Iron with sole slot

Abstract

A golf club head having a slot in the sole filled with an insert in which the slot is positioned close to the striking face. The insert can have a uniform height or a nonuniform height. Inserts with uniform heights can have a low height profile. Inserts with nonuniform heights can have a lower height in a central portion of the insert compared to an edge portion or a perimeter portion of the insert. The resulting golf club head improves performance, as the sole slot with insert allows the striking face to have a profile that meets the needs at that location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A golf club head, comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, said striking face having an outer wall and an inner wall opposite said outer wall;   a back portion located opposite said striking face;   a heel portion located at a proximal end of said golf club head;   a hosel adjacent to said heel portion, said hosel defining a longitudinal axis and configured to receive a shaft;   a toe portion located at a distal end of said golf club head opposite said heel portion;   a topline located at an upper portion of said golf club head;   a sole located at a lower portion of said golf club head opposite said topline;   a slot defined in said sole; and   an insert positioned within said slot,   wherein said slot is defined by a front edge, a back edge opposite and rearwards of said front edge, a proximal edge adjacent to said front edge and said back edge, and a distal edge opposite said proximal edge and adjacent to said front edge and said back edge, and   wherein said insert abuts said inner wall of said striking face.   
     
     
         2 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said proximal edge of said slot has a radius of curvature which is larger towards said front edge and decreases towards said back edge, and
 wherein said distal edge of said slot has a radius of curvature which is larger towards said front edge and decreases towards said back edge.   
     
     
         3 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said proximal edge of said slot is immediately surrounded by a thickened portion of said sole, and
 wherein said distal edge of said slot is immediately surrounded by a thickened portion of said sole.   
     
     
         4 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said back edge of said slot is directly adjacent a thickened portion of the sole. 
     
     
         5 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said inner wall of said striking face includes a thickened portion adjacent said proximal edge of said slot, said inner wall of said striking face includes a thickened portion adjacent said distal edge of said slot, and said inner wall of said striking face includes a portion adjacent said front edge of said slot which is thinner than said thickened portions. 
     
     
         6 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a lower portion of said inner wall of said striking face includes a thickened portion extending from said proximal edge of said slot to said distal edge of said slot. 
     
     
         7 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said proximal edge of said slot extends rearward of said back edge of said slot, and
 wherein said distal edge of said slot extends rearward of said back edge of said slot.   
     
     
         8 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said insert has a non-uniform height in a sole-to-topline direction. 
     
     
         9 ) The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said insert has a central portion which is recessed relative to perimeter edges of said insert. 
     
     
         10 ) A golf club head, comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, said striking face having an outer wall and an inner wall opposite said outer wall;   a back portion located opposite said striking face;   a heel portion located at a proximal end of said golf club head;   a hosel adjacent to said heel portion, said hosel defining a longitudinal axis and configured to receive a shaft;   a toe portion located at a distal end of said golf club head opposite said heel portion;   a topline located at an upper portion of said golf club head;   a sole located at a lower portion of said golf club head opposite said topline;   a slot defined in said sole; and   an insert positioned within said slot,   wherein said slot is defined by a front edge, a back edge opposite and rearwards of said front edge, a proximal edge adjacent to said front edge and said back edge, and a distal edge opposite said proximal edge and adjacent to said front edge and said back edge,   wherein said proximal edge of said slot has a radius of curvature which is larger towards said front edge and decreases towards said back edge, and   wherein said distal edge of said slot has a radius of curvature which is larger towards said front edge and decreases towards said back edge.   
     
     
         11 ) The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said insert abuts said inner wall of said striking face. 
     
     
         12 ) The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said proximal edge of said slot is immediately surrounded by a thickened portion of said sole, and
 wherein said distal edge of said slot is immediately surrounded by a thickened portion of said sole.   
     
     
         13 ) The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said back edge of said slot is directly adjacent a thickened portion of the sole. 
     
     
         14 ) The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein said inner wall of said striking face includes a thickened portion adjacent said proximal edge of said slot, said inner wall of said striking face includes a thickened portion adjacent said distal edge of said slot, and said inner wall of said striking face includes a portion adjacent said front edge of said slot which is thinner than said thickened portions. 
     
     
         15 ) The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said insert has a non-uniform height in a sole-to-topline direction. 
     
     
         16 ) The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein a lower portion of said inner wall of said striking face includes a thickened portion extending from said proximal edge of said slot to said distal edge of said slot. 
     
     
         17 ) The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein said insert has a non-uniform height in a sole-to-topline direction. 
     
     
         18 ) The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said proximal edge of said slot extends rearward of said back edge of said slot, and
 wherein said distal edge of said slot extends rearward of said back edge of said slot.   
     
     
         19 ) The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein said proximal edge of said slot is immediately surrounded by a thickened portion of said sole, and
 wherein said distal edge of said slot is immediately surrounded by a thickened portion of said sole.   
     
     
         20 ) The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein said insert has a non-uniform height in a sole-to-topline direction.