IP Library Granted Patent US 11,478,683
Granted Patent B2
US 11,478,683 · App. 17/105,043 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Golf club

Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett (Fallbrook, CA); Matthew Greensmith (Vista, CA); Andrew James (Carlsbad, CA); Jason Andrew Mata (Carlsbad, CA); Matthew David Johnson (San Diego, CA); David Anderson (Palatine, IL); Brandon H. Woolley (Vista, CA)
Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
A63B53/0466A63B53/06A63B60/52A63B53/0408A63B53/0433A63B53/0437A63B53/0454A63B60/42A63B2053/0491
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,478,683
App. No.
17/105,043
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf club head includes a golf club body including a crown, a sole, and a skirt connected between the crown and the sole, the golf club body including a front including a leading edge and a back including a trailing edge, and a hosel connected to the golf club body; a face connected to the front of the golf club body, the face including a geometric center, the golf club head including modifiable boundary conditions.

Claims (49)

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body, comprising a face, a crown having a crown height no less than 30 mm and no more than 50 mm with the golf club head in an address position, a sole, a skirt region, and a body interior surface defining an interior cavity;

the body defining a trailing edge being a rearward most edge of the body and the body defining a leading edge being a forwardmost edge of the body, wherein a distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge is no less than 38 mm and no more than 97 mm;

the face including a geometric center defining an origin of a coordinate system, the coordinate system including:

an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is in the 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 plane when the golf club 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 golf club 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 a y-axis coordinate (CG y ) measured from the origin of the coordinate system to the center of gravity of the golf club head along the y-axis when the golf club head is in the address position and CG y is no less than 18 mm and no more than 32 mm, and the golf club head has a Δz value measured from the ground plane to the center of gravity of the golf club head along the z-axis when the golf club head is in the address position; and

a weight pad formed in the body along the sole of the body, wherein the weight pad has a weight pad interior surface that partially defines the interior cavity of the body;

wherein the weight pad has a length along of the y-axis;

wherein the weight pad has a first portion and a second portion, wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the weight pad is forward of the center of gravity of the golf club head and at least a portion of the second portion of the weight pad is rearward of the center of gravity of the golf club head;

wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the weight pad forward of the center gravity of the golf club head has a first height (h 1 ) as measured relative to the z-axis and at least a portion of the second portion of the weight pad rearward of the first portion has a second height (h 2 ) as measured relative to the z-axis, and the first height is greater than the second height;

wherein the first portion of the weight pad includes an overhang portion that extends forward from the weight pad toward the face such that the overhang portion of the weight pad overhangs an interior bottom portion surface, thereby creating a recess under the overhang portion, wherein a lower surface of the overhang portion and the interior bottom portion surface are spaced apart by an offset distance and the offset distance is at least 0.2 mm, a minimum distance from the ground plane to an underside surface of the overhang portion is no more than 10 mm, a thickness of the overhang portion ranges between 2-10 mm, and a forwardmost portion of the weight pad is offset from the face no more than 12.5 mm;

wherein a central portion of the overhang portion is cantilevered from the weight pad such that the central portion of the overhang portion is disconnected from the interior bottom portion; and

wherein a loft of the golf club head is at least 14.5 degrees.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head is positioned rearward of a maximum height of the weight pad.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head is positioned rearward of the first portion of the weight pad.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight pad has at least three separate heights as measured along the y-axis.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight pad is a separate part of the golf club head and welding, gluing, epoxy, or mechanical fixing joins the weight pad to the body.

6. The golf club head according to claim 5 , wherein the weight pad is formed from a greater density material than the body.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the weight pad forward of the center gravity of the golf club head has height between 10 mm and 15 mm.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein Δz is from 8 mm to 18 mm and CG y is no more than 24.75 mm and the distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge is no less than 73 mm.

9. The golf club head according to claim 7 , wherein Δz is from 8 mm to 18 mm and CG y is no more than 24.75 mm and the distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge is no less than 73 mm.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the weight pad has a length as measured along the y-axis no less than 45 mm.

11. The golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the body includes a port for receiving a weight.

12. The golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the weight pad includes a port for receiving a weight.

13. The golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the body includes a port for receiving a weight and the port is located forward of the center of gravity of the golf club head.

14. The golf club head according to claim 11 , wherein a front portion of the sole forward of the weight pad and adjacent to the face has a thickness of from 1 mm to 2 mm.

15. The golf club head according to claim 11 , further comprising an adjustable head-shaft connection assembly for coupling the golf club head to a shaft at different angles.

16. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight pad extends at least 7 mm rearward of the center of gravity.

17. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight pad extends at least 13 mm rearward of the center of gravity.

18. The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the weight pad length along the y-axis is no more than 62 mm.

19. A golf club head, comprising:

a body, comprising a face, a crown having a crown height no less than 30 mm and no more than 50 mm with the golf club head in an address position, a sole, a skirt region, and a body interior surface defining an interior cavity;

the body defining a trailing edge being a rearward most edge of the body and the body defining a leading edge being a forwardmost edge of the body, wherein a distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge is no less than 38 mm and no more than 97 mm;

the face including a geometric center defining an origin of a coordinate system, the coordinate system including:

an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is in the 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 plane when the golf club 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 golf club 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 a y-axis coordinate (CG y ) measured from the origin of the coordinate system to the center of gravity of the golf club head along the y-axis when the golf club head is in the address position and CG y is no less than 18 mm and no more than 32 mm, and the golf club head has a Δz value measured from the ground plane to the center of gravity of the golf club head along the z-axis when the golf club head is in the address position; and

a thickened rearward sole region formed in the body along the sole of the body, wherein the thickened rearward sole region has a thickened rearward sole region interior surface that partially defines the interior cavity of the body;

wherein the thickened rearward sole region has a length along of the y-axis;

wherein the thickened rearward sole region has a first portion and a second portion, wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the thickened rearward sole region is forward of the center of gravity of the golf club head and at least a portion of the second portion of the thickened rearward sole region is rearward of the center of gravity of the golf club head;

wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the thickened rearward sole region forward of the center gravity of the golf club head has a first height (h 1 ) as measured relative to the z-axis and at least a portion of the second portion of the thickened rearward sole region rearward of the first portion has a second height (h 2 ) as measured relative to the z-axis, and the first height is greater than the second height;

wherein the first portion of the thickened rearward sole region includes an overhang portion that extends forward from the thickened rearward sole region toward the face such that the overhang portion of the thickened rearward sole region overhangs an interior bottom portion surface, thereby creating a recess under the overhang portion, wherein a lower surface of the overhang portion and the interior bottom portion surface are spaced apart by an offset distance and the offset distance is at least 0.2 mm, a minimum distance from the ground plane to an underside surface of the overhang portion is no more than 10 mm, a thickness of the overhang portion ranges between 2-10 mm, and a forwardmost portion of the thickened rearward sole region is offset from the face no more than 12.5 mm;

wherein a central portion of the overhang portion is cantilevered from the thickened rearward sole region such that the central portion of the overhang portion is disconnected from the interior bottom portion; and

wherein a loft of the golf club head is at least 14.5 degrees.

20. The golf club head according to claim 19 , wherein the thickened rearward sole region includes a port for receiving a weight and the port is located forward of the center of gravity of the golf club head; and

wherein Δ z is from 8 mm to 18 mm and CG y is no more than 24.75 mm.

Assignments (9)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 16, 2025
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069986/0349 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 14, 2025
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069895/0523 →
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: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058963/0671 →
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 Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS SECURITY AGENT
Reel/Frame 057300/0058 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2020
From: WILLETT, KRAIG ALAN; GREENSMITH, MATTHEW; JAMES, ANDREW; MATA, JAMES ANDREW; JOHNSON, MATTHEW DAVID; ANDERSON, DAVID; WOOLLEY, BRANDON H.
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 054473/0284 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16193116 · Nov 16, 2018
Continuation 14573701 · Dec 17, 2014
Continuation In Part 14457883 · Aug 12, 2014
Provisional Application 62027692 · Jul 22, 2014
Related Publication 20210128993A1 · May 6, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,594,469