US2024189672A1PendingUtilityA1

Golf club head with embedded tracking markers

69
Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COPriority: May 5, 2022Filed: Feb 23, 2024Published: Jun 13, 2024
Est. expiryMay 5, 2042(~15.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Mark Vincent Greaney
A63B 2209/02A63B 2024/0043A63B 2024/0056A63B 2209/10A63B 2220/833A63B 24/0003A63B 53/0408A63B 53/02A63B 53/0437A63B 53/0445A63B 53/0425A63B 2071/0658A63B 2071/0666A63B 2071/0625A63B 71/0622A63B 2225/50A63B 2220/805A63B 2071/0694A63B 69/3614
69
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a forward portion, comprising a strike face, and at least one tracking marker, configured to be tracked by a launch monitor and permanently embedded in the forward portion. The at least one tracking marker comprises a retroreflective surface that is more retroreflective than the strike face.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a forward portion, comprising a strike face;   a toe portion defining a toe side of the golf club head;   a heel portion defining a heel side of the golf club head, which is opposite the toe side of the golf club head;   a top portion defining a top side of the golf club head;   a sole portion defining a bottom side of the golf club head;   a rear portion defining a rear side of the golf club head, which is opposite the strike face; and   one or more markers configured to be tracked by a launch monitor, seated within a corresponding one of one or more recesses formed in at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion at a location away from the forward portion, and comprising a retroreflective surface that is more retroreflective than an external surface of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion immediately adjacent the one or more markers.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a driver-type golf club head. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a fairway-metal-type golf club head. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is an iron-type golf club head. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is a putter-type golf club head. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the one or more recesses is formed in the rear portion of the golf club head; and   at least one of the one or more markers is seated within the at least one of the one or more recesses formed in the rear portion of the golf club head.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 at least two of the one or more recesses are formed in the rear portion of the golf club head; and   at least two of the one or more markers are seated within corresponding ones of the at least two of the one or more recesses formed in the rear portion of the golf club head.   
     
     
         8 . The golf club head according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 at least three of the one or more recesses are formed in the rear portion of the golf club head; and   at least three of the one or more markers are seated within corresponding ones of the at least three of the one or more recesses formed in the rear portion of the golf club head.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club head according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the heel portion of the golf club head comprises a hosel;   at least one of the one or more recesses is formed in the hosel; and   at least one of the one or more tracking members is seated within the at least one of the one or more recesses formed in the hosel.   
     
     
         10 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers are embedded between two layers of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein each one of the one or more markers comprises a retroreflective layer that defines the retroreflective surface and comprises a pattern of retroreflective elements each made of an at least partially transparent material. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head according to  claim 11 , wherein each one of the one or more markers further comprises a cover fixed to the retroreflective layer so that air gaps are defined between the cover and the retroreflective elements. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head according to  claim 12 , wherein each one of the one or more markers further comprises an adhesive layer fixed to the retroreflective layer so that the retroreflective layer is interposed between the cover and the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the one or more recesses is formed in a rearward half of the golf club head; and   at least one of the one or more markers is seated within the at least one of the one or more recesses formed in the rearward half of the golf club head.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the one or more recesses is formed in a rearwardmost quarter of the golf club head; and   at least one of the one or more markers is seated within the at least one of the one or more recesses formed in the rearwardmost quarter of the golf club head.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 at least three of the one or more recesses is formed in the rearwardmost quarter of the golf club head; and   at least three of the one or more markers are seated in corresponding ones of the at least three of the one or more recesses formed in the rearwardmost quarter of the golf club head.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein an entirety of each one of the one or more markers is within the corresponding one of the one or more recesses. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein each one of the one or more markers defines an outermost surface of one of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more covers each at least partially inserted into a corresponding one of the one or more recesses over a corresponding one of the one or more tracking members seated within the corresponding one of the one or more recesses. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each one of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion comprises multiple layers;   one of the multiple layers defines an outermost surface of the golf club head; and   the one or more recesses formed in the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion are formed in the multiple layers of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion.   
     
     
         21 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the golf club head comprises multiple markers; and   at least one of the multiple markers has at least one of a size or shape that is different than the size or shape, respectively, of another one of the multiple markers.   
     
     
         22 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein each one of the one or more markers has a non-circular outer peripheral shape. 
     
     
         23 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers is configured to retroreflect infrared light having a wavelength between, and inclusive, of 725 nanometers (nm) and 1,250 nm. 
     
     
         24 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more markers is configured to retroreflect visible light having a wavelength between, and inclusive, of 400 nanometers (nm) and 700 nm. 
     
     
         25 . The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each one of the one or more markers protrudes no more than 0.05 millimeters relative to an outer surface, immediately surrounding the corresponding one of the one or more markers, of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion; and   the one or more markers are positioned below a crown portion of the golf club head.   
     
     
         26 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a forward portion, comprising a strike face;   a toe portion defining a toe side of the golf club head;   a heel portion defining a heel side of the golf club head, which is opposite the toe side of the golf club head;   a top portion defining a top side of the golf club head;   a sole portion defining a bottom side of the golf club head;   a rear portion defining a rear side of the golf club head, which is opposite the strike face; and   one or more markers configured to be tracked by a launch monitor, permanently embedded in at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion at a location away from the forward portion, and comprising a retroreflective surface that is more retroreflective than an external surface of the at least one of the toe portion, the heel portion, the top portion, the sole portion, and the rear portion immediately adjacent the one or more markers.

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