Golf club head with complex curvature for the sole and/or the striking face

Claim 2

In a wood-type golf club, a shaft having a longitudinal axis and a head having a sole extending laterally from one end of said shaft at an acute angle measured in a vertical plane between said axis and a horizontal sole plane tangent to said sole, said head having a striking face with a complex convex curvature so oriented that a face plane tangent to a point at the approximate center thereof is at a desired obtuse angle relative to said horizontal sole plane measured in front of said face, said complex curvature consisting of: a bulge formed as a first curvature of a predetermined constant radius about a first axis defined by the intersection of two planes, one of said two planes being parallel to said face plane and the other of said two planes being both perpendicular to said face plane and parallel to said shaft axis; and a roll formed as a second curvature across said face and of a predetermined radius significantly less than the radius of said first curvature, said second curvature being formed about a second axis, said second axis lying in a plane perpendicular to said face plane and perpendicular to said shaft axis, said second curvature being oriented in every segment of said face with its axis of curvature normal to said first axis.

Claim 3

In a wood-type golf club as defined in claim 1 the further improvement comprising said sole having a central portion tangent to said sole plane along a central portion passing from directly below said point to a rear edge of said head remote from said face, said sole being curved upwardly and away from said sole plane between said central portion and said shaft with a rate of curvature progressively greater in successive planes parallel to said face plane taken in sequence from said face plane to said rear edge, where said successive planes are infinite in number to provide a smoothly curved sole with the curvature more pronounced toward said rear edge than toward said face plane.

Claim 4

In a wood-type golf club as defined in claim 1 wherein said sole is curved upwardly between said central portion and an end of said head remote from said shaft with a rate of curvature progressively greater in successive planes parallel to said face plane taken in sequence from said rear edge to said face plane, where said successive planes are infinite in number to provide a smoothly curved sole with the curvature more pronounced toward said face plane than said rear edge.

Claim 5

In a golf club, a shaft having a longitudinal axis and an elongated head extending laterally from one end of said shaft at an acute angle measured in a vertical plane between said axis and a horizontal sole plane tangent to the sole of said head, said head having a striking face terminating in a front leading edge, a rear face terminating in a rear edge remote from said front edge, toe and heel portions, said sole having a complex curvature comprising, a central portion tangent to said sole plane, said heel portion being curved upwardly from said central portion towards the end of the heel portion of the club head, said heel portion of the sole being further curved upwardly and away from said front edge with a rate of curvature progressively greater in successive planes parallel to a striking face plane taken in sequence from said plane of said striking face to said rear face wherein successive planes are infinite in number to provide a smoothly curved sole with the curvature more pronounced toward said rear edge than said front edge, such complex curvature of the sole resultinG in the upper edge of the striking face of the club head opening up in a rotating clockwise direction away from said vertical plane while maintaining a line normal to said striking face in substantially the same direction instead of to the left of the intended target when said club is rocked backwards on said heel to decrease said acute angle.

Claim 6

In a golf club, a shaft having a longitudinal axis and an elongated head extending laterally from one end of said shaft at an acute angle measured in a vertical plane between said axis and a horizontal sole plane tangent to the sole of said head, said head having a striking face terminating in a front leading edge, a rear face terminating in a rear edge remote from said front edge, toe and heel portions, said sole having a complex curvature comprising, a central portion tangent to said sole plane, said heel portion being curved upwardly from said central portion towards the end of the heel portion of the club head, said heel portion of the sole being further curved upwardly and away from said front edge with a rate of curvature progressively greater in successive planes parallel to a striking face plane taken in sequence from said plane of said striking face to said rear face wherein successive planes are infinite in number to provide a smoothly curved sole with the curvature more pronounced toward said rear edge than said front edge, such complex curvature of the sole resultinG in the upper edge of the striking face of the club head opening up in a rotating clockwise direction away from said vertical plane while maintaining a line normal to said striking face in substantially the same direction instead of to the left of the intended target when said club is rocked backwards on said heel to decrease said acute angle.

Claim 7

In a golf club, the combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said toe portion also being curved upwardly from said central portion towards the end of the toe portion of the club head, said toe portion of said sole being further curved downwardly and away from said front edge with a rate of curvature progressively greater in successive planes parallel to said plane of said striking face taken in sequence from the plane of said striking face to said rear face wherein said successive planes are infinite in number to provide a smoothly curved sole with the curvature more pronounced toward said front edge than said rear edge, such complex curvature of the sole resulting in the upper edge of the striking face of the club head closing in a rotating counterclockwise direction toward said vertical plane while maintaining a line normal to said striking face in substantially the same direction instead of to the right of the intended target when said club is rocked forwards on said toe to increase said acute angle.

Claim 8

In a golf club, the combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said head is for an iron-type club and is made of metal.

Claim 9

In a golf club, the combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said head is for a wood-type club.