Golf club head

• US 20080051218A1
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Roger Cleveland Golf Company Incorporated (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Radcliffe, Nathaniel J., Horacek, Robert J., Lacey, Sam G., Rae, John J., Schaeffer, Kevin, Brunski, Jeff D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,563,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/44 Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry ; Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/10 Streamlined, light-weight or high-speed protocols, e.g. express transfer protocol [XTP] or byte stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol

Abstract

An exemplary golf club head having additional discretionary mass may be realized by utilizing light-weight materials, an favorable average crown height, and/or articulation points. By using a preferred break length, the additional discretionary mass may be placed low and deep in the club head to improve the location of the center of gravity as well as the inertial properties. In one example, the center of gravity may be positioned to substantially align the sweet spot with the face center of the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a total mass between about 150 g and about 250 g;

at least one non-metallic portion comprising at least about 8% of the total mass;

a break length, between about 96 mm and about 140 mm, measured at a vertical distance between about 5 mm and about 10 mm from a ground plane; and

a volume of at least about 300 cm³.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a striking surface including a sweet spot and a face center, the sweet spot being substantially coincident with the face center.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises at least about 20% of the total mass.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises at least about 30% of the total mass.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises a polymeric material.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises a composite material.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the break length is between about 100 mm and about 140 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising at least two articulation points.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising an average height between about 20 mm and about 45 mm.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the average height is between about 36 mm and about 41 mm.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the average height is between about 37 mm and about 40 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a primary high-low moment of inertia of at least about 2500 g·

cm².

13. A golf club head comprising:

a total mass between about 150 g and about 250 g;

a primary heel-toe moment of inertia;

a light-weight component comprising a connecting member, the light-weight component comprising at least about 8% of the total mass;

a club head component coupled to the light-weight component, the club head component comprising a secondary heel-toe moment of inertia, the secondary heel-toe moment of inertia being between about 85% and about 99% of the primary heel-toe moment of inertia; and

a volume of at least about 300 cm³.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the secondary heel-toe moment of inertia is between about 88% and about 97% of the primary heel-toe moment of inertia.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the secondary heel-toe moment of inertia is between about 90% and about 95% of the primary heel-toe moment of inertia.

16. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the club head component further includes a striking surface having a sweet spot and a face center, the sweet spot being substantially coincident with the face center.

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

a primary high-low moment of inertia; and

a secondary high-low moment of inertia being between about 85% and about 99% of the primary high-low moment of inertia.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the secondary high-low moment of inertia is between about 88% and about 97% of the primary high-low moment of inertia.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the secondary high-low moment of inertia is between about 90% and about 95% of the primary high-low moment of inertia.

20. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the light-weight component comprises at least about 20% of the total mass.

21. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the light-weight component comprises at least about 30% of the total mass.

22. The golf club head of claim 13, the golf club head further comprising a break length, between about 96 mm and about 140 mm, measured at a vertical distance between about 5 mm and about 10 mm from a ground plane.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the break length is between about 100 mm and about 140 mm.

24. The golf club head of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising an average height between about 20 mm and about 45 mm.

25. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the average height is between about 36 mm and about 41 mm.

26. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the average height is between about 37 mm and about 40 mm.

27. The golf club head of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising at least two articulation points.

28. A golf club head comprising:

a striking surface;

a total mass between about 150 g and about 250 g;

at least one non-metallic portion comprising at least about 8% of the total mass;

a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising an average height between about 20 mm and about 45 mm; and

a volume of at least about 300 cm³.

29. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the striking surface includes a sweet spot and a face center, the sweet spot being substantially coincident with the face center.

30. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises at least about 20% of the total mass.

31. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises at least about 30% of the total mass.

32. The golf club head of claim 28, further comprising a first resonant frequency of vibration between about 2000 Hz and about 7500 Hz, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

33. The golf club head of claim 32, further comprising a dominant resonant frequency, the dominant resonant frequency being one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

34. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the first resonant frequency of vibration is between about 2500 Hz and about 6000 Hz.

35. The golf club head of claim 34, further comprising a dominant resonant frequency, the dominant resonant frequency being one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

36. The golf club head of claim 34, wherein the first resonant frequency of vibration is between about 3000 Hz and about 5000 Hz.

37. The golf club head of claim 36, further comprising a dominant resonant frequency, the dominant resonant frequency being one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth resonant frequency of vibration.

38. The golf club head of claim 28, further comprising a primary high-low moment of inertia of at least about 2500 g·

cm².

39. The golf club head of claim 28, further comprising a primary heel-toe moment of inertia of at least about 3500 g·

cm².

40. The golf club head of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising at least two articulation points.

41. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the average height is between about 36 mm and about 41 mm.

42. A golf club head comprising:

a striking surface;

a total mass between about 150 g and about 250 g;

at least one non-metallic portion comprising at least about 8% of the total mass;

a plurality of reference paths, at least one of the plurality of reference paths comprising at least two articulation points; and

a volume of at least about 300 cm³.

43. The golf club head of claim 42, wherein the striking surface includes a sweet spot and a face center, the sweet spot being substantially coincident with the face center.

44. The golf club head of claim 42, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises at least about 20% of the total mass.

45. The golf club head of claim 42, wherein the at least one non-metallic portion comprises at least about 30% of the total mass.

46. The golf club head of claim 42, further comprising a first resonant frequency of vibration between about 2000 Hz and about 7500 Hz.

47. The golf club head of claim 46, wherein the first resonant frequency of vibration is between about 2500 Hz and about 6000 Hz.

48. The golf club head of claim 47, wherein the first resonant frequency of vibration is between about 3000 Hz and about 5000 Hz.

49. The golf club head of claim 42, further comprising a primary high-low moment of inertia of at least about 2500 g·

cm².

50. The golf club head of claim 49, further comprising a primary heel-toe moment of inertia of at least about 3500 g·

cm².