Golf club head with flexure

Abstract

A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face and a flexure. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;   a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head and defining a recess and a flexure that forms a recessed channel;   a side wall extending between the crown and the sole;   a hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore;   a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting the sole at a leading edge; and   a flexure component that is constructed as a separate component than the sole and is coupled to the sole in the recess, wherein the flexure component comprises a forward flange, a front wall, a rear wall and a rearward flange, wherein the front wall extends toward a cavity defined by the golf club head from the forward flange and the rear wall extends toward the cavity from the rearward flange.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the flexure component is constructed from a first material and the sole is constructed from a second material that is different than the first material. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the flexure component abuts and is coupled to the recessed channel. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a plurality of threaded bores and the flexure component is coupled to the sole by a plurality of mechanical fasteners, wherein each mechanical fastener extends through the flexure and into a threaded bore. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the flexure component abuts and is bonded to the recessed channel. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a third member that is coupled to the flexure. 
     
     
         7 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;   a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head and at least partially defining an aperture, wherein the sole includes a recessed flange forming at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture;   a side wall extending between the crown and the sole;   a hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore;   a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting the sole at a leading edge; and   a flexure that is constructed as a separate component than the sole and is coupled to the sole in the aperture, wherein the flexure is bonded to the recessed flange, wherein the flexure comprises a forward flange, a front wall, a rear wall and a rearward flange, wherein the front wall extends into a cavity defined by the golf club head from the forward flange and the rear wall extends into the cavity from the rearward flange.   
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the flexure is constructed from a first material and the sole is constructed from a second material that is different than the first material. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the sole includes a plurality of bosses and the flexure is coupled to the sole by a plurality of mechanical fasteners, wherein each mechanical fastener extends through the flexure and into a boss. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , further comprising a third member that is coupled to the flexure. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the third member is coupled to an inner surface of the flexure. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the third member is coupled to an outer surface of the flexure. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the third member is bonded to the front wall and the rear wall. 
     
     
         14 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a crown defining an upper surface of the golf club head;   a sole defining a lower surface of the golf club head and at least partially defining an aperture;   a side wall extending between the crown and the sole;   a hosel extending from the crown and including a shaft bore;   a face defining a ball-striking surface and intersecting the sole at a leading edge; and   a flexure that is constructed as a separate component than the sole and is coupled to the sole in the aperture, wherein the flexure comprises a forward flange, a front wall, a rear wall and a rearward flange, wherein the front wall extends into a cavity defined by the golf club head from the forward flange and the rear wall extends into the cavity from the rearward flange,   wherein the sole includes a recessed flange forming at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture, and the flexure is coupled to the recessed flange,   wherein the flexure is constructed from a first material and the sole is constructed from a second material that is different than the first material.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the sole includes a plurality of bosses and the flexure is coupled to the sole by a plurality of mechanical fasteners, wherein each mechanical fastener extends through the flexure and into a boss. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the sole includes a recessed flange forming at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture, and the flexure is bonded to the recessed flange. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the third member is coupled to an inner surface of the flexure. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the third member is coupled to an outer surface of the flexure. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein the third member is bonded to the front wall and the rear wall.