IP Library Granted Patent US 9,498,688
Granted Patent B2
US 9,498,688 · App. 14/565,355 · Granted Nov 22, 2016

Golf club head with stiffening member

Inventors: Darryl C. Galvan (El Cajon, CA); Richard L. Cleghorn (Carlsbad, CA); Clayton Evans (San Marcos, CA); Stephanie Bezilla (Carlsbad, CA); Mark C. Myrhum (Del Mar, CA)
Assignee: Acushnet Company
A63B59/0092A63B53/0466A63B53/06A63B60/52A63B60/54A63B2053/042A63B2053/045A63B2053/0408A63B2053/0412A63B2053/0425A63B2053/0429A63B2053/0433A63B2053/0437A63B2053/0458A63B2053/0491A63B2060/002A63B2209/00A63B2209/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,498,688
App. No.
14/565,355
Filed
Dec 9, 2014
Granted
Nov 22, 2016
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3711
USPC
473/329
Abstract

A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, a weight port, an internal cavity, and a stiffening member. The weight port is affixed to the sole. The stiffening member is located in the interior cavity and permanently affixed to the hosel. The stiffening member is also permanently affixed to the sole and the weight port.

Claims (51)

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;

a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, said sole comprising a transmittal portion, a flexure, and a rear portion;

a skirt extending between the crown and the sole;

a hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore;

a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge;

an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face;

a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face;

wherein said flexure is spaced aftward of said face by said transmittal portion, extending in a generally heel-to-toe direction and substantially parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head, wherein said flexure is defined by a front wall and a rear wall coupled by an apex, wherein said front wall and said rear wall extend into said interior cavity, and wherein said rear portion of said sole is located aft of said flexure;

a weight port affixed to said rear portion of said sole, said weight port configured to receive an adjustable weight;

a stiffening member located in said interior cavity, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said hosel, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said rear portion of said sole, and said stiffening member permanently affixed to said weight port.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said stiffening member is permanently affixed to said rear wall of said flexure.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said stiffening member and said sole are formed together as a monolithic structure.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said stiffening member extends over at least a portion of said weight port.

5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein said stiffening member extends all the way over said weight port.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said adjustable weight is removable, and wherein said weight port is configured to receive each of a plurality of removable weights, each of said plurality of removable weights having a different mass.

7. A golf club head, comprising:

a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;

a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, said sole comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a skirt extending between the crown and the sole;

a hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore;

a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge;

an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face;

a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face;

a weight port affixed to said sole, said weight port forming a recess on the exterior surface of said sole of said golf club head, said recess of said weight port configured to receive an adjustable weight, said weight port extending into said interior cavity of said golf club head;

a stiffening member located in said interior cavity, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said hosel, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said sole, and said stiffening member permanently affixed to said weight port.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein said stiffening member and said sole are formed together as a monolithic structure.

9. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein said stiffening member extends over at least a portion of said weight port.

10. The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein said stiffening member extends all the way over said weight port.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein said stiffening member is permanently affixed to a portion of said sole located on a far side of said weight port from said hosel.

12. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein said adjustable weight is removable, and wherein said weight port is configured to receive each of a plurality of removable weights, each of said plurality of removable weights having a different mass.

13. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein said sole comprises a transmittal portion, a flexure, and a rear portion, wherein said flexure is spaced aftward of said face by said transmittal portion, extending in a generally heel-to-toe direction and substantially parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head, wherein said flexure is defined by a front wall and a rear wall coupled by an apex, wherein said front wall and said rear wall extend into said interior cavity, wherein said rear portion of said sole is located aft of said flexure, and wherein stiffening member is permanently affixed to said rear wall of said flexure.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein said weight port abuts said rear wall of said flexure.

15. A golf club head, comprising:

a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;

a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, said sole comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a skirt extending between the crown and the sole;

a hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore;

a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge;

an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face;

a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face;

a weight port affixed to said sole, said weight port extending into said interior cavity of said golf club head, said weight port configured to receive an adjustable weight, said adjustable weight comprising:

a heavy end at a first terminal end of said adjustable weight;

a lighter end at a second terminal end of said adjustable weight; and

a central portion placed between said heavy end and said lighter end;

a stiffening member located in said interior cavity, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said hosel, said stiffening member permanently affixed to said sole, and said stiffening member permanently affixed to said weight port.

16. The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein said weight port is configured to receive said lighter end and wherein said weight port is configured to receive said heavy end.

17. The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein said stiffening member and said sole are formed together as a monolithic structure.

18. The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein said stiffening member extends over at least a portion of said weight port.

19. The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein said sole comprises a transmittal portion, a flexure, and a rear portion, wherein said flexure is spaced aftward of said face by said transmittal portion, extending in a generally heel-to-toe direction and substantially parallel to the leading edge of the golf club head, wherein said flexure is defined by a front wall and a rear wall coupled by an apex, wherein said front wall and said rear wall extend into said interior cavity, wherein said rear portion of said sole is located aft of said flexure, and wherein stiffening member is permanently affixed to said rear wall of said flexure.

20. The golf club head of claim 19 , wherein said weight port abuts said rear wall of said flexure.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061099/0236 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (ASSIGNS 039506-0030) Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS RESIGNING ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061521/0414 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (035463/0473) Recorded Sep 7, 2016
From: KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 039939/0561 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2016
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039506/0030 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2015
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 035463/0473 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2014
From: GALVAN, DARRYL C.; CLEGHORN, RICHARD L.; EVANS, CLAYTON; BEZILLA, STEPHANIE; MYRHUM, MARK C.
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 034510/0702 →
Continuity (12)
Continuation In Part 14089574 · Nov 25, 2013
Continuation In Part 13850992 · Mar 26, 2013
Continuation 13085711 · Apr 13, 2011
Continuation 12340925 · Dec 22, 2008
Continuation In Part 12193110 · Aug 18, 2008
Continuation 11552729 · Oct 25, 2006
Continuation In Part 13854709 · Apr 1, 2013
Continuation 13207344 · Aug 10, 2011
Continuation In Part 13844954 · Mar 16, 2013
Continuation In Part 13720885 · Dec 19, 2012
Continuation In Part 13618963 · Sep 14, 2012
Related Publication 20150094164A1 · Apr 2, 2015