Golf club head

• US 9,782,645 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Dolezel, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMMS JR, JOHN ELLIOTT
• Application Number:
  US14/934,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence

Abstract

A putter-type golf club head includes a main body. The main body includes a forward end, a rearward end opposite the forward end, a bottom portion, a top portion opposite the bottom portion, and a male-type hosel component defining a longitudinal axis that is forwardly canted relative to vertical. A face component is secured to the forward end of the main body. The face component includes a first element formed of a resilient material and a second element formed of a rigid material that is secured to the first element. A striking face generally defines a virtual striking face plane and is at least partially formed by the face component.

Claims

1. A putter-type golf club head comprising:

a main body having a body forward end and a first flange having a first flange forward end defined by a front surface of the first flange, a rearward end opposite the forward end, a bottom portion, a top portion opposite the bottom portion that is at least partially formed by the first flange, and a male-type hosel component defining a longitudinal axis that is forwardly canted relative to vertical;

a face component secured to the body forward end of the main body, the face component including;

a first element formed of a resilient material and a second element formed of a rigid material and contacting the first element,

a front surface defined by the second element,

a rear surface opposite the front surface and at least partially defined by the first element, and

a second flange extending rearward from the first element;

a sole partially defined by the main body bottom portion and partially defined by a bottom surface of the second flange; and

a striking face generally defining a virtual striking face plane and being at least partially formed by the face component.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first element has a thickness that gradually increases in the top-to-bottom direction.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis, as projected into a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the striking face plane, forms an angle with the vertical of between about 2°

and about 10°

.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first flange extends above the face component such that the face component is not visible when the golf club head is in an address position.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first flange extends forwardly from the face component by a distance of no less than 0.1 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein a portion of the first flange has a thickness no greater than 0.1 inches.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face component comprises a maximum thickness no less than 4.0 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second element is secured only to the first element.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first element comprises a forward surface, a rearward surface opposite the forward surface, a heel surface, a toe surface opposite the heel surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the heel surface, the toe surface, and the bottom surface are visually exposed.

10. A putter-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, comprises:

a main body having a front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, a bottom surface, a top surface opposite the bottom portion, and a flange extending forwardly from the front surface;

a face component secured to the front surface of the main body such that the flange extends over the face component and forwardly of the face component by no less than 0.1 mm, the face component including a first element formed of a resilient material and a second element formed of a rigid material and secured to the first element; and

a striking face generally defining a virtual striking face plane and being at least partially formed by the face component.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the main body further comprises a male-type hosel component defining a longitudinal axis that is forwardly canted relative to vertical, such that the longitudinal axis, when projected into a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the striking face plane, forms an angle with the vertical of between about 2°

and about 10°

.

12. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein a portion of the flange has a thickness no greater than 0.1 inches.

13. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the face component comprises a maximum thickness no less than 4.0 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the second element is secured only to the first element.