Laser-contrasted golf club head and manufacturing process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11813503-B2
Application number	US-202117525202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2021
Priority date	Jun 15, 2020
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A golf club head having a laser-generated features to create contrast on the club face of the golf club head. The club face includes a central region, a toe region, and a heel region. The central region includes a first plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region, a width-intersection coverage of the central region, and a surface-area coverage of the central region. The toe region includes a second plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the toe region, a width-intersection coverage of the toe region, and a surface-area coverage of the toe region. The heel region includes a third plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the heel region, a width-intersection coverage of the heel region, and a surface-area coverage of the heel region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A driver-type golf club head, comprising:
a first plurality of laser-generated features on a central region of a club face, wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features have a first geometric pattern and provide at least two of a height-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 80%, a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 80%, or a surface-area coverage of the central region of at least 50%;
a coating covering the central region, the first plurality of laser-generated features, a toe region of the golf club head, and a heel region of the golf club head;
wherein the coating on the toe region does not cover a second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the second plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, have a second geometric pattern different from the first geometric pattern, are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features, and do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features; and
wherein the coating on the heel region does not cover a third plurality of laser-generated features on the heel region of the club face, wherein the third plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, have the second geometric pattern, are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features, and do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features.

2. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the club face comprises a contrast between the central region and the toe region.

3. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the height-intersection coverage of the central region is at least 90% and the width-intersection coverage of the central region is at least 90%.

4. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the club face has a maximum width in a heel-to-toe direction, and the central region has a maximum width between 30-50% of the maximum width of the club face.

5. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the height-intersection coverage is measured using a height increment of 0.1 mm, and wherein the width-intersection coverage is measured using a width increment of 0.1 mm.

6. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the club face does not include any grooves or scorelines.

7. The driver-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the first plurality of laser-generated features provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 95% and a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 95%;
the second plurality of laser-generated features extend in a heel-to-toe direction;
the second plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 90%;
the third plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the heel region of at least 90%; and
a combination of the first plurality of laser-generated features, the second plurality of laser-generated features, and the third plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the entire face of at least 90%.

8. A driver-type golf club head, comprising:
a first plurality of laser-generated features on a central region of a club face, wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features have a first geometric pattern and provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 90%, a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 90%, or a surface-area coverage of the central region of at least 50%, wherein the height-intersection coverage is measured using a height increment of 0.1 mm, and wherein the width-intersection coverage is measured using a width increment of 0.1 mm;
a coating covering the central region, the first plurality of laser-generated features, a toe region of the golf club head, and a heel region of the golf club head;
wherein the coating on the toe region does not cover a second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the second plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, have a second geometric pattern different from the first geometric pattern, and do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features; and
wherein the coating on the heel region does not cover a third plurality of laser-generated features on the heel region of the club face, wherein the third plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, have a third geometric pattern different from the first geometric pattern and the second geometric pattern, and do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features.

9. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the club face comprises a contrast between the central region and the toe region.

10. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the height-intersection coverage of the central region is at least 95% and the width-intersection coverage of the central region is at least 95%.

11. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the club face has a maximum width in a heel-to-toe direction, and the central region has a maximum width between 30-50% of the maximum width of the club face.

12. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein:
the first plurality of laser-generated features are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the third plurality of laser-generated features; and
the second plurality of laser-generated features are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features.

13. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the club face does not include any grooves or scorelines.

14. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein:
the first plurality of laser-generated features provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 95% and a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 95%;
the second plurality of laser-generated features extend in a heel-to-toe direction;
the second plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 90%;
the third plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the heel region of at least 90%; and
a combination of the first plurality of laser-generated features, the second plurality of laser-generated features, and the third plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the entire face of at least 90%.

15. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8 , wherein a toe-most edge of the second plurality of laser-generated features is within 5 mm of a perimeter of the club face, and a heel-most edge of the third plurality of laser-generated features is within 5 mm of a perimeter of the club face.

16. A driver-type golf club head, comprising:
a first plurality of laser-generated features on a central region of a club face, wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features have a first geometric pattern and provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 90%, a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 90%, or a surface-area coverage of the central region of at least 50%, wherein the height-intersection coverage is measured using a height increme

Assignees

• Acushnet Co

Inventors

• Luttrell Stephanie
• Jacobson Vincent
• Wolfe Kevin

Classifications

• A63B53/04 Primary

  Heads · CPC title

• C23C14/028

  Physical treatment to alter the texture of the substrate surface, e.g. grinding, polishing · CPC title

• A63B53/0441

  with visual indicators for aligning the golf club · CPC title

• A63B2209/00

  Characteristics of used materials · CPC title

• A63B53/0445 Primary

  Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface · CPC title