U.S. patent application number 16/179553 was filed with the patent office on 2019-06-27 for low profile driver type golf club head.
The applicant listed for this patent is GUERIN D. RIFE, JEFFREY D. SHEETS. Invention is credited to GUERIN D. RIFE, JEFFREY D. SHEETS.
Application Number | 20190192925 16/179553 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 66949850 |
Filed Date | 2019-06-27 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190192925 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
RIFE; GUERIN D. ; et
al. |
June 27, 2019 |
LOW PROFILE DRIVER TYPE GOLF CLUB HEAD
Abstract
A metal wood golf club head of hollow construction incorporating
a center of gravity (CG) depth of at least 40 mm, 1.57'', or
greater, as measured rearwardly from the leading edge of the
striking face, in combination with a shaft bore in the club head
having a 0.370 bore diameter. The vertical height of the metal wood
is half the club's breadth dimension between the front and rear of
the club head and the vertical CG location is no greater than half
the CG depth dimension. A bounce angle is incorporated into the
leading portion of the bottom sole of the club head.
Inventors: |
RIFE; GUERIN D.; (CARLSBAD,
CA) ; SHEETS; JEFFREY D.; (BUDA, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RIFE; GUERIN D.
SHEETS; JEFFREY D. |
CARLSBAD
BUDA |
CA
TX |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
66949850 |
Appl. No.: |
16/179553 |
Filed: |
November 2, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14591898 |
Jan 7, 2015 |
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16179553 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0433 20200801;
A63B 53/0408 20200801; A63B 2209/00 20130101; A63B 53/04 20130101;
A63B 53/02 20130101; A63B 53/0466 20130101; A63B 57/00 20130101;
A63B 1/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/04 20060101
A63B053/04 |
Claims
1. A driver type golf club head including a club head body formed
of a top crown, heel, toe, side surfaces, rear surface, bottom sole
and ball striking face where the improvement comprises: in
combination, a shaft opening in said club head having an outside
diameter of at least 0.370 inches, (9.4 mm), to accommodate a golf
shaft; and, a center of gravity location of the club head being at
least 40 mm rearward behind the leading edge of said striking
face.
2. The golf club of claim 1 wherein the height of the CG location
above the bottom sole is no more than half of the distance that the
CG is located behind the leading edge of the said ball striking
face.
3. The golf club of claim 1 including a hosel on an upper surface
of said club head for connection to a golf shaft; said hosel having
the shaft opening in the form of a cylindrical bore at least 0.370
inches diameter complementary with an outside diameter of the
shaft.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 further including a bounce area on
said bottom sole extending rearwardly from said leading edge at an
angle of at least three degrees below said bottom sole.
5. The golf club head of claim 1 further defined by the CG location
being at least 45 mm behind said face.
6. A metal wood, driver type, golf club head including a hosel for
connection with a golf shaft, a top crown, heel, toe, side
surfaces, bottom sole, rear surface, a ball striking face between
said top crown and said bottom sole, and a leading edge at the
interface of said ball striking face and said bottom sole; wherein
the improvement comprises: a shaft connection bore in said hosel
having a diameter of at least 0.370 inches (9.4 mm); said shaft
connection bore being complementary with in order to receive and
locate an outside diameter of the golf shaft; said club head
further defined by a center of gravity location at least 40 mm
behind the leading edge of said striking face; a vertical height of
the center of gravity location between the top crown and bottom
sole being a no greater distance from the bottom sole than half of
the distance that the CG is located behind the leading edge of the
striking face; and, a bounce area on said bottom sole extending
rearwardly from said leading edge at an angle of at least three
degrees below said bottom sole.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This U.S. Patent Application is a continuation in part of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/591,898 filed Jan. 7, 2017
entitled "Low Profile Driver Type Golf Club Head" the entire
disclosure of the application being considered part of the
disclosure of this application and hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to golf clubs and in
particular to metal wood type golf clubs that are used to hit golf
shots with a tee and from the turf.
[0003] Drivers and fairway woods have evolved over the centuries.
The first major changes to woods used to drive the ball occurred
with the advent of the bulger driver. The low profile, long nose
woods used to hit the feathery ball were no longer adequate with
the introduction of the Haskell ball in the 1880's. The bulger
woods, with their taller faces and narrower dimension from heel to
toe, presented a superior design accommodation to strike the new
generation of hard molded golf balls.
[0004] Few major geometry changes occurred in woods from the
introduction of the bulger style driver in the 1880's until the
late 1970's with the introduction of the first highly successful
metal woods. Although metal woods were produced dating back to the
late 1800's their popularity did not become mainstream until the
late 1970's when PGA touring professionals began winning
tournaments with them.
[0005] But just as wood design needed to advance with the ball
evolution, today similar advancements in wood design are necessary
to optimize ball flight using today's components, balls and fitting
technologies.
[0006] The first generation of metal woods were investment cast
stainless steel utilizing a pencil neck hosel and were slightly
smaller than the wooden woods of the time. A typical driver used a
145 cc metal head volume and brought a novel aspect to the game.
These were superb as a driving wood and were also manageable enough
to be played from a good fairway lie by accomplished golfers. With
the advent of the new hollow construction metal wood design, a
larger shaft tip diameter accompanied these new metal woods
providing greater tip stability to these new perimeter weighted
heads. The previous solid wood construction drivers utilized a
taper tip shaft averaging 0.294'' in diameter whereas the newer
clubs used 0.335'' tip shafts.
[0007] The wooden clubs were completely solid and offered little
forgiveness on miss-hits. However, the small head size of the newer
metal woods appeared to be more forgiving, particularly on
off-center impacts as compared to its wooden predecessor because
the metal wood structure used a hollow perimeter, weighted
head.
[0008] The next advancement in metal wood evolution took place as
the head volume jumped from the mid 150 cc's to around 200 cc's.
This size increase was novel at the time and while it showed itself
to be an even more forgiving driver than the earlier generation, it
took many golfers some time to adapt to the larger looking head.
Those golfers with skill could still hit these 200 cc clubs from
the fairway as well as off the tee.
[0009] The introduction of titanium as a head material followed and
heads were introduced to the market around 260 cc in size as these
"jumbo" sized drivers began gaining acceptance. Due to the larger
footprint of the titanium heads the center of gravity became deeper
than ever before and golfers experienced higher launch angles than
in the past. These higher launch angles occurred using identical
loft as the smaller drivers but because they possessed a deeper
center of gravity (as measured from the leading edge of the face)
the shaft experienced a forward bowing effect as the deep CG of the
head aligns itself with the golfer's hands at impact. This
physically increases the loft angle of the driver's face at impact
resulting in a higher launch angle and often times greater back
spin. Golfers appreciated this new style of driver performance.
Acceptance was widespread and titanium quickly became the material
of choice for nearly all manufacturers that were producing premium
clubs.
[0010] Even though the head volumes had jumped from 145 cc to 200
cc and upwards of 260 cc golf manufacturers continued using 0.335''
tip shafts. Driver heads continued to increase in volume and as
head sizes crossed the 300 cc threshold some golf companies began
experimenting with a larger 0.350'' tip size for greater shaft
stability. However, a 0.335'' tip size remained the norm.
[0011] As manufacturing technology continued to advance golf
companies continued to design drivers in greater head volumes
beyond 400 cc. Golf's governing bodies, the United States Golf
Association (USGA) and the Royal & Ancient (R&A) Golf
Society placed a head volume limit of 460 cc. This ruling occurred
in 2003 and golf companies continue to maximize the size of their
drivers to the 460 cc limit still assembled with a 0.335'' tip
shaft.
[0012] As driver heads increased in size, the shaft companies
became capable of producing shafts with stiffer tips and lower
torque at both the 0.335'' and 0.350'' diameter sizes for metal
woods.
[0013] In addition, as driver head volumes increased in size their
CG depth continued to be positioned more rearward away from the
face. Solid wood golf clubs had CG depths of 25 mm and the first
generation of hollow steel (145 cc) drivers displayed similar CG
depths of 24.5 mm. When the "oversize" steel drivers (200 cc)
appeared, the CG depth grew slightly to 25.5. The first generation
of titanium drivers (225 cc) displayed a CG depth of 27.0 mm.
[0014] The 300 cc drivers had CG depths of 31 mm-34 mm and 400 cc
drivers gravitated to 35 mm-37 mm. As drivers began stabilizing at
460 cc the earlier generations of these maximum-sized heads offered
CG depths of 37 mm-39 mm. However, through materials manipulation
and geometry optimization some companies were able to increase
driver CG depths up to 42 mm deep and greater.
TABLE-US-00001 CG Shaft Driver Model Volume Depth Tip Titliest
Persimmon Driver 185 cc 25.5 .294'' Taylor Made Burner 153 cc 24.5
.335'' Founder Club Judge 200 cc 25.5 .335'' Oversize Founder Club
Judge 225 cc 27.0 .335'' Titanium Callaway Biggest Big 300 cc 33.4
.335'' Bertha Titleist 983K 360 cc 32.2 .335'' Golfsmith HiCOR Plus
400 cc 37.3 .335'' Taylor Made SLDR 435 cc 33.3 .335'' Titleist
913DR 450 cc 40.5 .335'' Ping G400 460 cc 41.0 .335''
[0015] All the above listed drivers in the above table maintain a
constant shaft tip diameter of 0.335''. Historically it is known
that as the CG depth increases its influence on shaft dynamics is
greater. A driver with a 42 mm deep CG will launch a golf ball
higher and with greater spin versus the same size driver with a 35
mm CG depth using the same shaft. Golf companies have focused on a
golf shaft's tip flex, balance point, weight and torque ratings to
optimize ball flights associated with the changing CG depth
locations. While shaft specs are important in optimizing a driver's
performance it has become evident through component testing that a
CG location and golf shaft tip diameter of a metal wood offer
improved performance adjustment than focusing on altering specs
within a 0.335'' tip shaft. While the larger tip 0.350'' shafts
showed some promise in performance with heads exceeding 300 cc the
golf industry eventually abandoned this tip diameter in preference
for a "once size fits all" 0.335'' shaft tip. This became
convenient for SKU management and product offerings but it has
limited the club designer's potential of creating improved metal
wood performance.
[0016] It followed that one of the few negative aspects of the
jumbo titanium head designs was a lack of versatility away from the
tee box. The driver head sizes become unwieldy when used to hit
clean shots from the fairway. It essentially eliminated a club from
the bag that previously was able to serve a dual purpose of being
usable on both the tee box and fairway.
[0017] Golf club manufacturers continue to strive for deeper CG
locations since a deeper CG typically goes hand-in-hand with a
higher moment of inertia (MOI) clubhead that is more stable on
off-center impacts. While the benefit of a deep CG can assist in
increasing the launch angle at impact, the higher loft angle on the
face often leads to increased back spin resulting in decreased
overall distance that the golf ball travels.
[0018] A downside to a low and rearward CG location is that rear of
the club head droops because of centrifugal force and adds loft to
the striking face. This causes excessive spin and a higher launch
angle and the travels a lesser distance.
[0019] Golfers with driver clubhead speeds in excess of 90 mph
typically like to see the backspin reduced with their drives. A
90+mph clubhead speed is sufficient to get the ball airborne easily
but too much backspin at a 90+mph head speed causes the ball rise
or float depending on wind conditions and leads to a softer steeper
landing with little roll. Reducing backspin for the same launch
angle will result in a flatter apex and shallower angle of descent
resulting in greater roll upon ground contact.
[0020] Golfers displaying slower driver clubhead speeds require
more backspin to keep the ball in flight longer. The slower the
clubhead speed the less velocity imparted to the ball. With the
slower ball velocity backspin keeps the ball airborne for a longer
carry.
[0021] There is a greater variance in specification targets for a
0.370'' shaft tip diameter as compared to a 0.335'' tip diameter.
Those skilled in the art of graphite shaft design are aware that a
larger shaft tip diameter can more easily be stabilized than a
lesser tip diameter. More material is used in a 0.370'' tip versus
a 0.335'' tip. This additional material can be used to stiffen the
shaft tip, lower its torque, strengthen the shaft and dampen
vibration at impact. Working in conjunction with a metal wood
design incorporating a 40 mm CG depth and a wider tipped shaft of
(0.370'') is more efficient in optimizing ball flight, launch
conditions and off-center impact stability compared to a narrower
0.335'' tip.
[0022] A larger tip shaft (0.370'') can use intermediate and lower
modulus rated carbon fiber to achieve similar torque ratings of a
narrower tip shaft (0.335''). Yet to achieve the same torque on the
0.335'' shaft more expensive higher modulus carbon fiber must be
used. Economics are benefited from the 0.370'' tip
construction.
[0023] From a timing perspective the 0.370'' tip shaft takes longer
to torque to its maximum point versus the 0.335'' tip shaft. If two
different sized tip shafts have identical torque specifications,
the larger tipped shaft will take longer to twist the same degree
as the narrower tipped shaft. Ball contact on the face is 0.00047
seconds. An off-center impact with the 0.370'' shaft will have
twisted less than the 0.335'' in the same impact conditions. The
lower (and slower) torqueing of the 0.370'' tip shaft will result
in a ball flight that is truer to the target line as the face of
the club will be more squared at ball impact and a faster response
is created to reduce spin allowing the ball to travel a greater
distance.
[0024] There is a greater degree of shaft tip design variation in
the larger 0.370'' tip construction. Coupled with marrying the
shaft design to a CG depth 40 mm or greater provides greater
optimization engineering based on the backspin requirements of the
golfer.
2. Related Art
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
[0025] The present invention is an improvement over prior art golf
club heads that use rearward CG locations and 0.335 inch diameter
golf shafts. The club head of the present invention provides
greater optimal stability and superior gear effect and spin
management to maximize driving distance. This is accomplished by a
low-profile, metal wood club head having a CG location at least 40
mm deep, as measured from behind the leading edge of the club face,
and having a vertical CG distance location from the bottom of the
club head, no more than half the CG depth distance, in combination
with a shaft opening of 0.370 inches, (9.4 mm), for connection to a
0.370, (9.4 mm) inch shaft.
[0026] The larger diameter shaft of 0.370 inches stabilizes the
metal wood club head during impact against the golf ball because
the larger shaft diameter prevents drooping of the rear of the club
head and prevents an accompanying increase in loft of the striking
face experienced with conventional drivers having a deep CG
location but using a smaller diameter shaft. It follows the club
head maintains launch angle control and spin management of the golf
ball during its flight trajectory after being struck by the club
head. The heretofore unknown combination of a low and deep,
rearward CG location and large diameter shaft produces a new result
of eliminating excessive spin and higher launch angles of the known
prior art using a conventional 0.335 inch shaft tip.
[0027] A club head with a 0.370'' shaft tip displays similar launch
conditions to a 0.335'' shaft tip but with lower spin and a flatter
ball flight apex resulting in a shallower angle of descent to the
ball flight as compared to a high launch angle with a high ball
flight apex that results in a steep angle of descent leading to
very little roll following the flight of the ball. By flattening
out the ball flight's apex, the golf ball descends in a shallower
angle with more velocity (energy) enabling the ball to run down the
fairway for a longer distance for the drive.
[0028] The club head of this invention also uses a new, low
profile, club head geometry has a vertical CG of 20 mm or lower,
which is below the 21 mm equator of a golf ball. Maintaining a
vertical CG in the club head that either matches or is lower than
the ball's CG, results in shots hit from the turf easier to get
airborne. Coupled with a very deep CG of 40 mm, or greater, this
metal wood club head also provides a higher MOI resulting in more
stability in the club head. These geometry ratios are novel and
introduce new performance attributes to the invention not known in
the prior art club heads.
[0029] The low-profile shape of the club head maintains a high MOI
because its center of gravity is deep, rearward from the face, like
on the jumbo drivers. At approximately 260 cc the present invention
has a significantly smaller head making the club much easier to
maneuver through the swing than a jumbo head. Also, at a volume of
260 cc, titanium is not required to produce the head. Less
expensive stainless steel is a preferred metal and has the
durability to meet performance requirements.
[0030] Another feature of the club head of the invention is a
forward bounce area in the sole of the club. Drivers and fairway
woods typically incorporate a sole with some form of radius running
from front to rear. Coupled with cavities, ridges, steps and
miscellaneous features the function of traditional driver soles has
no physical effect or interaction with the turf in the execution of
a golf shot. The forward bounce on this invention's sole provides
dual benefits to a golf shot. When driving a golf ball from a tee,
a first benefit enables a golfer to position the tee height low to
the ground, as one would do for a fairway wood club, since the
bounce on the sole allows the club head to contact the turf as the
head comes to impact the ball.
[0031] Using bounce on a forward portion of the club head prevents
the driver from digging into the tee box turf and assists in
regulating a consistent vertical ball impact area on the face.
Allowing the bounce of the club to contact the ground in concert
with the low and rearward CG location causes a golfer to experience
a more consistent swing plane as the face and ball impact heights
are controlled by the bounce and tee respectively. Having a more
consistent vertical impact between the driver and a ball, a more
consistent launch angle will be experienced leading to overall
driving consistency with this invention.
[0032] Another performance benefit of the bounce sole for a shot
with a teed-up ball is that the angle of the bounce dynamically
rotates the club face to a square position and then to a closed
position once there is some ground contact. The lower the ball is
teed, the more the sole bounce will rotate the face into a closed
position. For golfers that lack the skill to square up a driver
face, the club head of this invention will automatically close the
face through physical dynamics between the club head and the
turf.
[0033] Another benefit of this invention's bounce sole is the
ability to use a driver from the fairway. As previous generations
of head sizes at 300 cc's and above took away the flexibility to
hit the driver from both the tee box and fairway, the bounce
feature on this invention makes the driver versatile as a fairway
club once again.
[0034] The bounce portion of the sole makes up approximately a
quarter forward section of the club that makes ground contact and
prevents the driver from digging into the turf. The bounce geometry
promotes a sliding action through the turf and because its
footprint represents a small portion of the sole there is less turf
resistance than what would be experienced with a jumbo driver
fairway shot.
[0035] The face of this invention is much shallower than
contemporary drivers. Purposefully designed to be a low-profile
fairway wood height, much of the weight associated with a driver
face has been eliminated due to is low vertical profile and rather
compact heel-to-toe dimension. The face is the heaviest part of a
traditional driver design. This invention removes much of that
weight providing a great deal of discretionary weight to be used to
shift the center of gravity deeper, more rearward, behind the face
and lower into the sole creating higher MOI and higher launch
angles.
[0036] This invention introduces many novel performance benefits
currently not available through a single type of pre-existing metal
wood design. It is a high MOI head in a more compact package with a
bounce sole regulating face impacts and launch angles in a
versatile driver that can be easily hit from both the tee box and
fairway. Assembled with a 0.370'' shaft tip optimization of launch
and spin conditions are more efficiently achieved than with smaller
tip "wood" shafts. Coupled with a thin lightweight face at the
USGA/R&A coefficient of restitution limit the 260 cc design
will play with the ease of a fairway wood but have the horsepower
to impact maximum ball speed associated with jumbo heads.
[0037] Among the objects of the present invention is the provision
of a driver type golf club head using a large diameter shaft
opening in combination with a rearward and lower CG location.
[0038] Another object is the provision of a club head using a large
diameter shaft opening in combination with a low-profile geometry,
sole bounce and rear CG location.
[0039] Another object is the provision of a golf club that golfers
of ordinary skill can use to hit a golf ball on a tee or lying on
the ground.
[0040] These and other objects will become apparent with reference
to the following specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the club head of the
present invention.
[0042] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the club head of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENT
[0043] Referring to the drawings, a driver type, metal wood golf
club head 100 is shown and includes a ball striking face 102, a top
crown 104, heel 106, toe 108, side surfaces 110, a rear surface
112, bottom sole 114, forward bounce area 116, a leading edge 118
between the striking face 102 and bounce area 116 and a hosel 120
for connection to a golf shaft (not shown). The hosel 120 is formed
with a shaft bore 122 that is 0.370 inches in diameter to
accommodate and fit a complementary sized shaft having an outside
diameter of 0.370 inches.
[0044] The breadth of the club head 100 is measured between the
leading edge 118 of the striking face 102 and the rear surface 112.
The width of the club head 100 is measured in a lateral direction
between the heel 106 and toe 108 of the club head. The height
between the top crown 104 and the bottom sole 114 is equal to or
less than half the breadth of the club head 100 between the leading
edge 118 and the rear surface 112.
[0045] The 0.370 inch diameter shaft bore 122 in the hosel 120 is
cylindrical in shape to accommodate the tip end of a cylindrical
golf shaft.
[0046] The bounce area 116 is located on the bottom sole 114 and
forms approximately the forward one third to one quarter of the
sole 114.
[0047] The striking face of a typical conventional golf club has
more weight that the rest of the areas of the club head. In the
present invention, the low-profile configuration of the club head
100 results in a thinner, shallower striking face 102 and shallow
side surfaces 110. This weight distribution allows more weight to
be located lower and rearwardly in the club head 100 and this
weight configuration, in turn, locates the CG of the club head at
least 40 mm to 45 mm behind the leading edge 118 of the striking
face 102 and preferably as much as 47.5 mm behind the face 102. In
addition, the CG is vertically located above the bottom sole 114 no
more, and preferably less than, half of the distance the CG is
located behind the leading edge 118 of the face 102. It follows,
when the CG is 40 mm behind the face 102, the CG is no more than 20
mm in height from the bottom sole 114.
[0048] Because the CG location is low and rearward, this CG
location causes the rear 112 of the club head 100 to droop downward
due to the forces generated as the club is swung. The drooping of
the head 100 causes the face 102 to rotate slightly in an upward
direction thereby adding loft to the striking face 102. This upward
gearing effect as the club head 100 is swung increases the spin
rate of the golf ball when the face is contacted which greatly
reduces in air flight distance of the ball and also reduces rollout
once the ball impacts the ground or turf surface.
[0049] The wider, larger diameter golf shaft stabilizes the club
head 100, reduces torque and substantially reduces the downward
droop of the club head 100. This decreases the dwell time of the
ball on the face 102 of the club head 100 thereby reducing the spin
of the golf ball allowing the ball to travel further both in the
air and on the ground.
[0050] In addition, the bounce area 116 of the club head 100
further stabilizes the club head 100 also reducing droop of the
rear 112 resulting in increased ball flight and run-out when the
ball hits the ground.
[0051] It will be appreciated that various modifications may be
made in the golf club head of the present invention in keeping
within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *