Golf club head and method of manufacturing golf club head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649543-B2
Application number	US-201514707321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2015
Priority date	Apr 1, 2011
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A golf club head and method of manufacturing are disclosed. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club comprising:
a golf club head body comprising:
a face surface arranged for impacting a golf ball;
a rear surface opposite the face surface;
a sole surface;
a crown surface comprising a first crown surface and a second crown surface, the first crown surface being closer to the face surface than the second crown surface; and the second crown surface includes one or more ridges;
a toe surface comprising a first toe surface and a second toe surface, the first toe surface being closer to the face surface than the second toe surface;

wherein:
the toe surface is permanently coupled to the crown surface, the face surface and the sole surface;
the crown surface is located opposite the sole surface;
the toe surface transitions to the crown surface at a toe end boundary surface comprising a first curved boundary surface where the first toe surface transitions to the first crown surface, a second curved boundary surface where the second toe surface transitions to the second crown surface, and a toe end radius of curvature;
the first curved boundary surface comprises a first radius of curvature approximately parallel to the face surface and the second curved boundary surface comprises a second radius of curvature approximately parallel to the face surface, the toe end radius of curvature comprising the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature;
the crown surface interfaces with the toe end curved boundary surface at a first boundary line;
and
the second radius of curvature varies such that the first boundary line extends substantially perpendicular to the face surface to form a first alignment aid for the golf club.

2. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
the second radius of curvature varies continuously between the first crown surface and the rear surface; and
the first radius of curvature remains constant.

3. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
the face surface is a separate piece from the rest of the golf club head body.

4. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more ridges of the second crown surface changes an angle of reflection of light hitting the second crown surface.

5. The golf club of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more ridges on the first crown surface of the golf club head body.

6. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second radii of curvature vary continuously between the face surface and the rear surface.

7. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
a first distance between the first crown surface and a ground plane is greater than a second distance between the second crown surface and the ground plane.

8. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
the second crown surface comprises a second boundary line and a third boundary line opposite the second boundary line;
the second boundary line is closer to the first crown surface than the third boundary line; and
the second boundary line is farther from a ground plane than the third boundary line.

9. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein:
the crown surface further comprises a third crown surface, the second crown surface being closer to the face surface than the third crown surface;
the toe surface comprises a third toe surface, the second toe surface being closer to the face surface than the third toe surface;
the toe end curved boundary surface comprises a third curved boundary surface where the third toe surface transitions to the third crown surface;
the third curved boundary surface comprises a third radius of curvature approximately parallel to the face surface, the toe end radius of curvature comprising the third radius of curvature;
the third crown surface is closer to a ground plane than the second crown surface; and
the first radius of curvature and the third radius of curvature are different from at least part of the second radius of curvature.

10. The golf club of claim 9 , further comprising:
one or more ridges on the third crown surface of the golf club head body.

11. The golf club of claim 9 , wherein:
the second crown surface slopes downward from the first crown surface toward the third crown surface.

12. The golf club of claim 9 , wherein:
the second crown surface slopes upward from the first crown surface toward the third crown surface.

13. The golf club of claim 9 , wherein:
the third crown surface is parallel, but not coplanar with the first crown surface.

14. The golf club of claim 9 , wherein:
the second crown surface is coupled to a toe edge at two or more second points; a first radius of curvature at a first point is different from a second radius of curvature at a second point.

15. The golf club of claim 14 , wherein:
a radius of curvature varies continuously from approximately 5.0 mm at the first point to 2.5 mm at the second point.

16. The golf club of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shaft coupled to the club head body;
a hosel coupled to the shaft;
the hosel located at a heel end of the golf club head body or at a center of the golf club head body.

17. The golf club of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hole in the crown surface to be coupled to the shaft; the hole located at a heel end of the golf club head body or at a center of the golf club head body.

18. The golf club of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heel surface opposite the toe surface and permanently coupled to the crown surface, the face surface, and the sole surface;
wherein:
the heel surface comprises a first heel surface, a second heel surface, the first heel surface being closer to the face surface than the second heel surface;
the heel surface transitions to the crown surface at a heel end curved boundary surface comprising a third curved boundary surface where the first heel surface transitions to the first crown surface, a fourth curved boundary surface where the second heel surface transitions to the second crown surface, and a heel end radius of curvature;
the third curved boundary surface comprises a third radius of curvature approximately parallel to the face surface and the fourth curved boundary surface comprises a fourth radius of curvature approximately parallel to the face surface, the heel end radius of curvature comprising the third radius of curvature and the fourth radius of curvature;
the crown surface interfaces with the heel end curved boundary surface at a second boundary line; and
the fourth radius of curvature varies such that the second boundary line extends substantially perpendicular to the face surface to form a second alignment aid for the golf club.

19. The golf club of claim 18 , wherein the second alignment aid is parallel with an alignment mark at a center of the club head.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Solheim John A
• Nicolette Michael R

Classifications

• Y10T29/49995

  Shaping one-piece blank by removing material · CPC title

• A63B53/047

  iron-type · CPC title

• A63B53/0466

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B53/007

  Putters · CPC title

• A63B53/0487 Primary

  for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence) · CPC title