Club head having balanced impact and swing performance characteristics

Golf club head with balanced hitting and swing performance characteristics

CLUB HEAD HAVING BALANCED IMPACT AND SWING PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

This case claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/848,429 filed on May 15, 2019 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/878,692 filed on July 25, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference Incorporated here.

The present invention relates to golf club heads. In particular, the present invention relates to golf club heads having balanced impact and swing performance characteristics.

Golf club head performance characteristics (such as spin, initial launch angle, speed, latitude) and swing performance characteristics (such as aerodynamic resistance, club head return ability at impact) are affected by a variety of design parameters, For example volume, position of center of gravity and product of inertia. Golf club head designs aimed at improving ball performance characteristics generally have a negative impact on swing performance characteristics such as aerodynamic drag, while golf club head designs that seek to improve ball performance characteristics may be detrimental to ball performance characteristics. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a golf club head that balances better ball performance characteristics and better swing characteristics.

Other aspects of the present invention will be illustrated by the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

For the sake of clarity and conciseness, constructions are shown schematically in the drawings, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted so as not to obscure the key points of the description. this Furthermore, elements shown in the figures are not drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated over other elements in order to illustrate embodiments of the invention. The same elements are represented by the same numerals in different drawings.

<p>100: Golf Club Head</p><p>102: Ontology</p><p>104: hitting face</p><p>108: Front End</p><p>110: tail</p><p>110: Backend</p><p>116: Crown</p><p>118: Bottom</p><p>120: Heel</p><p>122: Toe</p><p>128: Edge</p><p>128: Peripheral</p><p>130: hosel structure</p><p>132: hosel shaft</p><p>134: hosel sleeve</p><p>136: Golf Shaft</p><p>140: Geometry Center</p><p>142: Outer perimeter of the hitting surface</p><p>144:Face Height</p><p>148: Impact Zone</p><p>150: Groove</p><p>160: Depth</p><p>162: length</p><p>164: height</p><p>170: The center of gravity of the club head</p><p>172: Depth of Center of Gravity</p><p>174:Height of center of gravity</p><p>176: Thinning Area</p><p>180: Counterweight block structure</p><p>188: Steep crown angle</p><p>190: Crown transition profile</p><p>192: Front end curvature radius</p><p>193: Top</p><p>194: Crown transition point</p><p>196: Tail transition profile</p><p>198: Tail curvature radius</p><p>202: First end transition point</p><p>203: Second end transition point</p><p>204: Crown Height</p><p>210: Bottom transition outline</p><p>212: Bottom curvature radius</p><p>213: Bottom</p><p>214: Bottom transition point</p><p>215: Turbulent Structures</p><p>300: Golf Club Head</p><p>302: Ontology</p><p>304: hitting face</p><p>316: Crown</p><p>318: Bottom</p><p>320: Heel</p><p>322: Toe</p><p>330: Heel Weights</p><p>331: Toe Weights</p><p>331: Heel Weights</p><p>332: Hole</p><p>333: Toe Weights</p><p>335: stainless steel fixings</p><p>1010: Inclination plane</p><p>1020: Front Plane</p><p>1030: Ground Plane</p><p>1040: Head Depth Plane</p><p>1040: Crown shaft</p><p>1050: x-axis</p><p>1052: X' axis</p><p>1060: y-axis</p><p>1062: Y' axis</p><p>1070: z-axis</p><p>1072: Z' axis</p><p>2000: Clock Grid</p><p>2003: 3 o'clock line</p><p>2004: 4 o'clock line</p><p>2005: 5 o'clock line</p><p>2007: 7 o'clock line</p><p>2008: 8 o'clock line</p><p>2009: 9 o'clock line</p><p>2010: 10 o'clock line</p><p>2011: 11 o'clock line</p><p>2012: 12 o'clock line</p>

FIG. 1 is a front view of a golf club head.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 taken along section line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

8A is a toe side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

8B is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

8C is a front view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

9 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 rotating during impact.

FIG. 10 illustrates the effect of the product of inertia Ixy on the pitching force when the golf club head of FIG. 1 collides with the golf ball below the center.

FIG. 11 illustrates the effect of the product of inertia Ixy on high hitting force when the golf club head of FIG. 1 collides with the golf ball at a position higher than the center.

FIG. 12 illustrates the effect of the product of inertia Ixz on the pitching force when the golf club head of FIG. 1 collides with the golf ball below the center.

FIG. 13 illustrates the effect of the product of inertia Ixz on the high hitting force when the golf club head of FIG. 1 collides with the golf ball above the center.

Figure 14A shows the golf ball's side spin and higher or lower than conventional golf balls The relationship between the impact position at the geometric center of the club head.

FIG. 14B shows the relationship between the golf ball generated sidespin and the impact position above or below the geometric center of the golf club head of FIG. 1 .

Figure 15 shows the relationship between the Ixy ratio and the height of the center of gravity on various golf club heads.

Figure 16 shows the relationship between Ixy ratio and drag on various golf club heads.

Figure 17 illustrates the relationship between various golf club head Ixz ratios and height of the center of gravity.

Figure 18 illustrates the relationship between various golf club head Ixz ratios and drag.

19 is a bottom view of an example golf club head.

FIG. 20 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 19. FIG.

FIG. 21 is a side cross-sectional view of the heel portion taken along section line II in FIG. 19 .

FIG. 22 is a side cross-sectional view of the toe taken along section line II in FIG. 19 .

FIG. 23 shows the actual relationship between the golf ball generated sidespin and the impact position above or below the geometric center of the golf club head of FIG. 19 .

The golf club heads described below utilize a variety of relationships that increase and maximize the golf club head's product of inertia, while maintaining a lower center of gravity position and lower aerodynamic drag. Specifically, the golf club of the present invention has, as stated, a lower and rearward center of gravity. Golf clubs further have high crown-to-sole moments of inertia (Ixx) and heel-to-toe moments of inertia (Iyy). Furthermore, the golf club has a high value (and positive value) Ixy inertial term product, and with a low value (and negative value) Ixz inertia term product, can effectively offset the higher or lower value of the center position. The harmful side spin caused by the golf shot. Balance the golf ball by utilizing removable or in-line weights (or weighted panel blocks) that allow discretionary weights to be removed and placed in specific locations on (or within) the golf club head Moment of inertia, product of inertia, center of gravity and drag characteristics of the club head.

The aerodynamic drag of the golf club head of the present invention is also lower than that of a golf club head having a similar center of gravity position and moment of inertia. The present invention achieves the effect of reducing aerodynamic drag by maximizing crown height while maintaining a lower and rearward center of gravity position. The transition profile between the ball striking face to the crown, the striking face to the sole, and/or the crown to the sole along the rear end of the golf club head provides a means of reducing aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag can be further reduced by strategic placement of turbulent structures and hosel weights.

The golf clubs described below utilize several relationships that balance the golf club head moment of inertia, product of inertia, and lower rear center of gravity position while maintaining or reducing aerodynamic drag. Balancing the relationship between center of gravity, moment of inertia, product of inertia, and drag helps improve performance characteristics (such as avoiding side spin when hitting high or low, initial release angle, ball speed, and latitude) and Swing performance characteristics (eg, aerodynamic drag, club head return on impact, swing speed). This balance applies to tee-type golf club heads.

Terms such as "first", "second", "third", "fourth" and the like in the embodiments and the scope of the patent application are used to distinguish similar elements, and do not necessarily describe a specific sequence or sequence. It is understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, and thus the embodiments described herein are capable of operation in a sequence other than that shown or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, and thus a program, method, system, article, apparatus or device comprising a set of elements is not necessarily limited to such elements, and Other elements not expressly listed or included in such programs, methods, systems, articles, devices or devices may also be included.

Terms such as "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "above", "below" and the like in the embodiments and the scope of the patent application belong to Descriptive purpose, not necessarily referring to a permanent relative position. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that embodiments of the apparatus, methods, and/or articles of manufacture described herein are capable of functioning in orientations other than those illustrated or described herein.

Before describing the embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be emphasized that the application of the present invention and the detailed structural arrangement of components are not limited to those described below or shown in the drawings. The invention can be implemented or practiced in other embodiments and in various ways.

The golf club head 100 shown in FIGS. 1-2 has a body 102 and a ball striking face 104 . The body 102 of the golf club head 100 includes a front end 108 , a rear end 110 opposite the front end 108 , a crown 116 , a sole 118 opposite the crown 116 , a heel 120 , and a toe 122 opposite the heel 120 . The body 102 further includes a peripheral or extending edge 128 located between and adjacent the crown 116 and the sole 118 , respectively, the peripheral extending from the proximal heel 120 to the proximal toe 122 of the golf club head 100 .

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 is a hollow body golf club head. In these embodiments, the body 102 and the ball striking face 104 may form the golf club head 100 cavity. In certain embodiments, the body 102 may extend across the crown 116 , the sole 118 , the heel 120 , the toe 122 , the rear end 110 , and the perimeter of the front end 108 of the golf club head 100 . In these embodiments, the body 102 has an opening at the front end 108 of the golf club head 100 , and the ball striking face 104 is disposed within the opening, thereby forming the golf club head 100 . In other embodiments, the ball striking face 104 may extend across the entire front end 108 of the golf club head, and may include a return portion extending across at least one of the crown 116 , sole 118 , heel 120 and toe 122 . In these embodiments, the curved portion of the ball striking face 104 is connected to the body 102 to form the golf club head 100 .

The hitting face 104 of the golf club head 100 includes a first material. In many embodiments, the first material is a metal alloy, such as a titanium alloy, a steel alloy, an aluminum alloy, or any other metal or metal alloy. In other embodiments, the first material may comprise any other material, such as a composite material, plastic or any other suitable material or combination of materials.

The body 102 of the golf club head 100 includes a second material. In many embodiments, the second material is a metal alloy, such as titanium alloy, steel alloy, aluminum alloy, or any other metal or metal alloys. In other embodiments, the second material may comprise any other material, such as a composite material, plastic, or any other suitable material or combination of materials.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the golf club head 100 further includes a hosel structure 130 and a hosel shaft 132 extending centrally along the hole of the hosel structure 130 . In this example, the hosel coupling mechanism of the golf club head 100 includes the hosel structure 130 and a hosel sleeve 134 , wherein the hosel sleeve 134 can be connected to one end of the golf shaft 136 . The hosel sleeve 134 can be connected to the hosel structure 130 in a variety of configurations, so that the golf shaft 136 can be fixed in the hosel structure 130 at various angles relative to the hosel shaft 132 . However, in other examples, the shaft 136 may also be fixed in the hosel structure 130 in an unadjustable manner.

The ball striking face 104 of the golf club head 100 has a geometric center 140 . In certain embodiments, the geometric center 140 may be located at the geometric center point of the perimeter of the ball striking face 142 and at the midpoint of the face height 144 . In the same or other examples, the geometric center 140 may also be centered relative to a predetermined impact area 148, which may be defined by the area of the groove 150 on the ball striking face. Alternatively, the geometric center position of the ball striking face may also be set in accordance with definitions published by golf governing bodies such as the United States Golf Association (USGA). For example, the geometric center of the ball striking face may be determined in accordance with USGA's Golf Club Head Flexibility Measurement Procedure, Section 6.1 (USGA-TPX3004, Version 1.0.0, May 1, 2008) (see<u style="single">http://www.usga.org/equipment/testing/protocols/Procedure-For-Measuring-The-Flexibility-Of-A-Golf-Club-Head/</u>) (called the "flexibility procedure").

The geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104 further has a coordinate system whose origin is located at the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104 . The X' axis 1052 extends through the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104 in a direction from the heel 120 to the toe 122 of the golf club head 100 . The Y' axis 1062 extends through the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104 in the direction from the crown 116 to the sole 118 of the golf club head 100 and is perpendicular to the X' axis 1052, and the Z' axis 1072 extends from The direction from front end 108 to rear end 110 of golf club head 100 extends through geometric center 140 of ball striking face 104 and is perpendicular to Xaxis 1052 and Yaxis 1062 .

The X'Y' plane of the above coordinate system extends through the X' axis 1052 and the Y' axis 1062, the X'Z' plane extends through the X' axis 1052 and the Z' axis 1072, and the Y'Z' plane extends through the Y' axis 1062 and The Z' axis 1072 , where the X'Y' plane, the X'Z' plane, and the Y'Z' plane are all perpendicular to each other, and intersect at the origin of the coordinate system located at the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104 . The X'Y' plane extends parallel to the hosel axis 132 and is inclined relative to the loft plane 1010 by an angle corresponding to the loft of the golf club head 100 . When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the X'Y' plane, the X' axis 1052 is inclined at an angle of 60 degrees relative to the hosel axis 132 .

In these or other embodiments, the golf club head 100 is in the front view (FIG. 1) when the ball striking face 104 is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the X'Y' plane. Further, in these or other embodiments, the golf club head 100 is in a side or cross-sectional view (FIG. 2) when the heel 120 is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the Y'Z' plane.

Golf club head 100 has depth 160 , length 162 and height 164 . Referring to FIG. 3 , the depth 160 of the golf club head 100 is the furthest extension of the golf club head 100 from the front end 108 to the rear end 110 in a direction parallel to the Z' axis 1072 .

The length 162 of the golf club head 100 is the furthest extension of the golf club head 100 in a direction parallel to the X' axis 1052 from the heel 120 to the toe 122 in the front view ( FIG. 1 ). In many embodiments, the length 162 of the golf club head 100 may be measured in accordance with a manner published by a golf governing body such as the United States Golf Association (USGA). For example, the length 162 of the golf club head 100 may be in accordance with the USGA's Golf Wood Club Head Dimensioning Procedure (USGA-TPX3003, Version 1.0.0, November 21, 2003) (see details).<u style="single">https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/Equipment/TPX3003-procedure-for-measuring-the-club-head-size-of-wood-clubs.pdf</u>) (referred to as the "Golf Wood Head Dimensions Measurement Procedure").

Height 164 of golf club head 100 is in front view (FIG. 1), golf club head 100 is the furthest extension from crown 116 to base 118 in a direction parallel to Y' axis 1062. In many embodiments, the height 164 of the golf club head 100 may be measured in accordance with a manner published by golf governing bodies such as the United States Golf Association (USGA). For example, the height 164 of the golf club head 100 may be in accordance with the USGA's Golf Wood Club Head Dimensions Measurement Procedure (USGA-TPX3003, Version 1.0.0, November 21, 2003) (see https://www.usga for details. org/content/dam/usga/pdf/Equipment/TPX3003-procedure-for-measuring-the-club-head-size-of-wood-clubs.pdf) (referred to as the "Golf Wood Club Head Sizing Procedure") to decide.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the golf club head 100 further includes a head center of gravity (CG) 170 and a head depth plane 1040 extending through the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104, from The direction from the heel 120 to the toe 122 of the golf club head 100 is perpendicular to the loft plane 1010 . In certain embodiments, the head center of gravity 170 may be spaced from the loft plane 1010 by a head center of gravity depth 172 in a direction perpendicular to the loft plane. The head gravity center 170 is separated from the head depth plane 1040 by a head gravity center height 174 in a direction perpendicular to the head depth plane 1040 . In many embodiments, the club head center of gravity 170 is a center of gravity depth 172 from the ball striking face 104 geometric center 140 in a direction parallel to the club head depth plane 1040 , measured from the loft plane 1010 to the center of gravity 170 . In many embodiments, the club head center of gravity 170 is strategically positioned toward the sole 118 and rear end 110 of the golf club head 100 based on various golf club head parameters such as volume and loft angle, as described below. In certain embodiments, the club head center of gravity 170 is strategically positioned toward the sole 118 and rear end 110 of the golf club head 100 based on various golf club head parameters, such as volume and loft angle, as described below.

The origin defined by the head center of gravity 170 is located in a coordinate system having an x-axis 1050 , a y-axis 1060 and a z-axis 1070 . The y-axis 1060 extends from the crown 116 to the sole 118 through the head center of gravity 170 and is parallel to the hosel axis 132 in a side view and 30 degrees from the hosel axis 132 in a front view. The x-axis 1050 extends from the heel 120 to the toe 122 through the head center of gravity 170 and is perpendicular to the y in front view Axis 1060, parallel to the X'Y' plane. The z-axis 1070 extends through the head center of gravity 170 from the front end 108 to the rear end 110 and is perpendicular to the x-axis 1050 and the y-axis 1060 . In many embodiments, x-axis 1050 extends from heel 120 to toe 122 through head center of gravity 170 and is parallel to X' axis 1052 and y-axis 1060 extends from crown 116 to sole 118 through head center of gravity 170 and is parallel to Y ' axis 1062 , and the z-axis 1070 extends through the head center of gravity 170 from the front end 108 to the rear end 110 and is parallel to the Z' axis 1072 .

<b>I. Tee Type Golf Club Heads</b>

According to one example, the golf club head 100 has a large volume and a low loft. In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 is a driver golf club head. In other embodiments, the golf club head 100 may be any type of golf club head having the loft and volume described herein.

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 loft angle is less than about 16 degrees, less than about 15 degrees, less than about 14 degrees, less than about 13 degrees, less than about 12 degrees, less than about 11 degrees, or less than about 10 degrees. Further, in many embodiments, the golf club head 100 has a volume greater than about 400cc, greater than about 425cc, greater than about 450cc, greater than about 475cc, greater than about 500cc, greater than about 525cc, greater than about 550cc, greater than about 575cc, greater than about 600cc, greater than About 625cc, greater than about 650cc, greater than about 675cc, or greater than about 700cc. In certain embodiments, the golf club head volume may be about 400cc to 600cc, 445cc to 485cc, 425cc to 500cc, about 500cc to 600cc, about 500cc to 650cc, about 550cc to 600cc, about 600cc to 650cc, about 650cc to 700cc , 700cc-750cc or about 750cc to 800cc.

In many embodiments, the length 162 of the golf club head 100 is greater than 4.85 inches. In other embodiments, the golf club head 100 length 162 is greater than 4.5 inches, greater than 4.6 inches, greater than 4.7 inches, greater than 4.8 inches, greater than 4.9 inches, or greater than 5.0 inches. For example, in certain embodiments, the length 162 of the golf club head 100 may be between 4.6 and 5.0 inches, between 4.7 and 5.0 inches, between 4.8 and 5.0 inches, between 4.85 and 5.0 inches, or between 4.6 and 5.0 inches. at 4.9 to 5.0 inches.

In many embodiments, the depth 160 of the golf club head 100 is at least 0.70 inches shorter than the length of the golf club head 100 . In many embodiments, the depth 160 of the golf club head 100 is greater than 4.75 inches. In other embodiments, the depth 160 of the golf club head 100 is greater than 4.5 inches, greater than 4.6 inches, greater than 4.7 inches, greater than 4.8 inches, greater than 4.9 inches, or greater than 5.0 inches. For example, in certain embodiments, the depth 160 of the golf club head 100 may be between 4.6 and 5.0 inches, between 4.7 and 5.0 inches, between 4.75 and 5.0 inches, between 4.8 and 5.0 inches, or between 4.6 and 5.0 inches. at 4.9 to 5.0 inches.

In many embodiments, the height 164 of the golf club head 100 is less than about 2.8 inches. In other embodiments, the height 164 of the golf club head 100 is less than 3.0 inches, less than 2.9 inches, less than 2.8 inches, less than 2.7 inches, or less than 2.6 inches. For example, in certain embodiments, the height 164 of the golf club head 100 may be between 2.0 and 2.8 inches, between 2.2 and 2.8 inches, between 2.5 and 2.8 inches, or between 2.5 and 3.0 inches. Further, in many embodiments, the face height 144 of the golf club head 100 may be about 1.3 inches (33 mm) to about 2.8 inches (71 mm). Still further, in many embodiments, the mass of golf club head 100 may be between 185 grams and 225 grams.

<b>II. Product of inertia</b>

Golf club head 100 has an inertia tensor. The inertia tensor of the golf club head 100 can be represented by the following equation (1). Inertia tensor principal axes (Ixx, Iyy, Izz) are maximized. The greater the moment of inertia of the golf club head 100, the less likely it is to spin when encountering a moment (ie, not hitting the golf ball at the geometric center of the face). It is generally assumed that if the MOI of the golf club head 100 is maximized and the golf ball hits near the center 140, the golf ball will fly straight out. However, golf club heads still experience three main spin effects under the mechanical influence of individual golf swings.

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0001.tif" /></maths>

Referring to FIG. 8, during a user hitting a golf ball with the golf club head 100, three The primary spin effect (which occurs when the golfer swings the golf club). Referring to FIG. 8A, the first effect, referred to as high hitting rate, is the time variability of golf club head 100 loft angle changes. Hit rate is the rotational speed on the x-axis 1050 about the golf club head 100 . Referring to FIG. 8B , the close rate, is the temporal variability of the change in the face angle of the golf club head 100 . The closure rate is the rotational speed of the golf club head 100 on the y-axis 1060 . Finally, referring to FIG. 8C, a third effect is drop rate, which is the temporal variability of the change in pitch angle when golf club head 100 strikes. The drop rate is the rotational speed of the golf club head 100 on the z-axis 1070 .

Furthermore, in addition to the above three user-induced spin effects, the path of the golf club 100 swing and the face angle at which the golf club head 100 strikes are also user-generated mechanics during individual swings. Referring to FIG. 9, as described above, the golf club 100 rotates about the center of gravity on three axes due to the high hit, close and drop effects throughout the impact. The face angle of golf club 100 at impact is the sum of the target line (the line from the golf ball to the desired end point of the golf ball) and the face line (the direction vector extending perpendicularly from the geometric center of the ball striking face when projected on the ground plane). the angle formed between them. The golf club path is the angle formed between the target line and the golf club head velocity vector at the point of impact with the golf ball. The difference between the loft angle and the club path can lead to unwanted side spin. The greater the difference between the face angle and the club path, the greater the side spin.

Furthermore, when the golfer hits the golf ball above or below the center of the golf club head, the club path changes and side spin may occur. For example, when a golfer hits the ball with the center of the face, so the deviation between the club face angle and the club path is small (ie, less than one degree), the golf ball will typically travel on the target line to the desired end point of the golf ball . However, if the same person hits the ball off-center (heel-to-toe), such as directly below or directly above the center of the face (crown-to-sole), The deviation may increase to 2 or 3 degrees and/or create unwanted side spin on impact.

Referring back to FIG. 2, since the ball striking face of the golf club head is located at the loft angle, the Hitting the golf ball at a location above the center of the sphere will cause the impact location to be closer to the center of gravity in the Z direction. Conversely, if the golf ball is hit below the center of the face, the impact position will be further away from the center of gravity in the Z direction. The farther the impact location is from the center of gravity (and therefore further from the axis of rotation), the faster the impact will travel in the direction of the closing moment, since the closing rate is positive in magnitude compared to impacting at the center of gravity. For example, again assuming a straight delivery parameter (1 degree deviation between the loft angle and the club path), shots that hit above center tend to be left-curved, while shots below center tend to be right-curved .

When the golfer hits the ball with the middle of the face (in the heel-to-toe direction), but the hitting position is directly below or above the center of the face (in the crown-to-sole direction), Golf club heads experience high hitting torque (τ_x), closing moment (τ_y) and drop moment (τ_z). The angular acceleration experienced by the golf club head when struck above or below the center can be represented by the following equations (2), (3) and (4). Assuming the golf ball hits above or below the x-axis 1050, but on (contacts) the y-axis 1060 and the z-axis 1070, then imposes on the y-axis 1060 and the z-axis 1070 (τ_y<img file="TW202204015A_D0002.tif" />0,τ_z<img file="TW202204015A_D0003.tif" />0) The torque is about zero. Applied to the x-axis 1050 (τ_x) is proportional to how much above or below the center the golf ball strike point (ie, the farther the impact point is above the center, the greater the torque on the x-axis).

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0004.tif" /></maths>

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0005.tif" /></maths>

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0006.tif" /></maths>

In order to minimize the angular acceleration of the golf club head 100 upon impact, the moments of inertia on the x-axis 1050, y-axis 1060, and z-axis 1070 may be increased, since the golf club head 100 is more resistant to the main axes (x-axis, y-axis, z-axis, z-axis 1070) shaft), resulting in an increase in the latitude of the golf club head 100. If the golf club head 100 is more able to resist the rotational moment on the main shaft, the golf club head 100 is more able to Tolerates off-center impacts. However, even if the moment of inertia is increased to a maximum and the golf ball is struck above or below center (with ideal delivery parameters), the golf ball will still experience unwanted side spin. In addition to the moment of inertia, the center of gravity positioning and product of inertia may also be optimized and/or balanced to improve the impact characteristics of the golf club head 100, avoiding unwanted side spin on high or low shots on the face, while maintaining the heel 120 to toe 122 latitude.

In general, the product of inertia of the two axes relates the symmetry of the golf club head 100 about a first axis to the symmetry of the golf club head 100 about a second axis. Therefore, the closer the inertia product of the two axes is to zero, it means that the golf club head 100 has a symmetrical balance, so it is more difficult for the golf club head 100 to rotate on each axis at the same time.

From equations (2), (3) and (4), as the moment of inertia increases, the angular acceleration experienced by the golf club head when hitting the ball above or below the center will decrease. However, even if the products of inertia (Ixy and Ixz) are zero, so αy and αz tend to be zero, the golf club head still has angular acceleration on the x-axis 1050 when the club face hits the ball high or low, and due to Detrimental side spin caused by golf club head 100 delivery parameters.

10 to 13 and equations (2) to (4), the golf club head (Ixy and Ixz inertia products are negative values), if the golfer hits the ball with the middle of the club face (in the direction from the heel to the toe) , but the impact location is directly below or above the center of the ball striking face (in the crown-to-sole direction), the golf club head 100 experiences a high impact torque, producing rotational acceleration in all three axes.

In many embodiments, the Ixy product of inertia of the golf club head 100 is greater than about 30g. cm², greater than about 40g. cm², greater than about 50g. cm², greater than about 60g. cm², greater than about 70g. cm², greater than about 80g. cm², greater than about 90g. cm², greater than about 100g. cm², greater than about 110g. cm², greater than about 120g. cm², greater than about 130g. cm², greater than about 140g. cm², greater than about 150g. cm², greater than about 160g. cm², greater than about 170g. cm², greater than about 180g. cm², greater than about 190g. cm²Or more than about 200g. cm²。

In many embodiments, the Ixz product of inertia of the golf club head 100 is greater than about -200g. cm², greater than about -190g. cm², greater than about -180g. cm², greater than about -170g. cm², greater than about -160g. cm², greater than about -150g. cm², greater than about -140g. cm², greater than about -130g. cm², greater than about -120g. cm², greater than about -110g. cm², greater than about -100g. cm², greater than about -90g. cm², greater than about -80g. cm², greater than about -70g. cm², greater than about -60g. cm², greater than about -50g. cm², greater than about -40g. cm²or greater than about -30g. cm²。

10 and 12, when the golf club head 100 hits the ball below the center of the ball striking face, and Ixy is a negative value, the golf club head is subjected to a pitching moment that causes it to generate a closed spin caused by Ixz, thereby Causes the golf ball to exhibit a right spin. 11 and 13, when the golf club head 100 hits the ball above the center of the ball striking face and Ixy is negative, the high hitting torque experienced by the golf club head will cause it to generate open spin and the toe of the golf club head. The top spins up, resulting in a left-spin on the golf ball. The magnitude of this side spin is proportional to αy (hence Ixy and τx). If Ixy is positive, the opposite side spin behavior occurs on high and low hits (i.e., a high face hits a hook, a low face hits a hook).

Changing the magnitude of the product of inertia can significantly affect the rotational acceleration of the golf club head when the golf ball is struck above or below the center of the face (Equations (2) to (4)). By optimizing the product of inertia, the unwanted side spin due to closure rates on high and low hits on the face is eliminated. In addition to the moment of inertia and center of gravity location, the product of inertia can also be optimized to produce a golf club head that is down and aft, has a high moment of inertia (heel-to-toe latitude), and is opposite to the ball striking face. The latitude of hitting the ball over or under. In addition, the aerodynamics of the club head 100 can be further balanced with the center of gravity and moment of inertia, resulting in the ultimate balance performance of the golf club.

As described above, by making the products of inertia Ixy and Ixz equal to zero, angular acceleration of the y-axis 1060 and the z-axis 1070 (αy and αz=0) can be avoided. However, as mentioned above, deviations in the loft and club path can still cause side spin. Fig. 14A shows on a driving golf club head, when the hitting position is on the center Sidespin (with ideal delivery parameters) when up and down. The higher or lower the hit position is from the center, the greater the side spin. This side spin can result in shots that do not reach the desired flight length or direction.

To counteract the unwanted side spin, the Ixy product of inertia can be maximized (greater than zero), thereby producing a favorable y-axis angular acceleration (αy). The Ixy product of inertia is maximized to counteract the side spin caused by differences in loft and club path when hitting high and low. The theoretical golf club head shown in FIG. 14B has an improved product of inertia that can offset the side spin caused by shots above or below center, resulting in consistent distance and direction for golf shots (no side spin).

<b>III. Center of Gravity and Moment of Inertia</b>

The center of gravity of the golf club head 100 of the present invention is positioned downward and rearward, and achieves a balance between the center of gravity and the high moments of inertia (Ixx, Iyy, Izz), while maximizing the Ixy inertial product and making the Ixz inertial product close to zero . In many embodiments, a way to lower and rearward the golf club head center of gravity and increase the moment of inertia is to add a discretionary weight and relocate the weight to the area of the golf club head that is furthest from the center of gravity of the club head Inside. To add discretionary weights, the crown may be thinned and/or optimized material may be used, as described above with respect to the location of the clubhead's center of gravity. Relocating the discretionary weights furthest from the CG of the clubhead can be through the use of movable weights, inline weights, or a steep crown angle, as described above for the CG location of the clubhead .

In many embodiments, the crown-to-bottom moment of inertia Ixx of the golf club head 100 is greater than about 2250 g. cm², greater than about 2500g. cm², greater than about 2750g. cm², greater than about 3000g. cm², greater than about 3250g. cm², greater than about 3500g. cm², greater than about 3750g. cm², greater than about 4000g. cm², greater than about 4250g. cm², greater than about 4500g. cm², greater than about 4750g. cm², greater than about 5000g. cm², greater than about 5250g. cm², greater than about 5500g. cm², greater than about 5750g. cm², greater than about 6000g. cm², greater than about 6250g. cm², greater than about 6500g. cm², greater than about 6750g. cm²or greater than about 7000 g. cm²。

In many embodiments, the heel-to-toe moment of inertia of the golf club head 100 is greater than about 4500 g. cm², greater than about 4750g. cm², greater than about 5000g. cm², greater than about 5250g. cm², greater than about 5500g. cm², greater than about 5750g. cm², greater than about 6000g. cm², greater than about 6250g. cm², greater than about 6500g. cm², greater than about 6750g. cm²Or more than about 7000g. cm²。

In many embodiments, the combined moment of inertia of the golf club head 100 (ie, the sum of the crown-to-sole moment of inertia Ixx and the heel-to-toe moment of inertia Iyy) is greater than about 7000 g. cm², greater than about 7250g. cm², greater than about 7500g. cm², greater than about 7750g. cm², greater than 8000g. cm², greater than 8500g. cm², greater than 8750g. cm², greater than 9000g. cm², greater than 9250g. cm², greater than 9500g. cm², greater than 9750g. cm², greater than 10000g. cm², greater than 10250g. cm², greater than 10500g. cm², greater than 10750g. cm², greater than 11000g. cm², greater than 11250g. cm², greater than 11500g. cm², greater than 11750g. cm²or more than 12000g. cm², greater than 12500g. cm², greater than 1300g. cm², greater than 13500g. cm²or more than 14000g. cm²。

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 has a head center of gravity height 174 of less than about 0.20 inches, less than about 0.15 inches, less than about 0.10 inches, less than about 0.09 inches, less than about 0.08 inches, less than about 0.07 inches inch, less than about 0.06 inch, or less than about 0.05 inch. Further, in many embodiments, the club head height 174 of the golf club head 100 has an absolute value that is less than about 0.20 inches, less than about 0.15 inches, less than about 0.10 inches, less than about 0.09 inches, less than about 0.08 inches, less than about 0.07 inches, less than about 0.06 inches, or less than about 0.05 inches.

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 has a head center of gravity depth 172 greater than about 1.2 inches, greater than about 1.3 inches, greater than about 1.4 inches, greater than about 1.5 inches, greater than about 1.6 inches, greater than about 1.7 inches inches, greater than about 1.8 inches, greater than about 1.9 inches, or greater than about 2.0 inches.

In certain embodiments, the golf club head 100 has a first performance characteristic. The first performance characteristic is defined as the difference between (a) 72 mm and face height 144, and (b) the depth of the club head center of gravity 172, the ratio between the two. In most embodiments, the first performance characteristic is less than or equal to 0.56. However, in some embodiments, the first performance characteristic is less than or equal to 0.60, less than or equal to 0.65, less than or equal to 0.70, or less than or equal to 0.75.

In certain embodiments, the golf club head 100 has a second performance characteristic. The second performance characteristic is defined as the sum of the ratio between (a) the golf club head 100 volume and (b) the absolute value of the club head CG depth 172 and the club head CG height 174 . The second performance characteristic is greater than or equal to 425cc, wherein in certain embodiments, the second performance characteristic may be greater than or equal to 450cc, greater than or equal to 475cc, greater than or equal to 490cc, greater than or equal to 495cc, greater than or equal to 500cc, greater than or equal to 505cc or greater than or equal to 510cc.

Reducing the height 174 of the center of gravity of the golf club head 100 may reduce the occurrence of backspin on the golf ball after impact compared to similar golf club heads with a larger center of gravity height. In many embodiments, reducing backspin helps to improve both ball speed and travel distance, thereby improving golf club head performance. Also, increasing the CG depth 172 of the golf club head 100 may increase the heel-to-toe moment of inertia as compared to similar golf club heads having a CG depth closer to the ball striking surface. The increased heel-to-toe moment of inertia increases golf club head latitude at impact and improves golf club head performance. Furthermore, compared to a similar golf club head with a CG depth closer to the ball striking surface, increasing the CG depth 172 of the golf club head 100 can increase the dynamic loft when the club head sends the ball, thereby increasing the initial shot when the golf ball is hit. ball angle.

In order to adjust the height 174 of the center of gravity of the club head and/or the depth of the center of gravity of the club head 172, the method may be to reduce the weight of each area of the golf club head, and add discretionary weights, and then place these discretionary weights on the golf club. A strategic area on the head, whereby the clubhead's CG moves down and back. The following describes various ways to lower and reset the position of the golf club head weight.

i. Thinning area

In certain embodiments, the CG height 174 and/or the CG depth 172 are achieved by reducing the thickness of various regions of the golf club head 100, thereby removing excess weight. Once the excess weight is removed, discretionary weights can be added and strategically relocated to different areas on the golf club head 100, thus achieving the desired down and rear bias. The center of gravity of the golf club head.

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 may have one or more thinned regions 176 . One or more thinned regions 176 may be provided on the ball striking face 104 , on the body 102 , or on both the ball striking face 104 and the body 102 . Additionally, the one or more thinned regions 176 may be provided in any region on the body 102, including the crown 116, the sole 118, the heel 120, the toe 122, the front end 108, the rear end 110, the periphery 128, or A combination of any of the above positions. For example, in certain embodiments, the one or more thinned regions 176 may be provided on the crown 116 . As another example, the one or more thinned regions 176 may be provided on both the ball striking face 104 and the crown 106 . As another example, the one or more thinned regions 176 may be provided on the ball striking face 104 , the crown 116 and the sole 118 simultaneously. As another example, the entire body 102 and/or the entire ball striking face 104 may include a thinned region 176 .

In one embodiment, if the one or more thinned regions 176 are located on the ball striking face 104, the thickness of the ball striking face 104 may vary to define a maximum face thickness and a minimum ball face thickness. In these embodiments, the minimum hitting face thickness may be less than 0.10 inches, less than 0.09 inches, less than 0.08 inches, less than 0.07 inches, less than 0.06 inches, less than 0.05 inches, less than 0.04 inches, or less than 0.03 inches Inches. In these or other embodiments, the maximum ball striking face thickness may be less than 0.20 inches, less than 0.19 inches, less than 0.18 inches, less than 0.17 inches, less than 0.16 inches, less than 0.15 inches, less than 0.14 inches, less than 0.13 inches, less than 0.12 inches, less than 0.11 inches, or less than 0.10 inches.

In one embodiment, if the one or more thinned regions 176 are located on the body 102, the thickness of the thinned regions may be less than about 0.020 inches. In other embodiments, the thickness of the thinned region may be less than 0.025 inches, less than 0.020 inches, less than 0.019 inches, less than 0.018 inches, less than 0.017 inches, less than 0.016 inches, less than 0.015 inches, less than 0.014 inches, less than 0.013 inches, less than 0.012 inches, or less than 0.010 inches. For example, the thinned region thickness may be between about 0.010 to 0.025 inches, between about 0.013 to 0.020 inches, between about 0.014 to 0.020 inches, between about 0.015 to 0.020 inches, between about 0.016 to 0.020 inches inches, between about 0.017 to 0.020 inches, or between about 0.018 to 0.020 inches.

In the illustrated embodiment, the thinned area 176 varies in shape and location and covers approximately 25% of the surface area of the golf club head 100 . In other embodiments, the thinned area may encompass about 20-30%, about 15-35%, about 15-25%, about 10-25%, about 15-30%, or about 20-50%. Further, in other embodiments, the thinned area may cover up to 5%, up to 10%, up to 15%, up to 20%, up to 25%, up to 30%, up to 35%, more Up to 40%, up to 45%, or up to 50% of the golf club head 100 surface area.

In many embodiments, the crown 116 may include one or more thinned regions 176 such that about 51% of the surface area of the crown 116 has the thinned regions 176 . In other embodiments, crown 116 may include one or more thinned regions 176 such that up to 20%, up to 25%, up to 30%, up to 35%, up to 40%, up to 45%, up to 50%, up to 55%, up to 60%, up to 65%, up to 70%, up to 75%, up to 80%, up to 85%, or up to 90% There is a thinned area 176 . For example, in some embodiments, about 40-60% of the crown 116 has the thinned area 176 . As another example, in other embodiments, about 50-100%, about 40-80%, about 35-65%, about 30-70%, or about 25-75% of the crown 116 may have a thinned area 176 . In certain embodiments, the crown 116 may include one or more thinned regions 176, wherein each thinned region 176 is gradually thinned in a progressive manner. In this example embodiment, one or more thinned regions 176 of crown 116 extend in a heel-to-toe direction, and each thinned region 176 decreases in a direction from ball striking face 104 toward rear end 110 thickness.

In many embodiments, the bottom portion 118 may include one or more thinned regions 176 such that About 64% of the surface area of the bottom 118 has a thinned area 176 . In other embodiments, bottom 118 may include one or more thinned regions 176 such that up to 20%, up to 25%, up to 30%, up to 35%, up to 40%, up to 45%, up to 50%, up to 55%, up to 60%, up to 65%, up to 70%, up to 75%, up to 80%, up to 85% or up to 90% with thinning Area 176. For example, in certain embodiments, about 40-60% of the bottom 118 may have the thinned area 176 . As another example, in other embodiments, about 50-100%, about 40-80%, about 35-65%, about 30-70%, or about 25-75% of the bottom 118 may have the thinned area 176 .

The thinned area 176 may encapsulate any shape, such as a circle, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, an ellipse, or any other polygonal shape or shape with at least one curved surface. Further, one or more of the thinned regions 176 may be the same shape as the other thinned regions, or a different shape.

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 with the thinned region may be fabricated using centrifugal casting. In these embodiments, centrifugal casting may allow golf club head 100 to have thinner walls than would be made using conventional casting. In other embodiments, portions of golf club head 100 with thinned regions may be fabricated using other suitable methods, such as stamping, forging, or machining. If, in one embodiment, the parts of the golf club head 100 with the thinned area are made by stamping, forging, or machining, the parts of the golf club head 100 may be made of epoxy resin, tape, welding, mechanical Fixtures or other suitable methods to combine.

ii. Optimizing materials

Golf club head 100 may further utilize optimized materials on ball striking face 104 and/or body 102 to achieve the effect of optimizing center of gravity height 174 and/or center of gravity depth 172 . Optimized materials may include increased specific strength and/or increased specific flexibility. Specific flexibility is determined by the ratio of yield strength to elastic modulus of the optimized material. The increased specific strength and/or specific flexibility may allow the golf club head to be thinned in some areas while maintaining durability (eg, parts of the ball striking face 104 and/or body 102 ). Minute).

The golf club head 100 includes a first material and a second material. In most embodiments, the ball striking face 104 includes the first material and the body 102 includes the second material. In most embodiments, the first material is different from the second material, but in some embodiments, the first material and the second material are the same.

In certain embodiments, the first material of the ball striking face 104 may be an optimized material, as described in US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/399,929, "Golf Club Heads with Optimized Material Properties," which is generally Incorporated herein by reference. In these or other embodiments, the first material comprises an optimized titanium alloy that can have a specific strength greater than or equal to about 900,000 PSI/lb/in³(224MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 910,000PSI/lb/in³(227MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 920,000PSI/lb/in³(229MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 930,000PSI/lb/in³(232MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 940,000PSI/lb/in³(234MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 950,000PSI/lb/in³(237MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 960,000PSI/lb/in³(239MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 970,000PSI/lb/in³(242MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 980,000PSI/lb/in³(244MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 990,000PSI/lb/in³(247MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,000,000PSI/lb/in³(249MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,050,000 PSI/lb/in³(262MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,100,000PSI/lb/in³(274MPa/g/cm³) or greater than or equal to approximately 1,150,000 PSI/lb/in³(286MPa/g/cm³)。

Furthermore, in these or other embodiments, the first material comprising the optimized titanium alloy may have a specific flexibility greater than or equal to about 0.0075, greater than or equal to about 0.0080, greater than or equal to about 0.0085, greater than or equal to about 0.0090 , greater than or equal to about 0.0091, greater than or equal to about 0.0092, greater than or equal to about 0.0093, greater than or equal to about 0.0094, greater than or equal to about 0.0095, greater than or equal to about 0.0096, greater than or equal to about 0.0097, greater than or equal to about 0.0098, greater than or equal to about 0.0099, greater than or equal to about 0.0100, greater than or equal to about 0.0105, greater than or equal to about 0.0110, greater than or equal to about 0.0115, or greater than or equal to about 0.0120.

In these or other embodiments, the first material comprises an optimized steel alloy that can have a specific strength greater than or equal to about 650,000 PSI/lb/in³(162MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 700,000PSI/lb/in³(174MPa/g/cm³) , greater than or equal to about 750,000PSI/lb/in³(187MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 800,000PSI/lb/in³(199MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 810,000PSI/lb/in³(202MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 820,000PSI/lb/in³(204MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 830,000PSI/lb/in³(207MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 840,000PSI/lb/in³(209MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 850,000PSI/lb/in³(212MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 900,000PSI/lb/in³(224MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 950,000PSI/lb/in³(237MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,000,000PSI/lb/in³(249MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,050,000 PSI/lb/in³(262MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,100,000PSI/lb/in³(274MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,115,000PSI/lb/in³(278MPa/g/cm³) or greater than or equal to approximately 1,120,000PSI/lb/in³(279MPa/g/cm³)。

Further, in these or other embodiments, the first material comprising the optimized steel alloy may have a specific flexibility greater than or equal to about 0.0060, greater than or equal to about 0.0065, greater than or equal to about 0.0070, greater than or equal to about 0.0075 , greater than or equal to about 0.0080, greater than or equal to about 0.0085, greater than or equal to about 0.0090, greater than or equal to about 0.0095, greater than or equal to about 0.0100, greater than or equal to about 0.0105, greater than or equal to about 0.0110, greater than or equal to about 0.0115, greater than or equal to about 0.0120, greater than or equal to about 0.0125, greater than or equal to about 0.0130, greater than or equal to about 0.0135, greater than or equal to about 0.0140, greater than or equal to about 0.0145, or greater than or equal to about 0.0150.

In these embodiments, the optimized first material has increased specific strength and/or increased specific flexibility, allowing the ball striking face 304 or portions thereof to be thinned as described above, while maintaining durability. Thinning the ball striking face 304 can reduce the weight of the ball striking face, thereby increasing weight that can be arbitrarily placed strategically in other areas of the golf club head 100, thereby moving the club head's center of gravity down and back and/or increasing the golf club head inertia sexual moment.

In certain embodiments, the second material of the body 102 may be an optimized material, as described in US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/399,929, "Golf Club Heads with Optimized Material Properties," which is incorporated by reference in its entirety in this article. In these or other embodiments, the second material comprises an optimized titanium alloy that can have a specific strength greater than or equal to about 730,500 PSI/lb/in³(182Mpa/g/cm³). For example, an optimized titanium alloy may have a specific strength greater than or equal to about 650,000 PSI/lb/in³(162MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 700,000PSI/lb/in³(174MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 750,000PSI/lb/in³(187MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 800,000PSI/lb/in³(199MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 850,000PSI/lb/in³(212MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 900,000PSI/lb/in³(224MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 950,000PSI/lb/in³(237MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,000,000PSI/lb/in³(249MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,050,000 PSI/lb/in³(262MPa/g/cm³) or greater than or equal to approximately 1,100,000 PSI/lb/in³(272MPa/g/cm³)。

Furthermore, in these or other embodiments, the second material comprising an optimized titanium alloy may have a specific flexibility greater than or equal to about 0.0060, greater than or equal to about 0.0065, greater than or equal to about 0.0070, greater than or equal to about 0.0075 , greater than or equal to about 0.0080, greater than or equal to about 0.0085, greater than or equal to about 0.0090, greater than or equal to about 0.0095, greater than or equal to about 0.0100, greater than or equal to about 0.0105, greater than or equal to about 0.0110, greater than or equal to about 0.0115 or greater or equal to about 0.0120.

In these or other embodiments, the second material comprises an optimized steel that can have a specific strength greater than or equal to about 500,000 PSI/lb/in³(125MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 510,000PSI/lb/in³(127MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 520,000PSI/lb/in³(130MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 530,000PSI/lb/in³(132MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 540,000PSI/lb/in³(135MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 550,000PSI/lb/in³(137 MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 560,000PSI/lb/in³(139MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 570,000PSI/lb/in³(142MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 580,000PSI/lb/in³(144MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 590,000PSI/lb/in³(147MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 600,000PSI/lb/in³(149MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 625,000PSI/lb/in³(156MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 675,000PSI/lb/in³(168MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 725,000PSI/lb/in³(181MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 775,000PSI/lb/in³(193MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 825,000PSI/lb/in³(205MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 875,000PSI/lb/in³(218MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 925,000PSI/lb/in³(230MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 975,000PSI/lb/in³(243MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,025,000PSI/lb/in³(255MPa/g/cm³), greater than or equal to approximately 1,075,000PSI/lb/in³(268MPa/g/cm³) or greater than or equal to approximately 1,125,000PSI/lb/in³(280MPa/g/cm³)。

Further, in these or other embodiments, the second material comprises an optimized steel having a specific flexibility greater than or equal to about 0.0060, greater than or equal to about 0.0062, greater than or equal to about 0.0064, greater than or equal to about 0.0066, greater than or equal to about 0.0068, greater than or equal to about 0.0070, greater than or equal to about 0.0072, greater than or equal to about 0.0076, greater than or equal to about 0.0080, greater than or equal to about 0.0084, greater than or equal to about 0.0088, greater than or equal to about 0.0092, greater than or equal to about 0.0096, greater than or equal to about 0.0100, greater than or equal to about 0.0105, greater than or equal to about 0.0110, greater than or equal to about 0.0115, greater than or equal to about 0.0120, greater than or equal to about 0.0125, greater than or equal to about 0.0130, greater than or equal to about 0.0135, Greater than or equal to about 0.0140, greater than or equal to about 0.0145, or greater than or equal to about 0.0150.

In certain embodiments, the second material may comprise a composite material composed of a polymer resin and reinforcing fibers or a composite material. The polymer resin may include a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin. More specifically, in embodiments using a thermoplastic resin, the resin may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). For example, the resin may contain poly Phenyl sulfide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyimide, polyamide such as PA6 or PA66, polyamide imide, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polycarbonate, engineering polyurethane and/or other similar materials. The reinforcing fibers may comprise carbon fibers (or chopped carbon fibers), glass fibers (or chopped glass fibers), graphene fibers (or chopped graphene fibers), or any other suitable filler. In other embodiments, the composite material may include particles (eg, glass beads, metal spheres) or powder (eg, tungsten powder) for weight gain. In other embodiments, the composite material may include any reinforcing filler for strength, durability, and/or weight.

The polymeric resin preferably comprises one or more polymers with sufficiently high material strength and/or strength/weight ratio properties to withstand typical use while helping to reduce overall design weight. Specifically, the design and materials should be able to effectively withstand the stress generated when the ball striking face 104 collides with the golf ball without significantly increasing the overall weight of the golf club head 100 . Generally, the tensile strength of the polymer is a yield greater than about 60 MPa. When the polymer resin incorporates reinforcing fibers, the resulting composite has a tensile strength that yields greater than about 110 MPa, greater than about 180 MPa, greater than about 220 MPa, greater than about 260 MPa, greater than about 280 MPa, or greater than about 290 MPa. In certain embodiments, the tensile strength of suitable composites is yielded from about 60 MPa to about 350 MPa.

In certain embodiments, the reinforcing fibers comprise a plurality of discrete and discontinuous fibers (ie, "strand fibers"). In certain embodiments, the reinforcing fibers comprise a plurality of discontinuous "long fibers", the fiber lengths of which are set at about 3 mm to 25 mm. For example, in certain embodiments, the fiber length before molding is about 12.7 millimeters (0.5 inches). In another embodiment, the reinforcing fibers comprise discontinuous "short fibers" whose fiber lengths are set at about 0.01 mm to 3 mm. It should be understood that regardless of the case (short or long fibers), the lengths stated are the pre-mixing lengths and some fibers may actually be present in the final assembly at a length shorter than the stated range due to breakage during molding . In certain configurations, the discontinuous strand fibers have an aspect ratio (eg, fiber length/diameter) greater than about 10, or preferably greater than about 50 and less than about 1500. Regardless of the type of discontinuous strand fiber used Type, in certain configurations, the fiber length of the composite material can be from about 0.01 mm to about 25 mm.

The polymer resin content of the composite may be from about 40% to about 90% by weight or from about 55% to about 70% by weight. The fiber content of the second component composite material is from about 10% to about 60% by weight. In certain embodiments, the fiber content of the composite is between about 20% to about 50% by weight or between 30% and 40% by weight. In certain embodiments, the composite material has a fiber content of between about 10% and about 15%, between about 15% and about 20%, between about 20% and about 25%, between about 25% and about 30%, between about 30% and about 35%, between about 35% and about 40%, between about 40% and about 45%, between Between about 45% and about 50%, between about 50% and about 55%, or between about 55% and about 60% by weight.

The density of the composite material used to form the second component may range from about 1.15 g/cc to about 2.02 g/cc. In certain embodiments, the composite density ranges between about 1.30 g/cc and about 1.40 g/cc or between about 1.40 g/cc and about 1.45 g/cc. The composite material may have a melting temperature between about 210°C and about 280°C. In certain embodiments, the melting temperature of the composite material is between about 250°C and about 270°C.

In certain embodiments, the composite material includes a long fiber reinforced TPU. The long fiber TPU may contain about 40% by weight of long carbon fibers. Long fiber TPU can exhibit a high modulus of elasticity greater than that of short carbon fiber compounds. Long-fiber TPU can withstand high temperatures, making it suitable for golf club heads that may be used and/or stored in hot climates. Long fiber TPU has high toughness and can be used to replace traditional metal components. In certain embodiments, the tensile modulus of the long fiber TPU is between about 26,000 MPa and about 30,000 MPa or between about 27,000 MPa and about 29,000 MPa. In certain embodiments, the flexural modulus of the long fiber TPU is between about 21,000 MPa and about 26,000 MPa or between about 22,000 MPa and 25,000 MPa. The tensile elongation (at break) of the long fiber TPU material is between about 0.5% and about 2.5%. In certain embodiments, the tensile elongation of the composite TPU material may be between about 1.0% and about 2.0%, between about 1.2% and about 1.4%, between about 1.4% and about 1.6% between about 1.6% and about 1.8%, between about 1.8% and about 2.0%.

While strength and weight are two of the most important characteristics in choosing a composite material, the right composite material can also provide secondary benefits. For example, PPS and PEEK are two exemplary thermoplastic polymers that meet the design strength and weight requirements of the present invention. But unlike many other polymers, PPS or PEEK have unique acoustic properties that offer additional advantages. Specifically, in many cases, PPS and PEEK can produce a metallic-like acoustic response to impact. Therefore, if a PPS or PEEK polymer is used, the design of the present invention can fully utilize the strength/weight advantages of the polymer, while maintaining the metal impact sound that a golf club head should have.

In many embodiments, the second material of golf club head 100 may be fabricated using injection molding. The second material may be injection molded from a composite material comprising both polymer resin and reinforcing fibers, thereby forming the body portion 102 . Reinforcing fibers may be embedded in the resin prior to molding of the second component. Composites with both resin and fibers may be in the form of particles. In use, the particles are melted and injected into an empty mold to form the second component. In other embodiments, the manufacturing method of the second component may be extrusion, injection blow molding, 3D printing, or any other suitable forming method.

In embodiments using injection molding, the temperature of the mold used to shape the composite material into the second component is preferably maintained at a desired temperature between about 60°C and 90°C. For example, the mold temperature is about 75°C. In alternative embodiments, the second material may comprise a fiber reinforced composite (FRC) material. FRC materials typically include one or more layers of unidirectional or multidirectional fiber cloth extending across a larger portion of the polymer. Unlike the reinforcing fibers used to fill thermoplastic (FT) materials, the fibers used in FRC may be much larger/longer in maximum size than those used in FT materials, and may be of sufficient size and suitable properties to form Separate continuous cloth. When co-formed with thermoplastic polymers, the continuous fibers contained therein generally do not flow freely, even if the polymer is free-flowing in the molten state.

Typically, FRC materials are formed by first arranging the fibers into the desired arrangement, The fibrous material is then impregnated with a sufficient amount of polymer material, thereby increasing stiffness. As such, while the resin content of the FT material is greater than about 45% by volume, or preferably greater than about 55% by volume, the resin content of the FRC material can be less than about 45% by volume, or more preferably less than about 45% by volume. 35% volume ratio. Traditionally, FRC materials have used a two-part thermoset epoxy resin as the polymer matrix, but thermoplastic polymers can also be used as the matrix. In many instances, the FRC material is pre-prepared prior to final fabrication, and this intermediate material is often referred to as a prepreg. When a thermoset polymer is used, the prepreg is partially cured to an intermediate form and then cured to the final shape. If a thermoplastic polymer is used, the prepreg may comprise a cooled thermoplastic matrix, which is then heated and molded into the final shape.

The content of the second material may be essentially a shaped fiber reinforced composite material comprising a glass fabric or carbon fiber reinforced layer embedded in a polymer matrix. In such embodiments, the polymeric matrix is preferably a thermoplastic material. In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or a polyamide such as PA6 or PA66. In other embodiments, the content of this second material may be changed to a filler thermoplastic material comprising glass beads or a discrete filler of glass, carbon or aramid polymer fibers embedded throughout its interior. The thermoplastic material (base resin) can be a TPU such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyamide. In other embodiments, the second material from which the body 102 is formed may have a hybrid material construction, in which both a filler thermoplastic material and a formed fiber reinforced composite material are present.

The body 102 may have a hybrid material construction including a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite elastic layer (not shown) and a molded thermoplastic structural layer (not shown). In certain preferred embodiments, the filler thermoplastic as the material for the molded thermoplastic structural layer comprises glass beads or a filler of discontinuous glass, carbon or aramid polymer fibers embedded throughout the thermoplastic. The thermoplastic material may be TPU, such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or polyamides such as PA6 or PA66. The elastic layer may then comprise a glass weave embedded in a thermoplastic polymer matrix. material, carbon fiber or aramid polymer fiber reinforcement. The thermoplastic polymer matrix may comprise TPU such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyamides such as PA6 or PA66. In a specific embodiment, the elastic layer of the body 102 may include a woven carbon fiber cloth embedded with polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and the structural layer of the body 102 may include a filler polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) polymer.

In these embodiments, the optimized second material enables the body 102 or portions thereof to be thinned while maintaining durability due to their increased specific strength and/or increased specific flexibility. Thinning the body can reduce the weight of the golf club head, thereby increasing the discretionary weights placed at other strategic locations on the golf club head 100, allowing the head center of gravity to be in a lower and/or rearward position and/or raising the golf club Head moment of inertia.

iii. Removable weights

In certain embodiments, golf club head 100 may include one or more weight structures 180 including one or more removable weights therein. The one or more weight structures 180 and/or the one or more removable weights may be placed toward the sole 118 and toward the rear end 110 such that these discretionary weights are located on the golf club head 100 The bottom 118 is close to the rear end 110, thereby achieving a lower and rearward center of gravity position of the club head. In certain embodiments, the one or more weight structures 180 may be located at the high toe 122, near the crown 116, and the low heel 120, near the bottom 118, thereby increasing the Ixy product of inertia, balancing the Ixz product of inertia , and maintain a low center of gravity and a high moment of inertia. In many embodiments, the one or more weight structures 180 removably receive the one or more removable weights. In these embodiments, the one or more removable weights may be attached to the one or more weight structures 180 using any suitable method, such as threaded fasteners, glue, magnets, snap-fit structures or other mechanisms capable of securing the one or more removable weights to the one or more weight structures.

The placement of the weight structure 180 and/or the removable weight can be referenced to the clock grid 2000, which is aligned with the ball striking face 104 in a top or bottom view (FIG. 3). Place The clock grid includes at least a 12 o'clock line, a 2 o'clock line, a 3 o'clock line, a 4 o'clock line, a 5 o'clock line, a 6 o'clock line, a 7 o'clock line, and a 8 o'clock line. The o'clock line, the 9 o'clock line, the 10 o'clock line and the 11 o'clock line. For example, the clock grid 2000 includes a 12 o'clock line 2012 that is aligned with the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104. The 12 o'clock line 2012 is orthogonal to the X'Y' plane. The clock grid 2000 may be centered along the 12 o'clock line 2012 at a midpoint between the front end 108 and the rear end 110 of the golf club head 100 . In the same or other examples, the clock grid center point 2010 may be centered near the geometric center point of the golf club head 100 from the bottom view (FIG. 3). The clock grid 2000 also includes a 3 o'clock line 2003 extending toward the heel 120 and a 9 o'clock line 2009 extending toward the toe 122 of the golf club head 100 . In addition, the clock grid 2000 extends in the direction of the y-axis 1060 through the crown 116 to the bottom. The golf club head 100 may be split into 12 different sections according to the clock grid 2000 .

In the illustrated example ( FIG. 3 ), the golf club head 100 includes one or more weights located between the 11 o'clock line 2011 and the 9 o'clock line 2009 . Additionally, the golf club head 100 may include one or more weights located between the 3 o'clock line 2003 and the 5 o'clock line 2005 . One or more weights may be located on the exterior surface (crown or sole) of the golf club head, but the one or more weights may extend into the golf club head 100 or be formed within it. In some examples, the location of the weight structure 180 may be established against a wider area. For example, in this example, the weight structure 180 and the weights may be located near the toe 122 and crown 116, at least partially adjacent to the 11 o'clock line 2011 and the 9 o'clock line 2009 of the clock grid 2000 between, and cross the 10 o'clock line 2010. In addition, in the example in which the weight structure 180 and the weight are close to the heel 120 and the bottom 118, at least partially adjacent to the clock grid 2000 between the 3 o'clock line 2003 and the 5 o'clock line 2005, and with the 4 o'clock line The o'clock line 2004 crossed. These weights can also be used to achieve a balance between a lower and rearward center of gravity, high moment of inertia, minimum Ixy product of inertia, and balanced Ixz product of inertia.

According to some embodiments not shown, the golf club may have additional weights between the 3 o'clock line 2003 and the 9 o'clock line to lower (or deepen) the center of gravity 170, or to increase Add Ixx or Iyy moment of inertia. The balance of the moment of inertia, the product of inertia and the position of the center of gravity can be adjusted by using additional weights to create the required inertia tensor and the position of the center of gravity. In some examples, a weight can be added between the 4 o'clock line 2004 and the 7 o'clock line 2007 to deepen the center of gravity 170 and increase the Iyy moment of inertia. In another example, a weight may be added between the 5 o'clock line 2005 and the 8 o'clock line 2008 .

In this example, the weight structure 180 protrudes inwardly from the outer contour of the base 118 toward the crown. In some examples, the weight structure 180 may have a mass of about 2 grams to about 50 grams, and/or a volume of about 1 cc to about 30 cc. In other examples, the weight structure 180 may remain flush with the outer contour of the body 102 .

In many embodiments, the one or more weights may have a mass of about 0.5 grams to about 30 grams, and may be replaced with one or more other similar removable weights, thereby adjusting the clubhead Center of gravity 170 position. In the same or other examples, the center of weights may include at least one of a center of gravity of the one or more weights and/or a geometric center of the one or more weights.

In one embodiment, referring to Figures 19-22, golf club head 300 includes heel weight assembly 330 and toe weight assembly affixed to body 302 (similar to body 102 of golf club 100) 331. The heel weight assembly 330 and the toe weight assembly 331 are attached to the body 302 through one or more holes 332 , which are respectively provided on the heel 320 and toe 322 sides of the golf club head 100 . . Heel weight assemblies 330 and toe weight assemblies 331 may employ any configuration of the weight system, including die casting, co-injection molding, or inline weight assemblies.

The heel counterweight assembly 330 and the toe weight assembly 331 include a counterweight 333 and one or more stainless steel fasteners 335 . The material of the weights, washers, and fasteners can be any metal, such as, but not limited to, tungsten, aluminum, titanium, steel, or stainless steel. Such a weight assembly may be attached and/or connected to the golf club head body prior to welding the ball striking face 304 to the body 302 . The weight assembly may also be attached or attached to the golf club head body after the ball striking face is welded to the body. Thereby, the weight 333 can be disposed in the inner cavity of the golf club head 300 . Arrange the heels like this The weight assembly 330 and the toe weight assembly 331 can replace the insert molding, while still achieving the balance between the inertia product and the center of gravity as described above.

19-22, the weight 333 of the heel weight assembly 330 is about 22.3 grams. In other embodiments, the mass of the weights 333 may be between 1 gram and 30 grams. In certain embodiments, the mass of the weights 333 may be 1 gram, 2 grams, 3 grams, 4 grams, 5 grams, 6 grams, 7 grams, 8 grams, 9 grams, 10 grams, 11 grams, 12 grams g, 13 g, 14 g, 15 g, 16 g, 17 g, 18 g, 19 g, 20 g, 21 g, 22 g, 23 g, 24 g, 25 g, 26 g, 27 g, 28 g, 29g or 30g.

19-22, the shape, geometry and design of the weights 333 are configured to abut against the inertia product area. The farther the counterweight is from the center of gravity, the greater the product of inertia becomes. Therefore, in this case, the heel weight 330 and the toe weight 331 are placed at extreme positions toward the high toe 322 and the low heel 320, thereby obtaining the maximum Ixy inertial product while balancing out (or canceling out) drop) Ixz inertial product term. Golf club head 300 is similar in size to golf club head 100 and includes clock grid 2000 (FIG. 3) as described above. For example, the heel weights 333 of Figures 19-21 are block-shaped, while the toe weights 333 of Figures 19 and 22 are plate-shaped. For maximum Ixy product of inertia, toe weights 333 may be located near toe 322 and crown 316, at least partially adjacent between 11 o'clock line 2011 and 9 o'clock line 2009 of clock grid 2000, and with The 10 o'clock line 2010 crossed. Furthermore, the heel counterweight 331 may be located near the heel 320 and the bottom 318, at least partially adjacent to the clock grid 2000 between the 3 o'clock line 2003 and the 5 o'clock line 2005, and to the 4 o'clock line 2004. cross.

Heel and toe weights 330 , 331 are configured for cast titanium body 302 . If the material of the golf club head body 302 is changed, the shape, size and geometry of the weights will also be reconfigured to exactly satisfy the product of inertia formula listed above. For example, as described above, if the body 102 is made of the second composite material, the heel and toe weights 331 , 333 may be embedded (described below) or bonded to the body 102 .

The toe weight 331 of the weight 333 shown in FIGS. 19 to 22 weighs about 10.8 gram. In other embodiments, the mass of the weights 333 may be between 1 gram and 30 grams. In certain embodiments, the mass of the weights 333 may be 1 gram, 2 grams, 3 grams, 4 grams, 5 grams, 6 grams, 7 grams, 8 grams, 9 grams, 10 grams, 11 grams, 12 grams , 13g, 14g, 15g, 16g, 17g, 18g, 19g, 20g, 21g, 22g, 23g, 24g, 25g, 26g, 27g, 28g, 29 grams and 30 grams.

iv. Built-in counterweights

In certain embodiments, the golf club head 100 includes one or more built-in weights, with or instead using one or more removable weights. In many embodiments, the one or more inline weights are permanently affixed on or within golf club head 300 . In certain embodiments, the inline weights may be similar to the high density metal parts (HDMP) described in US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/372,870, "Inline High Density Casting." In certain embodiments, if the body 102 comprises a composite material, the one or more in-line weights may be co-injected, overmolded, or adhered to the body 102 .

In many embodiments, the one or more inline weights are located proximate the high toe 122, behind the ball striking face 104 of the golf club head 100 (closer to the crown 116 and farther from the sole 118). In many embodiments, the one or more inline weights are located near the low heel 120 (closer to the sole 118 and farther from the crown 116 ), near the tail 110 of the golf club head 100 . For example, in this example, the one or more weights may be located near the toe 122 and crown 116, at least partially adjacent to the 11 o'clock line 2011 and the 9 o'clock line 2009 of the clock grid 2000 time, and crosses the 10 o'clock line 2010. Furthermore, in the example in which the one or more weights are located proximate the heel 120 and the base 118, at least partially adjacent between the 3 o'clock line 2003 and the 5 o'clock line 2005 of the clock grid 2000, and Cross the 4 o'clock line 2004.

In many embodiments, the one or more inline weights are positioned within 0.10 inches, within 0.20 inches of the outer perimeter of golf club head 100 from a top or bottom view ( FIG. 3 ). , within 0.30 inches, within 0.40 inches, within 0.50 inches, within 0.60 inches, within 0.70 inches within 0.80 inches, within 0.90 inches, within 1.0 inches, within 1.1 inches, within 1.2 inches, within 1.3 inches, within 1.4 inches, or within 1.5 inches . In these embodiments, placing the inline weights near the perimeter of the golf club head 100 maximizes the lower and rearward center of gravity position of the club head, the crown-to-sole moment of inertia Ixx, the Ixy, and/or the heel Moment of inertia Iyy from top to toe.

In many embodiments, the one or more inline weights may have a mass between 3.0 and 50 grams. For example, in certain embodiments, the mass of the one or more inline weights is between 3.0 and 25 grams, between 10 and 30 grams, between 20 and 40 grams, or between 30 grams and 50 grams. In embodiments where the one or more built-in weights include more than one weight, the mass of each built-in weight may be the same or different.

In many embodiments, the specific gravity of the one or more inline weight materials is between 6.0 and 22.0. For example, in many embodiments, the specific gravity of the one or more inline weight materials is greater than 10.0, greater than 11.0, greater than 12.0, greater than 13.0, greater than 14.0, greater than 15.0, greater than 16.0, greater than 17.0, greater than 18.0, or greater than greater than 19.0. In embodiments where the one or more inline weights include more than one weight, each inline weight may comprise the same or a different material.

v. Steep crown angle

4-6, in certain embodiments, the golf club head 100 may further include a steep crown angle 188 such that the center of gravity of the club head is positioned lower and rearward. The steep crown angle 188 positions the rear end of the crown 116 toward the sole 118 or the ground, thereby lowering the golf club head center of gravity position.

Crown angle 188 refers to the acute angle between crown axis 1040 and anterior plane 1020 . In these embodiments, crown axis 1040 is located on a cross-section of the golf club head drawn along a plane perpendicular to ground plane 1030 and front plane 1020 . The coronal shaft 1040 may be further described with reference to the top transitional demarcation and the trailing transitional demarcation.

The top transition boundary of the golf club head 100 extends between the front end 108 and the crown 116 from near the heel 120 to near the toe 122 . along a simultaneous perpendicular to the front plane 1020 and The golf club head 100 in the ready-to-hit position has a crown transition profile 190 at its top transition boundary in a cross-sectional side view drawn in the plane of the ground plane 1030 . This side cross-sectional view may be drawn at any point along golf club head 100 from near heel 120 to near toe 122 . The front end radius of curvature 192 of the crown transition profile 190 extends from the front end 108 of the golf club head 100 (where the profile separates from the ball striking face 104 roll and/or lug radius) to the crown transition point 194 (shown from the Curvature change from front radius of curvature 192 to crown 116 curvature). In certain embodiments, the nose radius of curvature 192 comprises a single radius of curvature from the tip 193 of the face perimeter 142 near the crown 116 (where the contour is separated from the roll radius and/or the bulge radius of the face 104 ) ) to crown transition point 194 (showing one or more curvature changes from leading radius of curvature 192 to crown 116).

The golf club head 100 also includes a trailing transition boundary extending between the crown 116 and the periphery 128 from near the heel 120 to near the toe 122 . In a side cross-sectional view taken along a plane perpendicular to both front plane 1020 and ground plane 1030, golf club head 100 in a ready-to-hit position has a trailing end transition profile 196 at its trailing end transition boundary. This side cross-sectional view may be drawn at any point along golf club head 100 from near heel 120 to near toe 122 . The tail radius of curvature 198 of the tail transition profile 196 extends from the crown 116 of the golf club head 100 to the periphery 128 . In many embodiments, the tip radius of curvature 198 comprises a single radius of curvature that transitions from the crown 116 to the periphery 128 of the golf club head 100 along the tip transition boundary. The first aft transition point 202 is located at the junction between the crown 116 and the aft transition boundary. The second tail end transition point 203 is located at the junction between the tail end transition boundary and the outer periphery 128 of the golf club head 100 .

The front end radius of curvature 192 of the top transition boundary from near the heel 120 of the golf club head 100 to near the toe 122 may remain constant or vary. Likewise, the trailing radius of curvature 198 of the trailing transition boundary may remain constant from near the heel 120 of the golf club head 100 to near the toe 122, or may vary.

The crown axis 1040 extends at the crown transition near the front end 108 of the golf club head 100 Between point 194 and the end transition point 202 near the rear end 110 of the golf club head 100 . The crown angle 188 may remain constant from near the heel 120 of the golf club head 100 to near the toe 122, or may vary. For example, crown angle 188 may vary in cross-sectional side views drawn at different locations relative to heel 120 and toe 122 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the crown angle 188 near the toe 122 is about 72.25 degrees, the crown angle 188 near the heel 120 is about 64.5 degrees, and the crown angle 188 near the center of the golf club head is about 64.2 degrees Spend. In many embodiments, the maximum crown angle 188 is less than 79 degrees, less than about 78 degrees, less than about 77 degrees, less than about 76 degrees, less than About 75 degrees, less than about 74 degrees, less than about 73 degrees, less than about 72 degrees, less than about 71 degrees, less than about 70 degrees, less than about 69 degrees, or less than about 68 degrees. For example, in certain embodiments, the maximum crown angle is between 50 and 79 degrees, between 60 and 79 degrees, or between 70 and 79 degrees.

In other embodiments, the crown angle 188 near the toe 122 of the golf club head 100 may be less than about 79 degrees, less than about 78 degrees, less than about 77 degrees, less than about 76 degrees, less than about 75 degrees, less than about 74 degrees, Less than about 73 degrees, less than about 72 degrees, less than about 71 degrees, less than about 70 degrees, less than about 69 degrees, or less than about 68 degrees. For example, crown angle 188 may be less than 79 degrees, less than 78 degrees, less than 77 degrees, less than 76 degrees, less than 75 degrees, Less than 74 degrees, less than 73 degrees, less than 72 degrees, less than 71 degrees, less than 70 degrees, less than 69 degrees, or less than 68 degrees.

Also, in other embodiments, the crown angle 188 near the heel 120 may be less than about 70 degrees, less than about 69 degrees, less than about 68 degrees, less than about 67 degrees, less than about 66 degrees, less than about 65 degrees, less than about 64 degrees, less than about 63 degrees, less than about 62 degrees, less than about 61 degrees, less than about 60 degrees, less than about 59 degrees. For example, crown angle 188 may be less than about 70 degrees, less than about 69 degrees, less than about 68 degrees, small At about 67 degrees, less than about 66 degrees, less than about 65 degrees, less than about 64 degrees, less than about 63 degrees, less than about 62 degrees, less than about 61 degrees, less than about 60 degrees, less than about 59 degrees.

Furthermore, in other embodiments, the crown angle 188 near the center of the golf club head 100 may be less than 75 degrees, less than 74 degrees, less than 73 degrees, less than 72 degrees, less than 71 degrees, less than about 70 degrees, less than about 69 degrees , less than about 68 degrees, less than about 67 degrees, less than about 66 degrees, less than about 65 degrees, less than about 64 degrees, less than about 63 degrees, less than about 62 degrees, less than about 61 degrees, less than about 60 degrees, less than about 59 degrees . For example, in a side cross-sectional view at the geometric center 140 of the ball striking face 104, the crown angle 188 may be less than about 70 degrees, less than about 69 degrees, less than about 68 degrees, less than about 67 degrees, less than about 66 degrees, less than about 65 degrees , less than about 64 degrees, less than about 63 degrees, less than about 62 degrees, less than about 61 degrees, less than about 60 degrees, less than about 59 degrees.

In many embodiments, reducing the crown angle 188 compared to current golf club heads can result in a steeper crown, or bring the crown closer to the ground plane 1030 when the golf club head 100 is in a ready-to-hit position. Accordingly, reducing the crown angle 188 may result in a lower center of gravity position of the head compared to golf club heads with high crown angles.

<b>IV. Aerodynamic drag</b>

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 has a lower and rearward golf club head center of gravity location, an increased golf club head moment of inertia, a high Ixy product of inertia, plus reduced aerodynamic drag.

In many embodiments, golf club head 100 experiences aerodynamic drag of less than about 1.5 lbf, less than 1.4 lbf, less than 1.3 lbf when tested in a wind tunnel with square faces and winds at 102 miles per hour (mph) airflow velocity force or less than 1.2 lbf. In these or other embodiments, the golf club head 100 experiences less than about 1.5 lbf, less than 1.4 lbf of aerodynamic drag when a computational fluid dynamics simulation is performed with a square face and an air mobility of 102 miles per hour (mph). ,little at 1.3 lbf or less. In these embodiments, the square-face airflow experienced by golf club head 100 is directed towards ball striking face 104 in a direction perpendicular to the X'Y' plane. Golf club head 100 aerodynamic drag can be reduced in a number of ways, as described below.

i. Crown angle height

In some embodiments, reducing the crown angle 188 to form a steeper crown and a lower CG position may increase aerodynamic drag due to increased airflow separation on the crown during swing. In order to avoid the increase in drag caused by reducing the crown angle 188, the maximum crown height 204 can be raised. 4, maximum crown height 204 refers to the maximum distance between the surface of crown 116 and crown axis 1040 in a cross-sectional view of either side of golf club head 100 drawn along a plane parallel to the Y'Z' plane . In many embodiments, the greater the maximum crown height 204, the greater the curvature of the crown 116. If the curvature of the crown portion 116 is large, the air flow separation on the golf club head 100 will be more rearward during the swing. In other words, increasing the curvature can lengthen the distance that the airflow travels along the crown 116 against the golf club head 100 during the swing. Moving the airflow separation point back on crown 116 helps to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase golf club head swing speed, thereby increasing ball speed and distance.

In many embodiments, the maximum crown height 204 may be greater than about 0.20 inches (5 mm), greater than about 0.30 inches (7.5 mm), greater than about 0.40 inches (10 mm), greater than about 0.50 inches inches (12.5 mm), greater than about 0.60 inches (15 mm), greater than about 0.70 inches (17.5 mm), greater than about 0.80 inches (20 mm), greater than about 0.90 inches (22.5 mm) , or greater than about 1.0 inches (25 mm). Furthermore, in other embodiments, the maximum crown height may range from 0.20 inches (5 mm) to 0.60 inches (15 mm), or from 0.40 inches (10 mm) to 0.80 inches (20 inches). mm), or 0.60 inches (15 mm) to 1.0 inches (25 mm). For example, in certain embodiments, the maximum crown height 404 may be about 0.52 inches (13.3 mm), about 0.54 inches (13.8 mm), about 0.59 inches (15 mm), about 0.65 inches (16.5 mm) or approximately 0.79 inches (20 mm).

ii. Transition profile

In many embodiments, transition profiles of the golf club head 100 from the ball striking face 104 to the crown 116 , from the ball striking face 104 to the sole 118 , and/or from the crown 116 to the sole 118 along the rear end 110 of the golf club head 100 may be possible Affects the aerodynamic drag of the golf club head 100 when swinging.

In certain embodiments, the top transition boundary of the golf club head 100 has a crown transition profile 190 and the tail transition boundary has a tail transition profile 196 , the golf club head 100 further includes a sole transition boundary with a sole transition profile 210 . The bottom transition boundary extends between the front end 108 and the bottom 118 from near the heel 120 to near the toe 122 . In a side cross-sectional view drawn along a plane parallel to the Y'Z' plane, the bottom transition boundary can be seen to include a bottom transition profile 210 . This side cross-sectional view may be drawn at any point along golf club head 100 from near heel 120 to near toe 122 . The sole radius of curvature 212 of the sole transition profile 210 extends from the front end 108 of the golf club head 100 (where the profile exits the ball striking face 104 roll radius and/or the bulge radius) to the sole transition point 214 (shown from the sole radius of curvature) 212 to the curvature change of the bottom 118 curvature). In some embodiments, the sole radius of curvature 212 comprises a single radius of curvature from the bottom end 213 of the face perimeter 142 near the sole 118 (where the contour departs from the face 104 roll radius and/or the bulge radius ) to the bottom transition point 214 (showing the change in curvature from the bottom curvature radius 212 to the bottom 214 curvature).

In many embodiments, the crown transition profile 190, sole transition profile 210, and tail transition profile 196 may be similar to those described in US Pat. No. 15/233,486 "Golf Club Head With Transition Profiles for Reduced Aerodynamic Drag" Described crown transition, bottom transition and tail transition profile. Also, the leading radius of curvature 192 may be similar to the first crown radius of curvature, the bottom radius of curvature 212 may be similar to the first bottom radius of curvature, and the trailing radius of curvature 198 may be similar to the trailing radius of curvature, as described in US Pat. No. 15/233,486 As described in Case No. "Golf Club Heads with Transitional Contours to Reduce Aerodynamic Drag."

In certain embodiments, the nose radius of curvature 192 may range from about 0.18 to 0.30 inches (0.46 to 0.76 cm). Furthermore, in other embodiments, the front end curvature radius 192 may be less than 0.40 inches (1.02 cm), less than 0.375 inches (0.95 cm), less than 0.35 inches (0.89 cm), less than 0.325 inches (0.83 cm) or less than 0.30 inches and 0.76 cm). For example, the nose radius of curvature 192 may be approximately 0.18 inches (0.46 cm), 0.20 inches (0.51 cm), 0.22 inches (0.66 cm), 0.24 inches (0.61 cm), 0.26 inches (0.66 cm), 0.28 inches (0.71 cm) or 0.30 inches (0.76 cm).

In certain embodiments, the bottom radius of curvature 212 may range from approximately 0.25 to 0.50 inches (0.76 to 1.27 centimeters). For example, the bottom radius of curvature 212 may be less than about 0.5 inches (1.27 cm), less than about 0.475 inches (1.21 cm), less than about 0.45 inches (1.14 cm), less than about 0.425 inches (1.08 cm), or less than about 0.40 inches (1.02 cm). As another example, the bottom radius of curvature 212 may be approximately 0.30 inches (0.76 cm), 0.35 inches (0.89 cm), 0.40 inches (1.02 cm), 0.45 inches (1.14 cm), or 0.50 inches (1.27 cm) ).

In certain embodiments, the trailing radius of curvature 198 may range from about 0.10 to 0.25 inches (0.25 to 0.64 centimeters). For example, the trailing radius of curvature 198 may be less than about 0.30 inches (0.76 cm), less than about 0.275 inches (0.70 cm), less than about 0.25 inches (0.64 cm), less than about 0.225 inches (0.57 cm), or less than About 0.20 inches (0.51 cm). As another example, the trailing radius of curvature 198 may be approximately 0.10 inches (0.25 cm), 0.15 inches (0.38 cm), 0.20 inches (0.51 cm), or 0.25 inches (0.64 cm).

iii. Turbulence Structure

7, in certain embodiments, the golf club head 100 may further include a plurality of turbulent flow structures 215, such as US Patent Application Serial No. 13/536,753, issued December 17, 2013 as US Patent No. 8,608,587 " Golf Club Heads with Turbulent Flow Structures and Methods of Making Golf Club Heads with Turbulent Flow Structures," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In many embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 can break up the airflow, thereby creating a Small vortices or turbulence are created, thus energizing the boundary layer and delaying the separation of the airflow over the crown 116 during the swing.

In certain embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 may adjoin the crown transition point 194 of the golf club head 100 . The turbulent structure 215 protrudes from the outer surface of the crown 116 and has a length extending between the forward end 108 and rear end 110 of the golf club head 100 and a width extending from the heel 120 to the toe 122 of the golf club head 100 . In many embodiments, the length of the turbulent structures 215 is greater than the width. In some embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 may comprise the same width. In certain embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 may have different heights. In some embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 may be elevated from the front of the crown 116 toward the top of the crown 116 . In other embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 may increase in height toward the front of the crown 116 and decrease in height toward the top of the crown 116 . In other embodiments, the turbulent structures 215 may comprise a fixed height. Furthermore, in many embodiments, at least a portion of the at least one turbulent structure is located between the ball striking face 104 and the tip of the crown 116, and the spacing of adjacent turbulent structures is greater than the width of each of the adjacent turbulent structures.

<b>V. Balance of product of inertia, moment of inertia, position of center of gravity and resistance</b>

The golf clubs described below utilize several relationships to balance the golf club head moment of inertia, product of inertia, and lower and rear center of gravity positions while maintaining or reducing aerodynamic drag. By balancing the relationship between the center of gravity, moment of inertia, product of inertia and resistance, it can improve the performance characteristics of the ball (such as avoiding side spin from high and low hitting positions, initial launch angle, ball speed and latitude) and swing performance Characteristics (eg aerodynamic drag, club head return ability on impact, swing speed). This balance applies to the golf club head 100 of the tee type.

<b>a. Balance of product of inertia (Ixy ratio) and height of center of gravity</b>

The Ixy ratio (Equation 5 below) represents the ratio of the bilateral symmetry of the golf club head 100 on the x-axis 1050 to the bilateral symmetry of the golf club head 100 on the y-axis 1060 . The Ixy ratio is the αz term multiplied by the moment and is therefore the ultimate contributor to the angular acceleration (αy) on the y-axis 1060. The greater the Ixy ratio, the greater the club-to-Gal The greater the effect of rotational speed on the golf club head 100 xy axis, the more consistent impact characteristics are produced as the golf club head 100 rotation cancels out the side spin due to the difference between the face angle and the golf club head path (i.e. Tolerance for off-center shots).

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0007.tif" /></maths>

In current golf club head designs, increasing the Ixy product of inertia of the golf club head 100 may negatively affect other performance characteristics of the golf club head 100, such as the center of gravity height 174 (the distance between the center of gravity and the midplane of the golf club head). The golf club head 100 of the present invention increases or maximizes the Ixy product of inertia of the golf club head while maintaining or reducing the center of gravity height 174 . Accordingly, the golf club head 100 with better performance characteristics (eg, spin, latitude, initial shot) can also balance or improve the performance characteristics of the golf club (eg, aerodynamic resistance, club return ability on impact) .

To increase Ixy, ideal placement locations for discretionary mass are in the high toe area (between the 11 o'clock and 9 o'clock lines) and the low heel area (between the 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock lines) of the golf club head 100. in between). However, as is well known in the art, the lower the center of gravity height 174 (closer to the bottom), the better/ideal the initial shot of the golf ball at impact. The ideal setting chosen for the discretionary mass to increase Ixy would collide with the ideal setting for lowering the golf club head height of gravity 174.

Referring to Figure 15, many known golf club heads increase the height of the center of gravity as Ixy increases. The golf club head 100 of the present invention is capable of increasing or maximizing Ixy while maintaining a desired center of gravity height 174 compared to known golf club heads of similar volume and/or loft angle. Accordingly, a golf club head 100 with better performance characteristics (eg, spin, latitude, initial launch) can also balance and/or improve performance characteristics (eg, aerodynamic drag, club return on impact) ability).

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0008.tif" /></maths>

<b>b. Balance of product of inertia (Ixz ratio) and depth of center of gravity</b>

The Ixz ratio (Equation 6 below) represents the ratio between the x-axis 1050 bilateral symmetry of the golf club head 100 to the z-axis 1070 bilateral symmetry of the golf club head 100 . The Ixz ratio is the αz term multiplied by the moment and is therefore the ultimate contributor to the angular acceleration (αy) on the z-axis 1070. To create a balanced golf club head, the optimal size for Ixz is zero. However, if it cannot be zero, Ixz is preferably the size that is closest to zero and is not a positive value.

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0009.tif" /></maths>

In current golf club head designs, the act of canceling the Ixz product of inertia of the golf club head (zeroing the Ixz product of inertia magnitude) may negatively affect other performance characteristics of the golf club head, such as the CG depth of 172 (the center of gravity is distance between loft planes). The golf club head 100 of the present invention can cancel or zero the Ixz product of inertia of the golf club head 100 while maintaining the desired depth 172 of the center of gravity. Accordingly, the golf club head 100 with better performance characteristics (eg, spin, latitude, initial shot) can also balance or improve the performance characteristics of the golf club (eg, aerodynamic resistance, club return ability on impact) .

To offset (or zero) Ixz, the optimal placement of the discretionary mass is in the high toe region and low heel region of the golf club head 100 . However, as is well known in the art, the deeper the center of gravity depth 172 (farther away from the loft plane, toward the perimeter of the club tail), the better/ideal the initial shot of the golf ball upon impact. The ideal position for the discretionary mass to balance Ixz would collide with the ideal position for the discretionary mass to increase the depth of gravity 172 of the golf club head 100 .

17, for many known golf club heads, the center of gravity depth 172 also decreases as Ixz approaches zero. Compared to known golf club heads of similar volume and/or loft angle, the golf club head 100 of the present invention can cancel or zero the Ixz product of inertia, while maintaining the desired center of gravity depth 172 . Accordingly, the golf club head 100 having better ball performance characteristics (eg, spin, wide capacity, initial shot) can also balance and/or improve swing performance characteristics (eg, aerodynamic drag, club return on impact).

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0010.tif" /></maths>

<b>c. Balance of inertia product (Ixy ratio), resistance and center of gravity</b>

In many known golf club heads, moving the center of gravity back to increase the initial launch angle of the golf ball and/or increase the golf club head moment of inertia may negatively affect other performance characteristics of the golf club head, such as aerodynamics resistance and inertia. As shown in FIG. 16, for many known golf club heads having a volume and/or loft angle similar to the golf club head of the present case, as the golf club head CG depth 172 increases (to increase golf club head latitude and/or initial out- ball angle), the resistance of the swing will also increase (thus reducing the swing speed and the distance of the ball). For many known golf club heads, as the depth of the head's center of gravity increases, the drag force acting on the golf club head also increases and Ixy decreases.

Compared to known golf club heads having similar volumes and/or loft angles, the golf club head 100 of the present invention can balance the golf club head center of gravity depth 172 and I_xy inertia product while maintaining or reducing aerodynamic drag. Accordingly, the golf club head 100 can have better ball performance characteristics (such as spin, initial launch angle, ball speed and latitude) and can also balance or improve swing performance characteristics (such as aerodynamic resistance, club head at impact return ability and swing speed).

In many embodiments, the golf club head 100 satisfies the relationship that enables an increase in the head Ixy product of inertia ratio compared to known golf club heads, while maintaining or reducing the drag force on the golf club head 100 (F_d)。

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0011.tif" /></maths>

<b>d. Inertia product (Ixz ratio), balance of resistance and center of gravity</b>

In many known golf club heads, moving the center of gravity back to increase the initial launch angle of the golf ball and/or increase the inertia of the golf club head may negatively affect other performance characteristics of the golf club head, such as aerodynamic drag and product of inertia. As shown in Figure 18, for many known golf club heads having a volume and/or loft angle similar to the golf club head of the present case, as the depth of the golf club head center of gravity increases (to increase the golf club head latitude and/or initial angle of the ball), the resistance of the swing will also increase (thus reducing the swing speed and the distance of the ball). For many known golf club heads, as the depth of the center of gravity of the head increases, the drag force acting on the golf club head also increases and Ixz decreases (to a more negative magnitude).

Compared to known golf club heads of similar volume and/or loft angle, the golf club head of the present invention may increase or maximize golf club head depth of gravity and Ixz product of inertia, while maintaining or reducing aerodynamic drag. Accordingly, the golf club head can have better performance characteristics (such as spin, initial launch angle, ball speed and latitude) and can also balance or improve the performance characteristics of the golf club (such as aerodynamic resistance, club head return on impact positive ability and swing speed).

In many embodiments, the golf club head satisfies the following relationship, thereby enabling the head Ixz product of inertia ratio to be balanced, while maintaining or reducing drag on the golf club head (F_d)。

<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0012.tif" /></maths>

<b>VI. Example Golf Club Head Balancing Product of Inertia, Center of Gravity Position, Moment of Inertia, and Aerodynamic Resistance</b>

The example golf club heads described herein have similar dimensions (length, width, height, depth, CG height, CG depth) as golf club head 100 and similar weight placement as golf club head 300 . An example golf club head has a volume of 466cc, a depth of 4.81 inches, a length of 5.10 inches, and a height of 2.57 inches. Example golf club heads have a plurality of thinned areas on the crown (like Similar to that employed in golf club head 100), comprising 57% of the crown surface area, and having a minimum thickness of 0.013 inches. The example golf club head further includes a crown angle of 68.6 degrees (similar to that employed by golf club head 100) and a crown angle height of 0.522 inches.

The example golf club head includes two tungsten-containing inlay weights with a specific gravity of 14SG and a mass of 16.6 grams and 22.8 grams. An inline weight is positioned near the toe and crown (similar to golf club head 300), at least partially adjacent to the clock grid between the 11 o'clock and 9 o'clock lines and to the 10 o'clock line The clock lines cross (this clock grid is the same as that referenced by golf club head 100). Furthermore, the second built-in weight is located near the heel and the bottom, at least partially adjacent to the clock grid between the 3 o'clock line and the 5 o'clock line, and crossing the 4 o'clock line. In this example, the structure of the golf club head can form the following inertia tensor matrix:<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0013.tif" /></maths>

With the above and/or additional parameters, the example golf club head has a CG depth of 1.36 inches and a CG height of 0.14 inches. In addition, due to the influence of the above and/or additional parameters, the crown-to-sole moment of inertia Ixx of the example golf club head is 2,684g. cm², the moment of inertia Iyy from heel to toe is 4,684g. cm², Ixy inertia product is 164g. cm², Ixz inertia product is -154g. cm², the combined inertia moment Ixx+Iyy is 7,368g. cm²。

This example golf club head further includes a nose radius of curvature of 0.24 inches (similar to that of golf club head 100), a sole radius of curvature of 0.30 inches, and a trailing radius of curvature of 0.20 inches. With the above and/or additional parameters, the aerodynamic drag of the example golf club head was 0.95 lbf when run in a computational fluid dynamics simulation with a square face and an air velocity of 102 miles per hour (mph).

Example golf club heads compared to controls with the same height, length and volume Golf clubs (hereinafter referred to as "control clubs"). The control club had only one weight at the outer periphery of the head end. And, the control club contains the following inertia tensor matrix:<maths><img file="TW202204015A_D0014.tif" /></maths>

Compared to the control club, the Ixx of the example golf club head was reduced by 27.5% and the Iyy was reduced by 6%. The CG depth of the sample golf club head was 27% lower than that of the control club, and the CG height was 68% lower. However, the example golf club head had an 18.4% increase in Izz, a 4,977% increase in Ixy, and a 73% increase in Ixz compared to the control club.

Figure 23 shows the sidespin of the control club and the sample club when hitting the high and low positions. The horizontal axis of Figure 23 represents the impact height on the face, where the origin is the geometric center, negative values are below the center, and positive values are above the center. The vertical axis of FIG. 23 represents the side spin (revolutions per minute) produced by the golf ball at impact, with positive values for right spin and negative values for left spin.

Referring to Figure 23, if the golf ball impact point is in the range of 0.1 inch to 1 inch below center, the example club can almost completely eliminate unwanted side spin. In particular, when the golf ball impact point was 0.6 inches below the geometric center, the example golf club head reduced side spin by about 125 RPM compared to the control club. When the golf ball hits 0.4 inches below center, the example club reduces sidespin by about 75RPM.

Referring back to Figure 23, unwanted side spin is also greatly reduced when the golf ball hits above the center. However, the large right spin (about 50 RPM to about 150 RPM) of the control club transitioned into a very small left spin (about 0 RPM to about 45 RPM). Thus, it can be seen that although the Ixx and Iyy of the example golf club head is lower than that of the control club, the example golf club head can effectively reduce or even eliminate harmful side spin when a golf ball hits above or below center. The reduction (or elimination) of side spin in an example golf club head may provide Greater latitude in terms of Ixx than the control club.

Furthermore, the example golf club head described has only a 6.8% reduction in the Iyy term, thus maintaining optimal latitude when the golf ball strikes toward the toe or heel. The Iyy moment of inertia is usually boosted to a maximum, as evidenced by the control clubs. However, with a slight decrease in Iyy and a large increase in the Ixz and Ixy terms, the example golf club head is able to increase latitude in all four directions away from the geometric center (toe, heel, crown, and sole), rather than as The control clubs generally improved only in the direction of the heel and toe.

Exemplary golf club heads balance increased latitude (through a balanced moment of inertia and product of inertia), and a low center of gravity that is both low and deep, providing ideal initial launch conditions. Driving golf club heads need to provide high launch and low spin flight in order to achieve high and long ball travel. When the CG height and CG depth of the example golf club head match the inertia tensor (achieved by in-line weights, similar to those used in golf club head 300), a high launch, low spin, and relatively straight (Increased latitude contributes to the balance of product of inertia and moment of inertia) Drive.

Finally, it should be known that the example club balances the inertia tensor and center of gravity parameters while maintaining a steep nose radius of curvature, bottom radius of curvature, and trailing radius of curvature. Under these and/or other parameters, the aerodynamic drag of the example golf club head was 0.95 lbf, equal to the control golf club head. However, as discussed above, this example golf club head is able to increase latitude while still maintaining swing speed (due to low drag), and has desirable performance characteristics (high initial launch due to CG height and CG depth and low spin).

Replacement of one or more of the requested elements is a retrofit and not a repair. Furthermore, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause or accentuate any benefits, advantages, or solutions should not be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims.

Because the rules of golf may evolve over time (for example, as the USGA Golf Standards Organizations and/or Governing Entities such as the USGA, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&amp;A), etc. may adopt new rules or obsolete or modify old rules), regarding the apparatus, methods and articles of golf described herein Equipment may or may not comply with the Rules of Golf at a particular point in time. Accordingly, golf equipment with respect to the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be advertised, sold, and/or sold as compliant or non-compliant golf equipment. The devices, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard.

The above examples are described with reference to golf woods (ie, a driver, a fairway wood). The devices, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applied to other types of golf clubs, such as hybrid golf clubs, irons, wedges, or putters. Alternatively, the devices, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applied to other types of sporting goods, such as hockey sticks, tennis rackets, fishing rods, ski poles, and the like.

Moreover, the embodiments and/or limitations described herein are not contributed to the public based on the principle of contribution if they meet the following conditions: (1) are not explicitly claimed in the scope of the patent application; and (2) are elements in the scope of the patent application based on equality and/or limited equivalents or partial equivalents.

The various features and advantages of the present invention are described in the following claims.