GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20160303439A1
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: HORACEK, Robert J., RADCLIFFE, Nathaniel J., RAE, John J., WALLANS, Michael J., LACEY, Sam G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,889,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• 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

Abstract

A hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown, and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a toe;

a heel opposite the toe;

a strike face generally bounded by a face perimeter edge, the strike face comprising a geometric center;

a rear portion;

a substantially enclosed interior cavity at least partially delimited by the sole, the crown, the strike face, and the rear portion;

at least one rib having a first portion secured to the strike face and a second portion secured to the crown.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of locations evenly spaced horizontally along the strike face toe-ward from the geometric center in increments of 0.2 inch, wherein an average coefficient of restitution associated with the plurality of locations is greater than 0.82.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a hosel having a hosel axis, wherein the club head is oriented so that the hosel axis is positioned at a designated lie angle relative to the planar surface;

an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the strike face and passing through the geometric center of the strike face, the imaginary vertical plane containing an imaginary line tangent to the strike face at the geometric center and intersecting the planar surface;

a first reference point characterized by the intersection of the imaginary line and the planar surface;

a second reference point located 20 mm away from the first reference point along the imaginary line in the direction of the crown;

a third reference point located in the imaginary vertical plane 20 mm away from the first reference point along the planar surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the strike face toward the rear portion;

a first junction point located in the imaginary vertical plane, the first junction point defined by the projection of the second reference point onto the strike face in a direction normal to the imaginary line;

a second junction point located in the imaginary vertical plane, the second junction point defined by the projection of the third reference point onto the sole in a direction normal to the planar surface;

a first imaginary junction-bounding line forming a closed loop and passing through the first junction point, wherein the first imaginary junction-bounding line is parallel to the face perimeter edge;

a second imaginary junction-bounding line forming a closed loop and passing through the second junction point, wherein the second imaginary junction-bounding line is parallel to the face perimeter edge; and

a junction delimited by the portion of the club head between the first imaginary junction-bounding line and the second imaginary junction-bounding line, the junction comprising a top region and a bottom region, each having a heel-to-toe length dimension,

wherein the at least one rib is located entirely within the top region.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one rib comprises a first rib and a second rib horizontally spaced from the first rib.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one first rib is oriented generally perpendicular to the strike face.

6. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first rib and the second rib are disposed generally perpendicular to the strike face.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a volume between 300 cm³ and 600 cm³.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a sole;

a crown;

a toe;

a heel opposite the toe;

a strike face generally bounded by a face perimeter edge, the strike face comprising a geometric center;

a rear portion;

a substantially enclosed interior cavity at least partially delimited by the sole, the crown, the strike face, and the rear portion;

at least one rib having a first portion secured to the strike face and a second portion secured to the crown; and

a location on the strike face spaced from the geometric center, the location associated with a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.82.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the location is toe-ward of the geometric center.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of points evenly spaced horizontally along the strike face toe-ward from the geometric center in increments of 0.2 inch, wherein an average coefficient of restitution associated with the plurality of points is greater than 0.82.

11. The golf club head of claim 8, further comprising:

a hosel having a hosel axis, wherein the club head is oriented so that the hosel axis is positioned at a designated lie angle relative to the planar surface;

an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the strike face and passing through the geometric center of the strike face, the imaginary vertical plane containing an imaginary line tangent to the strike face at the geometric center and intersecting the planar surface;

a first reference point characterized by the intersection of the imaginary line and the planar surface;

a second reference point located 20 mm away from the first reference point along the imaginary line in the direction of the crown;

a third reference point located in the imaginary vertical plane 20 mm away from the first reference point along the planar surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the strike face toward the rear portion;

a first junction point located in the imaginary vertical plane, the first junction point defined by the projection of the second reference point onto the strike face in a direction normal to the imaginary line;

a second junction point located in the imaginary vertical plane, the second junction point defined by the projection of the third reference point onto the sole in a direction normal to the planar surface;

a first imaginary junction-bounding line forming a closed loop and passing through the first junction point, wherein the first imaginary junction-bounding line is parallel to the face perimeter edge;

a second imaginary junction-bounding line forming a closed loop and passing through the second junction point, wherein the second imaginary junction-bounding line is parallel to the face perimeter edge; and

a junction delimited by the portion of the club head between the first imaginary junction-bounding line and the second imaginary junction-bounding line, the junction comprising a top region and a bottom region, each having a heel-to-toe length dimension,

wherein the at least one rib is located entirely within the top region.

12. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the at least one rib comprises a first rib and a second rib horizontally spaced from the first rib.

13. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the at least one first rib is oriented generally perpendicular to the strike face.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the first rib and the second rib are disposed generally perpendicular to the strike face.

15. The golf club head of claim 8, further comprising a volume between 300 cm³ and 600 cm³.