IP Library Granted Patent US 10,881,918
Granted Patent B2
US 10,881,918 · App. 16/670,902 · Granted Jan 5, 2021

Golf club head

Inventors: Todd P. Beach (Encinitas, CA); Nathan T. Sargent (Oceanside, CA); Kraig Alan Willett (Fallbrook, CA)
Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
A63B53/0466A63B53/04A63B53/06A63B60/02A63B53/042A63B53/0408A63B53/0412A63B53/0416A63B53/0433A63B53/0437A63B53/0458A63B60/002A63B2053/0491A63B2071/0625
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,881,918
App. No.
16/670,902
Granted
Jan 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Golf club heads are described herein, and in one embodiment including a body with an exterior surface defining a first body volume of at least about 400 cm 3 . The body has a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, and a back portion. A face positioned at the front portion of the body and is configured to receive an impact. A top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion is further described. The top portion silhouette profile defines the outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction. At least one indentation can be located on the bottom portion below the crown silhouette profile. The removal of the at least one indentation from the bottom portion can create a second body volume that is at least 12 cm 3 larger than the first body volume.

Claims (47)

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, and a back portion, defining a volume, and a front-rear dimension of at least about 111 mm and no more than 127 mm, a maximum club head height (H) is no more than 71 mm, and a heel-toe dimension is no less than the front-rear dimension;

a sole located on the bottom portion of the golf club head;

a face positioned at the front portion of the body and having a variable face thickness, the face being configured to receive an impact;

a top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion, the top portion silhouette profile defining the outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction;

a plateau located on the sole extending from the front portion of the body to the back portion of the body;

wherein the golf club head has a head origin defined as a position on a face plane at a geometric center of the face, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is in an address position where a positive x-axis extends towards a heel portion, a y-axis extending perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is in the address position where a positive y-axis extends from the face and through a rearward portion of the body, and a z-axis extending perpendicular to the ground, to the x-axis and to the y-axis when the head is in the address position where a positive z-axis extends from the head origin and generally upward, wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity with an x-axis coordinate, a y-axis coordinate less than about 50 mm, and a z-axis coordinate less than about 2 mm;

wherein the top portion silhouette profile comprises at least a first contour extending along an outer toe edge of the club head and a second contour extending along an outer heel edge of the club head, wherein the first contour extends at least from a toe-side forward portion to the back portion of the golf club head and the second contour extends at least from a heel-side forward portion to the back portion of the golf club head;

wherein the first contour and the second contour are asymmetric about a Y-Z plane passing through a rearward most point of the golf club head and a majority of the first contour is curved and a majority of the second contour is curved;

wherein the plateau comprises a first side wall located at least partially heel-ward of the plateau, a second side wall located at least partially toe-ward of the plateau, and a lower plateau surface extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, wherein the lower plateau surface is a lowest portion of the golf club head that is both integrally formed with the golf club head and located rearward of the center of gravity; and

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.810.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a maximum distance from the lower plateau surface to an adjacent heel-side surface is at least 9 mm as measured along the z-axis.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a weight attached to the plateau.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the weight is located near the back portion of the golf club head.

5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein a portion of the plateau has a plateau width of at least about 22 mm.

6. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the center of gravity is located toe-ward of a center of the weight.

7. The golf club head of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of the top portion is formed of a composite material.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the center of gravity y-axis coordinate is at least about 30 mm, and the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the center of gravity x-axis, I CGx , of at least about 300 kg·mm 2 and the moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis, I CGz , is at least about 450 kg·mm 2 .

9. The golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the center of gravity is located below the head origin.

10. The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein the rearward most point of the golf club head is located below the head origin.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the club head center of gravity is positioned toe-ward of the first side wall and heel-ward of the second side wall.

12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the center of gravity z-axis, I CGz , between about 450 kg·mm 2 and about 650 kg·mm 2 .

13. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein a rearwardmost point of the golf club head is located below the center of gravity of the golf club head.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein a ratio of the top portion surface area S t to the bottom portion surface area S b is between about 0.70 to about 0.96.

15. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the center of gravity is located toe-ward of the head origin.

16. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the golf club head having a bottom portion volume below the top portion silhouette profile and a top portion volume above the top portion silhouette profile, and wherein the bottom portion volume is greater than 60 percent of a total volume of the golf club head.

17. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first side wall to the second side wall is between about 22 mm and about 35 mm.

18. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a length of the plateau is at least 65 mm.

19. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein in a y-z plane passing through the origin, at a distance CG y from the origin, a height of the crown is less than a height of the face.

20. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a bottom portion, a top portion, a front portion, a back portion, a heel portion, and a toe portion;

a sole located on the bottom portion of the golf club head;

a face positioned at the front portion of the body, the face being configured to receive an impact;

a top portion silhouette profile located along a perimeter of the top portion, the top portion silhouette profile defining outer bounds of the top portion in an X-direction and Y-direction, the golf club head having a bottom portion volume below the top portion silhouette profile and a top portion volume above the top portion silhouette profile;

a center sole portion extending from the front portion of the body to the back portion of the body, the center sole portion comprising:

a lower surface extending rearwardly along the bottom portion of the golf club head in a generally Y-direction;

a toeward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the lower surface when viewed in an address position;

a first edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a toe side of the lower surface and defining a transition between the lower surface and the toeward sole surface;

a heelward sole surface that slopes upwardly from the lower surface when viewed in the address position; and

a second edge extending in a generally Y-direction on a heel side of the lower surface and defining a transition between the lower surface and the heelward sole surface;

wherein the lower surface is a lowest portion of the golf club head that is both integrally formed with the golf club head and located rearward of the center of gravity;

wherein the golf club head has a head origin defined as a position on a face plane at a geometric center of the face, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to a ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive x-axis extends towards the heel portion, a y-axis extending perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground plane when the head is in the address position where a positive y-axis extends from the face and through a rearward portion of the body, and a z-axis extending perpendicular to the ground plane, to the x-axis and to the y-axis when the head is in the address position where a positive z-axis extends from the head origin and generally upward;

wherein the top portion silhouette profile comprises at least a first contour extending along an outer toe edge of the club head and a second contour extending along an outer heel edge of the club head, wherein the first contour extends at least from a toe-side forward portion to the back portion of the golf club head and the second contour extends at least from a heel-side forward portion to the back portion of the golf club head;

wherein the first contour and the second contour are asymmetric about a Y-Z plane passing through a rearward most point of the golf club head and a majority of the first contour is curved and a majority of the second contour is curved;

wherein the golf club head has a center of gravity with an x-axis coordinate, a y-axis coordinate between about 15 mm and about 50 mm, and a z-axis coordinate less than about 2 mm,

wherein a front-rear dimension is at least about 111 mm and no more than 127 mm, a maximum club head height (H) is no more than 71 mm, and a heel-toe dimension is no less than the front-rear dimension; and

wherein the bottom portion volume is greater than 60 percent of a total volume of the golf club head.

Assignments (6)
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 →