# US 11,027,176 B2 · Golf club head with hosel support structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,176 B2 - Document ID: US11027176B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/798,145 - Filed: 2020-02-21 - Published: 2020-06-18 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-14 - Assignees: Callaway Golf Company - Applicants: Callaway Golf Company - Inventors: Justin Del Rosario; Romulus M. Tomimbang; Kevin Harper; J. Neil Hall; Timothy G. Scott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027176B2 ## CPC - A63B 53/02: Joint structures between the head and the shaft - A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations} - A63B 53/0437: {with special crown configurations} - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 53/06: adjustable - A63B 60/02: Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass (A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence) - A63B 53/023: {adjustable angular orientation} - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0412: {Volume} - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B 53/0487: {for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence)} - A63B 2053/0491: {with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable} - A63B 2102/32: Golf - A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials - A63B 2209/02: with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A golf club head having a hosel, a hollow interior, and a support structure disposed within the hollow interior proximate a flange region is disclosed herein. In particular, the present invention is directed to a fairway wood head comprising a body with a front wall, an upper opening, a return portion between the front wall and the upper opening, a hosel, an interface between the hosel and the heel side of the body, and a hosel support ring or support rod, and a composite crown affixed to the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior. The support structure reduces the stresses placed on, for example, the crown during hosel bending processes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club head comprising: a body comprising a sole, a heel side, a toe side, a front wall, a rear side opposite the front wall, a return portion extending away from the front wall towards the rear side, a hollow interior, and an upper opening; a hosel connected to the body at the heel side, the hosel comprising a tube portion and a shaft receiving bore; a flange region defined as an interface between the tube portion and the body; a crown affixed to the body to close the upper opening and enclose the hollow interior; and a support rod disposed within the hollow interior, wherein the support rod extends from the sole to the return portion proximate the flange region, and wherein the support rod reduces stress in the flange region when the hosel is bent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a bond flange, wherein the bond flange encircles the upper opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is selected from the group consisting of a fairway wood, a driver, and a hybrid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is composed of a first material having a first density, wherein the hosel is composed of a second material having a second density, wherein the crown is composed of a third material having a third density, and wherein the first density is greater than the second density and the third density. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first material is a metal alloy, and wherein the third material is carbon composite. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the second material is an aluminum alloy. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the support rod is integrally cast with the body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the hosel is integrally cast with the body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is composed of a first material having a first density, wherein the support rod is composed of a second material having a second density, and wherein the first density is greater than the second density. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is integrally cast with the hosel and the support rod from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy and steel, and wherein the crown is composed of a carbon composite material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a volume of 50 to 250 cubic centimeters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a weight port and a weight lip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the golf club head comprises two weight ports and a weight lip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the hosel further comprises an internal shelf portion. ### Claim 15 A wood-type golf club head comprising: a cast metal body comprising a sole, a heel side, a toe side, a front wall, a rear side opposite the front wall, a return portion extending away from the front wall towards the rear side, an upper opening, a hosel, a flange region, a support rod, and a volume of 50-250 cubic centimeters; and a carbon composite crown affixed to the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior, wherein the flange region is defined as an interface between the hosel and the rest of the body, wherein the support rod is contained within the hollow interior proximate the flange region and extends from the sole to the return portion, and wherein the support rod reduces stress in the flange region when the hosel is bent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, further comprising a bond flange, wherein the bond flange encircles the upper opening, and wherein the crown is permanently affixed to an exterior surface of the bond flange with an adhesive material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, further comprising at least one of a weight port and a weight lip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The wood-type golf club head of claim 17, wherein the golf club head comprises two weight ports and the weight lip. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the metal of the body is selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy and steel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the support rod is approximately parallel with the front wall.