Golf club head or other ball striking device having reinforced sole

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083400-B2
Application number	US-202017089614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 6, 2013
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A head for a ball striking device includes a bracing member connected to an upper sole surface located on the sole of the body opposite the bottom sole surface. The bracing member includes a first end connected to a first point on the upper sole surface, a second end connected to a second point on the upper sole surface spaced from the first point, and a bridge portion extending between the first and second ends. The bridge portion extends upward from the upper sole surface and is spaced from the upper sole surface. The bridge portion may be formed by one or more trusses, and may define a generally triangular shape in one embodiment. The first and second ends may be connected to the upper sole surface using a variety of techniques, e.g., welding or other integral joining technique, integral forming, adhesive or other bonding material, or other technique. The location of the bracing member may be determined using a modal analysis to determine a maximum displacement region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising: a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball and a rear surface opposite the outer surface; a front, a rear, a toe, and a heel; a body joined to the face around peripheral edges of the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body including a crown portion and a sole portion, wherein the body defines an interior cavity surrounded by an interior surface; and a bracing member positioned within the interior cavity and including a spine member spaced from a portion of the interior surface, a first leg having a first end contacting the interior surface and a second end connected to the spine member, a second leg having a first end spaced from the first end of the first leg and contacting the interior surface, and a second end connected to the spine member, a third leg having a first end spaced from the first end of the first leg and from the first end of the second leg and contacting the interior surface, and a second end connected to the spine member, a fourth leg having a first end spaced from the first end of the first leg and from the first end of the second leg and from the first end of the third leg and contacting the interior surface, and a second end connected to the spine member, wherein the bracing member is differently oriented, wherein the spine member extends from the toe towards the heel of the golf club head; wherein the first ends of each of the first, second, third, and fourth legs contact a portion of the interior surface adjacent the sole portion; wherein the bracing member connects the first, second, third and fourth legs, and wherein the first ends of the first and second legs are positioned to one side of the spine member and the first ends of the third and fourth legs are positioned to another side of the spine member.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the spine member includes a first end and a second end and an elongated body extending therebetween.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 , further including a fifth leg having a first end contacting the interior surface and a second end connected to the first end of the spine member.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 , further including a sixth leg having a first end contacting the interior surface and a second end connected to the second end of the spine member.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the spine member, the first leg, the second leg, the third leg, and the fourth leg are all integrally formed as one piece.

6. The golf club head of claim 5 , wherein the bracing member is constructed of a polymer.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the spine member, the first leg, the second leg, the third leg, and/or the fourth leg is constructed from titanium.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the spine member includes a first end and a second end and a curvilinear body extending therebetween.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first leg and the third leg have a combined designed mass greater than a combined designed mass of the second leg and the fourth leg.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the portion of interior surface adjacent the sole portion is an interior surface of the sole portion; wherein the bracing member comprises a length extending across at least 50% of a largest width of the sole portion.

11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the bracing member comprises a weight ranging from 1 gram to 6 grams.

12. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the spine member comprises a cross-sectional shape with a spine height that is at least two times a spine width.

13. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the spine member is spaced from the interior surface; wherein the spine member is spaced from the interior surface a distance in a range of 1 mm to 4 mm.

14. A golf club head comprising: a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball and a rear surface opposite the outer surface; a front, a rear, a toe, and a heel; a body joined to the face around peripheral edges of the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body including a crown portion and a sole portion, wherein the body defines an interior cavity surrounded by an interior surface; and a bracing member positioned within the interior cavity and including a spine member spaced from a portion of the interior surface, a first leg having a first end contacting the interior surface of the body and a second end connected to the spine member, a second leg having a first end spaced from the first end of the first leg and contacting the interior surface of the body, and a second end connected to the spine member, a third leg having a first end spaced from the first end of the first leg and from the first end of the second leg and contacting the interior surface of the body, and a second end connected to the spine member, a fourth leg having a first end spaced from the first end of the first leg and from the first end of the second leg and from the first end of the third leg and contacting the interior surface of the body, and a second end connected to the spine member, wherein the bracing member is differently oriented, wherein the spine member extends from the toe towards the heel of the golf club head; wherein the spine member is elongate and spans between a first end of the bracing member and a second end of the bracing member; wherein the first leg and the second leg are angled relative to one another; and wherein the first ends of the first and second legs are positioned to one side of the spine member and the first ends of the third and fourth legs are positioned to another side of the spine member.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Knight William C
• Wallans Michael

Classifications

• A63B2209/00

  Characteristics of used materials · CPC title

• A63B53/0454

  Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate · CPC title

• A63B53/0437

  with special crown configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/0433

  with special sole configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/045

  Strengthening ribs · CPC title