Golf club head with l-shaped faceplate and dynamic lofting features

Abstract

Embodiments of an iron-type golf club head comprising an L-shaped faceplate configured for flexibility are described herein. The L-shaped faceplate comprises a strike face portion and a sole return that wraps around a leading edge of the golf club head. In some embodiments, the L-shaped faceplate further comprises a top rail extension and a toe extension that extend to the peripheries of the golf club head. The golf club head comprises a rear body configured to receive the L-shaped faceplate to form a hollow interior cavity. The rear body comprises a sole ledge configured to receive the sole return. In some embodiments, the golf club head further comprises a weight pad that overhangs a portion of the sole return. In some embodiments, the golf club head further comprises dynamic lofting features that increase the bending in the rear body.

1 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a faceplate and a rear body forming a club head body and enclosing a hollow interior cavity;   a top rail, a sole, a heel portion, and a toe portion, wherein:
 the club head body forms a front end, a rear end, a top rail periphery, a toe periphery, a heel periphery, and a sole periphery; 
 the faceplate is disposed at the front end; 
 the faceplate comprises a strike face, a back surface opposite the strike face, a leading edge proximate the sole, a sole return extending rearward from the back surface and forming at least a portion of the sole, and a faceplate perimeter, wherein: 
 the faceplate perimeter comprises a top perimeter edge, a heel-side perimeter edge, a toe-side perimeter edge and a sole perimeter edge; 
 wherein the sole return defines a sole return width measured in a heel-to-toe direction; 
 wherein the sole return width decreases rearward from the strike face; 
 the rear body forms at least a portion of the top rail, at least a portion of the sole, at least a portion of the toe portion; 
 the rear body comprises a rear wall extending from the sole to the top rail at the rear end, a sole ledge, and a hosel structure located on the heel portion; 
 the sole ledge projects from the rear body toward the faceplate and forms a portion of the sole; 
 the faceplate is welded to the rear body along the faceplate perimeter; 
 the rear body further comprises a weight pad proximate the sole and the rear wall, wherein:
 the weight pad comprises a front wall facing the front end, a top wall facing the top rail, and a transition region between the front wall and the top wall; 
 the front wall is angled with respect to the sole; 
 the weight pad overhangs the sole return; 
 an angle between the front wall of the weight pad and an interior surface of the sole return is between 30 and 80 degrees; 
 the weight pad defines an overhang distance measured as a horizontal, front-to-back distance between the transition region and the sole perimeter edge; and 
 the overhang distance is greater than 0.025 inch. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the rear body further comprises a heel mass and a toe mass;
 wherein the heel mass located in a low heel area of the hollow interior cavity and is integrally formed with the heel portion, the sole, and the rear wall; and   wherein the toe mass is located in a low toe area of the hollow interior cavity and is integrally formed with the toe portion, the sole, and the rear wall.   
     
     
         3 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the weight pad extends at least a majority of a distance between the heel mass and the toe mass. 
     
     
         4 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the heel mass and the toe mass are integrally formed with the weight pad. 
     
     
         5 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the sole perimeter edge comprises a rear sole perimeter edge, a heel-side sole perimeter edge, and a toe-side sole perimeter edge; and wherein the heel-side sole perimeter edge and the toe-side sole perimeter edge extend rearwardly from the leading edge at an angle. 
     
     
         6 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the sole return comprises a first taper angle measured as an exterior angle between the heel-side sole perimeter edge and the leading edge; and wherein the first taper angle is between 100 degrees and 160 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the sole return comprises a second taper angle measured as an exterior angle between the toe-side sole perimeter edge and the leading edge; and wherein the second taper angle is between 100 degrees and 160 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a maximum sole return width between 1.5 and 3.0 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weight pad is separated from the sole return by the sole ledge. 
     
     
         10 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a faceplate and a rear body forming a club head body and enclosing a hollow interior cavity;   a top rail, a sole, a heel portion, and a toe portion, wherein:
 the club head body forms a front end, a rear end, a top rail periphery, a toe periphery, a heel periphery, and a sole periphery; 
 the faceplate is disposed at the front end; 
 the faceplate comprises a strike face, a back surface opposite the strike face, a leading edge proximate the sole, a sole return extending rearward from the back surface and forming at least a portion of the sole, and a faceplate perimeter, wherein: 
 the faceplate perimeter comprises a top perimeter edge, a heel-side perimeter edge, a toe-side perimeter edge and a sole perimeter edge; 
 wherein the sole return defines a sole return width measured in a heel-to-toe direction; 
 wherein the sole return width decreases rearward from the strike face; 
 the rear body forms at least a portion of the top rail, at least a portion of the sole, at least a portion of the toe portion; 
 the rear body comprises a rear wall extending from the sole to the top rail at the rear end, a sole ledge, and a hosel structure located on the heel portion; 
 the sole ledge projects from the rear body toward the faceplate and forms a portion of the sole; 
 the faceplate is welded to the rear body along the faceplate perimeter; 
 the rear body further comprises a weight pad proximate the sole and the rear wall, wherein:
 the weight pad comprises a front wall facing the front end, a top wall facing the top rail, and a transition region between the front wall and the top wall; 
 the front wall is angled with respect to the sole; 
 the weight pad overhangs the sole return; 
 a lower interior undercut is formed between the front wall of the weight pad and the sole; 
 the lower interior undercut defines a lower interior undercut depth measured in a front-to-rear direction between a forward-most point of the transition region and a juncture between the front wall and the sole ledge; and 
 the lower interior undercut depth is greater than 0.100 inch. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the weight pad is separated from the sole return by the sole ledge. 
     
     
         12 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the lower interior undercut defines a lower interior undercut height measured as a vertical distance between the front wall of the weight pad and an interior surface of the sole; and wherein the lower interior undercut height is greater than 0.300 inch. 
     
     
         13 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the rear body further comprises a heel mass and a toe mass;
 wherein the heel mass located in a low heel area of the hollow interior cavity and is integrally formed with the heel portion, the sole, and the rear wall; and   wherein the toe mass is located in a low toe area of the hollow interior cavity and is integrally formed with the toe portion, the sole, and the rear wall.   
     
     
         14 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the weight pad extends at least a majority of a distance between the heel mass and the toe mass. 
     
     
         15 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein the heel mass and the toe mass are integrally formed with the weight pad. 
     
     
         16 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the sole perimeter edge comprises a rear sole perimeter edge, a heel-side sole perimeter edge, and a toe-side sole perimeter edge; and
 wherein the heel-side sole perimeter edge and the toe-side sole perimeter edge extend rearwardly from the leading edge at an angle.   
     
     
         17 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the sole return comprises a first taper angle measured as an exterior angle between the heel-side sole perimeter edge and the leading edge; and wherein the first taper angle is between 100 degrees and 160 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the sole return comprises a second taper angle measured as an exterior angle between the toe-side sole perimeter edge and the leading edge; and wherein the second taper angle is between 100 degrees and 160 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a faceplate and a rear body forming a club head body and enclosing a hollow interior cavity;   a top rail, a sole, a heel portion, and a toe portion, wherein:
 the club head body forms a front end, a rear end, a top rail periphery, a toe periphery, a heel periphery, and a sole periphery; 
 the faceplate is disposed at the front end; 
 the faceplate comprises a strike face, a back surface opposite the strike face, a leading edge proximate the sole, a sole return extending rearward from the back surface and forming at least a portion of the sole, and a faceplate perimeter, wherein: 
 the faceplate perimeter comprises a top perimeter edge, a heel-side perimeter edge, a toe-side perimeter edge and a sole perimeter edge; 
 wherein the sole return comprises a trapezoidal shape; 
 the rear body forms at least a portion of the top rail, at least a portion of the sole, at least a portion of the toe portion; 
 the rear body comprises a rear wall extending from the sole to the top rail at the rear end, a sole ledge, and a hosel structure located on the heel portion; 
 the sole ledge projects from the rear body toward the faceplate and forms a portion of the sole; 
 the faceplate is welded to the rear body along the faceplate perimeter; 
 the rear body further comprises a weight pad proximate the sole and the rear wall, wherein:
 the weight pad comprises a front wall facing the front end, a top wall facing the top rail, and a rounded transition region between the front wall and the top wall; 
 the front wall the front wall forms a juncture with the sole ledge near the sole; 
 the front wall is angled with respect to the sole; 
 the weight pad overhangs the sole return; and 
 the weight pad does not contact the faceplate. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the weight pad is separated from the sole return by the sole ledge.