Support structures for golf club head
A golf club head comprising at least one structural support member is disclosed herein. The structural support member has a smooth, organic-looking aesthetic and connects unsupported portions of the golf club head to improve the acoustics of the golf club head upon impact with a golf ball. Where the support member connects to other portions of the golf club head, the surfaces of the member have a curvature that changes smoothly and continuously, lacking any sharp corners.
1. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a face, a sole portion extending from a bottom edge of the face, a top portion extending from a top edge of the face, and a weight port disposed at a rear edge of the body, the body having a hollow interior and a volume of 150 to 500 cubic centimeters; and
a structure comprising at least one support member, the structure extending between and connecting the sole portion, the top portion, and the weight port,
wherein the at least one support member comprises a first end, a second end, a surface, an equivalent diameter, a spline, and a cross-sectional shape,
wherein the equivalent diameter D E of a cross section taken at any point along the spline is calculated using the formula D E =(4*A/pi){circumflex over ( )}(½), wherein A is an area of a cross-section of the support member,
wherein the at least one support member has a length that is greater than D EA ,
wherein D EA is defined as the average equivalent diameter along the length of the entire support member,
wherein the equivalent diameter is always greater than 0.010 inch and less than 1.000 inch, and
wherein the spline is curved and has a length that is at least three times the value of the average equivalent diameter D EA .
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a driver head.
3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the at least one support member connects to the sole portion at a first connection region and to the top portion at a second connection region, and wherein at least one of the first and second connection region has a constant surface curvature.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a volume occupied by the structure is no greater than 75% of a volume that would be occupied if an entire volume of the golf club head between the top portion and the sole portion were a solid.
5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the equivalent diameter is no less than 0.025 inch and no more than 0.500 inch at any point taken along the length of the at least one support member.
6. The golf club head of claim 5 , wherein the equivalent diameter is no less than 0.050 inch and no more than 0.250 inch at any point taken along the length of the at least one support member.
7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the equivalent diameter changes continuously along the entire length of the spline.
8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape changes continuously along the entire length of the spline.
9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member comprises first and second support members, and wherein the first support member is connected to the second support member.
10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member does not comprise any sharp corners.
11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member does not comprise any fillets with constant surface curvature.
12. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a face, a top portion, a bottom portion, and a rear portion connecting rearmost edges of the top portion to rearmost edges of the bottom portion and enclosing a hollow interior; and
a support structure entirely disposed within the hollow interior, the support structure comprising a first support member and a second support member,
wherein the first support member comprises a first end that connects with one of the top portion, bottom portion, and rear portion and a second end that connects with one of the top portion, bottom portion, and rear portion,
wherein the second support member comprises a third end that connects with the first support member and a fourth end that connects with one of the top portion, bottom portion, and rear portion,
wherein each of the first support member and the second support member comprises a central region that is suspended within the hollow interior and does not make contact with any other portion of the body, and
wherein each one of the first support member and the second support member does not comprise any sharp corners.
13. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein each of the first end, the second end, and the fourth end connects with the bottom portion.
14. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the first end connects with the top portion and the second end connects with the bottom portion.
15. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the support structure dampens the acoustics of the golf club head upon impact with a golf ball and increases the modal frequency of at least one mode shape of the golf club head upon impact with a golf ball.
16. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the body is composed of at least one metal alloy, and wherein the rear portion is selected from the group consisting of a rear edge and a rear ribbon.
17. The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein the support structure is integrally formed with the body.
18. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the support structure is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic and composite.
19. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein the support structure is formed separately from the body via a process selected from the group consisting of metal injection molding, plastic injection molding, compression molding, and 3D printing.
20. The golf club head of claim 12 , wherein each of the first support member and the second support member does not comprise any fillets with constant surface curvature.