Golf club heads with ribs and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11826618-B2
Application number	US-202217649043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2022
Priority date	May 2, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

Provided herein are embodiments of golf club heads comprising a crown and a ribbed region. The ribbed region of the golf club head can be positioned on a portion of the crown and can further include a ribbed wall, wherein the ribbed wall comprises a ribbed wall interior surface, a ribbed wall exterior surface, and one or more external ribs. The one or more external ribs can protrude from the ribbed region to increase the strength of the crown and beneficially reduce crown thickness. Other embodiments and related methods are disclosed herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising:
a front portion comprising a front end;
a rear portion comprising a back end opposite the front end;
a heel portion;
a toe portion opposite the heel portion;
a sole;
a crown opposite the sole having a crown length;
a golf club head length measured from the front end to the back end;
a faceplate having a top; and
a first ribbed region positioned on a portion of the crown; wherein the first ribbed region comprises:
a first ribbed wall comprising:
a first ribbed wall interior surface facing an interior of the golf club head;
a first ribbed wall exterior surface facing an exterior of the golf club head opposite the first ribbed wall interior surface; and
a first ribbed region thickness measured from the first ribbed wall interior surface to the first ribbed wall exterior surface;

a plurality of external crown ribs protruding from the first ribbed wall exterior surface;
wherein the plurality of external crown ribs extend from the back end toward the front end of the golf club head in the first ribbed region;
the plurality of external crown ribs comprise a first external crown rib having:
a first, first external crown rib endpoint; and
a second, first external crown rib endpoint; and
a first external crown rib axis intersecting the first, first external crown rib endpoint and the second, first external crown rib endpoint;
the plurality of external crown ribs further comprise a second external crown rib having:
a first, second external crown rib endpoint; and
a second, second external crown rib endpoint;
a second external crown rib axis intersecting the first, second external crown rib endpoint and the second, second external crown rib endpoint;
wherein:
the plurality of external crown ribs comprise an external crown rib height measured as a distance the plurality of external crown ribs protrude from a first ribbed wall exterior surface;
wherein the plurality of external crown ribs comprise an external crown rib width measured in a direction extending from near the heel portion to near the toe portion; and
wherein the external crown rib width varies in a range of 0.1 inch (2.54 mm) to 1.5 inches (38.1 mm);
wherein the plurality of external crown ribs comprise an external crown rib length measured in a direction extending from near the front end to near the back end;
wherein the crown length extends from the front end to the back end direction;
wherein the crown of the golf club head includes a crown front portion, a crown middle portion, and a crown rear portion;
wherein the crown has a thickness in each of the crown front portion, the crown middle portion, and the crown rear portion;
wherein the crown front portion is proximal to the faceplate;
wherein the crown rear portion is proximal to the back end;
wherein the crown middle portion is between the rear portion and the front portion;
wherein the golf club head further comprises at least a second ribbed region comprising at least a portion of the sole; wherein the second ribbed region comprises:
a second ribbed wall comprising:
a second ribbed wall interior surface facing the interior of the golf club head;
a second ribbed wall exterior surface facing an exterior of the golf club head opposite the second ribbed wall interior surface; and
a second ribbed region wall thickness measured from the second ribbed wall interior surface to the second ribbed wall exterior surface;

a plurality of external sole ribs protruding from the second ribbed wall exterior surface;
wherein the plurality of external sole ribs are arranged in a diamond-grid pattern; wherein each diamond of the diamond-grid pattern is a square;
wherein the second ribbed region wall thickness is in a range of approximately 0.005 inch (0.127 mm) to approximately 0.05 inch (1.27 mm);
further comprising:
a skirt between the sole and the crown;
a third ribbed region comprising at least part of the sole and having a third ribbed region wall thickness measured from the third ribbed wall interior surface to the third ribbed wall exterior surface;
wherein the third ribbed region wall thickness is in a range of approximately 0.005 inch (1.27 mm) to approximately 0.25 inch (6.35 mm); and
a sole thick region located at the sole and separating the second ribbed region from the third ribbed region;
wherein:
the sole thick region has a thickness in a range of 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm) to 0.25 inch (6.35 mm);
wherein the second ribbed region extends to the skirt and is located at the toe portion of the golf club head; and
the third ribbed region extends to the skirt and is located at the heel portion of the golf club head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein the thickness of the crown front portion is greater than the thickness of the crown middle portion and crown rear portion.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 ,
wherein an entire crown rear portion has a thickness in a range of 0.012 inch (0.305 mm) to 0.025 (6.35 mm) inch.

4. The golf club head of claim 2 ,
wherein the crown middle portion has a thickness less than or equal to 0.030 inch (0.762 mm).

5. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of external crown ribs are positioned in a rear most 75% of the golf club head length from the front end to the back end.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein a front distance measured from the top of the faceplate to the first ribbed region is between 1.0 inch (25.4 mm) and 1.6 inches (40.64 mm), and
wherein the front distance is greatest near the toe portion and the heel portion.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein a heel side rear distance is measured from a heel club head edge to the first ribbed region;
wherein the heel club head edge is defined along a perimeter of the heel portion; and
wherein the heel side rear distance varies along the heel portion such that the plurality of external crown ribs extending from the back end toward the front end are curved.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein a toe side rear distance is measured from a toe club head edge to the first ribbed region;
wherein the toe club head edge is defined along a perimeter of the toe portion;
wherein the toe side rear distance varies along the toe portion such that the plurality of external crown ribs extending from the back end toward the front end are curved.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more external crown ribs comprise:
a longitudinal edge extending in a direction from the back end to the front end of the golf club head;
a lateral edge extending in a direction from the toe portion to the heel portion of the golf club head;

wherein an obtuse angle is defined between the longitudinal edges and the lateral edge of the one or more external crown ribs; and
wherein the obtuse angle is in a range between 95 to 145 degrees.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 ,
wherein the external crown rib width varies, such that the external crown rib width increases from near the back end to near the front end.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Stokke Ryan M
• Jertson Martin R
• Higdon David A
• Chen Xiaojian

Classifications

• A63B53/0466 Primary

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B53/045

  Strengthening ribs · CPC title

• A63B53/0408

  characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness · CPC title

• A63B53/0416

  Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert · CPC title

• A63B53/0433

  with special sole configurations · CPC title