Golf club assembly and golf club with aerodynamic features

• US 9,802,085 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John Thomas, Boyd, Robert, Tavares, Gary G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US15/069,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20160193510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, D21752
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a rear, and a hosel region. The heel includes an airfoil-like surface shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil that extends over a majority of the length of the heel. The back may include a Kammback feature having a concavity extending from the heel-side to the toe-side of the back. The heel-side edge of the concavity may be shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil. Further, the sole may include a diffuser that extends at an angle of from approximately 10 degrees to approximately 80 degrees from a moment-of-impact trajectory direction. A hosel fairing that extends from the hosel region toward the toe may also be provided on the crown. A golf club including the golf club head is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A golf club head, the golf club head comprising:

a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region located at an intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole;

the sole comprising a recess that includes a first side and a second side that extend at an angle from adjacent the hosel region toward the back, wherein the first side and the second side are elongated;

a vane projecting from and connecting to a bottom surface of the recess and located between the first side of the recess and the second side of the recess nearest the back of the body member;

wherein the recess has a depth measured from an imaginary surface that extends from a portion of the sole adjacent the first side to a portion of the sole adjacent the second side to a bottom surface of the recess;

wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the recess is curved; and

wherein the bottom surface of the recess is an exterior surface of the golf club head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the recess terminates before a perimeter of the sole.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, the depth of the recess is variable.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, the depth of the recess decreases as the distance from the hosel region increases.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one end of the vane tapers to gradually merge with the bottom surface of the recess.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the vane has a maximum height less than the depth of the recess.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the vane has a maximum height equal to the depth of the recess.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the vane is centered between the first side and the second side the recess.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second vane projecting from and connecting to the bottom surface of the recess.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a face length within a range of 110 mm to 130 mm and a breadth within a range of 105 mm to 125 mm.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region located at an intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole;

the sole including a vane that projects from the hosel region towards the back and connects to an exterior surface of the sole;

wherein at least one end of the vane tapers to gradually merge with the exterior surface;

wherein the vane includes a first side and a second side that are elongated; and

the first side and the second side taper to merge with the exterior surface; and

wherein the vane is positioned within a recess on the sole, and wherein the exterior surface is a bottom surface of the recess.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the vane is curved.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the vane extends substantially an entire length of the recess.

14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the vane terminates before a perimeter of the sole.

15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the vane comprises a plurality of vanes.

16. A golf club head for a driver, the golf club head comprising:

a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region located at an intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole;

the sole including a recess within the sole, wherein the recess has a first side and a second side that extends from adjacent the hosel region toward the back,

wherein the recess has a depth measured from an imaginary surface that extends from a portion of the sole adjacent the first side to a portion of the sole adjacent the second side to a bottom surface of the recess;

wherein the recess includes a vane that projects from a bottom surface of the recess and is centered between the first side and the second side the recess; and

the bottom surface of the recess is an exterior surface; and

wherein the depth of the recess decreases as the distance from the hosel region increases.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the recess is curved and the vane is curved.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the first side and the second side of the recess are curved.

19. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the recess terminates before a perimeter of the sole.