Golf club head including a variably lofted face

Abstract

A golf club head including a variably lofted face is disclosed herein. In accordance with the presently disclosed technology, the golf club head may include a striking face. The striking face may include a face center dividing the striking face between an upper striking face portion and a lower striking face portion. The upper striking face portion may include a first effective loft, and the lower striking face portion may include a second loft. The first effective loft may be different than the second loft. The golf club head may include a crown and a sole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head, wherein the striking face comprises a face center dividing the striking face between an upper striking face portion and a lower striking face portion, wherein the upper striking face portion comprises a first effective loft, and wherein the lower striking face portion comprises a second loft, wherein the first effective loft is different than the second loft;   a crown forming an upper portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the upper striking face portion; and   a sole forming a lower portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the lower striking face portion.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the upper striking face portion comprises a first radius of curvature corresponding to the first effective loft, wherein the lower striking face portion comprises a second radius of curvature corresponding to the second loft, and wherein the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are different. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the first radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first effective loft is greater than the second loft. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the first radius of curvature is between about 225 mm and about 350 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the second radius of curvature is greater than 1250 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the striking face further comprises a central striking face portion between the upper striking face portion and the lower striking face portion. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the central striking face portion is a non-linear curve transitioning from the upper striking face portion to the lower striking face portion. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the central striking face portion extends over a transition distance, wherein the transition distance is between about 5 mm and about 20 mm. 
     
     
         10 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head, wherein the striking face comprises a face center dividing the striking face between an upper striking face portion and a lower striking face portion, wherein the upper striking face portion comprises a first effective loft, wherein the first effective loft is defined by a first loft angle between a vertical line perpendicular to a ground plane through the face center and a tangent line tangent to the face center along a substantially vertical direction, wherein the lower striking face portion comprises a second loft defined by a second loft angle between the vertical line and the lower striking face portion, wherein the first effective loft is substantially a same value as the second loft;   a crown forming an upper portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the upper striking face portion; and   a sole forming a lower portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the lower striking face portion.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the upper striking face portion comprises a first radius of curvature corresponding to the first effective loft, wherein the lower striking face portion comprises a second radius of curvature corresponding to the second loft, and wherein the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are different. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the first radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein the first radius of curvature is between about 225 mm and about 350 mm, and wherein the second radius of curvature is greater than 1250 mm. 
     
     
         14 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face located at a frontal portion of the golf club head, wherein the striking face comprises a face center dividing the striking face between an upper striking face portion and a lower striking face portion, wherein the upper striking face portion comprises a first radius of curvature, and wherein the lower striking face portion comprises a second radius of curvature, wherein the first radius of curvature is less than the second radius of curvature;   a crown forming an upper portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the upper striking face portion; and   a sole forming a lower portion of the golf club head, extending rearward from the lower striking face portion.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the upper striking face portion comprises a first effective loft corresponding to the first radius of curvature, wherein the first effective loft is defined by a first loft angle between a vertical line perpendicular to a ground plane through the face center and a tangent line tangent to the face center along a substantially vertical direction, wherein the lower striking face portion comprises a second loft corresponding to the second radius of curvature, wherein the second loft is defined by a second loft angle between the vertical line and the lower striking face portion, wherein the first effective loft is substantially a same value as the second loft. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the first radius of curvature is between about 225 mm and about 350 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the second radius of curvature is greater than about 1250 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the striking face further comprises a central striking face portion between the upper striking face portion and the lower striking face portion. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the central striking face portion is a non-linear curve transitioning from the upper striking face portion to the lower striking face portion. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein the central striking face portion extends over a transition distance, wherein the transition distance is between about 5 mm and about 20 mm.