Golf club heads with enlarged grooves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427632-B2
Application number	US-201414450458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2011
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

Golf club heads with enlarged grooves, wherein a portion of the finish adjacent or within the groove is removed to create the visual appearance of enlarged grooves. The surface finish of the groove enhancement area surrounding the groove is matched to be the same as the surface finish of the groove, preferably a bright, smooth or shiny metallic finish. This surface finish of the remainder of the striking face of the golf club is a second surface finish, preferably a dark or black matte, or rough finish. The contrast between the two finishes gives the perception that the grooves are larger than they are physically.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a heel, and a toe, wherein the body is primarily formed of a first metallic material and at least a portion of the striking face has a first surface finish;
at least one groove oriented on the striking face; and
a groove enhancement area oriented on the striking face and surrounding the at least one groove, the groove enhancement area having no surface finish;
wherein the first metallic material of the body is exposed in the groove enhancement area.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove has no surface finish and the first metallic material of the body is exposed in the at least one groove.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the exposed first metallic material in the groove enhancement area and the at least one groove oxidizes with ambient air to form a rusted layer.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove has a second surface finish that is the same as the first surface finish.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first surface finish has an average surface roughness of less than 120 μin.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove has a second surface finish that is different from the first surface finish.

7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the second surface finish has an average surface roughness of greater than 120 μin.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the striking face proximate the heel and a portion of the striking face proximate the toe have no surface finish and the first metallic material of the body is exposed in the heel and toe portions of the striking face.

9. The golf club head of claim 8 , wherein the exposed first metallic material in the heel and toe portions of the striking face oxidizes with ambient air to form a rusted layer.

10. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a heel, and a toe, wherein the body is primarily formed of a first metallic material and at least a portion of the striking face has a plated surface;
a first groove and an adjacent second groove oriented on the striking face and extending between the heel and the toe;
a first groove enhancement area oriented on the striking face and surrounding the first groove, the first groove enhancement area having an unplated surface; and
a second groove enhancement area oriented on the striking face and surrounding the second groove, the second groove enhancement area having an unplated surface;
wherein the first metallic material of the body is exposed in the first and second groove enhancement areas.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the first and second grooves have unplated surfaces and the first metallic material of the body is exposed in the first and second grooves.

12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the exposed first metallic material in the first and second grooves and the first and second groove enhancement areas oxidizes with ambient air to form a rusted layer.

13. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the first and second grooves have plated surfaces.

14. The golf club of claim 13 , wherein the plated surfaces of the striking face, the first groove, and the second groove are selected from the group consisting of nickel plating and chrome plating.

15. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the first and second grooves have a hot oil finish configured to wear away and expose the first metallic material of the body in the first and second grooves.

16. The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein the exposed first metallic material in the first and second grooves oxidizes with ambient air to form a rusted layer.

17. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the plated surface of the striking face has an average surface roughness of less than 120 μin.

18. A golf club head, comprising:
a body defining a striking face, a top line, a sole, a heel, and a toe, wherein the body is primarily formed of a first metallic material and at least a portion of the striking face has a first surface finish;
at least one groove oriented on the striking face and extending between the heel and the toe, the at least one groove having no surface finish;
a groove enhancement area oriented on the striking face and surrounding the at least one groove, the groove enhancement area having no surface finish;
a heel region of the striking face proximate the heel has no surface finish; and
a toe region of the striking face proximate the toe has no surface finish;
wherein the first metallic material of the body is exposed in the at least one groove, the groove enhancement area, and the heel and toe regions.

19. The golf club head of claim 18 , wherein the exposed first metallic material in the at least one groove, the groove enhancement area, and the heel and toe regions oxidizes with ambient air to form a rusted layer.

20. The golf club head of claim 18 , wherein the first surface finish has an average surface roughness of less than 120 μin.

Assignees

• Cobra Golf Inc

Inventors

• Breier Joshua G
• Roberts Douglas E
• Lewis James G

Classifications

• A63B53/047 Primary

  iron-type · CPC title

• A63B2053/0416

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2053/0408

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2053/0445

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2053/0479

  Wedge-type clubs, details thereof · CPC title