Club heads having reinforced club head faces and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11701558-B2
Application number	US-202117150830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2021
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2023
Grant date	Jul 18, 2023

Abstract

Some embodiments include club heads having reinforced club head faces. In one example, the club face comprises a reinforcement element such as a looped rib positioned on a rear surface of the club face to provide reinforcement. The club head further comprises an undercut that extends along the entire perimeter of the club face to provide increased club face bending. The combination of the reinforcement element and the undercut reinforces the club head while permitting the club face to bend. Other embodiments of related club heads and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising:
a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end;
a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;
a toe end and a heel end opposite the toe end;
a face element comprising:
a face surface located at the front end and comprising a face center and a face perimeter;
a rear surface located at the rear end and being approximately opposite to the face surface, the rear surface comprising a rear center approximately opposite the face center and a rear perimeter; and
a reinforcement element located at the rear surface;
the toe end divided into a first toe end portion, a second toe end portion, and a third toe end portion;
wherein the first toe end portion is adjacent and integrally formed with top end, the third toe end portion is adjacent and integrally formed with the bottom end, and the second toe end portion is positioned between the first toe end portion and the third toe end portion; and

wherein the reinforcement element extends out from the rear surface toward the rear end and away from the front end;
wherein the reinforcement element comprises a looped rib having an outer perimeter surface and an inner perimeter surface;
wherein the outer perimeter surface of the reinforcement element is filleted with the rear surface with a fillet having a radius of greater than or equal to 0.012 centimeter;
wherein the inner perimeter surface comprises a largest rib span of greater than or equal to approximately 0.609 centimeters to approximately 1.88 centimeters;
wherein the toe end comprises a toe ledge extending in a curved manner between a top rail and a rear portion, the toe ledge is integrally formed with a top rail wall and the rear portion;
wherein the heel end comprises a heel ledge extending in a curved manner between the top rail and the rear portion, the toe ledge is integrally formed with the top rail wall and the rear portion;
an undercut comprising a first cavity, a second cavity, a third cavity, a fourth cavity, and a fifth cavity;
the first cavity is formed between the rear surface and the top end;
the second cavity is formed between the rear surface and the rear perimeter;
the third cavity is formed between the rear surface and the toe ledge at the first toe end portion;
the fourth cavity is formed between the rear surface and the toe ledge at the second toe end portion; and
the fifth cavity is formed between the rear surface and the heel ledge.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the inner perimeter surface of the looped rib and the rear surface define a cavity; and wherein the cavity is devoid of a weighted insert.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the inner perimeter surface of the looped rib and the rear surface define a cavity; and wherein the cavity contains an insert.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 , further comprises at least one vibration attenuating feature at least partially disposed on the rear surface.

5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the at least one vibration attenuating feature comprises at least one layer of a viscoelastic dampening material; and
a badge at least partially covering the rear surface of the golf club head; and
the badge at least partially covering the cavity.

6. The golf club head of claim 5 , wherein the at least one vibration attenuating feature is disposed between the badge and at least one of the rear surface of the golf club head and the cavity.

7. The golf club head of claim 5 , wherein the face element is thinner inside the inner perimeter surface than outside the outer perimeter surface.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the first cavity has a first depth ranging from 0.115 inch to 0.135 inch;
the second cavity has a second depth ranging from 0.460 inch to 0.580 inch;
the third cavity has a third depth ranging from 0.215 inch to 0.245 inch;
the fourth cavity has a fourth depth ranging from 0.140 inch to 0.165 inch; and
the fifth cavity has a fifth depth ranging from 0.080 inch to 0.110 inch.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the inner perimeter surface of the looped rib is filleted with the rear surface.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprises a cascading sole at the bottom end of the second cavity; wherein the cascading sole comprises a first tier and a second tier; and wherein a thickness of the first tier is greater than a thickness of the second tier.

11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first cavity, second cavity, third cavity, fourth cavity, and fifth cavity are all integrally connected and continuous.

12. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first cavity, second cavity, third cavity, fourth cavity, and fifth cavity are interrupted and non-continuous by an interrupting structure.

13. A golf club head comprising:
a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end;
a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;
a toe end and a heel end opposite the toe end;
a face element comprising:
a face surface located at the front end and comprising a face center and a face perimeter; and
a rear surface located at the rear end and being approximately opposite to the face surface, the rear surface comprising a rear center approximately opposite the face center and a rear perimeter; and
a reinforcement element located at the rear surface;
the toe end divided into a first toe end portion, a second toe end portion, and a third toe end portion;
wherein the first toe end portion is adjacent and integrally formed with top end, the third toe end portion is adjacent and integrally formed with the bottom end, and the second toe end portion is positioned between the first toe end portion and the third toe end portion; and

wherein the reinforcement element extends out from the rear surface toward the rear end and away from the front end;
wherein the reinforcement element comprises a looped rib having an outer perimeter surface and an inner perimeter surface;
wherein the outer perimeter surface of the reinforcement element is filleted with the rear surface with a fillet having a radius of greater than or equal to 0.012 centimeter;
wherein the inner perimeter surface comprises a largest rib span of greater than or equal to approximately 0.609 centimeters to approximately 1.88 centimeters;
wherein the toe end comprises a toe ledge extending in a curved manner between a top rail and a rear portion, the toe ledge is integrally formed with a top rail wall and the rear portion;
wherein the heel end comprises a heel ledge extending in a curved manner between the top rail and the rear portion, the toe ledge is integrally formed with the top rail wall and the rear portion;
an undercut comprising a first cavity, a second cavity, a third cavity, a fourth cavity, and a fifth cavity;
the first cavity is formed between the rear surface and the top end;
the second cavity is formed between the rear surface and the rear perimeter;
the third cavity is formed between the rear surface and the toe ledge at the first toe end portion;
the fourth cavity is formed between the rear surface and the toe ledge at the second toe end portion; and
the fifth cavity is formed between the rear surface and the heel ledge;
the inner perimeter surface of the looped rib and the rear surface define a cavity; and
the cavity contains an insert.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein:
the first cavity has a first depth ranging from 0.115 inch to 0.135 inch;
the second cavity has a second depth ranging from 0.460 inch to 0.580 inch;
the third cavity has a third depth ranging from 0.215 inch to 0.245 inch;
the fourth cavity has a fourth dep

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Morales Eric J
• Stokke Ryan M
• Cole Eric V
• Bacon Cory S
• Milleman Travis D
• Clarke Jacob T
• Wang Calvin
• Chen Xiaojian
• Jertson Martin R

Classifications

• A63B53/0475 Primary

  with one or more enclosed cavities · CPC title

• A63B53/047

  iron-type · CPC title

• A63B53/06

  adjustable · CPC title

• A63B60/02

  Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass (A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence) · CPC title

• A63B60/54 Primary

  with means for damping vibrations · CPC title