Golf club head and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022058605-A1
Application number	US-202117516083-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2021
Priority date	Dec 31, 2016
Publication date	Feb 24, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An iron-type golf club having selectively machined portions and attributes.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An iron-type golf club, comprising:
a body including a hosel, a heel portion, a sole portion having a sole length, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a face portion having a loft of 17-60 degrees, and a leading edge joining the face portion and the sole portion and having a finished leading edge radius, wherein the sole portion extends rearwardly from the leading edge; the sole portion having a machined sole portion of at least 900 mm 2 ; the leading edge having a machined leading edge portion of at least 50 mm 2 , wherein the machined leading edge portion extends throughout at least 25% of the sole length and contacts a vertical midpoint demarcation plane; the face portion having a machined face portion of at least 1800 mm 2 ; wherein the machined leading edge portion is adjacent the machined sole portion and has a plurality of continuous machining scallop lines extending from the machined sole portion to the machined leading edge portion; wherein the plurality of continuous machining scallop lines have a scallop height and a step-over distance between adjacent continuous machining scallop lines; and wherein the scallop height is 10-75% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, and the step-over distance is less than 150% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane.

2 . The iron-type golf club of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of continuous machining scallop lines have a machine tool path defining a vertical tool path plane within a path angle from a vertical front-to-rear plane that is perpendicular to a vertical shaft axis plane, and the path angle is no more than 35 degrees.

3 . The iron-type golf club of claim 2 , wherein the machined leading edge portion extends throughout at least 50% of the sole length, the scallop height is less than 70% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, and the step-over distance is less than the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane.

4 . The iron-type golf club of claim 3 , wherein the path angle is no more than 25 degrees.

5 . The iron-type golf club of claim 3 , wherein the machined leading edge portion extends throughout at least 75% of the sole length, the scallop height is less than 50% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, and the step-over distance is less than 75% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane.

6 . The iron-type golf club of claim 5 , wherein the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane is different than the finished leading edge radius at another point within the machined leading edge portion.

7 . The iron-type golf club of claim 6 , wherein the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane is at least 10% greater than the finished leading edge radius at another point within the machined leading edge portion.

8 . The iron-type golf club of claim 5 , wherein the path angle is no more than 15 degrees.

9 . The iron-type golf club of claim 5 , wherein the scallop height is less than 35% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, the finished leading edge radius is 1.0-4.0 mm, and the machined leading edge portion is at least 75 mm 2 .

10 . The iron-type golf club of claim 2 , wherein the scallop height is less 0.50 mm and the step-over distance is no more than 1.5 mm.

11 . The iron-type golf club of claim 2 , wherein the machine tool path varies along the machined leading edge portion.

12 . The iron-type golf club of claim 2 , wherein the sole portion has a sole portion void having a void length that is at least 50% of the sole length.

13 . The iron-type golf club of claim 12 , wherein the sole portion void is at least partially filled with a void insert.

14 . An iron-type golf club, comprising:
a body including a hosel, a heel portion, a sole portion having a sole length, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a face portion having a loft of 17-60 degrees, and a leading edge joining the face portion and the sole portion and having a finished leading edge radius, wherein the sole portion extends rearwardly from the leading edge; the sole portion having a machined sole portion of at least 900 mm 2 ; the face portion having a machined face portion of at least 1800 mm 2 ; wherein the machined sole portion has a plurality of continuous machining scallop lines extending from a rear of the sole portion toward the face portion and having a scallop height and a step-over distance between adjacent continuous machining scallop lines; wherein the scallop height is 10-75% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, and the step-over distance is less than 150% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane; wherein the plurality of continuous machining scallop lines have a machine tool path defining a vertical tool path plane within a path angle from a vertical front-to-rear plane that is perpendicular to a vertical shaft axis plane, and the path angle is no more than 35 degrees; and wherein the machined sole portion extends throughout at least 50% of the sole length.

15 . The iron-type golf club of claim 14 , wherein, the scallop height is less than 70% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, and the step-over distance is less than the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane.

16 . The iron-type golf club of claim 15 , wherein the path angle is no more than 25 degrees, the machined sole portion extends throughout at least 75% of the sole length, the scallop height is less than 50% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, and the step-over distance is less than 75% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane.

17 . The iron-type golf club of claim 16 , wherein the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane is at least 10% greater than the finished leading edge radius at another point within the machined sole portion.

18 . The iron-type golf club of claim 16 , wherein the scallop height is less than 35% of the finished leading edge radius at the vertical midpoint demarcation plane, the finished leading edge radius is 1.0-4.0 mm, and the machined leading edge portion is at least 75 mm 2 .

19 . The iron-type golf club of claim 14 , wherein the scallop height is less 0.50 mm and the step-over distance is no more than 1.5 mm.

20 . The iron-type golf club of claim 14 , wherein the machine tool path varies along the machined sole portion.

Assignees

• Taylor Made Golf Co

Inventors

• Long D Clayton
• Barker Peter

Classifications

• A63B53/0475 Primary

  with one or more enclosed cavities · CPC title

• A63B53/0437

  with special crown configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/0408

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

• A63B53/005

  Club sets · CPC title

• G06Q20/00

  Payment architectures, schemes or protocols (apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12) · CPC title