GOLF CLUB HEAD HAVING TRIP STEP FEATURE
First Claim
1. An aerodynamic golf club head (100) comprising:
- A) a hollow body (110) having a face (200), a sole section (300), a crown section (400), a front (112), a back (114), a heel (116), and a toe (118);
B) the face (200) having a top edge (210) and a lower edge (220), wherein a top edge height (TEH) is the elevation of the top edge (210) above a ground plane (GP), and a lower edge height (LEH) is the elevation of the lower edge (220) above the ground plane (GP);
C) the crown section (400) having a crown apex (410) located an apex height (AH) above the ground plane (GP), wherein the crown section (400) has a trip step (500) located between the crown apex (410) and the back (114), and the trip step (500) has;
i) a trip step heel end (550), a trip step toe end (560), and a trip step thickness (540);
ii) a trip step leading edge (510) having a leading edge profile (512), and wherein;
a) the trip step leading edge (510) is located a trip step offset (514) behind the face top edge (210);
b) the trip step leading edge (510) is located behind the crown apex (410) an apex-to-leading edge offset (516);
c) the trip step leading edge (510) at the trip step heel end (550) is located behind the crown apex (410) an apex-to-heel LE offset (517); and
d) the trip step leading edge (510) at the trip step toe end (560) is located behind the crown apex (410) an apex-to-toe LE offset (518).
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aerodynamic golf club head incorporating a trip step feature located on the crown section. The benefits associated with the reduction in aerodynamic drag force associated with the trip step may be applied to drivers, fairway woods, and hybrid type golf club heads. The trip step is located between a crown apex and the back of the club head and may be continuous or discontinuous. The trip step enables a significant reduction in the aerodynamic drag force exerted on the golf club head by forcing the air passing over the club head from laminar flow to turbulent flow just before the natural separation point of the airstream from the crown. This selectively engineered transition from laminar to turbulent flow over the crown section slightly increases the skin friction but results in less aerodynamic drag than if the air were to detach from the crown section at the natural separation point.
180 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An aerodynamic golf club head (100) comprising:
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A) a hollow body (110) having a face (200), a sole section (300), a crown section (400), a front (112), a back (114), a heel (116), and a toe (118); B) the face (200) having a top edge (210) and a lower edge (220), wherein a top edge height (TEH) is the elevation of the top edge (210) above a ground plane (GP), and a lower edge height (LEH) is the elevation of the lower edge (220) above the ground plane (GP); C) the crown section (400) having a crown apex (410) located an apex height (AH) above the ground plane (GP), wherein the crown section (400) has a trip step (500) located between the crown apex (410) and the back (114), and the trip step (500) has; i) a trip step heel end (550), a trip step toe end (560), and a trip step thickness (540); ii) a trip step leading edge (510) having a leading edge profile (512), and wherein; a) the trip step leading edge (510) is located a trip step offset (514) behind the face top edge (210); b) the trip step leading edge (510) is located behind the crown apex (410) an apex-to-leading edge offset (516); c) the trip step leading edge (510) at the trip step heel end (550) is located behind the crown apex (410) an apex-to-heel LE offset (517); and d) the trip step leading edge (510) at the trip step toe end (560) is located behind the crown apex (410) an apex-to-toe LE offset (518). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification