Patents by Inventor Kiyofumi Matsunaga
Kiyofumi Matsunaga has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240075353Abstract: An iron golf club head includes a face portion having a striking face with a face center thereon, a virtual vertical plane passing through the face center and perpendicular to the striking face, and a sole portion extending backward from the face portion to form a bottom surface of the head. The sole portion includes a toe side slit extending forward from a sole rear edge on the toe side of the virtual vertical plane, a heel side slit extending forward from the sole rear edge on the heel side of the virtual vertical plane, a sole center portion demarcated between the toe side slit and the heel side slit, a sole toe portion detached from the sole center portion on the toe side by the toe side slit, and a sole heel portion detached from the sole center portion on the heel side by the heel side slit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
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Publication number: 20240075355Abstract: An iron golf club head includes a head body having a sole portion, a weight member disposed in the sole portion, and a fixing member for fixing the weight member to the head body. The head body is provided with a first hole and a second hole. The first hole opens at a bottom surface of the sole portion. The weight member is in the first hole by insertion from below the head in a first direction. The second hole opens at a surface of the head body. The fixing member is inserted into the weight member from the second hole in a second direction different from the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
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Publication number: 20230271066Abstract: A golf club head includes: a head body that includes a cavity; a weight that is detachably attached to the cavity; and a cover that is openably and closably attached to the head body and that covers at least a part of the cavity when the cover is in a closed state. The weight is attached to the cavity in a state where the weight is slidingly movable in the cavity. In the closed state, the cover applies a pressing force to the weight. The weight may be fixed to the cavity by a static frictional force increased by the pressing force. The cavity may form a slide groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Hirotaka NAKAMURA, Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA, Daisuke KOHNO, Yuki MOTOKAWA
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Patent number: 11701554Abstract: A golf club head includes a face plate including a plate front surface constituting a club face, a plate rear surface opposite the plate front surface and having an outer peripheral portion, and a plate side surface, and a head main body being provided with an opening to receive the face plate and a receiving surface formed around a periphery of the opening to support the outer peripheral portion of the plate rear surface. The receiving surface is formed with a partially interrupted discontinuity so that the outer peripheral portion has a non-supported region that is not directly supported by the head main body. A portion of the plate side surface corresponding to the non-supported region is not directly supported by the head main body. The face plate is fixed to the head main body by a plastic deformation portion of the head main body.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Tomohiro Hana
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Patent number: 11684830Abstract: A golf club head includes: a head body that includes a cavity; a weight that is detachably attached to the cavity; and a cover that is openably and closably attached to the head body and that covers at least a part of the cavity when the cover is in a closed state. The weight is attached to the cavity in a state where the weight is slidingly movable in the cavity. In the closed state, the cover applies a pressing force to the weight. The weight may be fixed to the cavity by a static frictional force increased by the pressing force. The cavity may form a slide groove.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Hirotaka Nakamura, Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Daisuke Kohno, Yuki Motokawa
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Patent number: 11666805Abstract: A golf club head includes a face portion including a hitting face for striking a ball, a sweet spot on the hitting face, a toe, a back face opposite the hitting face, and a first thin-walled region formed by being recessed the back face. In a front view of the face portion viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting face, the first thin-walled region is provided in a toe-upper region that is a region above and on a toe side with respect to the sweet spot, the first thin-walled region is provided outside a region having a radius of 5 mm centered on the sweet spot, and an area of the first thin-walled region is in a range from 15% to 70% of an area of the toe-upper region.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2022Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kiyofumi Matsunaga
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Publication number: 20230101938Abstract: A golf club head comprises a head main body and a face member. The head main body is provided with a face support portion to which the face member is fixed. The face member comprises a front plate portion, a backwardly directed portion extending backwardly of the head from the front plate portion, and a centrally directed portion extending toward of a center of the face from the backwardly directed portion. The rear surface of the centrally directed portion is fixed to the face support portion of the head main body.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi ABE, Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
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Patent number: 11534665Abstract: A golf club head comprises a head main body and a face member. The head main body is provided with a face support portion to which the face member is fixed. The face member comprises a front plate portion, a backwardly directed portion extending backwardly of the head from the front plate portion, and a centrally directed portion extending toward of a center of the face from the backwardly directed portion. The rear surface of the centrally directed portion is fixed to the face support portion of the head main body.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Kiyofumi Matsunaga
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Publication number: 20220249922Abstract: A golf club head includes a face portion including a hitting face for striking a ball, a sweet spot on the hitting face, a toe, a back face opposite the hitting face, and a first thin-walled region formed by being recessed the back face. In a front view of the face portion viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting face, the first thin-walled region is provided in a toe-upper region that is a region above and on a toe side with respect to the sweet spot, the first thin-walled region is provided outside a region having a radius of 5 mm centered on the sweet spot, and an area of the first thin-walled region is in a range from 15% to 70% of an area of the toe-upper region.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2022Publication date: August 11, 2022Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
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Publication number: 20220233921Abstract: A golf club head includes a face portion that forms a striking face, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel portion. The striking face has a face center. The sole portion includes a toe protruding portion that is a protruding portion provided on a toe side with respect to the face center and is hollow. The toe protruding portion is not present on a heel side with respect to the face center. The toe protruding portion is formed so as to be continuous with the face portion. The height of the toe protruding portion at its apex may be greater than or equal to 1.5 mm and less than or equal to 8 mm. The golf club head is excellent in rebound performance. In the golf club head, the rebound performance can be improved by deformation of the toe protruding portion at impact.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Jun KODAKA, Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
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Publication number: 20220226699Abstract: A head includes a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel portion. The crown portion includes a protruding portion on a crown outer surface. The protruding portion does not form any part of an outer contour line of the head in a front view of the head as viewed from a face side. The protruding portion forms an outer contour line of the head in a heel projection figure in which the head that is placed on a ground plane such that a shaft axis line is perpendicular to the ground plane and a face angle is 0° is viewed from a heel side along the ground plane. In this head, aerodynamic drag and lifting force at position 9 can be increased. In this head, air resistance at position 6 can be suppressed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA, Jun KODAKA, Hirotaka NAKAMURA, Daisuke KOHNO, Shinya FURUTA
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Publication number: 20220111264Abstract: A golf club head comprises a head main body and a face member. The head main body is provided with a face support portion to which the face member is fixed. The face member comprises a front plate portion, a backwardly directed portion extending backwardly of the head from the front plate portion, and a centrally directed portion extending toward of a center of the face from the backwardly directed portion. The rear surface of the centrally directed portion is fixed to the face support portion of the head main body.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi ABE, Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
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Publication number: 20220032134Abstract: A golf club head includes a face plate including a plate front surface constituting a club face, a plate rear surface opposite the plate front surface and having an outer peripheral portion, and a plate side surface, and a head main body being provided with an opening to receive the face plate and a receiving surface formed around a periphery of the opening to support the outer peripheral portion of the plate rear surface. The receiving surface is formed with a partially interrupted discontinuity so that the outer peripheral portion has a non-supported region that is not directly supported by the head main body. A portion of the plate side surface corresponding to the non-supported region is not directly supported by the head main body. The face plate is fixed to the head main body by a plastic deformation portion of the head main body.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA, Tomohiro HANA
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Publication number: 20210299525Abstract: A golf club head includes: a head body that includes a cavity; a weight that is detachably attached to the cavity; and a cover that is openably and closably attached to the head body and that covers at least a part of the cavity when the cover is in a closed state. The weight is attached to the cavity in a state where the weight is slidingly movable in the cavity. In the closed state, the cover applies a pressing force to the weight. The weight may be fixed to the cavity by a static frictional force increased by the pressing force. The cavity may form a slide groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Hirotaka NAKAMURA, Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA, Daisuke KOHNO, Yuki MOTOKAWA
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Patent number: 10912969Abstract: A head includes a head body including a sole and a face plate fixed to the head body. The face plate includes a plate front surface that forms a part of a hitting face, a plate rear surface, and a plate side surface. The head body includes an opening at which the face plate is disposed, and a back support portion that supports the face plate from a back side. The back support portion includes a back receiving surface forming an abutting region by abutting on an outer peripheral edge portion of the place rear surface, and a rear surface that is a surface opposite to the back receiving surface. A face-peripheral-side end of the rear surface is located on a face peripheral side relative to a face-center-side end of the abutting region.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Yasushi Sugimoto, Yuki Motokawa
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Patent number: 10898770Abstract: A head includes a head body and a face plate. The face plate includes a plate front surface and a plate rear surface. The head body includes an opening at which the face plate is disposed, a back support portion that includes a back receiving surface abutting on an outer peripheral edge portion of the plate rear surface and that supports the face plate from a back side, a face outer portion that is a part of a hitting face and that is located on a face peripheral side relative to the plate front surface, and a body groove that is located on the back side of the face outer portion and that is recessed toward the face outer portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Yasushi Sugimoto, Yuki Motokawa
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Publication number: 20200121997Abstract: A head includes a head body and a face plate. The face plate includes a plate front surface and a plate rear surface. The head body includes an opening at which the face plate is disposed, a back support portion that includes a back receiving surface abutting on an outer peripheral edge portion of the plate rear surface and that supports the face plate from a back side, a face outer portion that is a part of a hitting face and that is located on a face peripheral side relative to the plate front surface, and a body groove that is located on the back side of the face outer portion and that is recessed toward the face outer portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA, Yasushi SUGIMOTO, Yuki MOTOKAWA
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Publication number: 20200121998Abstract: A head includes a head body including a sole and a face plate fixed to the head body. The face plate includes a plate front surface that forms a part of a hitting face, a plate rear surface, and a plate side surface. The head body includes an opening at which the face plate is disposed, and a back support portion that supports the face plate from a back side. The back support portion includes a back receiving surface forming an abutting region by abutting on an outer peripheral edge portion of the place rear surface, and a rear surface that is a surface opposite to the back receiving surface. A face-peripheral-side end of the rear surface is located on a face peripheral side relative to a face-center-side end of the abutting region.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA, Yasushi SUGIMOTO, Yuki MOTOKAWA
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Patent number: 10322326Abstract: In a golf club according to one aspect of the present invention, a first coupling portion of a first adapter, to which the shaft is fixed, and a hosel first coupling portion of the golf club head are coupled so as to be incapable of axial rotation, and thus the shaft is attached to the golf club head so as to not be capable of axial rotation. Accordingly, the second adapter coupled to the first adapter at least does not need to be configured so as to be incapable of axial rotation, thus making it possible to increase the degree of freedom in adapter design.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2014Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Kiyofumi Matsunaga
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Patent number: 10010768Abstract: Provided is a golf club enabling the rotation position of an adapter to be viewed without disassembling a coupling structure for coupling a shaft and a golf club head. This golf club includes a shaft, a golf club head having a hosel portion, a first adapter that is accommodated in the interior space of the hosel portion through a shaft attachment hole in the hosel portion, a second adapter that has a through-hole through which the first adapter passes, and at least a portion arranged outside the attachment hole, and a fixing member detachably fixing the first adapter in the interior space of the hosel portion. The shaft is coupled with an inclination relative to the first adapter, the first adapter is coupled with an inclination relative to the second adapter, and the first adapter and the second adapter are coupled so as to be capable of axial rotation.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Kiyofumi Matsunaga