With Internal Support Rib Or Injected Material Patents (Class 473/346)
  • Patent number: 8926448
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body towards the face component without making contact with the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises a weight bar disposed within the hollow body proximate the face component, and the weight bar bridges at least a portion of the sole. The weight bar may be movable within the hollow body to allow for center of gravity adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Irina Ivanova, Joel B. Erickson, Bradley C. Rice, Brandon D. DeMille, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson
  • Publication number: 20140364248
    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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Bret H. Wahl, Peter L. Larsen, Loren Stowe
  • Patent number: 8900070
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body towards the face component without making contact with the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head. In other embodiments, the golf club head, which may be an iron-type golf club head, comprises a weight bar disposed within the hollow body proximate the face component, and the weight bar bridges at least a portion of the sole. The weight bar may be movable within the hollow body to allow for center of gravity adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, Joel B. Erickson
  • Publication number: 20140349777
    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: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl Clausen
  • Publication number: 20140329616
    Abstract: Golf club heads with ribs are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Martin R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 8876634
    Abstract: A golf club head according to this invention includes a face portion, a crown portion having a shape which bulges out upward, and a sole portion. The crown portion includes a vibration promotion region and a surrounding region which surrounds the vibration promotion region. The vibration promotion region has a circular or elliptical shape, and is flatter than the surrounding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Wataru Ban
  • Publication number: 20140323240
    Abstract: A portion of a golf club head comprising an external surface, an internal surface opposite said external surface, said internal surface adjacent an interior of said golf club head, wherein said external surface and said internal surface combine to create a plurality of thin regions and a plurality of thick regions, wherein said internal surface is created via a stamped forging process and wherein said external surface is created via a machining process, wherein said stamped forging process comprises placing said crown between a top punch and a bottom cavity, said top punch having a plurality of protrusions and said bottom cavity having a plurality of depressions, and compressing said top punch towards said bottom cavity to alter a shape of said crown, and wherein said machining process comprises machining off excess material from said external surface of said crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark C. Myrhum, Uday V. Deshmukh, Stephanie Bezilla
  • Publication number: 20140315657
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown, and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Robert J. HORACEK, Nathaniel J. RADCLIFFE, John J. RAE, Michael J. WALLANS, Sam G. LACEY
  • Patent number: 8864604
    Abstract: A golf club head having a hollow portion therein, includes a crown portion forming a top surface of the head, a resin member composed of a fiber reinforced resin forming said crown portion at least partially, a reinforcing member attached to said resin member and said reinforcing member integrally comprising a plate-like portion which is embedded in the resin member and extends along a plane direction of the resin member and a rib protruding from the plate-like portion toward the hollow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyofumi Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 8858363
    Abstract: This invention provides a hollow golf club head including a face portion, a crown portion, a sole/side portion which includes a sole portion and a side portion, and a weight member. The golf club head includes a recessed portion which is formed in the sole/side portion, and has an outer surface to which the weight member is attached, and a rib which is formed on the inner surface of the sole/side portion, and traverses the recessed portion across the peripheral edge defining the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozue Wada, Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 8845454
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Jeremy Snyder, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, James S. Thomas, Raymond J. Sander, Rick S. Wahlin, Akira Shimozuma
  • Publication number: 20140274458
    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 formed as a one-piece golf head having a hollow or partially hollow section and no welds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Marc Andrew Kronenberg, Drew T. Deshiell
  • Publication number: 20140274459
    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: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Marc Andrew Kronenberg, Drew T. Deshiell
  • Publication number: 20140256463
    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: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: William C. Knight
  • Publication number: 20140256465
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head comprises a body having one or more ribs extending across the internal surface of the sole. The plurality of ribs can include two or more ribs, such as three or four ribs, that converge at a convergence location, such as above a recessed pocket in the sole configured to receive an adjustable sole piece. At least one rib can extend along an internal surface of the recessed pocket and along an internal surface of a surrounding sole region. The ribs can extend from the convergence location to a toe weight port, to a heel weight port, to a rear portion of the body and/or toward the face. At least one rib can extend from a hosel, such as to the toe weight port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Todd P. Beach, Kraig Alan Willett, Christopher John Harbert
  • Patent number: 8827834
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head having face end and tail ends, a strike face at the face end, a crown, a sole of length >3.5 inches, volume 0.300 cm3, and a structural response modifying constraining member having first and second ends, the second being forward of the first and spaced from the strike face, the constraining member extending vertically and in contact with the sole and the crown at its first and second ends, and extending horizontally a maximum distance that is <40% of the sole length, when the club head is in address position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Robert J. Horacek, John J. Rae, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Clark Radcliffe
  • Patent number: 8814725
    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 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Bret H. Wahl, Peter L. Larsen, Loren Stowe
  • Patent number: 8814724
    Abstract: A golf club has a reverse flex is 80 to 110 mm. The face portion includes a central thick part, a toe-crown-side thin part on a crown-side and on a toe-side of the central thick part, and a heel-sole-side thin part on a sole-side and on a heel-side the central thick part. In the front view of the head, a first straight line passing an area centroid of the toe-crown-side thin part and an area centroid of a back surface of the face portion has an angle ?A of 38 to 45 degrees, and a second straight line passing an area centroid of the heel-sole-side thin part and the area centroid of the back surface of the face portion has an angle ?B of 40 to 45 degrees, each with respect to the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Akira Kato
  • Patent number: 8808108
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs and methods of manufacture are described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a golf club head body, which includes a heel, a toe opposite the heel, a strike face including a leading edge, a rear opposite the strike face, and a hosel including a hosel axis extending through a center of the hosel and located at the heel. In this embodiment, the leading edge of the strike face is located approximately at the hosel axis or between the rear of the golf club head body and the hosel axis. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Bradley D. Schweigert
  • Publication number: 20140228148
    Abstract: A golf club head with multi-component construction. The golf club head includes heel and toe portions that generally provide ground contacting surfaces and a raised central region. A center of gravity of the club is located outside of an envelope defined by the outer surface of the club head below the raised central region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8801542
    Abstract: A golf club comprises a club shaft and a golf club head attached to the tip end of the club shaft, wherein the length of the golf club is from 45 to 47 inches, the volume V of the golf club head is from 440 to 470 cu·cm, the moment of inertia M of the golf club head around the center line of the club shaft is 5500 to 6500 g sq·cm, and the ratio M/V of the moment of inertia M (g sq·cm) to the volume V (cu·cm) is from 11.0 to 13.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Yasushi Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8795100
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown, and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Robert J. Horacek, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, John J. Rae, Michael J. Wallans, Sam G. Lacey
  • Patent number: 8790194
    Abstract: A cavity back golf club and golf club head having one or more support brackets is disclosed. Each support bracket includes a first portion engaged with the rear surface of the striking face, a second portion engaged with the perimeter weighting member, and a third portion that is curved. The one or more of the support brackets are engaged with a rear surface of a striking face and a perimeter weight member of the golf club head. The one or more support brackets are at least partially located in a rear cavity of the golf club head. The support brackets provide structural integrity to a thin striking face on the golf club head. Additionally, a discretionary weight is engaged with the at least one of the support brackets at the toe portion of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Adam D. Liber, Andrew G. V. Oldknow
  • Patent number: 8790196
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Solheim, Eric J. Morales, Erik M. Henrikson, Eric V. Cole, Paul D. Wood, Bradley D. Schweigert, Martin R. Jertson, Tyler A. Shaw
  • Patent number: 8777777
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a reinforced face of a club head. Other embodiments for related reinforced faces of club heads and related methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric V. Cole, Eric J. Morales
  • Patent number: 8777778
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Solheim, Eric J. Morales, Erik M. Henrikson, Eric V. Cole, Paul D. Wood, Brad D. Schweigert, Marty R. Jertson
  • Patent number: 8764579
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head according to this invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion, and is formed by connecting a plurality of shell members to each other. This golf club head includes a rib which is provided in the sole portion and used to adjust an impact sound. The plurality of shell members are divided using at least the rib as a boundary. The plurality of shell members include a rib forming shell member including a sole portion forming portion which forms part of the sole portion, and a rib forming portion which stands upright from the end of the sole portion forming portion and forms the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 8758153
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head comprises a body having one or more ribs extending across the internal surface of the sole. The plurality of ribs can include two or more ribs, such as three or four ribs, that converge at a convergence location, such as above a recessed pocket in the sole configured to receive an adjustable sole piece. At least one rib can extend along an internal surface of the recessed pocket and along an internal surface of a surrounding sole region. The ribs can extend from the convergence location to a toe weight port, to a heel weight port, to a rear portion of the body and/or toward the face. At least one rib can extend from a hosel, such as to the toe weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Todd P. Beach, Kraig A. Willett, Christopher J. Harbert
  • Patent number: 8758164
    Abstract: A golf club head with sound tuning. The golf club head includes a hollow body that defines an interior cavity and at least one tuning member extends across the interior cavity. The tuning member dimensions, stiffness and dampening characteristics are selected to alter the vibration behavior of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventor: Joshua G. Breier
  • Publication number: 20140162807
    Abstract: A golf club has a club head forming a generally hollow body having a generally planar front wall for impacting a ball, a rear wall opposite to the front wall, two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall surrounding a hollow interior. A tubular shaft hosel extends upwardly from the top wall of the club head and an upstanding center wall is located between the side walls and extending rearwardly from the front wall so as to transfer forces between walls. A portion of the hosel is connected to the top wall and the center wall so as to transfer forces therebetween. The front edge of the center wall can be recessed away from the front wall to allow some flexing of the front wall on impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventor: Shane M. Touchette
  • Patent number: 8747251
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a crown, a sole, and a continuously extending rib (X). The rib (X) is provided on an inner surface of the head. Preferably, the rib (X) is substantially parallel to a toe-heel direction. When a maximum amplitude of vibration in a first-order mode in a state where the rib (X) is removed is defined as Ma1 and an amplitude ratio with respect to the maximum amplitude Ma1 is defined as Rh (%), disposal of the rib (X) satisfies the following items (a), (b), and (c): (a) the rib (X) crosses at least one of high Rh regions having the amplitude ratio Rh of equal to or greater than 80%; (b) no region having the amplitude ratio Rh of equal to or greater than 60% exists on a toe side than the rib (X); and (c) no region having the amplitude ratio Rh of equal to or greater than 60% exists on a heel side than the rib (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Seiji Hayase, Masahide Onuki
  • Patent number: 8747250
    Abstract: A golf club head with a club head body having an external surface with a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a front opening is described. A face insert support structure is located at the front opening. The support structure includes a peripheral member and a rear support member. The rear support member has a front surface and a rear surface. A face insert is attached at the front opening and closes the front opening of the body. An undercut fill structure is attached to a portion of the rear surface of the rear support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing-Ling Chao, John Francis Lorentzen, Hsiang Lee
  • Patent number: 8747252
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body member defining an interior chamber; (b) a weight system engaged with a rear perimeter portion of the club head body member; and (c) a connection system connecting the weight system with the club head body (e.g., with the rear of the ball striking face portion). The club heads further may include one or more damping members in the interior chamber to alter the sound and/or otherwise attenuate a vibrational response of the club head. The damping members may extend between the ball striking face and the weight system, and optionally may engage the connection system. The damping member(s) may constitute a foam material compressed within the interior chamber of the club head. Methods of making such golf club head structures also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Lukasiewicz, Jr., Robert Boyd
  • Patent number: 8727910
    Abstract: A head 2 is hollow. The head 2 includes a face part 4, a crown part 6 and a sole part 8. Ribs 20 and 22 are provided on the inner surface of the head. The ribs 20 and 22 have a height being greater than a thickness. The ribs 20 and 22 are separated from the face part, and are separated from the crown part. An extending direction of the rib 20 is inclined with respect to a front-back direction of the head. The rib 20 has a height change part 30 formed in a face side end part of the rib 20, the height change part 30 having a height gradually lowered as approaching a rib end part. The rib 20 extends toward a heel side in the direction of a backside of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Takashi Nakano
  • Patent number: 8715107
    Abstract: A golf club head according to one or more aspects of the present invention may include a face portion or strike-face wall comprising a top inner boundary, an intermediate inner boundary, and a bottom inner boundary having a bottom-inner-boundary toe portion and a bottom-inner-boundary heel portion. The strike-face wall may further include a first uniform-thickness region, adjoining the top inner boundary, and a variable-thickness region adjoining the uniform-thickness region and a majority of the bottom inner boundary. In another example, the variable-thickness may adjoin a majority of the top inner boundary and the uniform-thickness region may adjoin a majority of the bottom inner boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Jeff D. Brunski, Samuel G. Lacey, Dan S. Nivanh, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, John J. Rae, Mark Blumenkrantz, Rory C. Stewart, Michael J. Wallans
  • Patent number: 8702534
    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: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Matthew T. Cackett
  • Publication number: 20140106903
    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: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Hirotaka NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8696489
    Abstract: A face for a golf club head is disclosed herein. The face has an interior surface comprising a central region having a first perimeter having an elliptical shape, an outer edge having a non-elliptical, driver-face profile shape, a first intermediate region located between the first perimeter and the outer edge, the first intermediate region having a second perimeter with a shape that is more similar to the shape of the first perimeter than the shape of the outer edge, and a second intermediate region located between the second perimeter and the outer edge, the second intermediate region having a third perimeter with a shape that is more like the shape of the outer edge than the shape of the first perimeter. The thicknesses of the perimeters of the face disclosed herein may vary around their respective circumferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Gold Company
    Inventors: Evan D. Gibbs, J. Neil Hall, William D. Richardson, Larry G. Tang, Homer E. Aguinaldo
  • Patent number: 8690702
    Abstract: A golf club has a reverse flex of 110 to 160 mm. The face portion includes a central thick part, a toe-crown-side thin part on a crown-side and on a toe-side of the central thick part, and a heel-sole-side thin part on a sole-side and on a heel-side of the central thick part. In the front view of the head, a first straight line passing an area centroid of the toe-crown-side thin part and an area centroid of a back surface of the face portion has an angle ?A of 10 to 30 degrees, and a second straight line passing an area centroid of the heel-sole-side thin part and the area centroid of the back surface of the face portion has an angle ?B of 36 to 40 degrees, each with respect to the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Abe
  • Patent number: 8678948
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head according to this invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole/side portion including a sole portion and a side portion. The sole/side portion includes a thin region formed to traverse at least the sole portion from the toe side to the heel side, and thick regions formed on the side of the face portion and the back side, respectively, with respect to the thin region to be adjacent to the thin region. The golf club head further includes a rib which extends from the toe side to the heel side only in the thin region of the thin region and the thick region, and is connected to the side portion on the toe side and the side portion on the heel side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozue Wada, Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 8678949
    Abstract: A golf club head manufacturing method, including: welding a first reinforcing piece with first thickness to a central portion between a toe and a heel, so as to extend along an edge of a face side of a sole part, the sole part being part of a lower part formed integrally with a side part; welding a second reinforcing piece of second, larger thickness to a central portion between the toe and heel so as to extend along the edge on the face side of the first piece; welding a face part to the first and second pieces from an inner space of the lower part; welding a hosel part to the lower and face parts; welding a crown part to the lower, face and hosel parts; and welding the lower and face parts together from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Hideo Shimazaki
  • Publication number: 20140057739
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, and an insert mounted within the channel. The insert includes a resiliently deflectable base member that engages the channel to retain the insert within the channel and a rigid outer member connected to the base member and forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert, where the outer member is made from a different material than the base member. Additionally, the insert has an outer surface that is substantially flush with at least one immediately adjacent surface of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Robert Boyd
  • Patent number: 8657703
    Abstract: This invention provides a hollow golf club head including a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole/side portion including a sole portion and a side portion. This golf club head includes a rib which extends from the toe side to the heel side in the sole portion, and a weight portion which is provided in the sole portion on the side of the face portion with respect to the rib or the back side with respect to the rib, and increases the amplitude of vibration of the sole portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozue Wada, Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 8657701
    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 includes one or more stiffening members or other structures on the inner surface of the face to provide locally increased stiffness to particular areas of the face. Certain stiffening members may provide greater stiffness than other stiffening members, allowing the face to be configured for areas of greatest stiffness and greatest COR tailored to common impact patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 8657702
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include: (a) a heel; (b) a toe; (c) a crown; (d) a sole; (e) a striking face; (f) a cavity, wherein the cavity is at least partially open; (g) a rear face opposite the striking face, the rear face defining an opening to the cavity; and (h) a rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening. The rear body member may be releasably engaged with the opening to the cavity, rear face, and/or other portion of the club head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites, Gary Tavares
  • Patent number: 8651975
    Abstract: A golf club head with sound tuning composite members forming at least a portion of the surface of the golf club head is disclosed herein. The composite members being a composite layer made out of a sandwiched core layer that is interposed inside the midsection of the composite member to provide vibration damping and sound tuning characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8655631
    Abstract: The accuracy or computation speed of mechanical analysis of a golf ball using the finite element method is increased. In the mechanical analysis, a model representing the golf ball is prepared on a computer, and computation is made by the finite element method using elements and nodes. At this time, the elements are made solid elements of hexahedron, the aspect ratio of the shape of each element is set so as to be not lower than 1.0 and not substantially higher than 6.5, and nodes are provided on the sides and at the vertexes of the hexahedron of element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuichi Shimizu, Hideo Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 8647217
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head comprises a main body member provided with a face opening and a sole opening, a face member brazed/soldered to the main body member to close the face opening, and a sole member brazes/soldered/welded to the main body member to close the sole opening. The main body member has a thin front edge part of the sole opening and a thick heat blocking part between the thin front edge part and the face portion. The sole member has a front edge part connected to the sole opening's front edge part and a thicker sole reinforcing part positioned backward thereof. The thicknesses of the sole member's front edge part and the sole opening's front edge part are not less than 0.5 mm and less than 2.5 mm. The thicknesses of the sole reinforcing part and the heat blocking part are 2.5 to 10.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Masayoshi Nishio
  • Patent number: 8647218
    Abstract: A golf club including a club head having a club head main body including a hitting face and a face support, and a support extension. The support extension extends between the face support and a back flange to define a lower cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Peter J. Gilbert, Douglas C. Jorgensen, Scott A. Knutson, Helene Rick, Adrian L. Stanescu
  • Patent number: 8641555
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Rick Wahlin, Andrew G. V. Oldknow