GOLF CLUB HEAD OR OTHER BALL STRIKING DEVICE HAVING IMPACT-INFLUENCING BODY FEATURES

• US 20160096084A1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boggs, Joshua M., Harper, Kevin, Larson, Eric A., Prichard, Michael T., Akiyama, Hiromitsu, Fujita, Yoshimasa
• Granted Patent: US 10,799,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0479 Wedge-type clubs, details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and have a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole. A pair of ribs are positioned within the channel. The ribs may diverge away from one another and may have a first rib located in a toe portion of the channel and a second rib located in the heel portion of the channel.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

a channel extending across a portion of the sole in a heel to toe direction,

wherein the channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, and

wherein the channel has a rear wall, a front wall, a front edge, a rear edge, and a width defined between the front and rear edges and comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe; and

a first rib positioned in the toe portion of the channel connected to the rear wall of the channel, wherein the first rib is free of connection to the front edge of the channel.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second rib positioned in the heel portion of the channel connected to the rear wall of the channel, wherein the second rib is free of connection to the front edge of the channel.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the first rib and the second rib diverge away from one another in a rear to front direction.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the first rib is positioned in the toe portion of the channel extends at an angle between 45 degrees and 85 degrees to the striking surface, and

wherein the second rib is positioned in heel portion of the channel extends at an angle between 45 degrees and 85 degrees to the striking surface.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first rib in the channel has a width in a range of 4 mm to 14 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first rib has a hollow portion.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first rib further comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a center portion, and wherein the rear portion has a height larger than the front portion.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first rib is positioned aft of the rear edge of the center portion of the channel.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

a channel extending across a portion of the sole in a heel to toe direction,

wherein the channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole,

wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe; and

a first rib and a second rib positioned within the channel, wherein each rib is connected to a rear wall of the channel, wherein each of the ribs further comprise an upper portion, a lower portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a center portion,

wherein the channel has a front edge, a rear edge, and a width defined between the front and rear edges, wherein the width of the center portion of the channel is substantially constant.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the first rib is located in the toe portion of the channel and the second rib is located in the heel portion of the channel.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the first rib and the second rib diverge away from one another in a rear to front direction.

12. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the first rib and the second rib are positioned at an angle between 45 degrees and 85 degrees from a plane perpendicular to the striking surface.

13. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the rear portion of each rib has a first height and the front portion of each rib has a second height, wherein the first height is greater than the second height.

14. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the first rib has a hollow portion.

15. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein each rib has a width between 4 mm and 14 mm.

16. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein each rib is free of connection to a front edge of the channel.

17. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the front and rear edges of the channel are angled away from each other at the heel portion and the toe portion, such that the width of the channel at the heel and toe portions increases from the heel end of the center portion toward the heel and from the toe end of the center portion toward the toe, and

wherein the depth of recession of the channel is greater at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.

18. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the upper portions of each rib forms a convex curved shape.

19. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

a channel extending across a portion of the sole in a heel to toe direction, wherein the channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, and

wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe;

a void defined on the sole of the body and a cover defining a top of the void; and

a first external rib and a second external rib wherein each external rib is connected to the cover and extends downward from the cover, such that the first and second external ribs are positioned within the void;

a third external rib and a fourth external rib positioned within the channel, wherein the third and fourth external ribs are connected to a rear wall of the channel,

wherein each of the external ribs further comprise an upper portion, a lower portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a center portion;

wherein the channel has a front edge, a rear edge, and a width defined between the front and rear edges, wherein the width of the center portion of the channel is substantially constant, and

wherein the front and rear edges of the channel are angled away from each other at the heel portion and the toe portion, such that the width of the channel at the heel and toe portions increases from the heel end of the center portion toward the heel and from the toe end of the center portion toward the toe, and

wherein the depth of recession of the channel is greater at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion, and further wherein the body; and

wherein the third external rib is located in the toe portion of the channel and the fourth external rib is located in the heel portion of the channel.

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the first external rib and second external rib diverge away from one another in a rear to front direction, and wherein the third external rib and fourth external rib diverge away from one another in a front to rear direction.

21. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the third external rib has a hollow portion.

22. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the third external rib and the fourth external rib are free of connection to a front edge of the channel.