IP Library Granted Patent US 11,179,608
Granted Patent B2
US 11,179,608 · App. 16/517,172 · Granted Nov 23, 2021

Golf club

Inventors: Mark Vincent Greaney (Vista, CA); Todd P. Beach (Encinitas, CA); Andrew Kickertz (San Diego, CA); Craig Richard Slyfield (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
A63B53/0466A63B71/0619A63B53/0437A63B53/0441A63B60/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,179,608
App. No.
16/517,172
Granted
Nov 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the invention are directed to golf club having a crown a sole and a face and a primary alignment feature including a paint or masking line which delineates the transition between at least a first portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with the shade or color of the face. In some embodiments the golf club has a primary alignment feature comprising a paint or masking line which delineates the transition between at least a first portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color and the area of shade or color of the face and the club head also includes a secondary alignment feature including a paint or masking line which delineates the transition between the first portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with the shade or color of the face; and a second portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with the shade or color of the first portion.

Claims (57)

1. A golf club head comprising:

a golf club body having a face, a crown and a sole together defining an interior cavity, the golf club body including a heel portion and a toe portion and having an x, y and z axes which are orthogonal to each other having their origin at USGA center face,

wherein the golf club body has a volume between about 100 cm 3 and about 460 cm 3 ,

wherein at least one of the sole or the crown is at least in part a composite material,

wherein the x-axis is tangential to the face and parallel to a ground plane,

wherein negative locations on the x-axis extend from the USGA center face to the toe portion,

wherein positive locations on the x-axis extend from the USGA center face to the heel portion,

wherein negative locations on the z-axis extend from the USGA center face to the sole,

wherein positive locations on the z-axis extend from the USGA center face to the crown,

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club body with respect to the x-axis (CG x ) is oriented from about 0 mm to about −10 mm,

wherein the golf club head has a primary alignment feature comprising a paint or masking line which delineates a transition between at least a portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with a shade or color of the face, and

wherein the primary alignment feature has:

a Sight Adjusted Perceived Face Angle (SAPFA) of from about −2 to about 10 degrees; and

a Radius of Curvature (circle fit) of from about 300 mm to about 1000 mm.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the CG x is oriented from about −1 mm to about −4 mm,

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club body with respect to the z-axis (CG z ) is positioned below a geometric center of the face,

wherein a Delta 1 of the golf club body is greater than 20, and

wherein a moment of inertia about the z-axis is greater than 400 kg·mm 2 .

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the SAPFA is altered about 1 degree with respect to an intended target line for about every 5 yards of lateral dispersion from the intended target line.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the SAPFA is altered about 1 degree with respect to an intended target line for about every 3 yards of lateral dispersion from the intended target line.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the SAPFA is altered about 1 degree with respect to an intended target line for each 5 percent change of a CG x orientation.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein score lines on the face are centered about a location on the face having an x-axis coordinate corresponding to a CG x orientation.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a crown height to face height ratio of at least 1.12.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the paint or masking line is more rounded proximate to the toe portion and less rounded proximate to the heel portion.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity (CG x ) is from about −1 mm to about −10 mm from the USGA center face with respect to the x-axis.

10. The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein the CG x is oriented from about −1 mm to about −4 mm,

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club body with respect to the z-axis (CG z ) is positioned below a geometric center of the face,

wherein a Delta 1 of the golf club body is greater than 20, and

wherein a moment of inertia about the z-axis is greater than 400 kg·mm 2 .

11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the face is at least in part a composite material.

12. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein score lines are provided in a location on the face corresponding to the center of gravity (CG x ) at the negative locations with respect to the x-axis.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a golf club body having a face, a crown and a sole together defining an interior cavity, the golf club body including a heel portion and a toe portion and having an x, y and z axes which are orthogonal to each other having their origin at USGA center face,

wherein the golf club body has a volume between about 100 cm 3 and about 460 cm 3 ,

wherein at least one of the sole or the crown is at least in part a composite material,

wherein the x-axis is tangential to the face and parallel to a ground plane,

wherein negative locations on the x-axis extend from the USGA center face to the toe portion,

wherein positive locations on the x-axis extend from the USGA center face to the heel portion,

wherein positive locations on the y-axis extend from the USGA center face to a rear portion of the golf club body,

wherein negative locations on the z-axis extend from the USGA center face to the sole,

wherein positive locations on the z-axis extend from the USGA center face to the crown,

wherein the golf club body has a discretionary mass on the sole positioned at an angle with respect to the face,

wherein the discretionary mass is positioned toeward along the negative x-axis and rearward along the positive y-axis,

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club body with respect to the x-axis (CG x ) is oriented from about 0 mm to about −10 mm,

wherein the golf club head has a primary alignment feature comprising a paint or masking line which delineates a transition between at least a portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with a shade or color of the face, and

wherein the primary alignment feature has:

a Sight Adjusted Perceived Face Angle (SAPFA) of from about −2 to about 10 degrees; and

a Radius of Curvature (circle fit) of from about 300 mm to about 1000 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein the CG x is oriented from about −1 mm to about −4 mm,

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club body with respect to the z-axis (CG z ) is positioned below a geometric center of the face,

wherein a Delta 1 of the golf club body is greater than 20, and

wherein a moment of inertia about the z-axis is greater than 400 kg·mm 2 .

15. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein score lines on the face are centered about a location on the face having an x-axis coordinate corresponding to a CG x orientation.

16. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein the golf club head has a crown height to face height ratio of at least 1.12.

17. The golf club head of claim 13 , further comprising a weight port located on the sole near the rear portion of the golf club head.

18. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein the paint or masking line is more rounded proximate to the toe portion and less rounded proximate to the heel portion.

19. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein score lines are provided in a location on the face corresponding to the center of gravity (CG x ) at the negative locations with respect to the x-axis.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058978/0211 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058983/0516 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058962/0415 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058963/0671 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057293/0207 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS SECURITY AGENT
Reel/Frame 057300/0058 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2019
From: GREANEY, MARK VINCENT; BEACH, TODD P.; KICKERTZ, ANDREW; SLYFIELD, CRAIG RICHARD
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050922/0759 →
Cited By (9)
US 12,233,317 US 12,239,888 US 12,350,558 US 12,370,418 US 12,440,735 US 12,458,851 US 12,496,498 US 12,582,879 US 12,649,090