Golf club assembly and golf club with sole plate

• US 8,206,241 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, Robert, Oldknow, Andrew G. V., Brown, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US12/509,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20110021286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A body member has a face plate and a first engaging member. A sole plate has a second engaging member, the first and second engaging members being interlocked with one another. A layer of resilient material is disposed between the first engaging member and the second engaging member.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body member having a first engaging member, the body member and first engaging member defining a first channel;

a sole plate having a second engaging member and positioned beneath and spaced from the body member, a rear end of the sole plate being free of and extending rearwardly from the body member such that a top surface, a bottom surface, and a rear surface of the rear end are exposed to an exterior of the golf club head, the first and second engaging members being interlocked with one another, the sole plate and second engaging member defining a second channel; and

a layer of resilient material disposed between the first engaging member and the second engaging member;

wherein the body member and sole plate are configured such that at least one of

(a) the second engaging member is received in the first channel and positioned between, in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the body member and the first engaging member, and

(b) the first engaging member is received in the second channel and positioned between, in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the sole plate and the second engaging member.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the resilient material is urethane.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the resilient material is an elastomer.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body member is a cavity-backed member.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first engaging member includes a first rib extending downwardly and the first channel opens downwardly.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the second engaging member includes a second rib extending upwardly and the second channel opens upwardly;

and

wherein the first rib is received in the second channel and the second rib is received in the first channel.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first engaging member includes a first rib extending upwardly and the first channel opens upwardly.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the second engaging member includes a second rib extending downwardly and the second channel opens downwardly;

and

wherein the first rib is received in the second channel and the second rib is received in the first channel.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the first rib extends at an angle upwardly and toward a front of the body member, the first channel opens upwardly and toward a front of the body member, the second rib extends at an angle downwardly and toward a rear of the sole plate, and the second channel opens downwardly and toward a rear of the sole plate.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein a weight of the sole plate is between approximately 12% and approximately 30% of a weight of the body member.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first engaging member includes a first rib extending forwardly and the first channel opens forwardly.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the second engaging member includes a second rib and the second channel opens rearwardly;

and

wherein the first rib is received in the second channel and the second rib is received in the first channel.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a weight of the sole plate is between approximately 12% and approximately 30% of a weight of the body member.

14. A golf club head comprising:

a cavity-backed body member having a first engaging member including a first rib and a first channel; and

a sole plate positioned beneath and spaced from the body member, a rear end of the sole plate being free of and extending rearwardly from the body member such that a top surface, a bottom surface, and a rear surface of the rear end are exposed to an exterior of the golf club head, and having a second engaging member including a second rib and a second channel, the first rib being received in the second channel and the second rib being received in the first channel; and

a layer of resilient material disposed between the first engaging member and the second engaging member;

wherein the body member and sole plate are configured such that at least one of

(a) the second engaging member is received in the first channel and positioned between, in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the body member and the first engaging member, and

(b) the first engaging member is received in the second channel and positioned between, in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the sole plate and the second engaging member.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the resilient material is urethane.

16. A golf club assembly comprising:

a shaft; and

a club head secured to a first end of the shaft and comprising;

a body member having a first engaging member, the body member and first engaging member defining a first channel;

a sole plate positioned beneath and spaced from the body member, a rear end of the sole plate being free of and extending rearwardly from the body member such that a top surface, a bottom surface, and a rear surface of the rear end are exposed to an exterior of the golf club head, and having a second engaging member, the first and second engaging members being interlocked with one another, the sole plate and second engaging member defining a second channel; and

a layer of resilient material disposed between the first engaging member and the second engaging member;

wherein the body member and sole plate are configured such that at least one of

(a) the second engaging member is received in the first channel and positioned between, in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the body member and the first engaging member, and

(b) the first engaging member is received in the second channel and positioned between, in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the sole plate and the second engaging member.

17. The golf club assembly of claim 16, wherein the resilient material is urethane.

18. The golf club assembly of claim 16,

wherein the first engaging member includes a first rib;

and

wherein the second engaging member includes a second rib, the first rib being received in the second channel and the second rib being received in the first channel.

19. The golf club assembly of claim 16, wherein a weight of the sole plate is between approximately 12% and approximately 30% of a weight of the body member.