IP Library Granted Patent US 10,625,124
Granted Patent B2
US 10,625,124 · App. 16/159,526 · Granted Apr 21, 2020

Golf club with flexure

Inventors: John Morin (The Woodlands, TX); Noah de la Cruz (San Diego, CA); Nick Frame (Vista, CA); Charles E. Golden (Encinitas, CA); Jonathan Hebreo (San Diego, CA); Michael E. Franz (San Diego, CA); Grant M. Martens (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: Acushnet Company
A63B53/0466A63B53/047A63B60/52A63B60/54A63B2053/042A63B2053/045A63B2053/0408A63B2053/0412A63B2053/0416A63B2053/0425A63B2053/0429A63B2053/0433A63B2053/0437A63B2053/0458A63B2053/0491A63B2060/002A63B2209/00A63B2209/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,625,124
App. No.
16/159,526
Granted
Apr 21, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf club head including a face having a flat ball-striking surface and a body that forms a flexure. The golf club head has a feature formed in a sole of the golf club head that provides the flexure.

Claims (23)

1. An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

a face, wherein the face defines a forward ball-striking surface that is flat;

a body coupled to the face, wherein the body forms a perimeter portion of the golf club head and a rear wall spaced from the face, wherein the combined face and body define a sole, wherein the sole includes an aperture;

a hosel extending away from the face and body and providing an attachment structure for a golf club shaft; and

a flexure forming a portion of a perimeter of the aperture, wherein the flexure is a curved vertical wall that is spaced from a rear surface of the face by a thin sole portion, wherein a height of the flexure measured in a vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in an address position is in a range of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, wherein a thickness of the flexure measured in a horizontal direction relative to the ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in an address position is in a range of about 1.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, wherein a thickness of the thin sole portion measured in a vertical direction relative to the ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in the address position is in a range of about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, wherein the height of the flexure is greater than the thickness of the thin sole portion, wherein a thickness of the flexure measured in a horizontal direction relative to the ground plane is greater than a thickness of the thin sole portion, wherein the aperture creates an opening into an interior of the body via a portion rearward of the flexure that is the curved vertical wall, wherein the flexure is curved so that a distance between the flexure and the face is greater at a heel end and a toe end of the flexure than a central portion of the flexure, and wherein the heel end and the toe end of the flexure contact a rear surface of the sole that defines a rear wall of the aperture.

2. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a plurality of apertures.

3. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is elongate and generally extends in a heel to toe direction in the sole of the golf club head.

4. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a maximum length of the aperture in a heel to toe direction is in a range of about 40.0 mm to about 70.0 mm.

5. The iron-type golf club head of claim 4 , wherein a maximum length of the aperture in a heel to toe direction is about 55.0 mm.

6. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the flexure is formed as a separate component and coupled to the body.

7. The iron-type golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the flexure is removably coupled to the body.

8. The iron-type golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the flexure is mechanically coupled to the body at a plurality of locations along the flexure.

9. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a cap, wherein the flexure is recessed from an outer surface of the sole, and wherein the cap is disposed in a recess so that an outer surface of the cap is flush with the surrounding portions of the outer surface of the sole.

10. The iron-type golf club head of claim 9 , wherein the cap is fixed in the recess over only a portion of the perimeter of the aperture.

11. An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

a face, wherein the face defines a forward ball-striking surface that is flat;

a body coupled to the face, wherein the body forms a perimeter portion of the golf club head and a rear wall spaced from the face, wherein the combined face and body define a sole, wherein the sole includes an aperture;

a hosel extending away from the face and body and providing an attachment structure for a golf club shaft; and

a flexure forming a portion of a perimeter of the aperture, wherein the flexure is a curved vertical wall that is spaced from a rear surface of the face by a thin sole portion, wherein a height of the flexure measured in a vertical direction relative to a ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in an address position is in a range of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, wherein a thickness of the flexure measured in a horizontal direction relative to the ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in an address position is in a range of about 1.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, wherein a thickness of the thin sole portion measured in a vertical direction relative to the ground plane when the golf club head is resting on the sole surface in the address position is in a range of about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, wherein the height of the flexure is greater than the thickness of the thin sole portion, wherein a thickness of the flexure measured in a horizontal direction relative to the ground plane is greater than a thickness of the thin sole portion, wherein the aperture is elongate and generally extends in a heel to toe direction in the sole of the golf club head, wherein the flexure is formed as a separate component and coupled to the body, wherein the aperture creates an opening into an interior of the body via a portion rearward of the flexure that is the curved vertical wall, wherein the flexure is curved so that a distance between the flexure and the face is greater at a heel end and a toe end of the flexure than a central portion of the flexure, and wherein the heel end and the toe end of the flexure contact a rear portion of the sole that defines a rear wall of the aperture.

12. The iron-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein a maximum length of the aperture in a heel to toe direction is in a range of about 40.0 mm to about 70.0 mm.

13. The iron-type golf club head of claim 12 , wherein a maximum length of the aperture in a heel to toe direction is about 55.0 mm.

14. The iron-type golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the flexure is removably coupled to the body.

15. The iron-type golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the flexure is mechanically coupled to the body at a plurality of locations along the flexure.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (ASSIGNS 051618-0777) 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 061069/0731 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061099/0236 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2020
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 051618/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: MORIN, JOHN; DE LA CRUZ, NOAH; FRAME, NICK; GOLDEN, CHARLES E.; HEBREO, JONATHAN; FRANZ, MICHAEL E.; MARTENS, GRANT M.
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 047153/0704 →
Continuity (8)
Division 15260191 · Sep 8, 2016
Continuation In Part 15167564 · May 27, 2016
Continuation In Part 14685266 · Apr 13, 2015
Continuation In Part 14584822 · Dec 29, 2014
Continuation In Part 13844954 · Mar 16, 2013
Continuation In Part 13720885 · Dec 19, 2012
Continuation In Part 13618963 · Sep 14, 2012
Related Publication 20190105542A1 · Apr 11, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,251,606