# US 10,500,449 B2 · Golf club head with open crown and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,449 B2 - Document ID: US10500449B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/992,031 - Filed: 2018-05-29 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-15 - Assignees: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation - Applicants: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation - Inventors: Erik M. Henrikson; Eric J. Morales; Ryan M. Stokke; Eric V. Cole; Cory S. Bacon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500449B2 ## CPC - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like - A63B 60/54: with means for damping vibrations - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations} - A63B 53/0437: {with special crown configurations} - A63B 53/045: {Strengthening ribs} - A63B 53/0454: {Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate} - A63B 53/0458: {with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate} - Y10T 29/49828: Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Described herein is a golf club head devoid of a crown, the club head comprising: a front end having a bottom rail, a top rail, and a strikeface, the strikeface including a striking surface, a back surface, and a reinforcement element extending from the back surface of the strikeface; a rear end opposite the front end; a heel portion; a toe portion opposite the heel potion; a sole coupled to the front end along the bottom rail at a sole transition region, the sole extending toward the rear end of the golf club head and including a sole thickness, at least one weight member, and a perimeter wall extending from the front end near the heel portion to the front end near the toe portion along the rear end of the club head, wherein the perimeter wall decreases in height from the front end toward the rear end of the club head. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club head comprising: a front end having a bottom rail, a top rail, and a strikeface, the strikeface including: a striking surface; a back surface; and a reinforcement element comprising a looped rib extending from the back surface of the strikeface, the looped rib having an outer perimeter surface and an inner perimeter surface, wherein: the outer perimeter surface is filleted with the back surface of the strikeface; and a largest rib span of the inner perimeter surface is 0.609 cm to 1.88 cm; a rear end opposite the front end; a heel portion; a toe portion opposite the heel potion; a sole coupled to the front end along the bottom rail at a sole transition region, the sole extending toward the rear end of the golf club head and including: a sole thickness; a perimeter wall extending from the front end near the heel portion to the front end near the toe portion along the rear end of the club head, wherein the perimeter wall includes a perimeter wall thickness and a perimeter wall height that decreases from the front end toward the rear end of the club head; wherein, the club head is devoid of a crown; and the back surface of the strikeface and a top surface of the sole are exposed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the club head further includes: a length measured as a greatest distance from a front plane to the rear end of the club head in a direction parallel to a ground plane; a height measured as a distance from the ground plane to a highest point of the front end of the club head in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane; and a center of gravity (CG) positioned at a head CG height from the ground plane and a head CG depth from the front plane; wherein, the head CG height is less than 60% of the height of the club head; and the head CG depth is greater than 25% of the length of the club head. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the club head further comprises at least one weight member, and the at least one weight member includes a first weight member, the first weight member comprising a first weight member center of gravity (CG) positioned at a first weight member CG depth, wherein the first weight member CG depth is greater than the head CG depth. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The golf club head of claim 3, wherein a ratio of the first weight member CG depth to the head CG depth is greater than 1.5. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the at least one weight member further includes a second weight member, the second weight member comprising a second weight member center of gravity (CG) positioned at a second weight member CG depth, wherein the second weight member CG depth is greater than the head CG depth. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The golf club head of claim 5, wherein a ratio of the second weight member CG depth to the head CG depth is greater than 1.5. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole thickness is less than 0.060 inch (0.152 cm). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole transition region includes a sole transition thickness less than 0.060 inch (0.152 cm). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole transition region includes a radius of curvature of the sole between 0.010-0.040 inch (0.0254-0.102 cm). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the perimeter wall thickness ranges from 0.020-0.060 inch (0.0508-0.152 cm). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the perimeter wall thickness or the perimeter wall height varies to form one or more recesses in the perimeter wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the one or more recesses are positioned along the perimeter wall between the front end and rear end of the club head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a lip that extends along the perimeter wall from the front end near the heel portion to the front end near the toe portion along the rear end of the club head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the lip further comprises a lip thickness and a lip height, and at least one of the lip thickness or the lip height varies to form one or more recesses in the lip. ### Claim 15 A method of manufacturing a golf club head, comprising: forming a club head devoid of a crown, the club head having: a front end having a bottom rail, a top rail, and a strikeface, the strikeface including: a striking surface; a back surface; and a reinforcement element comprising a looped rib extending from the back surface of the strikeface, the looped rib having an outer perimeter surface and an inner perimeter surface, wherein: the outer perimeter surface is filleted with the back surface of the strikeface; and a largest rib span of the inner perimeter surface is 0.609 cm to 1.88 cm; a rear end opposite the front end; a heel portion; a toe portion opposite the heel potion; a sole coupled to the front end along the bottom rail at a sole transition region, the sole extending toward the rear end of the golf club head and including: a sole thickness; a perimeter wall extending from the front end near the heel portion to the front end near the toe portion along the rear end of the club head, wherein the perimeter wall includes a perimeter wall thickness and a perimeter wall height that decreases from the front end toward the rear end of the club head; wherein, the club head is devoid of a crown; and the back surface of the strikeface and a top surface of the sole are exposed.