Golf club head with textured striking face

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9308422-B2
Application number	US-201414482896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Jan 18, 2013
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A golf club head includes a heel portion, a toe portion, a hosel, and a striking face. The striking face includes a plurality of scorelines each having an average depth no less than about 0.10 mm, a plurality of first micro-grooves each having an average depth no greater than about 0.010 mm, and a plurality of second micro-grooves overlaid on the first micro-grooves, each of the second micro-grooves having an average depth greater than the average depth of the first micro-grooves. Some embodiments can also have a plurality of textured surface treatment regions superimposed on the overlaid first and second micro-grooves so as to at least partially intersect the micro-grooves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising;
a heel portion;
a toe portion opposite the heel portion; and
a striking face, the striking face including:
a plurality of score lines each having an average depth no less than about 0.10 mm;
a first micro-groove pattern comprising a plurality of first micro-grooves, each of the first micro-grooves having a first average depth no greater than about 0.025 mm and a first average width, the first micro-grooves being substantially parallel to one another; and
a second micro-groove pattern comprising a plurality of second micro-grooves, each of the second micro-grooves having a second average depth no greater than about 0.025 mm and a second average width different than the first average width, the second micro-groves being substantially parallel to one another, wherein the second micro-groove pattern is overlaid onto the first micro-groove pattern.

2. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein the second average width is greater than the first average width.

3. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein the second micro-grooves are parallel to the first micro-grooves.

4. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein, when the golf club head is oriented in a reference position, the first micro-grooves and the second micro-grooves form upwardly convex paths.

5. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein the second micro-grooves are spaced from each other by a distance no less than about 0.2 in.

6. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein the striking face further comprises a plurality of heat-treated regions.

7. A golf club head as in claim 6 , wherein the plurality of heat-treated regions comprises laser-etched regions.

8. A golf club head as in claim 6 , wherein each of the heat-treated regions extends along a generally linear path.

9. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein the striking face has a surface roughness Ra within a range of about 0.0030 mm (120 μin) and about 0.0047 mm (185 μin).

10. A golf club head as in claim 1 , wherein the club head has a loft angle of at least 18°.

11. A golf club head comprising:
a heel portion;
a toe portion opposite the heel portion; and
a striking face, the striking face including:
a plurality of score lines each having an average depth no less than about 0.10 mm;
a first micro-groove pattern comprising a plurality of first micro-grooves, each of the first micro-grooves having a first cross-sectional profile defining a first average depth no greater than about 0.025 mm and a first average width, the first micro-grooves being substantially parallel to one another; and
a second micro-groove pattern comprising a plurality of second micro-grooves, each of the second micro-grooves having a second cross-sectional profile defining a second average depth no greater than about 0.025 mm and a second average width, the second micro-grooves being substantially parallel to one another, wherein the second micro-groove pattern is overlaid onto the first micro-groove pattern; and

wherein the first cross-sectional profile is different from the second cross-sectional profile.

12. A golf club head as in claim 11 , wherein the striking face has a surface roughness Ra within a range of about 0.0030 mm (120 μin) and about 0.0047 mm (185 μin).

13. A golf club head as in claim 12 , wherein the plurality of heat-treated regions comprises laser-etched regions.

14. A golf club head as in claim 13 , wherein each of the heat-treated regions extends along a generally linear path.

15. A golf club head as in claim 11 , wherein the striking face further comprises a plurality of heat-treated regions.

16. A golf club head as in claim 11 , wherein the club head has a loft angle of at least 18°.

17. A method comprising:
forming a first textured surface pattern in a striking face of a golf club head main body, the first textured surface pattern imparting a surface roughness value to the striking face, wherein forming the first texture surface pattern comprises:
forming a first micro-groove pattern comprising a plurality of first micro-grooves that are substantially parallel to one another, each of the first micro-grooves having a first cross-sectional profile that defines a first average depth and a first average width; and
forming, by superimposing onto the first micro-groove pattern, a second micro-groove pattern comprising a plurality of second micro-grooves that are substantially parallel to one another, each of the second micro-grooves having a second cross-sectional profile that defines a second average depth and a second average width, wherein the first cross-sectional profile is different from the second cross-sectional profile.

18. A method as in claim 17 , wherein forming the first micro-groove pattern comprises mechanically milling the first micro-grooves using a first milling bit set at a first milling depth, and milling at a first feed rate.

19. A method as in claim 18 , wherein forming the second micro-groove pattern comprises mechanically milling the second micro-grooves using a second milling bit set at a second milling depth, and milling at a second feed rate, wherein the second milling depth is deeper than the first milling depth and the second feed rate is greater than the first feed rate.

20. A method as in claim 17 , further comprising forming a second textured surface pattern, superimposed on the first textured surface pattern, by laser etching the second textured surface pattern.

Assignees

• Dunlop Sports Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ripp Patrick
• Aguayo Roberto
• Brunski Jeffrey D
• Daraskavich Matthew R
• Park Sharon J

Classifications

• A63B53/08

  with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact · CPC title

• B23K26/364

  for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove · CPC title

• Y10T409/303752

  Process · CPC title

• A63B53/047 Primary

  iron-type · CPC title

• Y10T29/49995

  Shaping one-piece blank by removing material · CPC title