US 11,717,730 B2
Golf club heads with energy storage characteristics
Martin R. Jertson, Phoenix, AZ (US); Eric J. Morales, Laveen, AZ (US); Cory S. Bacon, Cave Creek, AZ (US); Calvin Wang, Chandler, AZ (US); Xiaojian Chen, Phoenix, AZ (US); Ryan M. Stokke, Anthem, AZ (US); and Travis D. Milleman, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed by KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Jun. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/341,020.
Application 17/341,020 is a continuation of application No. 15/435,054, filed on Feb. 16, 2017, granted, now 11,027,177.
Application 15/435,054 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/920,484, filed on Oct. 22, 2015, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/313,215, filed on Mar. 25, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/295,565, filed on Feb. 16, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/206,152, filed on Aug. 17, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/131,739, filed on Mar. 11, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/105,460, filed on Jan. 20, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/105,464, filed on Jan. 20, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/068,232, filed on Oct. 24, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0291024 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. A63B 53/04 (2015.01); A63B 60/52 (2015.01)
CPC A63B 53/0466 (2013.01) [A63B 53/04 (2013.01); A63B 53/0475 (2013.01); A63B 60/52 (2015.10); A63B 53/045 (2020.08); A63B 53/0408 (2020.08); A63B 53/0412 (2020.08); A63B 53/0433 (2020.08); A63B 53/0437 (2020.08); A63B 2053/0491 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A golf club head comprising:
a hollow body formed between a sole and a crown;
a front end comprising a strikeface extending between the sole and the crown and being operative to impact a golf ball;
a rear end;
a heel region;
a toe region opposite the heel region; and
wherein a ground reference plane is defined such that the ground reference plane is tangential to and in contact with at least a portion of the sole, and a front reference plane is defined such that the front reference plane is perpendicular to the ground reference plane and both tangential to and in contact with a forward most point of the strikeface; and
wherein a loft plane is defined such that the loft plane is tangential to and in contact with a geometric center of the strikeface;
wherein the sole and strikeface comprise the same material;
wherein the sole defines a cavity on an outer surface of the sole and behind the strikeface, the cavity comprising:
a front edge coincident with an outer profile of the sole;
a front surface extending inward from the front edge;
a rear edge coincident with the outer profile of the sole;
a rear surface extending inward and forward from the rear edge;
a cavity length measured in a toe to heel direction;
wherein the cavity further comprises a main portion and an inset portion;
wherein the main portion extends inward from the outer profile of the sole between the front edge and the rear edge;
wherein the inset portion extends from the main portion toward the strikeface;
wherein a plurality of axes are defined extending parallel to the loft plane and through the front edge at each of a plurality of locations along the cavity length;
wherein the inset portion is separated from the main portion by a first plane defined by the plurality of axes;
wherein a reference line is perpendicular to the loft plane and extends through the front edge; and
wherein within a cross-sectional plane defined by the reference line, a depth of the cavity, measured parallel to the loft plane and from the rear surface to the reference line, is the greatest at an apex;
wherein an apex axis defines a maximum depth of the cavity at any location along the length of the cavity;
the front surface further comprises a side wall extending into the cavity from the front edge, and an inner wall extending into the cavity from the rear surface that extends forward from the rear edge;
the inset portion is positioned at a first angle to the side wall and a second angle to the inner wall;
the first angle ranges from 85 to 95 degrees;
the second angle ranges from 85 to 95 degrees;
wherein the cavity comprises the same material as the sole such that the strikeface, sole, and cavity comprise the same material.