Golf club
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A golf club head comprising:
- a sole defining a bottom portion of the club head, a crown defining a top portion of the club head, a skirt portion defining a periphery of the club head between the sole and crown, a face defining a forward portion of the club head, and a hosel defining a hosel bore, thereby defining an interior cavity;
a flexible channel positioned in the sole of the club head and extending into the interior cavity of the club head, the flexible channel extending substantially in a heel-to-toe direction and having a channel length, a channel width, a channel depth, a channel wall thickness, an internal channel structure elevation, and a channel setback distance from a leading edge of the club head;
a channel tuning system in contact with the flexible channel and having a sole engaging channel tuning element in contact with the sole and the flexible channel, the sole engaging channel tuning element having a face end, a rear end, a sole engaging tuning element length, a sole engaging tuning element height, a sole engaging tuning element width, a sole engaging portion in contact with the sole and having a sole engaging portion length, and a channel engaging portion in contact with the flexible channel and having a channel engaging portion length and a channel engaging portion elevation;
wherein;
(a) the channel setback distance includes a minimum channel setback distance, the channel width includes a minimum channel width, and the minimum channel setback distance is less than the maximum channel width;
(b) the sole engaging portion length is at least 50% of the maximum channel width; and
(c) the channel depth includes a maximum channel depth, and a portion of the sole engaging portion has the sole engaging tuning element height of at least 15% of the maximum channel depth; and
wherein the channel wall thickness has a maximum channel wall thickness, and the sole engaging tuning element width is less than 70% of the maximum channel wall thickness.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A golf club head having a flexible channel to improve the performance of the club head, and a channel tuning system to reduce undesirable club head characteristics introduced, or heightened, via the flexible channel. The channel tuning system includes a sole engaging channel tuning element in contact with the sole and the channel. The club head may include an aerodynamic configuration, as well as a body tuning system.
614 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A golf club head comprising:
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a sole defining a bottom portion of the club head, a crown defining a top portion of the club head, a skirt portion defining a periphery of the club head between the sole and crown, a face defining a forward portion of the club head, and a hosel defining a hosel bore, thereby defining an interior cavity; a flexible channel positioned in the sole of the club head and extending into the interior cavity of the club head, the flexible channel extending substantially in a heel-to-toe direction and having a channel length, a channel width, a channel depth, a channel wall thickness, an internal channel structure elevation, and a channel setback distance from a leading edge of the club head; a channel tuning system in contact with the flexible channel and having a sole engaging channel tuning element in contact with the sole and the flexible channel, the sole engaging channel tuning element having a face end, a rear end, a sole engaging tuning element length, a sole engaging tuning element height, a sole engaging tuning element width, a sole engaging portion in contact with the sole and having a sole engaging portion length, and a channel engaging portion in contact with the flexible channel and having a channel engaging portion length and a channel engaging portion elevation; wherein; (a) the channel setback distance includes a minimum channel setback distance, the channel width includes a minimum channel width, and the minimum channel setback distance is less than the maximum channel width; (b) the sole engaging portion length is at least 50% of the maximum channel width; and (c) the channel depth includes a maximum channel depth, and a portion of the sole engaging portion has the sole engaging tuning element height of at least 15% of the maximum channel depth; and wherein the channel wall thickness has a maximum channel wall thickness, and the sole engaging tuning element width is less than 70% of the maximum channel wall thickness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29)
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19. A golf club head comprising:
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a sole defining a bottom portion of the club head, a crown defining a top portion of the club head, a skirt portion defining a periphery of the club head between the sole and crown, a face defining a forward portion of the club head, and a hosel defining a hosel bore, thereby defining an interior cavity; a flexible channel positioned in the sole of the club head and extending into the interior cavity of the club head, the flexible channel extending substantially in a heel-to-toe direction and having a channel length, a channel width, a channel depth, a channel wall thickness, an internal channel structure elevation, and a channel setback distance from a leading edge of the club head; a channel tuning system in contact with the flexible channel and having a sole engaging channel tuning element in contact with the sole and the flexible channel, the sole engaging channel tuning element having a face end, a rear end, a sole engaging tuning element length, a sole engaging tuning element height, a sole engaging tuning element width, a sole engaging portion in contact with the sole and having a sole engaging portion length, and a channel engaging portion in contact with the flexible channel and having a channel engaging portion length and a channel engaging portion elevation; wherein; (a) the channel setback distance includes a minimum channel setback distance, the channel width includes a minimum channel width, and the minimum channel setback distance is less than the maximum channel width; (b) the sole engaging portion length is at least 50% of the maximum channel width; and (c) the channel depth includes a maximum channel depth, and a portion of the sole engaging portion has the sole engaging tuning element height of at least 15% of the maximum channel depth; and the golf club head further includes a body tuning system having a body tuning element with a body tuning element toe end, a body tuning element heel end, a body tuning element length that is at least 50% of the channel length, a body tuning element height, and a body tuning element width, wherein the body tuning element has a body tuning element sole portion in contact with the sole and extends in a substantially heel-to-toe direction and is separated from the channel by a body tuning separation distance that is greater than the maximum channel width, and a portion of the body tuning element height is at least 15% of the maximum channel depth. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A golf club head comprising:
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a sole defining a bottom portion of the club head, a crown defining a top portion of the club head, a skirt portion defining a periphery of the club head between the sole and crown, a face defining a forward portion of the club head, and a hosel defining a hosel bore, thereby defining an interior cavity; a flexible channel positioned in the sole of the club head and extending into the interior cavity of the club head, the flexible channel extending substantially in a heel-to-toe direction and having a channel length, a channel width, a channel depth, a channel wall thickness, an internal channel structure elevation, and a channel setback distance from a leading edge of the club head; a channel tuning system in contact with the flexible channel and having a sole engaging channel tuning element in contact with the sole and the flexible channel, the sole engaging channel tuning element having a face end, a rear end, a sole engaging tuning element length, a sole engaging tuning element height, a sole engaging tuning element width, a sole engaging portion in contact with the sole and having a sole engaging portion length, and a channel engaging portion in contact with the flexible channel and having a channel engaging portion length and a channel engaging portion elevation; wherein; (a) the channel setback distance includes a minimum channel setback distance, the channel width includes a minimum channel width, and the minimum channel setback distance is less than the maximum channel width; (b) the sole engaging portion length is at least 50% of the maximum channel width; and (c) the channel depth includes a maximum channel depth, and a portion of the sole engaging portion has the sole engaging tuning element height of at least 15% of the maximum channel depth; and wherein the flexible channel has a volume that is at least 3% of the club head volume. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification