Golf club head

Abstract

A metalwood golf club head comprising a locally raised crown peak, wherein said crown peak defined as the highest point on an outer surface of the crown when the golf club head is grounded at prescribed lie and loft, a crown peak plane parallel to the ground plane, the crown peak plane passing through the crown peak, a crown cutoff plane parallel to the crown peak plane, the crown cutoff plane offset downwards towards said ground plane 5 mm along said y-axis from said crown peak plane, an upper crown portion located above said crown cutoff plane and defined by said crown cutoff plane and said outer surface of said crown, wherein a volume of said upper crown portion is greater than 2 cm 3 and less than 7 cm 3 .

1 . A metalwood golf club head, comprising:
 a striking face;   a posterior body portion comprising a crown and a sole, wherein said crown is connected to an upper portion of said striking face and said sole is connected to a lower portion of said striking face;   a hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head;   a toe side located opposite said heel side;   a coordinate system comprising:
 an x-axis parallel to a ground plane when said golf club head is grounded upon said ground plane according to the prescribed lie and loft of said golf club head, said x-axis substantially parallel to said striking face, said x-axis extending in a positive direction towards said heel of said golf club head; 
 a y-axis perpendicular to said x-axis, said y-axis perpendicular to said ground plane, said y-axis extending in a positive direction upwards toward said crown; 
 a z-axis perpendicular to said x-axis, said z-axis perpendicular to said y axis, said z-axis parallel to said ground plane, said z-axis extending in a positive direction forwards towards said striking face; 
   wherein said golf club head comprises a golf club head interior, wherein said crown comprises an outer surface, said outer surface opposite said golf club head interior;   wherein said crown comprises a crown peak, said crown peak defined as the highest point on said outer surface of said crown when said golf club head is grounded at a prescribed lie and loft;   a plurality of points located on said outer surface of said crown, said plurality of points all located along a first plane parallel to said y-axis and said x-axis when said golf club head is grounded at said prescribed lie and loft, said first plane passing through said crown peak, said plurality of points comprising:
 a Point A located at said crown peak; 
 a Point B located 10 mm heel-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point C located 20 mm heel-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point D located 10 mm toe-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point E located 20 mm toe-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than or equal to 0.117 and less than or equal to 0.310;   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than or equal to 0.100 and less than or equal to 0.392;   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than the absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point B; and   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than the absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point D.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said crown peak is located less than 68 mm above said ground plane, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than or equal to 0.122 and less than or equal to 0.293, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than or equal to 0.105 and less than or equal to 0.372. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than or equal to 0.133 and less than or equal to 0.293, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than or equal to 0.114 and less than or equal to 0.372. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than or equal to 0.122 and less than or equal to 0.261, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than or equal to 0.105 and less than or equal to 0.330. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point B is greater than or equal to 0.028 and less than or equal to 0.193, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point D is greater than or equal to 0.046 and less than or equal to 0.148. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point B is greater than or equal to 0.030 and less than or equal to 0.183, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point D is greater than or equal to 0.048 and less than or equal to 0.140. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a variable face thickness profile on an inside of said striking face, said variable face thickness profile comprising a thick central portion surrounded by a transition portion, said transition portion surrounded by a thin perimeter portion of the striking face, wherein a second plane is parallel to said y-axis and said z-axis, passes through a center of said thick central portion, wherein a third plane is parallel to said striking face at geometric face center, wherein a measurement axis is formed at the intersection of said second plane and said third plane, wherein a distance D 3  represents the distance measured between the top of said thin perimeter portion to the top of said thick central portion along said measurement axis and a distance D 4  represents the distance measured between the bottom of said thin perimeter portion to the bottom of said thick central portion along said measurement axis, wherein a ratio of said distance D 3  over said Distance D 4  is greater than 1.05. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein said ratio of said distance D 3  over said Distance D 4  is greater than 1.1 and less than 1.5. 
     
     
         9 . A metalwood golf club head, comprising:
 a striking face;   a posterior body portion comprising a crown and a sole, wherein said crown is connected to an upper portion of said striking face and said sole is connected to a lower portion of said striking face;   a hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head;   a toe side located opposite said heel side;   a coordinate system comprising:
 an x-axis parallel to a ground plane when said golf club head is grounded upon said ground plane according to a prescribed lie and loft of said golf club head, said x-axis substantially parallel to said striking face, said x-axis extending in a positive direction towards said heel of said golf club head; 
 a y-axis perpendicular to said x-axis, said y-axis perpendicular to said ground plane, said y-axis extending in a positive direction upwards toward said crown; 
 a z-axis perpendicular to said x-axis, said z-axis perpendicular to said y axis, said z-axis parallel to said ground plane, said z-axis extending in a positive direction forwards towards said striking face; 
   wherein said golf club head comprises a golf club head interior, wherein said crown comprises an outer surface, said outer surface opposite said golf club head interior;   wherein said crown comprises a crown peak, said crown peak defined as the highest point on said outer surface of said crown when said golf club head is grounded at said prescribed lie and loft;   a crown peak plane parallel to said ground plane, said crown peak plane passing through said crown peak;   a crown cutoff plane parallel to said crown peak plane, said crown cutoff plane offset downwards towards said ground plane 5 mm along said y-axis from said crown peak plane;   an upper crown portion located above said crown cutoff plane and defined by said crown cutoff plane and said outer surface of said crown;   wherein a volume of said upper crown portion is greater than 2 cm 3  and less than 7 cm 3 ;   a plurality of points located on said outer surface of said crown, said plurality of points all located along a first plane parallel to said y-axis and said x-axis when said golf club head is grounded at said prescribed lie and loft, said first plane passing through said crown peak, said plurality of points comprising:
 a Point A located at said crown peak; 
 a Point B located 10 mm heel-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point C located 20 mm heel-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point D located 10 mm toe-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point E located 20 mm toe-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than the absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point B; and   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than the absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point D.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein said volume of said upper crown portion is greater than 3 cm 3  and less than 6 cm 3 . 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said volume of said upper crown portion is greater than 3 cm 3  and less than 5 cm 3 . 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said volume of said upper crown portion is greater than 3 cm 3  and less than 4 cm 3 . 
     
     
         14 . The club head of  claim 9 , further comprising a variable face thickness profile on an inside of said striking face, said variable face thickness profile comprising a thick central portion surrounded by a transition portion, said transition portion surrounded by a thin perimeter portion of the striking face, wherein a second plane, parallel to said y-axis and said z-axis, passes through a center of said thick central portion, wherein a third plane is parallel to said striking face at geometric face center, wherein a measurement axis is formed at the intersection of said second plane and said third plane, wherein a distance D 3  represents the distance measured between the top of said thin perimeter portion to the top of said thick central portion along said measurement axis and a distance D 4  represents the distance measured between the bottom of said thin perimeter portion to the bottom of said thick central portion along said measurement axis, wherein a ratio of said distance D 3  over said Distance D 4  is greater than 1.05. 
     
     
         15 . The club head of  claim 14 , wherein said ratio of said distance D 3  over said Distance D 4  is greater than 1.1 and less than 1.5. 
     
     
         16 . A metalwood golf club head, comprising:
 a striking face;   a posterior body portion comprising a crown and a sole, wherein said crown is connected to an upper portion of said striking face and said sole is connected to a lower portion of said striking face;   a hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head;   a toe side located opposite said heel side;   a coordinate system comprising:
 an x-axis parallel to a ground plane when said golf club head is grounded upon said ground plane according to a prescribed lie and loft of said golf club head, said x-axis substantially parallel to said striking face, said x-axis extending in a positive direction towards said heel of said golf club head; 
 a y-axis perpendicular to said x-axis, said y-axis perpendicular to said ground plane, said y-axis extending in a positive direction upwards toward said crown; 
 a z-axis perpendicular to said x-axis, said z-axis perpendicular to said y-axis, said z-axis parallel to said ground plane, said z-axis extending in a positive direction forwards towards said striking face; 
   wherein said golf club head comprises a golf club head interior, wherein said crown comprises an outer surface, said outer surface opposite said golf club head interior;   wherein said crown comprises a crown peak, said crown peak defined as the highest point on said outer surface of said crown when said golf club head is grounded at said prescribed lie and loft;   a plurality of points located on said outer surface of said crown, said plurality of points all located along a first plane parallel to said y-axis and said x-axis when said golf club head is grounded at said prescribed lie and loft, said first plane passing through said crown peak, said plurality of points comprising:
 a Point A located at said crown peak; 
 a Point B located 10 mm heel-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point C located 20 mm heel-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point D located 10 mm toe-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
 a Point E located 20 mm toe-ward from said Point A along an axis parallel to said x-axis; 
   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than the absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point B; and   wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than the absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point D.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point B and said Point C is greater than or equal to 0.117 and less than or equal to 0.310 and wherein the absolute value of the slope between said Point D and said Point E is greater than or equal to 0.100 and less than or equal to 0.392. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point B is greater than or equal to 0.030 and less than or equal to 0.183, and wherein said absolute value of the slope between said Point A and said Point D is greater than or equal to 0.048 and less than or equal to 0.140. 
     
     
         19 . The club head of  claim 16 , further comprising a variable face thickness profile on an inside of said striking face, said variable face thickness profile comprising a thick central portion surrounded by a transition portion, said transition portion surrounded by a thin perimeter portion of the striking face, wherein a second plane is parallel to said y-axis and said z-axis passes through a center of said thick central portion, wherein a third plane is parallel to said striking face at geometric face center, wherein a measurement axis is formed at the intersection of said second plane and said third plane, wherein a distance D 3  represents the distance measured between the top of said thin perimeter portion to the top of said thick central portion along said measurement axis and a distance D 4  represents the distance measured between the bottom of said thin perimeter portion to the bottom of said thick central portion along said measurement axis, wherein a ratio of said distance D 3  over said Distance D 4  is greater than 1.1 and less than 1.5. 
     
     
         20 . The club head of  claim 16 , wherein said sole further comprises a flexure spaced from said striking face, said flexure comprising a front wall, an apex, and a rear wall, wherein said front wall and said rear wall both extend into said golf club head interior, and wherein said front wall and said rear wall are coupled at said apex.