Golf club heads with ribs and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12070664-B2
Application number	US-202318162545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2023
Priority date	Jul 31, 2006
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

Golf club heads with ribs are described herein. A golf club head comprises a first rib protruding from an interior surface of the club head, and a second rib protruding from the interior surface of the club head. The first rib comprises a first axis and the second rib comprises a second axis; wherein the first and second rib axes intersect each other forward the front end of the club head body. The club head further comprises a first side rib protruding from the interior surface of the heel end, and a second side rib protruding from the interior surface of the toe end. The first side rib and the second side rib generally extend in a front end to rear end direction, and can be linear or curvilinear. The ribs provide structural support and sound control for the club head.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising:
a heel end, a toe end, a crown, a sole, a front end comprising a strikeface, and a rear end;
an interior surface defined by the heel end, the toe end, the crown, the sole, the front end, and the rear end;
an interior cavity bounded by the interior surface;

a first rib protruding from the interior surface;
wherein:
the first rib comprises:
a first, first-rib endpoint;
a second, first-rib endpoint;
a first rib axis intersecting the first and second first-rib endpoints; and
a first rib length, a first rib width, and a first rib height;

wherein:
the first rib length extends from the first, first-rib endpoint to the second, first-rib endpoint; the first rib width is substantially parallel to the interior surface and substantially orthogonal to the first rib length; and the first rib height is substantially orthogonal to the interior surface;

a second rib protruding from the interior surface;
wherein:
the second rib comprises:
a first, second-rib endpoint;
a second, second-rib endpoint;
a second rib axis intersecting the first and second second-rib endpoints; and
a second rib length, a second rib width, and a second rib height;

wherein:
the second rib length extends from the first, second-rib endpoint to the second, second-rib endpoint;
the second rib width is substantially parallel to the interior surface and substantially orthogonal to the second rib length; and
the second rib height is substantially orthogonal to the interior surface;

a first side rib protruding from the interior surface of the heel end;
wherein:
the first side rib comprises:
a first, first-side-rib end;
a second, first-side-rib end; and
a first side rib length, a first side rib width, and a first side rib height;

a second side rib protruding from the interior surface of the toe end;
wherein:
the second side rib comprises:
a first, second-side-rib end;
a second, second-side-rib end; and
a second side rib length, a second side rib width, and a second side rib height;

wherein:
the first side rib extends generally in a front end to rear end direction in a curvilinear manner;
the second side rib extends generally in a front end to rear end direction in a curvilinear manner;
one of the first rib height and the second rib height vary respectively across the first rib length and the second rib length;
one of the first side rib height and the second side rib height vary respectively across the first side rib length and the second side rib length;
with respect to a top view of the golf club head:
the first and second rib axes intersect each other forward the front end of the body; and
one of the first rib width and the second rib width vary respectively across the first rib length and the second rib length.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first side rib width is approximately constant along the first side rib length.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the second side rib width is approximately constant along the second side rib length.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first side rib and second side rib are offset from the strikeface.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the club head further defines a ground plane that is tangent to the sole when the club head is at an address position;
wherein the first side rib comprises a first side rib axis extending through the first, first-side-rib end and second, first-side-rib end;
the second side rib comprises a second side rib axis extending through the first, second-side-rib end, and second, second-side-rib end; and
the first side rib and the second side rib axis are angled between 40 degrees to 140 degrees relative to the ground plane.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side rib and second side rib curve in the same direction.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side rib comprises a concave shape such that the first and second, first-side-rib ends are angled towards the crown; and
the second side rib comprises a concave shape such that the first and second, second-side-rib ends are angled towards the crown.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side rib comprises a convex shape such that the first and second, first-side-rib ends are angled towards the sole; and
the second side rib comprises a convex shape such that the first and second, second-side-rib ends are angled towards the sole.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first side rib is curved in an alternate arrangement than the second side rib.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the second side rib is located closer to the crown than the first side rib.

11. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising:
a heel end, a toe end, a crown, a sole, a front end comprising a strikeface, and a rear end;
an interior surface defined by the heel end, the toe end, the crown, the sole, the front end, and the rear end;
an interior cavity bounded by the interior surface;

a first rib protruding from the interior surface;
wherein:
the first rib comprises:
a first, first-rib endpoint;
a second, first-rib endpoint;
a first rib axis intersecting the first and second first-rib endpoints; and
a first rib length, a first rib width, and a first rib height;

wherein:
the first rib length extends from the first, first-rib endpoint to the second, first-rib endpoint;
the first rib width is substantially parallel to the interior surface and substantially orthogonal to the first rib length; and
the first rib height is substantially orthogonal to the interior surface;

a second rib protruding from the interior surface;
wherein:
the second rib comprises:
a first, second-rib endpoint;
a second, second-rib endpoint;
a second rib axis intersecting the first and second second-rib endpoints; and
a second rib length, a second rib width, and a second rib height;

wherein:
the second rib length extends from the first, second-rib endpoint to the second, second-rib endpoint;
the second rib width is substantially parallel to the interior surface and substantially orthogonal to the second rib length; and
the second rib height is substantially orthogonal to the interior surface;

a first side rib protruding from the interior surface of the heel end;
wherein:
the first side rib comprises:
a first, first-side-rib endpoint;
a second, first-side-rib endpoint;
a first side rib axis intersecting the first and second first-side-rib endpoints; and
a first side rib length, a first side rib width, and a first side rib height;

a second side rib protruding from the interior surface of the toe end;
wherein:
the second side rib comprises:
a first, second-side-rib endpoint;
a second, second-side-rib endpoint;
a second side rib axis intersecting the first and second second-side-rib endpoints; and
a second side rib length, a second side rib width, and a second side rib height;

wherein:
the first side rib is linear and extends in a front end to rear end direction;
the second side rib is linear and extends in a front end to rear end direction;
one of the first rib height and the second rib height vary respectively across the first rib length and the second rib length;
the first side rib height is constant along the first side rib length;
the second side rib height is constant along the second side rib length; and
with respect to a top view of the golf club head:
the first and second rib axes intersect each other forward the front end of the body; and
one of the first rib width and the second rib width vary respectively

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Cole Eric V
• Jertson Martin R
• Stokke Ryan M
• Ghods Sina

Classifications

• A63B60/002

  Resonance frequency related characteristics · CPC title

• A63B53/0437

  with special crown configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/0433

  with special sole configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/0408

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

• A63B53/045

  Strengthening ribs · CPC title