Golf club head or other ball striking device having impact-influencing body features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11890513-B2
Application number	US-202217649046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2022
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and have a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe, wherein the width and the depth of the center portion of the channel are substantially constant, and wherein the depth of the channel is greater at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising: a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body having a crown, a sole, a front, a rear opposite the front, a heel, a toe, and a hosel located adjacent the heel, wherein the body and the face combine to define an internal cavity, and wherein the golf club head comprises an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the golf club head has a volume of at least 400 cubic centimeters, an elongated channel extending across a portion of the sole, wherein the elongated channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole, and a plurality of internal ribs, at least one internal rib of the plurality of internal ribs connected to an internal portion of the sole and to an internal portion of the elongated channel, wherein the elongated channel has a maximum width and a maximum depth of recession along a length of the elongated channel, wherein the elongated channel comprises a wall thickness, the maximum width is defined in a front to rear direction and the maximum depth of recession is defined from adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein both the maximum width and the maximum depth is defined at a vertical plane passing through a face center, wherein a ratio of the maximum width to the maximum depth is approximately 3.5:1 to 4.5:1, wherein the elongated channel comprises a center portion extending toward the heel and the toe from the vertical plane passing through the face center, wherein the center portion is generally symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane passing through a geometric centerline for the sole, wherein a maximum width of the center portion varies no more than +/−10%, wherein a midpoint of the center portion is coincident with the vertical plane passing through the geometric centerline for the sole, and wherein the vertical plane passing through the face center is aligned with the vertical plane passing through the geometric centerline for the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe, wherein the elongated channel has a boundary that is defined by a front edge and a rear edge that extend between a first end and a second end of the elongated channel, and the front edge and the rear edge at the heel portion and the toe portion are angled away from each other such that an elongated channel width at the heel and toe portion gradually increase toward the heel and the toe respectively, and further wherein a depth of the heel portion and the toe portion of the elongated channel increases from the center portion toward the heel and the toe, respectively, wherein the front edge of the elongated channel is rearwardly offset from the striking surface of the face a rearward spacing distance, wherein the rearward spacing distance of the front edge of the elongated channel varies in a range from 8.00 mm to 9.35 mm, wherein at least one internal rib of the plurality of internal ribs comprises an internal corner rib adjacent the hosel connected to an interior side of the sole, an interior side of the crown, and an interior portion of the rear edge of the elongated channel.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal rib comprises at least a pair of internal ribs.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the pair of internal ribs are substantially parallel to each other.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal rib is connected to a rear wall of the elongated channel.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the internal corner rib further comprises a corner rib front end portion toward the front of the golf club head and a corner rib rear end portion extending toward the rear of the golf club head.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the internal corner rib further comprises an internal corner rib width measured between a corner rib front end portion and a corner rib rear end portion.

7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the internal corner rib width is in a range of 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of the elongated channel varies from the center portion of the elongated channel to the heel or toe portions of the elongated channel.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal rib has a concave upper surface.

10. A golf club head comprising:
a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball;
a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face,
the body having a crown, a sole, a front, a rear opposite the front, a heel, a toe, and a hosel located adjacent the heel;
wherein the body and the face combine to define an internal cavity, and
an elongated channel extending across a portion of the sole in a heel to toe direction,
wherein the elongated channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from adjacent surfaces of the sole,
wherein the elongated channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe; and
wherein the center portion is generally symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane passing through a geometric centerline for the sole,
wherein a midpoint of the center portion is coincident with the vertical plane passing through the geometric centerline for the sole,
and wherein a vertical plane passing through a face center is aligned with the vertical plane passing through the geometric centerline for the sole,
wherein the elongated channel has a maximum width and a maximum depth of recession along a length of the elongated channel,
wherein both the maximum width and the maximum depth are defined at the vertical plane passing through the face center,
wherein the elongated channel comprises a wall thickness,
the maximum width is defined in a front to rear direction and the maximum depth of recession is defined from the adjacent surfaces of the sole at a vertical plane passing through a face center,
wherein a ratio of the maximum width to the maximum depth is approximately 3.5:1 to 4.5:1,
wherein the maximum width of the center portion varies no more than +/−10%,
wherein a wall thickness of the center portion is 1.25 to 2.25 times greater than a wall thickness of the toe portion or a wall thickness of the heel portion,
wherein the elongated channel has a boundary that is defined by a front edge and a rear edge that extend between a first end and a second end of the elongated channel, and
the front edge and the rear edge at the heel portion and the toe portion are angled away from each other such that an elongated channel width at the heel and toe portion gradually increase toward the heel and the toe respectively, and
further wherein a depth of the heel portion and the toe portion of the elongated channel increase from the center portion toward the heel and the toe, respectively, and
a plurality of internal ribs connecting to an internal portion of the sole and to an internal portion of the elongated channel,
wherein the front edge of the elongated channel is rearwardly offset from the striking surface of the face a rearward spacing distance,
wherein the rearward spacing distance of the front edge of the elongated channel varies in a range from 7.65 mm to 9.35 mm,
wherein at least one internal rib of the plurality of internal ribs comprises an internal corner rib adjacent the hosel connected to an interior side of the sole, an interior side of the crow

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Boggs Joshua M
• Larson Eric A
• Oldknow Andrew G V
• Prichard Michael T
• Radcliffe Nathaniel J
• Boyd Robert M

Classifications

• A63B53/04 Primary

  Heads · CPC title

• A63B53/0466 Primary

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B60/52

  with slits · CPC title

• A63B53/045

  Strengthening ribs · CPC title

• A63B53/0408

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