertical moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 59% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the vertical moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 60% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the vertical moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 65% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the vertical moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 70% of the hosel moment of inertia.

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

the vertical moment of inertia is approximately 4700 g·

cm² to approximately 6000 g·

cm².

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

the hosel moment of inertia is approximately 7000 g·

cm² to approximately 11000 g·

cm²; and

the horizontal moment of inertia is approximately 2800 g·

cm² to approximately 4300 g·

cm².

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

the weight structure protrudes at least partially from an external contour of the head sole portion; and

the weight structure comprises;

a weight mass of approximately 2 grams to approximately 50 grams; and

a weight volume of approximately 1 cc to approximately 30 cc.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a head vertical axis extending through the head center of gravity, from the head top portion to the head sole portion, and perpendicular to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane; and

wherein;

the head body comprises a driver-type body;

a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint and parallel to the hosel axis;

a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane;

a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point;

a head CG height of the head center of gravity is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point;

a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between;

a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and

a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;

the head CG height is approximately 0 mm to approximately 5.08 mm;

the head CG depth is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm;

a head volume of the golf club head is approximately 420 cc to approximately 470 cc; and

a head weight of the golf club head is approximately 185 grams to approximately 225 grams.

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

a first optimization characteristic, defined as the absolute value of the head CG height, is less than or equal to 5.08 mm;

a second optimization characteristic, defined as the difference between 76.2 mm and a face height, divided by the head CG depth, is less than or equal to 0.56;

a third optimization characteristic defined as the head volume plus a ratio of the head CG depth to the absolute value of the head CG height is greater than or equal to 425.

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

a weight distance between the head center of gravity and a weight center of the weight structure is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm.

16. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a hosel coupling mechanism comprising the hosel structure and a shaft sleeve configured to adjustably couple a golf shaft to the hosel structure.

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

the weight structure comprises a weight center;

a head vertical axis extends between the head center of gravity and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a weight center elevation axis extends between the weight center and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a head CG elevation is measured, along the head vertical axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane;

a weight center elevation is measured, along the weight center elevation axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane; and

an elevation ratio, defined by the weight center elevation over the head CG elevation, is greater than 0.44.

18. The golf club head of claim 1,

wherein:

the weight structure comprises a weight center;

a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint of the strikeface and parallel to the hosel axis;

a head vertical axis extends between the head center of gravity and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a weight center elevation axis extends between the weight center and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between;

an intersection point at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and

an intersection point at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;

a weight center depth of the weight center is measured, parallel to the ground plane, between;

the intersection point of the front plane with the ground plane; and

an intersection point of the weight center elevation axis with the ground plane;

and

a depth ratio, defined by the weight center depth over the head CG depth, is less than 2.54.

19. A method for providing a golf club head, the method comprising:

providing a head body comprising;

a head interior bounded by;

a head front portion;

a head rear portion;

a head heel portion;

a head toe portion;

a head top portion; and

a head sole portion;

a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;

a strikeface having a strikeface centerpoint;

a loft plane tangent to the strikeface centerpoint; and

a weight structure located towards the head sole portion and the head rear portion of the head body;

a clock grid comprises;

a 12 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 3 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 4 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 5 o'"'"'clock ray;

a 8 o'"'"'clock ray; and

a 9 o'"'"'clock ray;

when the golf club head is at the address portion, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'"'"'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane;

the clock grid is centered along the 12 o'"'"'clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion;

the 3 o'"'"'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion;

the 9 o'"'"'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion;

a perimeter of the weight structure is bounded between the 4 o'"'"'clock ray and the 9 o'"'"'clock ray; and

a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'"'"'clock ray and the 8 o'"'"'clock ray; and

coupling the golf club shaft to the hosel structure;

wherein;

a head horizontal axis extends through a head center of gravity of the golf club head, from the head heel portion to the head toe portion, and parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is at an address position over the ground plane;

a head vertical axis extends through the head center of gravity, from the head top portion to the head sole portion, and perpendicular to the ground plane when the golf club head is at address over the ground plane;

providing the head body comprises at least one of;

establishing a horizontal moment of inertia about the head horizontal axis to be greater than or equal to 39% of a hosel moment of inertia about the hosel axis;

or

establishing a vertical moment of inertia about the head vertical axis to be greater than or equal to 59% of the hosel moment of inertia about the hosel axis.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the weight structure protrudes at least partially from an external contour of the head sole portion; and

the weight structure comprises;

a weight mass of approximately 2 grams to approximately 50 grams; and

a weight volume of approximately 1 cc to approximately 30 cc.

21. A golf club head comprising

a head body comprising

a head interior bounded by:

a head front portion;

a head rear portion;

a head heel portion;

a head toe portion;

a head top portion; and

a head sole portion;

and

a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;

a head center of gravity;

a head horizontal axis extending through the head center of gravity, from the head heel portion to the head toe portion, and parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is at an address position over the ground plane;

a hosel moment of inertia about the hosel axis; and

a horizontal moment of inertia about the head horizontal axis;

wherein

the hosel moment of inertia is approximately 7000 g·

cm² to approximately 11000 g·

cm²; and

the horizontal moment of inertia is greater than or equal to 39% of the hosel moment of inertia;

a strikeface having a strikeface centerpoint;

wherein;

the head body comprises a weight structure having a weight center and located towards the head sole portion and the head rear portion;

a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint of the strikeface and parallel to the hosel axis;

a head vertical axis extends between the head center of gravity and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a weight center elevation axis extends between the weight center and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position;

a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between;

an intersection point at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and

an intersection point at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;

a weight center depth of the weight center is measured, parallel to the ground plane, between;

the intersection point of the front plane with the ground plane; and

an intersection point of the weight center elevation axis with the ground plane;

and

a depth ratio, defined by the weight center depth over the head CG depth, is less than 2.54.