# US 2013/0157777 A1 · Golf club heads with ribs and related methods

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- Number: US 2013/0157777 A1
- Document ID: US20130157777A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/768,624
- Filed: 2013-02-15
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2006-07-31
- Assignees: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
- Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke; Martin R. Jertson; Eric V. Cole
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157777A1

## CPC

- A63B 53/04: Heads
- A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
- A63B 53/0466: {wood-type}
- A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations}
- A63B 53/0437: {with special crown configurations}
- A63B 53/0441: {with visual indicators for aligning the golf club}
- A63B 53/045: {Strengthening ribs}
- A63B 53/047: {iron-type}
- A63B 53/0487: {for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence)}
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- 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

Golf club heads with ribs are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A golf club head comprising:
a body having a heel end, a toe end, a sole, and a front surface; and
a plurality of ribs protruded from a rib surface of the body and comprising:
a first rib comprising:
a first-first rib end;
a first-second rib end opposite the first-first rib end; and
a first axis extending through the first-first rib end and the first-second rib end;
a second rib comprising:
a second-first rib end;
a second-second rib end opposite the second-first rib end; and
a second axis extending through the second-first rib end and the second-second rib end; and
a third rib comprising:
a third-first rib end;
a third-second rib end opposite the third-first rib end; and
a third axis extending through the third-first rib end and the third-second rib end;
wherein:
the front surface comprises a strikeface with a strikeface centerpoint;
a loft plane tangent to the strikeface centerpoint defines a front plane of the golf club head;
the first rib is located between the second and third ribs;
the first axis comprises a first distance between the front plane and the first-first rib end;
the second axis comprises a second distance between the front plane and the second-first rib end;
the third axis comprises a third distance between the front plane and the third-first rib end; and
at least one of the first, second, or third distances is greater than at least another one of the first, second, or third distances.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the first distance is greater than the second distance; and
the first distance is greater than the third distance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the second distance is greater than the first distance; and
the third distance is greater than the first distance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
from a top view of the golf club head,
the first, second, and third axes intersect at a common point external to the body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The golf club head of claim 4, wherein:
the first axis comprises a first extended distance from the common point to the first-first rib end of the first rib;
the second axis comprises a second extended distance from the common point to the second-first rib end of the second rib;
the third axis comprises a third extended distance from the common point to the third-first rib end of the third rib;
the first extended distance is greater than the second extended distance; and
the first extended distance is greater than the third extended distance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The golf club head of claim 4, wherein:
the first axis comprises a first extended distance from the common point to the first-first rib end of the first rib;
the second axis comprises a second extended distance from the common point to the second-first rib end of the second rib;
the third axis comprises a third extended distance from the common point to the third-first rib end of the third rib;
the second extended distance is greater than the first extended distance; and
the third extended distance is greater than the first extended distance.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The golf club head of claim 4, wherein:
the front surface of the body comprises a strike face with a target strike zone; and
the common point is separated from the target strike zone by a distance of at lest one of approximately a radius or a golf ball or approximately a diameter of the golf ball.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the second and third distances are approximately equal to each other.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of ribs are internal to the body and are not visible from outside of the gold club head.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the first, second, and third ribs are located at least partially at the sole of the body.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
a front wall of the body comprises the front surface at an exterior thereof; and
at least one of the plurality of ribs reaches an interior of the front wall of the body.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the second rib comprises a second rib length, from the second-second rib end to the second-first rib end;
the third rib comprises a third rib length, from the third-second rib end to the third-first rib end; and
the second rib length is greater than the third rib length.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the first, second, and third ribs are non-intersected by any rib.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the front surface of the body comprises a strike face with a target strike zone; and
from a top view of the golf club head,
the first axis of the first rib is substantially orthogonal to the front plane.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of ribs comprise:
a fourth rib comprising:
a fourth-first rib end;
a fourth-second rib end opposite the fourth-first rib end; and
a fourth axis extending through the fourth-first rib end and the fourth-second rib end;
a fifth rib comprising:
a fifth-first rib end;
a fifth-second rib end opposite the fifth-first rib end; and
a fifth axis extending through the fifth-first rib end and the fifth-second rib end;
the second rib is located between the first and fourth ribs;
the third rib is located between the first and fifth ribs;
a fourth distance along the fourth axis, between the front surface and the fourth-first rib end, is different than at least one of the first distance or the second distance; and
a fifth distance along the fifth axis, between the front surface and the fifth-first rib end, is different than at least one of the first distance or the third distance.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The golf club head of claim 15, wherein:
the fourth distance is greater than the second distance.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The golf club head of claim 16, wherein:
the fifth distance is greater than the third distance.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The golf club head of claim 15, wherein:
from a top view perspective of the golf club head, the first, fourth, and fifth axes intersect at a common point external to the body.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the body comprises a skirt portion; and
at least one of the plurality of ribs extends at least partially along the skirt portion.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the rib surface further comprises one or more indentation features; and
a clear section of the rib surface is clear of the one or more indentation features; and
at least one of the plurality of ribs protrudes from the clear section of the rib surface.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the rib surface further comprises one or more indentation features; and
at least one of the one or more indentation features engulfs at least partially one or more portions of one or more of the plurality of ribs.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the loft plane comprises the front plane of the golf club head.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
when the golf club head is at address over a ground flat surface:
the loft plane intersects the ground flat surface along a front intersection line; and
the front plane extends orthogonal to the ground flat surface from the front intersection line.

### Claim 24

A golf club head comprising:
a body having a heel end, a toe end, a sole, and a front surface; and
a plurality of ribs protruded from a rib surface of the body and comprising:
a first rib comprising:
a first-first rib end;
a first-second rib end opposite the first-first rib end; and
a first axis extending through the first-first rib end and the first-second rib end;
a second rib comprising:
a second-first rib end;
a second-second rib end opposite the second-first rib end; and
a second axis extending through the second-first rib end and the second-second rib end; and
a third rib comprising:
a third-first rib end;
a third-second rib end opposite the third-first rib end; and
a third axis extending through the third-first rib end and the third-second rib end;
wherein:
the first rib is located between the second and third ribs;
the first axis comprises a first distance between the front surface and the first-first rib end;
the second axis comprises a second distance between the front surface and the second-first rib end;
the third axis comprises a third distance between the front surface and the third-first rib end; and
at least one of the first, second, or third distances is greater than at least another one of the first, second, or third distances.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The golf club head of claim 24, wherein:
the plurality of ribs comprise one of:
a first staggered pattern where:
the first distance is greater than the second distance; and
the first distance is greater than the third distance; or
a second staggered pattern where:
the second distance is greater than the first distance; and
the third distance is greater than the first distance.

### Claim 26

A method for providing a golf club head, the method comprising:
providing a body having a heel end, a toe end, a sole, and a front surface; and
providing a plurality of ribs protruded from a rib surface of the body;
wherein:
providing the plurality of ribs comprises:
providing a first rib comprising:
a first-first rib end;
a first-second rib end opposite the first-first rib end; and
a first axis extending through the first-first rib end and the first-second rib end; providing a second rib comprising:
a second-first rib end;
a second-second rib end opposite the second-first rib end; and
a second axis extending through the second-first rib end and the second-second rib end; and
providing a third rib comprising:
a third-first rib end;
a third-second rib end opposite the third-first rib end; and
a third axis extending through the third-first rib end and the third-second rib end;
providing the body comprises:
coupling a strikeface at the front surface,
the strikeface comprising a strikeface centerpoint,
a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint;
when the golf club head is at address over a ground flat surface:
the loft plane intersects the ground flat surface along a front intersection line; and
a front plane extends orthogonal to the ground flat surface from the front intersection line;
the first rib is located between the second and third ribs;
the first axis comprises a first distance between the first-first rib end and a front reference comprising one of the loft plane, the front plane, or the front surface;
the second axis comprises a second distance between the second-first rib end and the front reference;
the third axis comprises a third distance between the third-first rib end and the front reference; and
the plurality of ribs are staggered relative to the front reference such that at least one of the first, second, or third distances is greater than at least another one of the first, second, or third distances.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein:
the plurality of ribs comprise one of:
a first staggered pattern where:
the first distance is greater than the second distance; and
the first distance is greater than the third distance; or
a second staggered pattern where:
the second distance is greater than the first distance; and
the third distance is greater than the first distance.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein:
the first axis comprises a first extended distance from the common point to the first-first rib end of the first rib;
the second axis comprises a second extended distance from the common point to the second-first rib end of the second rib;
the third axis comprises a third extended distance from the common point to the third-first rib end of the third rib; and
the plurality of ribs comprise one of:
a first extended staggered pattern where:
the first extended distance is greater than the second extended distance; and
the first extended distance is greater than the third extended distance; or
a second extended staggered pattern where:
the second extended distance is greater than the first extended distance; and
the third extended distance is greater than the first extended distance.