Golf club having a damping element for ball speed control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12539452-B2
Application number	US-202318473800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2023
Priority date	Jul 26, 2016
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

A golf club head including a striking face, a periphery portion, and a support arm spaced from the rear surface of the striking face, a first damping element residing between the support arm and the rear surface of the striking face, wherein the first damping element comprises a front surface in contact with the rear surface of the striking face and a rear surface in contact with the support arm, wherein the periphery portion comprises a sole, and a second damping element located between the first damping element and the sole, a front portion of the second damping element in contact with the rear surface of the striking face, a rear surface of the second damping element in contact with the support arm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A golf club head comprising:
a striking face; a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face; a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to the striking face, extending towards a heel of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face; wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface; a support arm spaced from said rear surface of said striking face, said support arm extending from said periphery portion; wherein said periphery portion comprises a sole; wherein said periphery portion comprises a back portion which partially encloses an internal cavity formed between said striking face and said periphery portion; wherein said support arm extends from said sole and is spaced from said back portion along said z-axis; a first damping element residing between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face; wherein said first damping element comprises a front surface in contact with said rear surface of said striking face and a rear surface in contact with said support arm; and a first surface of a second damping element affixed to said rear surface of said striking face; and a cover affixed to a second surface of said second damping element, said second surface of said second damping element located opposite said first surface of said second damping element, wherein said cover is also affixed to said back portion.

2 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said second damping element comprises
a maximum thickness, said cover comprises a maximum thickness, and wherein said maximum thickness of said damping element is greater than said maximum thickness of said cover.

3 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said second damping element comprises
a relief configured to receive said first damping element.

4 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said second damping element is spaced
from said back portion along said z-axis.

5 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein an elastic modulus of said first damping
element is greater than an elastic modulus of said second damping element.

6 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises a hardness, said
second damping element comprises a hardness, and wherein said hardness of said cover is greater than said hardness of said second damping element.

7 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said second damping element extends
along substantially from said heel to a toe of said golf club head adjacent said sole.

8 . The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a third damping element
affixed to an upper portion of said rear surface of said striking face, wherein said third damping element is spaced from said back portion.

9 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said striking face
comprises a thickness of less than or equal to 2.2 mm.

10 . A golf club head comprising:
a striking face; a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face; a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to the striking face, extending towards a heel of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face; wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface; a support arm spaced from said rear surface of said striking face, said support arm extending from said periphery portion; wherein said periphery portion comprises a sole; wherein said periphery portion comprises a back portion which partially encloses an internal cavity formed between said striking face and said periphery portion; wherein said support arm extends from said sole and is spaced from said back portion along said z-axis; a first damping element residing between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face; and a medallion having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said medallion adhered to said rear surface of said striking face, said second portion of said medallion extending rearwards away from said striking face and around and behind said support arm, wherein said first damping element comprises a front surface in contact with said rear surface of said striking face and a rear surface in contact with said support arm.

11 . The golf club head of claim 10 , further comprising a second damping element located between said support arm and said medallion, a front surface of said second damping element in contact with a rear surface of said support arm and a rear surface of said second damping element in contact with said second portion of said medallion, wherein said second damping element is spaced from said back portion along said z-axis.

Assignees

• Acushnet Co

Inventors

• Golden Charles E
• Ines Marni D
• Savage Christopher
• Martens Grant M
• Ferguson Gentry
• Morin John
• Mata Jason A
• Gonzalez Oswaldo
• Hebreo Jonathan
• Frame Nick

Classifications

• A63B53/0445

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

• A63B53/0408 Primary

  characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness · CPC title

• A63B60/54

  with means for damping vibrations · CPC title

• A63B53/0475 Primary

  with one or more enclosed cavities · CPC title

• A63B2209/14

  with form or shape memory materials · CPC title