Patent Application
20240399217
The present invention relates generally to a plurality of golf club heads with the same loft having a same blade length dimension regardless of their sole configurations. More specifically, golf club heads of the same loft in accordance with the present invention have the same striking face dimensions and visual appearance at the address position regardless of their bounce angle and/or grind type.
Modern day golf club design has evolved since the early days of golf. The good news of all the technological advancements in golf club technology is that it makes the game of golf easier for golfers of all skill levels. However, all these advancements come with tremendous challenges for the golf club engineer.
In order to inspire confidence in shot making, it is important to provide golfers with consistent club head profiles when standing at the address position. Current iron-type golf club head design measures blade length by holding the club in its designed loft angle and lie angle, contacting the sole with a ground plane, establishing a shaft axis intersection point where the shaft axis intersects the ground plane, establishing a vertical plane perpendicular to the ground plane and in contact with the toewardmost point of the golf club head, and measuring a distance from the shaft axis intersection point to the vertical plane. A problem exists using the conventional design method when the sole of the golf club head changes. Golf club heads having the same loft but different sole height due to bounce angle or grind differences will have a different shaft axis intersection point on the ground plane. Designing golf club heads to have the same blade length dimension based on conventional measuring thus requires adjusting the position of the vertical plane which changes the length of the striking face as observed from the address position.
The present invention is directed to golf club heads within a given loft having the same striking face length regardless of their sole configurations which provides a consistent appearance at address position. The present invention utilizes a unique design aspect that ensures the length of the striking face in a heel-to-toe direction is not affected by different bounce angles and/or grind types on the sole.
One aspect of the present invention is a plurality of golf club heads including: a first golf club head; and a second golf club head, wherein the first golf club head includes: a first striking face; a first back portion behind the first striking face extending from a first topline to a first sole; a first leading edge at a transition between the first striking face and the first sole; a first hosel configured to receive a first shaft having a first shaft axis, the first hosel located on a first heel portion, the first heel portion located opposite a first toe portion; a first coordinate system centered at a first face center of the first striking face, the first coordinate system including a first y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a first ground plane when the first golf club head is in a first address position at a first prescribed loft angle and a first prescribed lie angle, a first x-axis perpendicular to the first y-axis and parallel to the first striking face, extending towards the first heel portion of the first golf club head, and a first z-axis, perpendicular to the first y-axis and the first x-axis and extending through the first striking face; a first leading edge plane parallel to the first ground plane and passing through a forwardmost point of the first leading edge; a first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point located where the first shaft axis intersects the first leading edge plane; a first vertical heel plane perpendicular to the first ground plane and passing through the first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a first vertical toe plane perpendicular to the first ground plane and passing through a toewardmost point of the first golf club head; a first leading edge blade length defined as a distance along the first x-axis between the first vertical toe plane and the first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; and a first striking face length defined as a distance along the first x-axis between the first vertical toe plane and the first vertical heel plane, wherein the second golf club head includes: a second striking face; a second back portion behind the second striking face extending from a second topline to a second sole; a second leading edge at a transition between the second striking face and the second sole; a second hosel configured to receive a second shaft having a second shaft axis, the second hosel located on a second heel portion, the second heel portion located opposite a second toe portion; a second coordinate system centered at a second face center of the second striking face, the second coordinate system including a second y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a second ground plane when the second golf club head is in a second address position at a second prescribed loft angle and a second prescribed lie angle, a second x-axis perpendicular to the second y-axis and parallel to the second striking face, extending towards the second heel portion of the second golf club head, and a second z-axis, perpendicular to the second y-axis and the second x-axis and extending through the second striking face; a second leading edge plane parallel to the second ground plane and passing through a forwardmost point of the second leading edge; a second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point located where the second shaft axis intersects the second leading edge plane; a second vertical heel plane perpendicular to the second ground plane and passing through the second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a second vertical toe plane perpendicular to the second ground plane and passing through a toewardmost point of the second golf club head; a second leading edge blade length defined as a distance along the second x-axis between the second vertical toe plane and the second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; and a second striking face length defined as a distance along the second x-axis between the second vertical toe plane and the second vertical heel plane, wherein a geometry of the first sole is different than a geometry of the second sole, and wherein the first leading edge blade length is equal to the second leading edge blade length.
In another aspect of the present invention is a plurality of golf club heads including: a first golf club head; and a second golf club head, wherein the first golf club head includes: a first striking face including a first plurality of scorelines having a heelwardmost extent and a toewardmost extent; a first back portion behind the first striking face extending from a first topline to a first sole; a first leading edge at a transition between the first striking face and the first sole; a first hosel configured to receive a first shaft having a first shaft axis, the first hosel located on a first heel portion, the first heel portion located opposite a first toe portion; a first coordinate system centered at a first face center of the first striking face, the first coordinate system including a first y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a first ground plane when the first golf club head is in a first address position at a first prescribed loft angle and a first prescribed lie angle, a first x-axis perpendicular to the first y-axis and parallel to the first striking face, extending towards the first heel portion of the first golf club head, and a first z-axis, perpendicular to the first y-axis and the first x-axis and extending through the first striking face; a first leading edge plane parallel to the first ground plane and passing through a forwardmost point of the first leading edge; a first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point located where the first shaft axis intersects the first leading edge plane; a first vertical heel plane perpendicular to the first ground plane and passing through the first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a first vertical toe plane perpendicular to the first ground plane and passing through a toewardmost point of the first golf club head; a first leading edge blade length defined as a distance along the first x-axis between the first vertical toe plane and the first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a first striking face length defined as a distance along the first x-axis between the first vertical toe plane and the first vertical heel plane; a first scoreline region defined as a region of the first striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines and the toewardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines; a first toe region defined as a region of the first striking face between the toewardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines and the first vertical toe plane; and a first heel region defined as a region of the first striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines and the first vertical heel plane, wherein the second golf club head includes: a second striking face including a second plurality of scorelines having a heelwardmost extent and a toewardmost extent; a second back portion behind the second striking face extending from a second topline to a second sole; a second leading edge at a transition between the second striking face and the second sole; a second hosel configured to receive a second shaft having a second shaft axis, the second hosel located on a second heel portion, the second heel portion located opposite a second toe portion; a second coordinate system centered at a second face center of the second striking face, the second coordinate system including a second y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a second ground plane when the second golf club head is in a second address position at a second prescribed loft angle and a second prescribed lie angle, a second x-axis perpendicular to the second y-axis and parallel to the second striking face, extending towards the second heel portion of the second golf club head, and a second z-axis, perpendicular to the second y-axis and the second x-axis and extending through the second striking face; a second leading edge plane parallel to the second ground plane and passing through a forwardmost point of the second leading edge; a second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point located where the second shaft axis intersects the second leading edge plane; a second vertical heel plane perpendicular to the second ground plane and passing through the second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a second vertical toe plane perpendicular to the second ground plane and passing through a toewardmost point of the second golf club head; a second leading edge blade length defined as a distance along the second x-axis between the second vertical toe plane and the second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a second striking face length defined as a distance along the second x-axis between the second vertical toe plane and the second vertical heel plane; a second scoreline region defined as a region of the second striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines and the toewardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines; a second toc region defined as a region of the second striking face between the toewardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines and the second vertical toe plane; and a second heel region defined as a region of the second striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines and the second vertical heel plane, wherein a maximum height of the first sole along the first y-axis is different than a maximum height of the second sole along the second y-axis, and wherein a length of the first scoreline region along the first x-axis is equal to a length of the second scoreline region along the second x-axis.
In another aspect of the present invention is a plurality of golf club heads including: a first golf club head; and a second golf club head, wherein the first golf club head includes: a first striking face including a first plurality of scorelines having a heelwardmost extent and a toewardmost extent; a first back portion behind the first striking face extending from a first topline to a first sole; a first leading edge at a transition between the first striking face and the first sole; a first hosel configured to receive a first shaft having a first shaft axis, the first hosel located on a first heel portion, the first heel portion located opposite a first toe portion; a first coordinate system centered at a first face center of the first striking face, the first coordinate system including a first y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a first ground plane when the first golf club head is in a first address position at a first prescribed loft angle and a first prescribed lie angle, a first x-axis perpendicular to the first y-axis and parallel to the first striking face, extending towards the first heel portion of the first golf club head, and a first z-axis, perpendicular to the first y-axis and the first x-axis and extending through the first striking face; a first leading edge plane parallel to the first ground plane and passing through a forwardmost point of the first leading edge; a first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point located where the first shaft axis intersects the first leading edge plane; a first shaft axis/ground plane intersection point located where the first shaft axis intersects the first ground plane; a first vertical heel plane perpendicular to the first ground plane and passing through the first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a first vertical toe plane perpendicular to the first ground plane and passing through a toewardmost point of the first golf club head; a first leading edge blade length defined as a distance along the first x-axis between the first vertical toe plane and the first shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a first striking face length defined as a distance along the first x-axis between the first vertical toe plane and the first vertical heel plane; a first scoreline region defined as a region of the first striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines and the toewardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines; a first toe region defined as a region of the first striking face between the toewardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines and the first vertical toc plane; and a first heel region defined as a region of the first striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the first plurality of scorelines and the first vertical heel plane, wherein the second golf club head includes: a second striking face including a second plurality of scorelines having a heelwardmost extent and a toewardmost extent; a second back portion behind the second striking face extending from a second topline to a second sole; a second leading edge at a transition between the second striking face and the second sole; a second hosel configured to receive a second shaft having a second shaft axis, the second hosel located on a second heel portion, the second heel portion located opposite a second toe portion; a second coordinate system centered at a second face center of the second striking face, the second coordinate system including a second y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a second ground plane when the second golf club head is in a second address position at a second prescribed loft angle and a second prescribed lie angle, a second x-axis perpendicular to the second y-axis and parallel to the second striking face, extending towards the second heel portion of the second golf club head, and a second z-axis, perpendicular to the second y-axis and the second x-axis and extending through the second striking face; a second leading edge plane parallel to the second ground plane and passing through a forwardmost point of the second leading edge; a second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point located where the second shaft axis intersects the second leading edge plane; a second shaft axis/ground plane intersection point located where the second shaft axis intersects the second ground plane; a second vertical heel plane perpendicular to the second ground plane and passing through the second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a second vertical toe plane perpendicular to the second ground plane and passing through a toewardmost point of the second golf club head; a second leading edge blade length defined as a distance along the second x-axis between the second vertical toe plane and the second shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point; a second striking face length defined as a distance along the second x-axis between the second vertical toc plane and the second vertical heel plane; a second scoreline region defined as a region of the second striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines and the toewardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines; a second toe region defined as a region of the second striking face between the toewardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines and the second vertical toe plane; and a second heel region defined as a region of the second striking face between the heelwardmost extent of the second plurality of scorelines and the second vertical heel plane, wherein the first prescribed loft angle is equal to the second prescribed loft angle, wherein a geometry of the first sole is different than a geometry of the second sole, and wherein a distance between the first shaft axis/ground plane intersection point and the first vertical toe plane is different than a distance between the second shaft axis/ground plane intersection point and the second vertical toe plane.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.
The following detailed description describes the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken as limiting the invention, but is provided for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Various inventive features are described below and each can be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.
The golf club head 200 has a striking face 210, a back portion 222, a topline 212, a toc portion 214, a sole 216, a heel portion 218, and a hosel 220 configured to receive a shaft (not shown) having a shaft axis SA. The striking face 210 includes a plurality of scorelines 224 extending in a heel-to-toe direction and a face center located midway between a heelwardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 224 and a toewardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 224. The golf club head 200 further comprises a leading edge 230 at a transition from the striking face 210 to the sole 216.
The golf club head 100 includes a coordinate system centered at the face center of the striking face 110. The coordinate system includes a y-axis which extends vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane GP when the golf club head 100 is in an address position at a prescribed loft angle and a prescribed lie angle. The coordinate system includes an x-axis, perpendicular to the y-axis, parallel to the striking face 110 and the ground plane GP, and extending towards the heel portion 118 of the golf club head 100. The coordinate system includes a z-axis, perpendicular to the y-axis and x-axis and extending through the striking face 110. The golf club head 100 further defines a leading edge plane LEP which is parallel to the ground plane GP and passes through a forwardmost point of the leading edge 130. The striking face 110 has a striking face length 150 defined as a distance along the x-axis between a vertical toc plane VTP and a vertical heel plane VHP when the golf club head 100 is in the address position at the prescribed loft angle and the prescribed lie angle; wherein the vertical toe plane VTP is a plane perpendicular to the ground plane GP containing a toewardmost point of the golf club head 100; and wherein the vertical heel plane VHP is a plane perpendicular to the ground plane GP containing a shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point 160, wherein the shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point 160 is a point where the shaft axis SA intersects the leading edge plane LEP. The striking face 110 contains a scoreline region 151, a toe region 153, and a heel region 155. The scoreline region 151 is defined as a region of the striking face 110 between a heelwardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 124 and a toewardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 124. The toe region 153 is defined as a region of the striking face 110 between the toewardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 124 and the vertical toc plane VTP. The heel region 155 is defined as a region of the striking face 110 between the heelwardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 124 and the vertical heel plane VHP.
The golf club head 200 includes a coordinate system centered at the face center of the striking face 210. The coordinate system includes a y-axis which extends vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane GP when the golf club head 200 is in an address position at a prescribed loft angle and a prescribed lie angle. The coordinate system includes an x-axis, perpendicular to the y-axis, parallel to the striking face 210 and the ground plane GP, and extending towards the heel portion 218 of the golf club head 200. The coordinate system includes a z-axis, perpendicular to the y-axis and x-axis and extending through the striking face 210. The golf club head 200 further defines a leading edge plane LEP which is parallel to the ground plane GP and passes through a forwardmost point of the leading edge 230. The striking face 210 has a striking face length 250 defined as a distance along the x-axis between the vertical toe plane VTP and the vertical heel plane VHP when the golf club head 200 is in the address position at the prescribed loft angle and the prescribed lie angle; wherein the vertical toe plane VTP is a plane perpendicular to the ground plane GP containing a towardmost point of the golf club head 200; and wherein the vertical heel plane VHP is a plane perpendicular to the ground plane GP containing a shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point 260, wherein the shaft axis/leading edge plane intersection point 260 is a point where the shaft axis SA intersects the leading edge plane LEP. The striking face 210 contains a scoreline region 251, a toe region 253, and a heel region 255. The scoreline region 251 is defined as a region of the striking face 210 between a heelwardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 224 and a toewardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 224. The toc region 253 is defined as a region of the striking face 210 between the toewardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 224 and the vertical toc plane VTP. The heel region 255 is defined as a region of the striking face 210 between the heelwardmost extent of the plurality of scorelines 224 and the vertical heel plane VHP.
Golf club head 100 and golf club head 200 have the same prescribed loft angle and the same prescribed lie angle, but the sole 116 of the golf club head 100 has a different geometry than the sole 216 of the golf club head 200. In the embodiments shown in
Similar to
Conventional golf club head designs keep the ground plane blade length GPBL constant for same-lofted clubs regardless of the sole configurations; however, this creates the problem of same-lofted golf club heads having different striking face lengths in the heel-to-toe direction. When the sole dimension along the y-axis changes because of different bounce angles and/or grind types, the location along the shaft axis SA where the shaft axis SA intersects the ground plane GP also changes. Since the shaft axis SA has an x-axis component, moving the intersection point of the shaft axis SA and the ground plane GP downward along the shaft axis SA moves the vertical toe plane VTP in a direction opposite the heel portion and results in a greater striking face length. Conversely, moving the intersection point of the shaft axis SA and the ground plane GP upward along the shaft axis SA moves the vertical toe plane VTP in a direction toward the heel portion and results in a shorter striking face length. Therefore, designing same-lofted golf club heads with a fixed ground plane blade length GPBL means changing the length of one or more of the scoreline region, the toe region, or the heel region of the striking face for different sole geometries. This results in golfers seeing inconsistent golf club head sizes at the address position for same-lofted golf club heads.
The present invention addresses the above stated problems with conventional golf club head design.
The present invention uses a constant leading edge blade length LEBL rather than a constant ground plane blade length GPBL to create same-lofted golf club heads. The leading edge blade length LEBL is the same for both golf club head 100 and golf club head 200, which have the same loft, such that the striking face length 150 for the golf club head 100 is the same as the striking face length 250 for the golf club head 200 even though the sole 116 of the golf club head 100 has a smaller maximum height along the y-axis than the sole 216 of the golf club head 200. Since the striking face length 150 of the golf club head 100 is equal to the striking face length 250 of the golf club head 200, individual regions of the striking face 110 may have the same lengths as individual regions of the striking face 210 for greater uniformity. That is, a length of the scoreline region 151 along the x-axis may be equal to a length of the scoreline region 251 along the x-axis; a length of the toe region 153 along the x-axis may be equal to a length of the toe region 253 along the x-axis; and a length of the heel region 155 along the x-axis may be equal to a length of the heel region 255 along the x-axis.
Designing same-lofted golf club heads using a constant leading edge blade length LEBL allows the golf club heads to have the same striking face length and thus appearance at address regardless of sole configurations. Consistent golf club head striking area and appearance at address position is critical for consistent performance across the striking face and providing confidence-inspiring visuals. This is an advantage over conventional designs that use a constant ground plane blade length GPBL for same-lofted golf club heads which causes differences in striking face length and thus different appearances at address when the sole configurations vary.
Although specific embodiments and aspects were described herein and specific examples were provided, the scope of the invention is not limited to those specific embodiments and examples. One skilled in the art will recognize other embodiments or improvements that are within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the specific structure, acts, or media are disclosed only as illustrative embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims and any equivalents therein.
