Reduced Air Resistance Patents (Class 473/327)
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Patent number: 9889346Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from the sole and have a depth, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe. The channel may have a width defined between a front edge and a rear edge, and a cross-sectional shape, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the center portion of the channel is substantially semi-circular, and wherein the cross-sectional shape of the channel is different at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
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Patent number: 9861865Abstract: A golf club head having good forgiveness and playability includes a body having an interior cavity, favorable aerodynamic profile and favorable CG location. The club head may include a crown having a peripheral edge located low relative to a ground plane, stepped down crown and overlying shroud, generally flat sole, inverted aft skirt section, aft cavity, cantilevered lightweight shroud, and/or two interior chambers, one of which may have an external opening.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Christopher John Harbert, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Robert Nunez, Nathan T. Sargent, Christian Reber Wester
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Patent number: 9839819Abstract: A head h1 includes a crown c1, a sole s1, a face f1 and a hosel h1. The crown c1 includes a recess part RE1, a back part 100 positioned at a back of the recess part RE1, and a step surface ST1 positioned at a front of the back part 100 and positioned above a virtual extension surface HF1 of the back part 100. At least a part of the recess part RE1 extends in a toe-heel direction. At least a part of the step surface ST1 extends in the toe-heel direction. At least a part of the recess part RE1 may extend in a front-back direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Phil Seagram, Keith Dolezel, Mika Becktor
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Patent number: 9839818Abstract: Some embodiments include a golf club head having a hollow body comprising a front portion having a strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a back, a crown portion, and a chamfer extending between the front portion and the crown portion, the chamfer having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the chamfer defines a hinge point of the crown portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Martin R. Jertson, Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke
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Patent number: 9821521Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd Anthony Waatti
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Patent number: 9802085Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a rear, and a hosel region. The heel includes an airfoil-like surface shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil that extends over a majority of the length of the heel. The back may include a Kammback feature having a concavity extending from the heel-side to the toe-side of the back. The heel-side edge of the concavity may be shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil. Further, the sole may include a diffuser that extends at an angle of from approximately 10 degrees to approximately 80 degrees from a moment-of-impact trajectory direction. A hosel fairing that extends from the hosel region toward the toe may also be provided on the crown. A golf club including the golf club head is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John Thomas Stites, Robert Boyd, Gary G. Tavares
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Patent number: 9802372Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CroporationInventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti
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Patent number: 9782642Abstract: A golf club head having elevated internal weighting that improves ball speed, reduces backspin, and increases launch angle is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body with a face, sole, and elevated weight bar, which is disposed inside the body and is fixed to heel and toe sides of the body, preferably with mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts. The weight bar bridges a central portion of the sole, and a central section of the weight bar, which preferably comprises at least 50% of the overall mass of the weight bar, extends towards the face without actually making contact with the face. The sole also includes at least one slot extending perpendicular to the face and underneath the central section of the weight bar, the slot having a front-to-back length that is greater than a maximum front-to-back length of the weight bar.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson
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Patent number: 9776050Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and have a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe, wherein the width and the depth of the center portion of the channel are substantially constant, and wherein the depth of the channel is greater at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Joshua Michael Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
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Patent number: 9776053Abstract: A golf club incorporating a trip step feature located on the crown section. The benefits associated with the reduction in aerodynamic drag force associated with the trip step may be applied to drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. A portion of the trip step is located between a crown apex and the back of the club head and may be continuous or discontinuous. The trip step enables a reduction in the aerodynamic drag force exerted on the golf club.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Michael Scott Burnett, Marc Schmidt
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Patent number: 9737770Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a body that has an address position with a zero degree bounce portion on the sole and a center sole position with a multi-relief surface of the sole having a negative bounce portion. The negative bounce portion may comprise a negative 0.5 to a negative 4.0 degree surface. In one embodiment, the multi-relief surface may comprise the negative bounce portion and a cutaway portion extending to the back of the sole, which may have a depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 inch from a regular sole surface. In another embodiment, the golf club head includes a weight system to adjust the center of gravity. In one embodiment, the weight system is a tube having a weight at one end that may be inserted into the golf club head to move the center of gravity at least forward and backward within 6 mm and up and down within 6 mm. Preferably, the tube is angled downward toward the face by at least 3 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Michael Scott Burnett, Daniel S. Callinan, Christopher D. Harvell, Jeffrey W. Meyer, Stephen S. Murphy
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Patent number: 9636559Abstract: A golf club head comprising a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head; a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head, wherein said sole is substantially convex in shape; a skirt extending between the crown and the sole; a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting said sole at a leading edge; an interior cavity defined by said crown, sole, skirt, and face; a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to said face, a y-axis located vertical to said face, and a z-axis located through said face, said z-axis and said x-axis parallel to a ground plane when said golf club head is held at address on said ground plane; a depression formed in said sole, wherein said depression is substantially concave and protrudes inwards towards said interior cavity of said golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2014Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Noah de la Cruz, Darryl C. Galvan, Nick Frame, Charles E. Golden, John Morin
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Patent number: 9623295Abstract: An aerodynamic golf club head with a low center of gravity and producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces. The club head has crown section attributes that impart beneficial aerodynamic properties.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INCInventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Patent number: 9616299Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel extends across a portion of the sole in a heel to toe direction, wherein the channel is recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and has a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe, wherein the width of the center portion of the channel is substantially constant, and the width of the channel at the heel and toe portions increases from the heel end of the center portion toward the heel and from the toe end of the center portion toward the toe.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
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Patent number: 9597559Abstract: A golf club having variable face to body transition is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head having an indented transition region that helps facilitate the transition of thickness variation from the striking face to a rear aft body. The indented transition region may be located on the crown, the skirt, or the sole, and achieves improved performance by achieving an increased thickness reduction slope.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Charles E. Golden, John W. Morin, Darryl C. Galvan, Richard L. Cleghorn, Stephen S. Murphy
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Patent number: 9597562Abstract: Iron-type golf club heads are disclosed having a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face. The iron-type golf club heads include a localized stiffened region that is located on the striking face of the club head such that the localized stiffened region alters the launch conditions of golf balls struck by the club head in a way that wholly or partially compensates for, overcomes, or prevents the occurrence of a rightward deviation. In particular, the localized stiffened region is located on the striking face such that a golf ball struck under typical conditions will not impart a right-tending sidespin to the golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2011Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Joshua J. Dipert, Scott Taylor, Yong Ling
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Patent number: 9555294Abstract: A golf club head includes a crown surface having an apex at a highest point and extending between the face, the rear, the heel and the toe of the golf club head. The golf club head also includes a plurality of crown turbulators projecting from the surface of the crown and located between the face and the apex, wherein each adjacent pair of crown turbulators is separate and spaced apart to define a space between the adjacent pair of crown turbulators.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2015Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Erik M. Henrikson, Paul D. Wood, John Hart, Bradley D. Schweigert, Marty R. Jertson
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Patent number: 9526954Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head may have a channel extending adjacent to a trailing edge of the club head. The channel may have a maximum depth of 6 mm and a maximum width ranging from 10 mm to 20 mm. A rough textured surface region may be provided on a sole, wherein the rough textured surface region has a surface roughness of greater than or equal to 1.00 ?m. A recess, formed in the sole, may extend from a mid-region to a toe of the club head, wherein the mid-region extends over the middle 40% of a length of the club head. A crown has an upper, forward surface and a stepped-down region, and the upper, forward surface transitions to the stepped-down region at a transition feature that extends from the hosel region at an angle of from 25 to 50 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Andrew G.V. Oldknow
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Patent number: 9492720Abstract: A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center, a bottom portion, a top portion including an exterior surface, a hosel including an imaginary vertical hosel plane, a forwardmost point, and a rearwardmost point. In an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the hosel plane and passing through the face center, the exterior surface includes a path having a first point and a second point rearward of the first point. An imaginary infinite straight line passes through the first point and the second point, but does not penetrate the exterior surface. A segment of the imaginary straight line is delimited by the first point and the second point. A maximum distance between the segment and the exterior surface of the top portion is no greater than 0.70 mm and a distance between the first point and the second point is no less than 22 mm.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2013Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITEDInventors: Jimmy H. Kuan, Samuel G. Lacey, Dan S. Nivanh, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe
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Patent number: 9492721Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with aerodynamic features and related methods are described herein. Various embodiments of the golf club heads with aerodynamic features and related methods include a golf club head comprising a body. In many embodiments, the body comprises a strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a crown, a trailing edge between the sole and the crown, a back opposite the strikeface, and one or more cavities located at least at one of: the back and in the sole adjacent to the trailing edge; or the back and in the trailing edge. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2015Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Sina Ghods, Xiaojian Chen, Ryan M. Stokke
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Patent number: 9474947Abstract: Golf club head embodiments disclosed herein comprise a crown having a stepped portion located between a front portion of the crown and rear portion of the crown, such that the crown transitions steeply in height across the stepped portion from the front portion down to the rear portion. The stepped portion of the crown may extend from adjacent to the hosel in a toeward and rearward direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Michael Franz
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Patent number: 9433833Abstract: A golf club head comprising an aerodynamic hosel is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the hosel has an upper portion and a swept transition portion which connects to the golf club head, and all points at which the swept transition portion contacts the club head are spaced rearwardly from a vertical face plane. In a further embodiment, both the upper portion and the swept transition portion comprise coaxial shaft receiving bores. In yet another embodiment, the swept transition portion of the hosel has a trailing edge that is truncated, or that has one or more surface discontinuities. In yet another embodiment, the swept transition portion has a height and a diameter, each of which is less than or equal to one inch.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventor: Steven M. Ehlers
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Patent number: 9421434Abstract: A golf club head having a face part, a sole part, a side part, a crown part and a hosel part, all of which surround a hollow part comprises a penetration hole that is provided on the crown part, penetrating the crown part so that the hollow part is connected with an outer atmosphere of the golf club head and a non-metal cover that is provided over the penetration hole. A recess part, which forms a recess, is provided on a surface of the non-metal cover.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2015Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaya Takagi, Takaharu Takechi, Tomonori Kitagawa
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Patent number: 9259628Abstract: A high volume aerodynamic golf club head producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces. The club head has a crown section shape that imparts beneficial aerodynamic properties characterized by a particular drop contour area and projected area of a face portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Patent number: 9199145Abstract: A golf club head comprising a channel and an expandable weight that can be removably fixed at any point within the channel is disclosed herein. The channel preferably is disposed on the sole and extends from a heel side of the golf club head, around a rear side, and ends at a toe side of the golf club head. This channel is not constrained to a planar arc, but instead twists as it extends around the golf club head so that it follows the contours, and preserves the aesthetics, of the golf club head. The expandable weight preferably is trapped within the channel so that it cannot fall out of the channel during use, and includes an anti-rotation feature so that it does not twist within the channel and cause an undesirable rattling noise.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2014Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventor: Matthew Myers
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Patent number: 9192829Abstract: A golf club head having a plurality of slots that are strategically placed on its sole to enhance sound and reduce weight is disposed herein. In particular, the slots are disposed in a triangular pattern or around a triangular panel proximate the face.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventors: Sean P. Griffin, Philip G. Foster
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Patent number: 9168432Abstract: A golf club head including a face portion defining a loft plane, a rear portion opposite to the face portion, a heel portion, a toe portion opposite to the heel portion, a crown portion having a crown surface extending between the face portion, the rear portion, the heel portion and the toe portion, a sole portion opposite to the crown portion and having a sole surface extending between the face portion, the rear portion, the heel portion and the toe portion, and a leading edge portion between the face portion and the crown portion, the leading edge portion defining a leading edge plane forming a leading edge angle with the loft plane; and a plurality of crown turbulators disposed on the crown surface, each crown turbulator having a front portion defining a portion of the crown turbulator being closest to the face portion, the front portion of at least one of the plurality of crown turbulators being at least partly located on the leading edge portion and between the leading edge plane and the rear portion, buType: GrantFiled: December 2, 2013Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONInventors: Erik M. Henrikson, Paul D. Wood, John Hart, Bradley D. Schweigert, Marty R. Jertson
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Patent number: 9162117Abstract: Designs and methods of improving aerodynamic performance of golf club heads are disclosed herein. In particular, the designs and methods of the present invention address airflow behavior modification at or immediately adjacent to the counter or edge of the striking face to reduce club head drag while minimizing any adverse effect on the impact performance of the face. The designs and methods of the present invention also address airflow behavior over the crown of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2014Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventor: Steven M. Ehlers
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Patent number: 9155944Abstract: A golf club head has a body defining a ball striking face. The body further has a first leg extending away from the ball striking face and a second leg extending away from the ball striking face wherein a void is defined between the first leg and the second leg. The body further defines a crown that extends over the void.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Eric A. Larson, Kenneth W. Brown, Sherry L. Jones
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Patent number: 9149693Abstract: A golf club head has a body defining a ball striking face. The body further has a first leg extending away from the ball striking face and a second leg extending away from the ball striking face wherein a void is defined between the first leg and the second leg. The body further defines a crown that extends over the void.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2012Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Eric A. Larson, Kenneth W. Brown, Sherry L. Jones
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Patent number: 9011265Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head includes a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a rear, and a crown. The crown may include a substantially horizontally-oriented forward crown region extending rearwardly from the ball striking face. The crown further may include a primary recessed feature located rearward of the forward crown region and extending from the heel to the toe of the club head. The recessed feature may have a floor and a front wall extending upward from the floor to the forward crown region. The crown may further include a substantially horizontally-oriented rearward crown region extending forwardly from the rear of the club head. The recessed feature may be located between the forward crown region and the rearward crown region. A back wall of the recessed feature may extend upward from the floor to the rearward crown region.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Raymond J. Sander
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Publication number: 20150094162Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head may have a channel extending adjacent to a trailing edge of the club head. The channel may have a maximum depth of 6 mm and a maximum width ranging from 10 mm to 20 mm. A rough textured surface region may be provided on a sole, wherein the rough textured surface region has a surface roughness of greater than or equal to 1.00 ?m. A recess, formed in the sole, may extend from a mid-region to a toe of the club head, wherein the mid-region extends over the middle 40% of a length of the club head. A crown has an upper, forward surface and a stepped-down region, and the upper, forward surface transitions to the stepped-down region at a transition feature that extends from the hosel region at an angle of from 25 to 50 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Inventor: Andrew G.V. Oldknow
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Patent number: 8992338Abstract: Golf club head embodiments disclosed herein comprise a crown having a stepped portion located between a front portion of the crown and rear portion of the crown, such that the crown transitions steeply in height across the stepped portion from the front portion down to the rear portion. The stepped portion of the crown may extend from adjacent to the hosel in a toeward and rearward direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Michael Franz
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Patent number: 8986132Abstract: The present invention provides a golf club head having air flow guiding slot with uneven surface, which includes a ball striking plate, a connection portion, a top plate, a bottom portion and at least one air flow guiding slot. The at least one air flow guiding slot is mounted on the top plate and the bottom portion, is near to the connection portion, and has an uneven surface. Utilizing the uneven surface of the at least one air flow guiding slot, the stability of air flow can be improved and the surface area of the air flow guiding slot can be greatly increased so as to raise the weight of the air flow guiding slot so that the center of gravity for the golf club head can be mounted on the at least one air flow guiding slot.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2013Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Inventor: Wen-Ta Chen
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Patent number: 8986131Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a rear and a crown. The crown may include a forward crown region, a rearward crown region, and a crown transition region therebetween. The rearward crown region may have a lower height than the forward crown region. The crown transition region may extend generally in a heel-to-toe direction. The vertical slope of the crown transition region may decrease as the crown transition region extends from the heel toward the toe. The crown transition region may lie at an angle from a front plane of the club head. Optionally, a club head may include a forward sole region, a rearward sole region, and a sole transition region therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Raymond J. Sander, Eric A. Larson
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Publication number: 20150018118Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a back, a crown, a sole, and a hosel region located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel and the crown. The sole includes a channel extending from the hosel region toward the toe. An insert is received within the channel. The club head further includes means for detachably securing the insert to the channel. A second insert configured for being received within the channel may be provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventor: Andrew Oldknow
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Patent number: 8932149Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head may have a channel extending adjacent to a trailing edge of the club head. The channel may have a maximum depth of 6 mm and a maximum width ranging from 10 mm to 20 mm. A rough textured surface region may be provided on a sole, wherein the rough textured surface region has a surface roughness of greater than or equal to 1.00 ?m. A recess, formed in the sole, may extend from a mid-region to a toe of the club head, wherein the mid-region extends over the middle 40% of a length of the club head. A crown has an upper, forward surface and a stepped-down region, and the upper, forward surface transitions to the stepped-down region at a transition feature that extends from the hosel region at an angle of from 25 to 50 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: Andrew G. V. Oldknow
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Publication number: 20150005095Abstract: Designs and methods of improving aerodynamic performance of golf club heads are disclosed herein. In particular, the designs and methods of the present invention address airflow behavior modification at or immediately adjacent to the counter or edge of the striking face to reduce club head drag while minimizing any adverse effect on the impact performance of the face. The designs and methods of the present invention also address airflow behavior over the crown of the golf club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Inventor: Steven M. Ehlers
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Publication number: 20150005096Abstract: A high volume aerodynamic golf club head producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces. The club head has a crown section shape that imparts beneficial aerodynamic properties characterized by a particular drop contour area and projected area of a face portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Publication number: 20140371001Abstract: A golf club head may include a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back, and a hosel region located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. The crown may have a relatively round rear-side edge profile, as viewed from above. The sole may have a relatively square rear-side edge profile, as viewed from below. The rear-side edge of the sole may extend rearwardly beyond the rear-side edge of the crown along at least a portion of the back, as viewed from above. Further, the heel may have an airfoil-like surface in the forward portion of the heel. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventors: Robert Boyd, John Thomas Stites, Gary G. Tavares
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Patent number: 8888608Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head which includes a face portion, and has a volume of 400 cc or more. When the golf club head is disposed on a horizontal plane at a specific lie angle while the face portion is matched with the flight trajectory direction, and images of the face portion and the golf club head are projected onto a vertical plane from the front side of the face portion upon defining the flight trajectory direction as the projection direction, the area of a projected figure H of the golf club head is defined as HA, and the area of a projected figure F of the face portion is defined as FA. The golf club head satisfies 0.5<FA/HA<0.7, and a centroid Hc of the projected figure H coincides with a centroid Fc of the projected figure F.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Wataru Ban, Kozue Wada, Tadahiro Narita
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Publication number: 20140323236Abstract: A golf club incorporating a trip step feature located on the crown section. The benefits associated with the reduction in aerodynamic drag force associated with the trip step may be applied to drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. A portion of the trip step is located between a crown apex and the back of the club head and may be continuous or discontinuous. The trip step enables a reduction in the aerodynamic drag force exerted on the golf club.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Inventors: Michael Scott Burnett, Marc Schmidt
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Patent number: 8864601Abstract: Designs and methods of improving aerodynamic performance of golf club heads are disclosed herein. In particular, the designs and methods of the present invention address airflow behavior modification at or immediately adjacent to the counter or edge of the striking face to reduce club head drag while minimizing any adverse effect on the impact performance of the face. The designs and methods of the present invention also address airflow behavior over the crown of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2013Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Steven M. Ehlers
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Patent number: 8858359Abstract: A high volume aerodynamic golf club head having a post apex attachment promoting region with a club head volume of at least 400 cc and a front-to-back dimension of at least 4.4 inches producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces. The post apex attachment promoting region is on the surface of the crown section at an elevation above a maximum face height and begins at the crown apex and extends toward the back of the club head. The post apex attachment promoting region is a relatively flat portion of the crown section that is behind the crown apex, yet above the maximum top edge plane, and aides in keeping airflow attached to the club head once it flows past the crown apex.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Publication number: 20140302943Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a rear, and a hosel region. The heel includes an airfoil-like surface shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil that extends over a majority of the length of the heel. The back may include a Kammback feature having a concavity extending from the heel-side to the toe-side of the back. The heel-side edge of the concavity may be shaped like the leading edge of an airfoil. Further, the sole may include a diffuser that extends at an angle of from approximately 10 degrees to approximately 80 degrees from a moment-of-impact trajectory direction. A hosel fairing that extends from the hosel region toward the toe may also be provided on the crown. A golf club including the golf club head is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Inventors: John Thomas Stites, Robert Boyd, Gary G. Tavares
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Patent number: 8845453Abstract: Designs and methods of improving aerodynamic performance of golf club heads are disclosed herein. In particular, the designs and methods of the present invention address airflow behavior modification at or immediately adjacent to the counter or edge of the striking face to reduce club head drag while minimizing any adverse effect on the impact performance of the face. The present invention also provides a face with visually distinct and apparent treatments and improved visibility at address. The approaches to contouring a golf club face disclosed herein are new because they are confined to a relatively narrow band along the inside of the face boundary curve. The dimensions of the modification zone are kept small and subtle contour changes are made to influence airflow in a highly critical region with minimal effect on the impact performance of the striking surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Steven M. Ehlers
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Publication number: 20140274448Abstract: Golf club head embodiments disclosed herein comprise a crown having a stepped portion located between a front portion of the crown and rear portion of the crown, such that the crown transitions steeply in height across the stepped portion from the front portion down to the rear portion. The stepped portion of the crown may extend from adjacent to the hosel in a toeward and rearward direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Michael Franz
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Publication number: 20140248974Abstract: A golf club head comprising an aerodynamic hosel is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the hosel has an upper portion and a swept transition portion which connects to the golf club head, and all points at which the swept transition portion contacts the club head are spaced rearwardly from a vertical face plane. In a further embodiment, both the upper portion and the swept transition portion comprise coaxial shaft receiving bores. In yet another embodiment, the swept transition portion of the hosel has a trailing edge that is truncated, or that has one or more surface discontinuities. In yet another embodiment, the swept transition portion has a height and a diameter, each of which is less than or equal to one inch.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventor: Steven M. Ehlers
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Patent number: 8821311Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region, located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. The body member may have a first cross-section having a first airfoil-shaped surface in the heel. The first cross-section may be oriented at approximately 90° from the centerline of the club head. The body member may have a second cross-section having a second airfoil-shaped surface. The second cross-section may be oriented at approximately 45° or at approximately 70°. The airfoil-shaped surfaces may be defined by spline points or by equations. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2013Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd, John T. Stites
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Patent number: 8821309Abstract: A golf club head may include a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back, and a hosel region located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. The crown may have a relatively round rear-side edge profile, as viewed from above. The sole may have a relatively square rear-side edge profile, as viewed from below. The rear-side edge of the sole may extend rearwardly beyond the rear-side edge of the crown along at least a portion of the back, as viewed from above. Further, the heel may have an airfoil-like surface in the forward portion of the heel. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Robert Boyd, John Thomas Stites, Gary G. Tavares