Iron-Type Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads with Contoured Surfaces

Abstract

Iron-type golf club heads according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure include a ball striking surface, a rear surface, and a sole surface. The sole surface may have a maximum width and a minimum width. The minimum width may be located adjacent to a heel edge. The maximum width may be located between a ball striking centerline and a toe edge. The width of the sole surface may monotonically increase from the minimum width to the maximum width. Further, a sole trailing edge may have an S-shaped profile that extends between the maximum width and the minimum width. A lower rear surface region may have a substantially flat portion located to the toe-side of the centerline and an indented, complexly-curved portion located to the heel-side of the centerline.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and having a ball striking area defining a heel-side boundary line, a toe-side boundary line and a ball striking centerline;   a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface; and   a sole surface extending rearward from a leading edge of the sole surface at an intersection with the ball striking surface to a trailing edge of the sole surface at an intersection with the rear surface and extending from a heel edge to a toe edge,   the sole surface having a maximum width and a minimum width, the widths measured horizontally when the club head is in a reference position,   wherein the minimum width is located adjacent to the heel edge,   wherein the maximum width is located between the ball striking centerline and the toe edge,   wherein the width of the sole surface monotonically increases from the minimum width to the maximum width, and   wherein the trailing edge of the sole surface has an S-shaped profile that extends between the maximum width and the minimum width.   
     
     
         2 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the minimum width is between approximately 3.5 mm and approximately 9.0 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the maximum width is between approximately 25.0 mm and approximately 31.0 mm 
     
     
         4 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the maximum width is at least three times the minimum width. 
     
     
         5 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the S-shaped portion of the trailing edge extends from the toe edge to the ball striking centerline. 
     
     
         6 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the sole surface is substantially constant from the centerline to the toe edge. 
     
     
         7 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the minimum width is located between the heel-side boundary line and the centerline. 
     
     
         8 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the maximum width is located between the ball striking centerline and the toe-side boundary line. 
     
     
         9 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the sole surface monotonically increases from the heel-side boundary line to the centerline. 
     
     
         10 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the sole surface is substantially constant from the centerline to the toe-side boundary line. 
     
     
         11 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the club head is configured as a blade-type club head and a lower portion of the club head includes a thickened portion that extends from the heel to the toe. 
     
     
         12 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein an interface line defines the boundary between the upper portion and the lower portion and, at the ball striking centerline the interface line approximately bisects the height of the ball striking surface. 
     
     
         13 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a heel vertical gap dimension between the ground plane and the heel edge when the club is oriented in the reference position is approximately 5 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a toe vertical gap dimension between the ground plane and the toe edge when the club is oriented in the reference position is approximately 3 mm. 
     
     
         15 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball, wherein the ball striking surfaces defines a heel-side boundary line, a toe-side boundary line and a ball striking centerline;   a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface, the rear surface having an upper rear surface region, a lower rear surface region and an interface line defining the boundary therebetween; and   wherein the upper rear surface region is oriented substantially parallel to the ball striking surface and is bounded by the upper edge and the interface line,   wherein the lower rear surface region has a toe-side portion that extends at least from the ball striking centerline to the toe-side boundary line, and wherein the toe-side portion is oriented substantially vertically when the club head is in a reference position, and   wherein the lower rear surface region has a heel-side portion that extends from the toe-side portion to the heel, the heel-side portion having a rear profile dimension measured perpendicular to the ball striking surface, that monotonically decreases as it approaches the heel.   
     
     
         16 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , where the toe-side portion of the lower rear surface portion extends substantially parallel to the length direction of the club head. 
     
     
         17 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein, at the ball striking centerline, the interface line is located in the middle quintile of the height of the ball striking surface. 
     
     
         18 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein, when viewed from above and parallel to the ball striking surface, the toe-side portion of the lower rear surface region has a convexly-curved rear profile. 
     
     
         19 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein, when viewed from above and parallel to the ball striking surface, the heel-side portion of the lower rear surface region includes a concavely-curved rear profile portion. 
     
     
         20 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the maximum rear profile dimension of the lower rear surface region is nearer the toe than the heel. 
     
     
         21 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and having a grip-enhancing area defining a heel-side boundary line, a toe-side boundary line and a ball striking centerline;   a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface, the rear surface having an upper rear surface region, a lower rear surface region and an interface line defining the boundary therebetween; and   a sole surface extending rearward from the ball striking surface to the rear surface and extending from a heel edge to a toe edge,   wherein the sole surface has a maximum width and a minimum width, the widths measured horizontally when the club head is in a reference position, and wherein the width of the sole surface monotonically increases from the heel edge to the centerline, and   wherein, when viewed from above and parallel to the ball striking surface, the lower rear surface region has a complexly-curved rear profile that monotonically increases as it extends from the heel to the centerline and a convexly-curved rear profile between the centerline and the toe.   
     
     
         22 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the complexly-curved rear profile of the lower rear surface region extending between the heel to the centerline has a concave portion near the heel and a convex portion near the centerline. 
     
     
         23 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein, when viewed from below, the trailing edge of the sole surface has an S-shaped profile that extends between the maximum width and the minimum width. 
     
     
         24 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the lower rear surface region has a toe-side portion that extends at least from the ball striking centerline to the toe-side boundary line and wherein the toe-side portion is oriented substantially vertically when the club head is in a reference position. 
     
     
         25 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the lower rear surface region is oriented substantially parallel to the length dimension of the club head. 
     
     
         26 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the upper rear surface region is oriented substantially parallel to the ball striking surface.