With Internal Support Rib Or Injected Material Patents (Class 473/346)
  • Patent number: 10391369
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to golf club having a crown a sole and a face and a primary alignment feature including a paint or masking line which delineates the transition between at least a first portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with the shade or color of the face. In some embodiments the golf club has a primary alignment feature comprising a paint or masking line which delineates the transition between at least a first portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color and the area of shade or color of the face and the club head also includes a secondary alignment feature including a paint or masking line which delineates the transition between the first portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with the shade or color of the face; and a second portion of the crown having an area of contrasting shade or color with the shade or color of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Vincent Greaney, Andrew Kickertz, Todd P. Beach, Craig Richard Slyfield
  • Patent number: 10384107
    Abstract: A head for a ball striking device includes a bracing member connected to an upper sole surface located on the sole of the body opposite the bottom sole surface. The bracing member includes a first end connected to a first point on the upper sole surface, a second end connected to a second point on the upper sole surface spaced from the first point, and a bridge portion extending between the first and second ends. The bridge portion extends upward from the upper sole surface and is spaced from the upper sole surface. The bridge portion may be formed by one or more trusses, and may define a generally triangular shape in one embodiment. The first and second ends may be connected to the upper sole surface using a variety of techniques, e.g., welding or other integral joining technique, integral forming, adhesive or other bonding material, or other technique. The location of the bracing member may be determined using a modal analysis to determine a maximum displacement region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Knight, Michael Wallans
  • Patent number: 10376754
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, a top portion, and a crown portion covering an opening in the top portion. The crown portion may include an upper plurality of composite layers, a lower plurality of composite layers, and one or more integral ribs disposed between the upper and lower pluralities of composite layers. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Parsons, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Patent number: 10369436
    Abstract: A ball striking device has a head that includes a metal face configured for striking a ball, a rearwardly extending metal band, a top piece, and a bottom piece. The metal band has a first end extending from one side of the face, a second end extending from the opposite side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends and defining at least a portion of the rear periphery of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are non-metallic or substantially non-metallic. The top piece is connected to the top side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a top side of the head, and the bottom piece is connected to the bottom side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a bottom side of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. Lee
  • Patent number: 10343030
    Abstract: A golf club head made out of multi-material is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has at least a portion of the body of the golf club head that is further comprised out of a base layer and a lightweight cover layer. The base layer may have a plurality of cutouts to help reduce unnecessary mass and the lightweight cover layer may be made out of an ultra-lightweight material to further reduce the unnecessary mass. The resulting golf club head may generally have a deep CG wherein the CG-B location is about 37 mm, and a CG-C location is greater than about 30 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Takeshi Casey Funaki, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Gery M. Zimmerman, Thomas Orrin Bennett, Mark C. Myrhum, Darryl C. Galvan
  • Patent number: 10335647
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a golf club head having a plurality of structural connectors, and particularly solid rods proximate the face, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of preparing a wax of a golf club head body, the body having first and second through-holes, a hollow interior, and first and second receiving pockets, preparing waxes of first and second solid rods, inserting the first solid rod wax into the first through-hole and seating its lower end in the first receiving pocket, inserting the second solid rod wax into the second through-hole and seating its lower end in the second receiving pocket, bonding each of the first and second solid rods to the body with an adhesive material to form a combined wax mold, and casting a golf club head from the combined wax mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers, Matthew Hannen, Bart R. Fliers, Robert S. Gonczi
  • Patent number: 10328319
    Abstract: A golf club head according to the present invention includes a face portion, a crown portion and a sole portion, the crown portion including a first region extending in a toe-heel direction along at least part of the face portion, a second region arranged further on a back side than the first region, a step region extending in the toe-heel direction between the first region and the second region and extending downward toward the second region from the first region side, and at least one rib formed on an inner wall surface of the crown portion and extending in a face-back direction from at least the step region to the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10322319
    Abstract: A golf club head having a hosel, a hollow interior, and a support structure disposed within the hollow interior proximate a flange region is disclosed herein. In particular, the present invention is directed to a fairway wood head comprising a body with a front wall, an upper opening, a return portion between the front wall and the upper opening, a hosel, an interface between the hosel and the heel side of the body, and a hosel support ring or support rod, and a composite crown affixed to the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior. The support structure reduces the stresses placed on, for example, the crown during hosel bending processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Justin Del Rosario, Romulus M. Tomimbang, Kevin Harper
  • Patent number: 10245483
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a face, a sole, an attachment member, an attachment part, and a rib. The face includes a ball-striking surface. The sole defines the bottom of the golf club head. The attachment member is attachable to the attachment part. The rib is formed on the internal surface of the golf club head, and at least partially surrounds the attachment part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomonori Kitagawa, Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 10238925
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 10220272
    Abstract: A golf club head with a multi-level badge is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention is an iron type golf club head with a multi-level badge that on one level contacts a rear surface of the striking face of the golf club head, and a second level of the multi-level badge contacts a rear surface of a cavity created by the chassis of the golf club head. The gap created between the striking face of the golf club head and the rear of the chassis could be filled with a fluid that has a temperature variable viscosity, providing vibration attenuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Oswaldo Gonzalez, Marni D. Ines, Gery M. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10213662
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body, a variable face thickness pattern, and a plurality of solid metal stiffening rods, and which satisfies the equation Vballnorm?0.0356x+140.82, is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face, a sole, and a return section, and defines a hollow interior. Each of the rods extends from the return section to the sole within the hollow interior proximate the face to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball. The rods are all located within 1 inch of a rear surface of the face measured along a plane normal to the center of the face, and are spaced a distance of 0.500 to 2.00 inch from one another within the hollow interior. The variable face thickness pattern preferably comprises a plurality of concentric rings, with a center ring having a thickness that is less than a thickness of an intermediary ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers
  • Patent number: 10195499
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a ribbed region on at least one of a heel portion, a toe portion, sole, or crown. The ribbed region comprises a ribbed wall with an interior surface facing an interior of the golf club head, and a ribbed wall exterior facing an exterior of the golf club head. The ribbed region further comprises at least one rib protruding from the ribbed region. The first rib comprises a first rib length measured along a rib centerline of the first rib, a first rib interior section located at the ribbed wall interior surface, and a first rib exterior section located at the ribbed wall exterior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Martin R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 10155139
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head for a metal wood type club. The club head includes a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a rear, a crown and a sole. The sole includes a forward sole surface and a rearward sole surface. The substantially horizontally-oriented forward sole surface extends rearwardly from the ball striking face to a rearward edge. The substantially horizontally-oriented rearward sole surface extends forwardly from the rear of the club head. The rearward sole surface extends over and is offset in a height direction from the rearward edge. A cavity may be located above the forward sole surface, the cavity having a rearward facing opening located below the rearward sole surface. A projection may extend rearwardly from the rearward edge beneath the rearward sole surface, the projection having sides that extend in a generally breadthwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert M. Boyd, Raymond J. Sander
  • Patent number: 10155144
    Abstract: A ball striking device has a head that includes a metal face configured for striking a ball, a rearwardly extending metal band, a top piece, and a bottom piece. The metal band has a first end extending from one side of the face, a second end extending from the opposite side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends and defining at least a portion of the rear periphery of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are non-metallic or substantially non-metallic. The top piece is connected to the top side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a top side of the head, and the bottom piece is connected to the bottom side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a bottom side of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: David S. Lee
  • Patent number: 10150016
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Matthew Greensmith, Andrew James, Jason Andrew Mata, Matthew David Johnson, David Anderson, Brandon H. Woolley
  • Patent number: 10118075
    Abstract: A golf club head including a first rib protruding from a rib surface of the body. The first rib comprises a first and second rib end and a first, second, and third rib portion. The third rib portion is located between the first rib portion and the second rib portion. The first, second, and third rib portions include a first, second, and third rib portion dimension, where the first and second rib portion dimensions are greater than the third rib portion dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric V. Cole, Martin R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 10086239
    Abstract: A golf club head made out of multi-material is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has at least a portion of the body of the golf club head that is further comprised out of a base layer and a lightweight cover layer. The base layer may have a plurality of cutouts to help reduce unnecessary mass and the lightweight cover layer may be made out of an ultra-lightweight material to further reduce the unnecessary mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Mark C. Myrhum, Uday V. Deshmukh, Darryl C. Galvan
  • Patent number: 10080933
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads comprising a head interior and a hosel structure, the head interior bounded by a head front portion, a head rear portion, a head heel portion, a head toe portion, a head top portion, and a head sole portion, the golf club heads further comprising various optimized characteristics, including optimizing the head center of gravity height and depth in relation to the head volume and mass, are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Bradley D. Schweigert
  • Patent number: 10065082
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a golf club body, a hosel connected to a heel portion of the golf club body, a face connected to a front of the golf club body, the face including an inner surface, an outer surface, and at least one boundary condition feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew James, Matthew David Johnson, Todd P. Beach
  • Patent number: 10035050
    Abstract: A head 2 includes a face 4, a crown 6, and a sole 8. At least a part of the crown 6 and/or at least a part of the sole 8 is formed by a clad material. The clad material is joined to an adjacent portion brought into contact with a peripheral edge of the clad material. The clad material includes a first layer s1 and a second layer s2. The first layer s1 is the outermost layer. The first layer s1 is welded to the adjacent portion. The second layer s2 does not have an affinity for welding with the adjacent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Motokawa
  • Patent number: 10035053
    Abstract: A set of golf clubs including golf club heads having improved mass distribution characteristics. The set includes golf club heads having a club head main body including a hitting face and a face support, a muscle back shell and a weight insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Peter J. Gilbert, Helene Hipp, Eduardo Mendoza, Adrian L. Stanescu, Douglas C. Jorgensen, Scott A. Knutson
  • Patent number: 9987527
    Abstract: A golf club head having improved stiffness characteristics is disclosed herein. The golf club head, which preferably is an iron-type head, comprises a body with at least two stiffening rods extending between a top portion and a bottom portion or heel and toe portions of the body. The stiffening rods, when tightened, place pressure on one of the top portion and bottom portion, thereby stiffening that portion of the body. The stiffening rods are inserted into the body via internally threaded through-bores or ports, and when tightened, press against receiving cups extending from the top or bottom portions of the body into a rear cavity of the body. The present invention is also directed to a set of such golf club heads with stiffening rods in differing orientations within the heads depending on their loft angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, James A. Seluga
  • Patent number: 9981164
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf club head that enables increasing the moment of inertia while also improving durability, and a manufacturing method for the same. The golf club head of the present invention includes a crown portion. The crown portion has a first region having a first thickness and multiple second regions having a second thickness that is smaller than the first thickness. The second regions are distributed in a radiating fashion so as to extend from an origin toward a peripheral portion of the crown portion excluding the face side, the origin being located within 15 mm of the center of gravity of the golf club head in the toe-heel direction and also being located in the vicinity of the face side in the face-back direction in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Akio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9975011
    Abstract: In one embodiment the golf club head includes three main components, a frame component, a rear cap component, and a striking plate. In another embodiment the club head may also comprise a front component, which is manufactured as a single unitary piece, and a rear cap component. The front component may also be overmolded by a thermoplastic polymeric outer portion which may or may not cover the striking face and which provides additional reinforcement at the load bearing sections of the club head and allows a more facile connection to the rear cap component. In another embodiment, a club head having a main body, crown insert, sole insert and metal face plate frame is formed by forming the sole insert and crown insert from a polymeric material using a thermoforming or thermosetting process and then injection molding the main body over the sole insert, crown insert and metal face plate frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Reber Wester, Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Christopher John Harbert, Hong G. Jeon
  • Patent number: 9937391
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head having a face part, a sole part, a side part, a crown part, and a hosel part, comprises one or more of inner ribs that are disposed on at least one of the sole part and the side part and that inwardly project from an inner surface of the one, one or more of outer ribs that are disposed on at least the one of the sole part and the side part and that outwardly project from an outer surface of the one, and one of the inner ribs is arranged between the outer ribs in a toe-to-heel direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaharu Takechi
  • Patent number: 9889350
    Abstract: A golf club head includes: a sole; a crown; a toe; a heel opposite the toe; a strike face generally bounded by a face perimeter edge, the strike face comprising a geometric center; a rear portion; and a substantially enclosed interior cavity at least partially delimited by the sole, the crown, the strike face, and the rear portion. The golf club head also includes at least one rib having a first portion secured to the strike face, having a second portion secured to the crown, and being positioned such that a location on the strike face laterally spaced toe-ward from the geometric center by no less than 0.4 in is associated with a COR value no less than 0.825.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert J. Horacek, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, John J. Rae, Michael J. Wallans, Sam G. Lacey
  • Patent number: 9827473
    Abstract: A head for a ball striking device includes a bracing member connected to an upper sole surface located on the sole of the body opposite the bottom sole surface. The bracing member includes a first end connected to a first point on the upper sole surface, a second end connected to a second point on the upper sole surface spaced from the first point, and a bridge portion extending between the first and second ends. The bridge portion extends upward from the upper sole surface and is spaced from the upper sole surface. The bridge portion may be formed by one or more trusses, and may define a generally triangular shape in one embodiment. The first and second ends may be connected to the upper sole surface using a variety of techniques, e.g., welding or other integral joining technique, integral forming, adhesive or other bonding material, or other technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Knight
  • Patent number: 9814945
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion and a plurality of weight portions. The body portion may include a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a bottom portion having an outer surface associated with an outer surface curve, and a weight port region located at or proximate to the bottom portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: PARSONS XTREME GOLF, LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Parsons, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Patent number: 9814948
    Abstract: Golf club heads with ribs are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric V. Cole, Martin R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 9700768
    Abstract: A golf club head including a first rib protruding from a rib surface of the body. The first rib comprises a first and second rib end and a first, second, and third rib portion. The third rib portion is located between the first rib portion and the second rib portion. The first, second, and third rib portions include a first, second, and third rib portion dimension, where the first and second rib portion dimensions are greater than the third rib portion dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric V. Cole, Martin R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 9550096
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion and a plurality of weight portions. The body portion may include a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a bottom portion having an outer surface associated with an outer surface curve, and a weight port region located at or proximate to the bottom portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Parsons, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Patent number: 9452323
    Abstract: A golf club head for playing golf made by a method including providing a powdered metal, and applying a controlled source of energy to the powdered metal layer by layer to form a golf club head, wherein the golf club head is a hollow golf club head having a supporting lattice formed within the hollow golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KRONE GOLF LIMITED
    Inventors: Marc Andrew Kronenberg, Drew T. Deshiell
  • Patent number: 9440123
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head having a port for providing a view into the interior cavity of the club head. The club head further includes at least one rib positioned along an internal surface of the club head and adjacent to the port. The at least one rib is configured to provide sound tuning characteristics, increasing the frequency of the port, thereby improving acoustic properties of the club head, particularly the sound produced by the golf club head during ball impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl Clausen
  • Patent number: 9393473
    Abstract: A head for a ball striking device includes a bracing member connected to an upper sole surface located on the sole of the body opposite the bottom sole surface. The bracing member includes a first end connected to a first point on the upper sole surface, a second end connected to a second point on the upper sole surface spaced from the first point, and a bridge portion extending between the first and second ends. The bridge portion extends upward from the upper sole surface and is spaced from the upper sole surface. The bridge portion may be formed by one or more trusses, and may define a generally triangular shape in one embodiment. The first and second ends may be connected to the upper sole surface using a variety of techniques, e.g., welding or other integral joining technique, integral forming, adhesive or other bonding material, or other technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: William C. Knight
  • Patent number: 9393465
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a ribbed region on at least one of a heel portion, a toe portion, sole, or crown. The ribbed region comprises a ribbed wall with an interior surface facing an interior of the golf club head, and a ribbed wall exterior facing an exterior of the golf club head. The ribbed region further comprises at least one rib protruding from the ribbed region. The first rib comprises a first rib length measured along a rib centerline of the first rib, a first rib interior section located at the ribbed wall interior surface, and a first rib exterior section located at the ribbed wall exterior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Martin R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 9358430
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. Embodiments include golf club heads having high static loft angles, low centers of gravity, or both high static loft angles and low centers of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Vincent Greaney, Brandon H. Woolley
  • Patent number: 9265995
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head is 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. A back wall is also disclosed in the rear portion enclosing a portion of the rear portion to create an enclosed cavity. The cavity is defined by at least a rear surface of the striking face, an inner back wall surface, and the sole portion. A plug and a filler material is located within the enclosed cavity. The filler material surrounds the plug and is configured to hold the plug in place. The plug is lighter than the filler material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Bret H. Wahl, Peter L. Larsen, Loren Stowe
  • Patent number: 9192825
    Abstract: A golf club head has a hollow and comprises a face portion having a club face for hitting a ball, a sole portion defining a bottom face of the club head, and a hosel into which a tip end of a golf club shaft is inserted. The hosel protrudes into the hollow. The sole portion is provided in its club face side with a thick ribbed part having a thickness of from 3.0 to 10.0 mm and extending in the toe-heel direction of the head. In the hollow, the ribbed part is connected to the hosel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirotaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9168429
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with optimized characteristics presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley D. Schweigert, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 9162119
    Abstract: A golf club head according to one or more aspects of the present invention may include a main cavity having at least one auxiliary cavity and a base surface. An insert may be associated with the base surface and may comprise at least two contact elements, with a bridge member disposed therebetween. Different contact elements of the insert may be disposed in separate respective auxiliary cavities, such that each contact element may be associated with the base surface. The bridge member of the insert may be dissociated from the base surface. Moreover, a surface coating may be selectively applied to the head to permit a durable adhesive bond between the insert and the base surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Sharon J. Park, Douglas E. Roberts, Andrew P. Chick
  • Patent number: 9144722
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with optimized characteristics presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley D. Schweigert, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 9079081
    Abstract: An iron head includes a striking face; a backside surface; a sole surface; a hosel; a recess portion provided in an upper portion of the backside surface; a protruding portion provided at a lower portion of the backside surface and projecting backward; a first hollow portion provided on a heel side of the protruding portion; and a second hollow portion disposed on a toe side and inside the protruding portion. The protruding portion includes a middle portion between the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion. The first hollow portion is disposed away from the second hollow portion by a distance gradually increasing from an upper surface of the protruding portion toward the sole surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Shimazaki
  • Patent number: 9079078
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. In some embodiments, the crown includes a lattice-like structure having thin regions surrounded by a web of relatively thicker regions. In some embodiments, the club head includes one or more stiffening tubes attached between the sole and the crown to improve the acoustic performance of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Joshua J. Dipert
  • Patent number: 9039543
    Abstract: A head 1 is provided with a head body h1 and an adherend s1. The adherend s1 has a cast resin 53 formed by casting, a metal part 51, and a vibration absorber 55. The cast resin 53 has a formed surface formed by the metal part 51. The cast resin 53 further may have a formed surface formed by the vibration absorber 55. A base material of the cast resin 53 is an epoxy resin, for example. The cast resin 53 may have a cutting surface PL1. The cutting surface PL1 may be a joint surface of the adherend to the head body h1. Preferably, a loss tangent tan ? of the vibration absorber 55 is 0.07 or greater and 0.25 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9011266
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a loft angle no less than 18°, a striking face, a sole portion, and a top portion having an exterior surface. In an imaginary vertical plane spaced from a face center by no more than 10 mm and perpendicular to an imaginary striking face plane, an imaginary line segment has a length of 25 mm, a first endpoint located in the imaginary striking face plane, a second endpoint located above the exterior surface, and forms an angle ? with the striking face plane between 55° and 65°. The line segment is tangent to the exterior surface at a first point. A second point is located on the imaginary line segment and spaced from the first point by no less than 1 mm. The second point is spaced from the exterior surface by a gap distance that is no greater than 0.15 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Brunski, Darius Cyrulik, Matthew R. Daraskavich, Michael T. Prichard, Ryan J. A. Ritchie, Michael J. Cohen
  • Patent number: 8979671
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson
  • Publication number: 20150072805
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face has a thickened portion including an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary. The upper and/or lower boundary defines a shape having two lobes, each with an outer edge with a convex profile, and a connecting portion extending between the lobes, such that the connecting portion is defined by two outer edges extending between the outer edges of the lobes, wherein at least one of the outer edges of the connecting portion has a concave outer profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Robert M. Boyd, Jeremy N. Snyder, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, James S. Thomas, Raymond J. Sander, Rick S. Wahlin, Akira Shimozuma
  • Patent number: 8956248
    Abstract: A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60), an aft body (61), and a sound modifying sole and crown design is disclosed herein. The face component, which may be composed of a metal material, (60) has a striking area portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61), which may be composed of a non-metal material such as composite or thermoplastic material, is composed of a crown portion (62) and a sole portion (64). The sound modifying design, which may include deep pockets or pillars extending from the sole portion (64) to the crown portion (62), alters the sound of the golf club head (42) when it impacts a golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Matthew T. Cackett
  • Publication number: 20150018123
    Abstract: Golf club heads with ribs are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric V. Cole, Martin R. Jertson