Golf clubs and golf club heads

• US 9,943,733 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Franklin, David N., Kammerer, Brian, Larson, Eric A., Sander, Raymond J., Stites, John T., Boyd, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US14/290,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20150343282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A ball striking device has a head with a body member having a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, where the body member has a void extending inwardly from a rear periphery of the body member, and a rear member connected to the body member and received within the void, such that the rear member forms portions of a crown and a sole of the head. A connection member connects the rear member to the body member to form a joint between the rear member and the body member. A resilient member separates the rear member from the body member, and the resilient member engages the rear member and the body member within the void and is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;

a resilient member engaged with a rear portion of the body member;

a rear member connected to the rear portion of the body member and engaged with the resilient member, such that the resilient member separates the rear member from the body member; and

an engagement member engaging the rear member and the body member to form a sole area of rigid engagement between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the resilient member is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member, and

wherein the body member further comprises an internal support member extending from the crown portion to the sole portion, wherein the engagement member engages the support member.

2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the engagement member comprises a connection member connecting the rear member to the body member.

3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the engagement member defines a joint between the rear member and the body member.

4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a void extending inwardly from a rear periphery of the body member, wherein the rear member is received within the void.

5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 4, wherein the void is angular in shape, such that the void has a vertex proximate a center of the body member and increases in width from the vertex to the rear periphery, wherein the rear member is wedge-shaped to complement the shape of the void, and wherein the engagement member is located proximate the vertex of the void.

6. The wood-type golf club head of claim 5, wherein the void defines an angle of approximately 30°

.

7. The wood-type golf club head of claim 5, wherein the void defines an angle of approximately 45°

.

8. The wood-type golf club head of claim 5, wherein the void defines an angle of approximately 60°

.

9. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, wherein the crown portion, the sole portion, and the face combine to define an internal cavity, wherein the body member has a void extending inwardly from a rear periphery of the body member and extending through the crown portion and the sole portion, wherein the body member further comprises an internal support member exposed within the void;

a rear member connected to the internal support member of the body member and received within the void, wherein the rear member forms portions of a crown and a sole of the head;

a connection member connecting the rear member to the internal support member of the body member to form a joint between the rear member and the body member; and

a resilient member separating the rear member from the body member, wherein the resilient member engages the rear member and the body member within the void and is positioned between a peripheral edge of the body member defining the void and an opposed edge of the rear member, wherein the resilient member is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member.

10. The wood-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the void is angular in shape, such that the void has a vertex proximate a center of the body member and increases in width from the vertex to the rear periphery, wherein the rear member is wedge-shaped to complement the shape of the void.

11. The wood-type golf club head of claim 10, wherein the support member is located proximate the vertex of the void, and wherein the connection member is connected to the body member proximate the vertex, such that the joint is positioned proximate the vertex.

12. The wood-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the support member extends from the crown portion to the sole portion, and wherein the rear member is connected to the body member at a crown end of the support member and at a sole end of the support member.

13. The wood-type golf club head of claim 12, wherein the connection member comprises a pin extending from the crown end to the sole end of the support member, wherein the pin connects to the rear member at the crown end and the sole end of the support member.

14. The wood-type golf club head of claim 12, wherein the sole end of the support member is positioned closer to the face than the crown end of the support member, such that the support member angles downward and toward the face from the crown end to the sole end.

15. The wood-type golf club head of claim 12, further comprising a second connection member, wherein the connection member connects the rear member to the body member at a crown end of the support member and the second connection member connects the rear member to the body member at a sole end of the support member.

16. The wood-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the connection member and the support member are located along a vertical plane extending through a center of the striking surface, and wherein the rear member is symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane.

17. The wood-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the connection member and the support member are located along a vertical plane extending through a center of the striking surface, and wherein at least a majority of a mass and at least a majority of a surface area of the rear member are located on a heel side or a toe side of the vertical plane.

18. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, wherein the crown portion, the sole portion, and the face combine to define an internal cavity, wherein the body member has a void extending inwardly from a rear periphery of the body member, wherein the void is V-shaped and is wider at the rear periphery and narrower toward a center of the body member, the body member further having a support member extending from the crown portion to the sole portion, wherein the support member is exposed within the void;

a rear member connected to the body member and received within the void, wherein the rear member has outer surfaces that are contiguous with adjacent outer surfaces of the body member, and wherein the rear member is connected to the body member at a crown end of the support member and at a sole end of the support member, such that the rear member forms portions of a crown and a sole of the head;

at least one connection member connecting the rear member to the support member of the body member in a rigid manner to form a joint between the rear member and the body member, wherein the at least one connection member connects the rear member to the crown end and the sole end of the support member; and

a resilient member separating the rear member from the body member, wherein the resilient member engages the rear member and the body member within the void and is positioned between a peripheral edge of the body member defining the void and an opposed edge of the rear member, wherein the resilient member is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the at least one connection member forms a sole area of rigid connection between the rear member and the body member.

19. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, wherein the body member has a void extending inwardly from a rear periphery of the body member;

a rear member connected to the body member and received within the void, wherein the rear member forms portions of a crown and a sole of the head;

a connection member connecting the rear member to the body member to form a joint between the rear member and the body member;

a resilient member separating the rear member from the body member, wherein the resilient member engages the rear member and the body member within the void and is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member;

a support member extending from the crown portion to the sole portion proximate a vertex of the void, wherein the support member is exposed within the void, and wherein the connection member connects the rear member to the support member;

wherein the void is angular in shape, such that the void has a vertex proximate a center of the body member and increases in width from the vertex to the rear periphery, and wherein the rear member is wedge-shaped to complement the shape of the void, and

wherein the connection member is connected to the body member proximate the vertex, such that the joint is positioned proximate the vertex.

20. The wood-type golf club head of claim 19, wherein the rear member is connected to the body member at a crown end of the support member and at a sole end of the support member.

21. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;

a resilient member engaged with a rear portion of the body member;

a rear member connected to the rear portion of the body member and engaged with the resilient member, such that the resilient member separates the rear member from the body member; and

a connection member connecting the rear member to the body member to form a joint between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the resilient member is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member, and

wherein the body member further comprises an internal support member extending from the crown portion to the sole portion, wherein the connection member connects the rear member to the support member.

22. The wood-type golf club head of claim 21, wherein the head comprises at least one connection member, and wherein the at least one connection member connects the rear member to the body member at a crown end of the support member and at a sole end of the support member, such that the rear member forms portions of a crown and a sole of the head.

23. The wood-type golf club head of claim 22, wherein the at least one connection member comprises a pin extending from the crown end to the sole end of the support member, wherein the pin connects to the rear member at the crown end and the sole end of the support member.

24. The wood-type golf club head of claim 21, wherein a sole end of the support member is positioned closer to the face than a crown end of the support member, such that the support member angles downward and toward the face from the crown end to the sole end.

25. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;

a resilient member engaged with a rear portion of the body member;

a rear member connected to the rear portion of the body member and engaged with the resilient member, such that the resilient member separates the rear member from the body member; and

an engagement member engaging the rear member and the body member to form a sole area of rigid engagement between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the resilient member is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the engagement member is located along a vertical plane extending through a center of the striking surface, and wherein at least a majority of a mass and at least a majority of a surface area of the rear member are located on a heel side of the vertical plane.

26. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face;

a resilient member engaged with a rear portion of the body member;

a rear member connected to the rear portion of the body member and engaged with the resilient member, such that the resilient member separates the rear member from the body member; and

an engagement member engaging the rear member and the body member to form a sole area of rigid engagement between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the resilient member is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member, and

wherein the engagement member is located along a vertical plane extending through a center of the striking surface, and wherein at least a majority of a mass and at least a majority of a surface area of the rear member are located on a toe side of the vertical plane.

27. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body member comprising a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, a crown portion and a sole portion connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, wherein the body member has a void extending inwardly from a rear periphery of the body member;

a rear member connected to the body member and received within the void, wherein the rear member forms portions of a crown and a sole of the head;

a connection member connecting the rear member to the body member to form a joint between the rear member and the body member;

a resilient member separating the rear member from the body member, wherein the resilient member engages the rear member and the body member within the void and is configured to transfer momentum between the rear member and the body member,

wherein the connection member is located along a vertical plane extending through a center of the striking surface, and wherein the rear member is symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane.