US 8,801,541 B2 · Golf club

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Some embodiments of the club head have a high moment of inertia and variable thickness face.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims17

Dependent claims

A golf club, comprising:

a golf club shaft;
a golf club grip;
and
a golf club head, the golf club head comprising a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown, wherein the body has a forward portion and a rearward portion;
and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body, the face defining a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is at a proper address position, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is at a proper address position, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis, the striking surface having a striking surface height between approximately 45 mm and approximately 65 mm, and a striking surface width between approximately 75 mm and approximately 105 mm;
wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity z-axis generally parallel to the head origin z-axis greater than approximately 490 kg·mm2,
wherein the face has a thickness along the head origin x-axis, the thickness being between tmin and tmax for at least 50% of the x-axis coordinates x within a first range between approximately −10 mm and approximately −50 mm, and a second range between approximately 10 mm and approximately 50 mm, where
tmin=1.6+0.002378 (40−|x|)2, and (1)
tmax=2.5+0.002854 (40−|x|)2, (2)
wherein the thickness at each coordinate of −10 mm and 10 mm along the x-axis is no less than 3.74 mm;
and
wherein the thickness at each coordinate of −40 mm and 40 mm along the x-axis is no greater than 2.5 mm;
wherein the striking surface has an area greater than about 3,500 mm2,
wherein the golf club has a club length between about 46 inches and 48 inches, and
wherein the golf club has total mass between about 270 grams and about 300 grams.

13 more elements

A golf club, comprising:

a golf club shaft;
a golf club grip;
and
a golf club head, the golf club head comprising a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown, wherein the body has a forward portion and a rearward portion;
and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body, the face defining a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is at a proper address position, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is at a proper address position, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis, the striking surface having a striking surface height between approximately 45 mm and approximately 65 mm, and a striking surface width between approximately 75mm and approximately 105 mm;
wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the head origin x-axis greater than approximately 280 kg·mm2, and
wherein the face has a thickness along the head origin z-axis, the thickness being between tmin and tmax for at least 50% of the z-axis coordinates z within a first range between approximately −10 mm and approximately −30 mm, and a second range between approximately 10 mm and approximately 30 mm, where
tmin=1.6+0.002378(40−|z|)2, and (1)
tmax=2.5+0.002854(40−|z|)2, (2)
wherein the thickness at each coordinate of −10 mm and 10 mm along the z-axis is no less than 3.74 mm;
and
wherein the thickness at each coordinate of −40 mm and 40 mm along the z-axis is no greater than 2.5 mm;
wherein the striking surface has an area greater than about 3,500 mm2,
wherein the golf club has a club length between about 46 inches and 48 inches, and
wherein the golf club has total mass between about 270 grams and about 300 grams.

13 more elements

A golf club, comprising:

a golf club shaft;
a golf club grip;
and
a golf club head, the golf club head comprising a body defining an interior cavity and comprising a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown, wherein the body has a forward portion and a rearward portion;
and
a face positioned at the forward portion of the body, the face defining a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is at a proper address position, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is at a proper address position, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis, the striking surface having a striking surface width between approximately 75 mm and approximately 105 mm;
wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity z-axis generally parallel to the head origin z-axis greater than approximately 490 kg·mm2, and a moment of inertia about a golf club head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the head origin x-axis greater than approximately 280 kg·mm2, and
wherein the face has a thickness along a radial axis extending tangential to and radially outwardly away from the golf club head origin, the thickness being between tmin and tmax along at least 50% of the distances r away from the golf club head origin along the radial axis equal to or greater than approximately 10 mm and equal to or less than approximately 50 mm, where
tmin=1.6+0.002378 (40−r)2, and (1)
tmax=2.5+0.002854 (40−r)2, (2)
wherein the thickness at each coordinate of −10 mm and 10 mm along the distance r is no less than 3.74 mm;
and
wherein the thickness at each coordinate of −40 mm and 40 mm along the distance r is no greater than 2.5 mm;
wherein the striking surface has an area greater than about 3,500 mm2,
wherein the golf club has a club length between about 46 inches and 48 inches, and
wherein the golf club has total mass between about 270 grams and about 300 grams.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description11,332 words

Summary2,798 words

#The present application concerns golf clubs and golf club heads, and more particularly, golf clubs and golf club heads that incorporate features to provide increased forgiveness for off-center hits, reduced weight and/or increased head speed during a swing, among other advantages. Unique combinations of moments of inertia, inverted cone technology, club head face characteristics and golf club component characteristics are described.

#Golf club head manufacturers and designers are constantly looking for ways to improve golf club head performance, which includes the forgiveness of the golf club head, while having an aesthetic appearance. Generally, “forgiveness” can be defined as the ability of a golf club head to reduce the effects of mishits, i.e., hits resulting from striking the golf ball at a less than an ideal impact location on the golf club head, on the shot shape and distance of a golf ball struck the by club.

#Golf club head performance can be directly affected by the moments of inertia of the club head. A moment of inertia is the measure of a club head's resistance to twisting about the golf club head's center of gravity upon impact with a golf ball. Generally, the higher the moments of inertia of a golf club head, the less the golf club head twists at impact with a golf ball, particularly during “off-center” impacts with a golf ball, the greater the forgiveness of the golf club head and probability of hitting a straight golf shot. Further, higher moments of inertia typically result in greater ball speed upon impact with the golf club head, which can translate into increased golf shot distance.

Brief description of the drawings29 figures

#FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a golf club head according to a first embodiment.

#FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

Detailed description8,006 words

#In the following description, certain terms may be used such as “up,” “down,”, “upper,” “lower,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “left,” “right,” and the like. These terms are used, where applicable, to provide some clarity of description when dealing with relative relationships, particularly with respect to the illustrated embodiments. These terms are not, however, intended to imply absolute relationships, positions, and/or orientations. For example, with respect to an object, an “upper” surface can become a “lower” surface simply by turning the object over. Nevertheless, it is still the same object.

#As illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, a wood-type (e.g., driver or fairway wood) golf club head, such as golf club head 2, includes a hollow body 10. The body 10 includes a crown 12, a sole 14, a skirt 16, a striking face, or face portion, 18 defining an interior cavity 79 (see FIGS. 7-8). The body 10 can include a hosel 20, which defines a hosel bore 24 adapted to receive a golf club shaft (see FIG. 6). The body 10 further includes a heel portion 26, a toe portion 28, a front portion 30, and a rear portion 32. The club head 2 also has a volume, typically measured in cubic-centimeters (cm3), equal to the volumetric displacement of the club head 2. In some implementations, the golf club head 2 has a volume between approximately 400 cm3 and approximately 490 cm3, and a total mass between approximately 185 g and approximately 215 g. Referring to FIG. 1, in one specific implementation, the golf club head 2 has a volume of approximately 458 cm3 and a total mass of approximately 200 g.

#The crown 12 is defined as an upper portion of the club head (1) above a peripheral outline 34 of the club head as viewed from a top-down direction; and (2) rearwards of the topmost portion of a ball striking surface 22 of the striking face 18 (see FIG. 6). The striking surface 22 is defined as a front or external surface of the striking face 18 and is adapted for impacting a golf ball (not shown). In several embodiments, the striking face or face portion 18 can be a striking plate attached to the body 10 using conventional attachment techniques, such as welding, as will be described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the striking surface 22 can have a bulge and roll curvature. For example, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the striking surface 22 can have a bulge and roll each with a radius of approximately 305 mm.

Facts

Application

12/813,442Filed 10 Jun 2010 · continuation in part

Priority

27 Sep 2007

Published

US 2010/0273572 A128 Oct 2010

Granted

12 Aug 2014

Term ends

25 Dec 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 455 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification14 codes

A63B 53/0466
Heads: wood-type
A63B 60/00
Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
A63B 60/06
Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like: handles
A63B 60/08
Handles: characterised by the material

Family

Application11/863,198Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Sep 2007

Application12/006,060Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 28 Dec 2007

US 2010/0273572 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Oct 2010

US 7,731,603 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

Application12/006,060Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2009/0088269 A1Published application

US 2009/0088271 A1Published application

US 8,353,786 B2Related patent

US 8,801,541 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

27 Sep 2007Priority claimedParent application 11/863,198
10 Jun 2010Application filedUS 12/813,442
15 Jul 2010Assigned to Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
28 Oct 2010PublishedUS 2010/0273572 A1
12 Aug 2014GrantedUS 8,801,541 B2
13 Oct 2017Assigned to Pnc Bank, National Association, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
13 Oct 2017Assigned to Adidas North America, Inc., AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
13 Oct 2017Assigned to Kps Capital Finance Management, LLC, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
4 Aug 2021Assigned to Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.release of security interest
4 Aug 2021Assigned to Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.release of security interest
4 Aug 2021Assigned to Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.release of security interest
24 Aug 2021Assigned to Kookmin Bank, AS Collateral Agentnotice of grant of security interest in patents
24 Aug 2021Assigned to Kookmin Bank, AS Security Agentnotice of grant of security interest in patents
7 Feb 2022Assigned to Bank of America, N.A., AS Collateral Agentnotice of grant of security interest in patents
7 Feb 2022Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Collateral Agentnotice of grant of security interest in patents
8 Feb 2022Assigned to Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.release of security interest in patents
8 Feb 2022Assigned to Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.release of security interest in patents
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
25 Dec 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 455 days of adjustment

Golf club

Life of this patent

Golf club

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims17

Description11,332 words

Drawings

Classification14 codes

Life of this patent

Description11,332 words