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US 9,168,429 B2Granted
Golf club heads with optimized characteristics and related methods
AssigneeKarsten Manufacturing Corporation
InventorsBradley D. Schweigert, Ryan M. Stokke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of golf club heads with optimized characteristics presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
Claims24
A golf club head comprising:
- a head body comprising:
- a head front portion;
- a head rear portion;
- a head heel portion;
- a head toe portion;
- a head sole portion;
- a head top portion;
- and
- a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;
- a face portion at the head front portion and comprising:
- a strikeface centerpoint;
- a strikeface perimeter;
- and
- a face height bounded by the strikeface perimeter, the strikeface centerpoint is positioned at a midpoint of the face height;
- a head center of gravity;
- and
- at least one of:
- a first performance characteristic;
- or
- a second performance characteristic;
- wherein:
- when the golf club head is at an address position over a ground plane:
- a head vertical axis extends through the head center of gravity and is orthogonal to the ground plane;
- and
- a head horizontal axis extends through the head center of gravity, and is orthogonal to the head vertical axis;
- a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint;
- a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the hosel axis, and orthogonal to the ground plane;
- a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane;
- a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point;
- a head CG height of the head center of gravity is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point;
- a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between:
- a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane;
- and
- a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;
- the head CG depth is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm;
- the head CG height is approximately 0 mm to approximately 5.08 mm;
- the face height is approximately 33 mm to approximately 71 mm, measured parallel to the loft plane;
- the first performance characteristic comprises:
- the head CG height being less than or equal to approximately 5.08 mm;
- and
- the second performance characteristic comprises:
- a CG performance ratio of less than or equal to 0.56, as defined by (a) 76.2 mm minus the face height, divided by (b) the head CG depth;
- the head body comprises a weight structure located towards the sole portion and the rear portion of the head body;
- a clock grid comprises at least:
- a 12 o'clock ray;
- a 3 o'clock ray;
- a 4 o'clock ray;
- a 5 o'clock ray;
- a 8 o'clock ray;
- and
- a 9 o'clock ray;
- when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane;
- the clock grid is centered along the 12 o'clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion;
- the 3 o'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion;
- the 9 o'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion;
- a perimeter of the weight structure is bounded by the 4 o'clock ray and the 9 o'clock ray;
- and
- a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'clock ray and the 8 o'clock ray.
55 more elements
A golf club head comprising:
- a head body comprising:
- a head front portion;
- a head rear portion;
- a head heel portion;
- a head toe portion;
- a head sole portion;
- a head top portion;
- and
- a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;
- a face portion coupled to the head front portion and comprising a strikeface,
- the strikeface comprising:
- a strikeface centerpoint;
- a strikeface perimeter;
- and
- a face height, the strikeface centerpoint is positioned at a midpoint of the face height;
- and
- a head center of gravity;
- wherein, when the golf club head is at an address position over a ground plane:
- a head vertical axis extends through the head center of gravity and is orthogonal to the ground plane;
- and
- a head horizontal axis extends through the head center of gravity, and is orthogonal to the head vertical axis;
- a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint;
- a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the hosel axis, and orthogonal to the ground plane;
- a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane;
- a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point;
- a head CG height of the head center of gravity is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point;
- a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between:
- a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane;
- and
- a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;
- the face height is approximately 33 mm to approximately 71 mm, as delimited by the strikeface perimeter and measured parallel to the loft plane;
- a CG performance ratio between (a) 76.2 mm minus the face height, and (b) the head CG depth, is less than or equal to 0.56;
- the head body comprises a driver-type body;
- a head volume of the golf club head is approximately 420 cc to approximately 470 cc;
- a head weight of the golf club head is approximately 185 grams to approximately 225 grams the head CG height is approximately 0 mm to approximately 3.18 mm;
- the head CG depth is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm;
- the head body comprises a weight structure located towards the sole portion and the rear portion of the head body;
- a clock grid comprises at least:
- a 12 o'clock ray;
- a 3 o'clock ray;
- a 4 o'clock ray;
- a 5 o'clock ray;
- a 8 o'clock ray;
- and
- a 9 o'clock ray;
- when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane;
- the clock grid is centered along the 12 o′clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion;
- the 3 o'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion;
- the 9 o'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion;
- a perimeter of the weight structure is bounded by the 4 o'clock ray and the 9 o'clock ray;
- and
- a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'clock ray and the 8 o'clock ray.
49 more elements
A method for providing a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing a head body comprising:
- a head front portion;
- a head rear portion;
- a head heel portion;
- a head toe portion;
- a head sole portion;
- a head top portion;
- and
- a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis;
- coupling a face portion to the head front portion,
- the face portion comprising a strikeface having:
- a strikeface centerpoint;
- a strikeface perimeter;
- and
- a face height bounded by the strikeface perimeter, the strikeface centerpoint is positioned at a midpoint of the face height;
- and
- establishing at least one of:
- a first performance characteristic of the golf club head;
- or
- a second performance characteristic of the golf club head;
- wherein:
- when the golf club head is at an address position over a ground plane:
- a head vertical axis extends through a head center of gravity of the golf club head and is orthogonal to the ground plane;
- and
- a head horizontal axis extends through the head center of gravity, and is orthogonal to the head vertical axis;
- a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint;
- a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint parallel to the hosel axis, and orthogonal to the ground plane;
- a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane;
- a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point;
- a head CG height of the golf club head is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point;
- a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between:
- a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane;
- and
- a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane;
- the face height is approximately 33 mm to approximately 71 mm, measured parallel to the loft plane;
- the head CG depth is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm;
- the head CG height is approximately 0 mm to approximately 5.08mm;
- the first performance characteristic comprises:
- the head CG height being less than or equal to approximately 5.08 mm;
- and
- the second performance characteristic comprises:
- a CG performance ratio of less than or equal to 0.56, as defined by (a) 76.2 mm minus the face height, divided by (b) the head CG depth;
- the head body comprises a weight structure located towards the sole portion and the rear portion of the head body;
- a clock grid comprises at least:
- a 12 o'clock ray;
- a 3 o'clock ray;
- a 4 o'clock ray;
- a 8 o'clock ray;
- and
- a 9 o'clock ray;
- when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane;
- the clock grid is centered along the 12 o'clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion;
- the 3 o'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion;
- the 9 o'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion;
- a perimeter of the weight structure is bounded by the 4 o'clock ray and the 9 o'clock ray;
- and
- a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'clock ray and the 8 o'clock ray.
54 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.