Golf clubs with electronic displays

Abstract

A golf club head can include a body defining an interior cavity, a sole defining a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown defining a top portion of the golf club head, a face defining a forward portion of the golf club head, a rearward portion of the golf club head opposite the face, and a hosel. The golf club head can have a topline along a face-to-crown transition at the forward portion of the golf club head. The golf club head can further include an electronic display positioned along the face-to-crown transition of the golf club head. The electronic display can be sized and shaped to display an image to a user of the golf club head when the golf club head is in a normal address position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a body defining an interior cavity, a sole defining a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown defining a top portion of the golf club head, a face defining a forward portion of the golf club head, a rearward portion of the golf club head opposite the face, and a hosel, the golf club head having a topline along a face-to-crown transition at the forward portion of the golf club head,   wherein the face includes a center face location that defines a head origin of a coordinate system in which an x-axis is tangential to the face at the center face location and is parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is in a normal address position, a y-axis extends perpendicular to the x-axis and is also parallel to the ground plane, and a z-axis extends perpendicular to the ground plane, wherein a positive x-axis extends toward a heel portion from the head origin, a positive y-axis extends toward the rearward portion from the head origin, and a positive z-axis extends toward the top portion from the head origin, and   wherein the crown comprises an electronic paper display positioned along the face-to-crown transition of the golf club head or wrapped from the face on to the crown, the electronic paper display being sized and shaped to display an image that changes a position of the topline along the positive y-axis from a perspective of a user of the golf club head when the golf club head is in a normal address position.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic paper display is sized and shaped to display an image that changes the angle and/or shape of the topline from the perspective of the user when the golf club head is in a normal address position. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the crown further comprises a crown insert having a crown insert surface area, the electronic paper display has an electronic paper display surface area, and a ratio of the electronic paper display surface area to the crown insert surface area is 25% to 100%. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronic paper display is a first electronic paper display; and   the face further comprises a second electronic paper display.   
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the face comprises a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising:
 a base layer;   a piezoelectric layer coupled to the base layer; and   a face electronic paper display coupled to the piezoelectric layer,   wherein the piezoelectric layer is configured to generate a signal in response to a golf ball impacting the face, and the face electronic paper display is configured to display an impact location of the golf ball on the face in response to the signal from the piezoelectric layer.   
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body comprises a top opening and a bottom opening, a crown insert coupled to the top opening, and a sole insert coupled to the bottom opening; and   an electronic assembly is disposed within the interior cavity and is in electrical communication with and configured to control the electronic paper display, the electronic assembly being located rearward of the sole insert.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , further comprising a battery within the interior cavity and in electrical communication with the electronic assembly, the battery being located rearward of a center of gravity of the golf club head. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , further comprising a receiving coil coupled to the sole insert, the receiving coil being electrically connected to the battery for charging the battery by magnetic induction. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein the body comprises a composite material, and the electronic assembly is coupled to the composite material at a rearward portion of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the golf club head further comprises a battery within the interior cavity coupled to the composite material at the rearward portion of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , further comprising an antenna located within the interior cavity at a rearward portion of the body, the antenna being in communication with the electronic assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body defining an interior cavity, a sole defining a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown defining a top portion of the golf club head, a face defining a forward portion of the golf club head, a rearward portion of the golf club head opposite the face, and a hosel, wherein the face comprises a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising:   a base layer;   a piezoelectric layer coupled to the base layer; and   an electronic paper display coupled to the piezoelectric layer,   wherein the piezoelectric layer is configured to generate a signal in response to a golf ball impacting the face, and the electronic paper display is configured to display an impact location of the golf ball on the face in response to the signal from the piezoelectric layer.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the base layer comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of layers further comprises a protective layer covering the electronic paper display, the protective layer comprising scorelines on an outer surface of the protective layer. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the face comprises a face surface area, the electronic paper display comprises an electronic paper display surface area, and a ratio of the electronic paper display surface area to the face surface area is 25% to 100%. 
     
     
         16 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body defining an interior cavity, a sole defining a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown defining a top portion of the golf club head, a face defining a forward portion of the golf club head, a rearward portion of the golf club head opposite the face, and a hosel, the golf club head having a topline along a face-to-crown transition at the forward portion of the golf club head,   wherein the face includes a center face location that defines a head origin of a coordinate system in which an x-axis is tangential to the face at the center face location and is parallel to a ground plane when the golf club head is in a normal address position, a y-axis extends perpendicular to the x-axis and is also parallel to the ground plane, and a z-axis extends perpendicular to the ground plane, wherein a positive x-axis extends toward a heel portion from the head origin, a positive y-axis extends toward the rearward portion from the head origin, and a positive z-axis extends toward the top portion from the head origin;   the crown comprising a first electronic paper display, the first electronic paper display comprising a front edge portion extending along a front portion of the crown; and   the face comprising a second electronic paper display, the second electronic paper display comprising a top edge portion extending along an upper edge of the face, and   wherein the first electronic paper display and the second electronic paper display are configured to display images that change a position of the topline along the positive y-axis from a perspective of a user of the golf club head when the golf club head is in a normal address position.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the face further comprises a face insert having a face insert surface area, the second electronic paper display has a second electronic paper display surface area, and a ratio of the second electronic paper display surface area to the face insert surface area is 25% to 100%. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the second electronic paper display is a segmented display comprising a first pre-configured segment corresponding to a first border configuration for outlining the face and a second pre-configured segment corresponding to a second border configuration for outlining the face. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the face comprises a piezoelectric layer coupled to an inner surface of the second electronic paper display. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the second electronic paper display is configured to display a heat map of contact pressures measured by the piezoelectric layer.