Golf Club Head With Tubes Connecting Crown to Elongated Protrusion

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a body and a plurality of tubes is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face section, a sole section with a protrusion extending upward and a crown section. The body defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of tubes extends from the crown section to the protrusion of the sole section.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body comprising a sole section, a crown section, a front section having an opening, a hollow interior, and an elongated protrusion extending upward from the sole section into the hollow interior;   a face component positioned over the opening, the face component comprising a striking plate portion; and   a plurality of tubes,   wherein each of the plurality of tubes is disposed within a hollow interior of the body and extends from the crown section to the elongated protrusion,   wherein the elongated protrusion of the sole section comprises a plurality of bosses, each of the plurality of bosses corresponding to a tube of the plurality of tubes,   wherein each of the plurality of bosses extends upwards from an upper surface of the elongated protrusion,   wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a mass of 0.5 gram to 3 grams,   wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a diameter ranging from 2 millimeters to 5 millimeters,   wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a length ranging from 30 millimeters to 60 millimeters,   wherein the plurality of tubes ranges from two tubes to eight tubes, and   wherein each of the plurality of tubes is glued into its corresponding boss.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the crown section comprises a plurality of crown apertures, and wherein each of the plurality of crown apertures corresponds to a tube of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the face component and the body is composed of a metal material. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head according to  claim 3 , wherein the face component is composed of a metal that is different from the metal of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head according to  claim 3 , wherein the face component is welded over the opening. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the face component and the body is composed of a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the face component has a varying thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongated protrusion comprises a base section and an extension section, and wherein the extension section extends above an internal surface of the sole section and toward the striking plate. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 420 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters and a mass of 180 grams to 215 grams. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the tubes of the plurality of tubes is composed of a carbon material. 
     
     
         11 . A wood-type golf club head comprising:
 a body comprising a crown section, a front section having an opening, a hollow interior, and a sole section having an elongated protrusion extending from a first side of the body to a second side of the body and upward into the hollow interior, the body composed of a metal material;   a face component composed of a metal material positioned over the opening and welded to the body, the face component comprising a striking plate portion; and   a plurality of carbon tubes, each of the plurality of tubes disposed within a hollow interior of the body and extending from the crown section to the elongated protrusion,   wherein the elongated protrusion of the sole section comprises a plurality of bosses,   wherein each of the plurality of bosses extends from an upper surface of the elongated protrusion,   wherein each of the plurality of bosses corresponds to a tube of the plurality of carbon tubes,   wherein each of the plurality of carbon tubes is glued into its corresponding boss,   wherein the metal material is selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy and steel,   wherein the striking plate portion comprises a variable thickness,   wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 420 to 470 cubic centimeters and a mass of 180 to 215 grams, and   wherein the face has a characteristic time that does not exceed 257 microseconds.   
     
     
         12 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein the elongated protrusion comprises a base section and an extension section, and wherein the extension section extends above an internal surface of the sole section and toward the striking plate portion. 
     
     
         13 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of carbon tubes ranges from two carbon tubes to eight carbon tubes. 
     
     
         14 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon tubes has a diameter ranging from 2 millimeters to 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         15 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon tubes has a length ranging from 30 millimeters to 60 millimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein the crown section comprises a plurality of crown apertures, and wherein each of the plurality of crown apertures corresponds to a tube of the plurality of carbon tubes. 
     
     
         17 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein the elongated protrusion comprises at least 20% of a mass of the body. 
     
     
         18 . The wood-type golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon tubes is positioned rearward from the interior surface of the striking plate portion a distance ranging from 2 millimeters to 11 millimeters.