Golf club head or other ball striking device having impact-influencing body features

• US 10,004,953 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John T., Oldknow, Andrew G. V., Boyd, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/516,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, and an insert mounted within the channel. The insert includes a resiliently deflectable base member that engages the channel to retain the insert within the channel and a rigid outer member connected to the base member and forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert, where the outer member is made from a different material than the base member. Additionally, the insert has an outer surface that is substantially flush with at least one immediately adjacent surface of the body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body and the face defining an enclosed internal cavity, wherein the body comprises a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the sole and extending across a portion of the sole in a heel-to-toe direction, the channel having a front edge located adjacent a peripheral edge of the face and a rear edge located rearwardly of the front edge, and the channel comprising a trough that is inwardly recessed with respect to adjacent surfaces of the body and sidewalls extending inwardly from the front and rear edges to the trough, wherein the body has a thin-wall construction, such that the channel creates a raised portion on an interior surface of the body; and

a slot positioned within the channel and extending completely through a wall of the channel, such that the slot is in communication with the internal cavity and with an exterior of the body,

wherein the sidewalls extend into the internal cavity to create the raised portion on the interior surface of the body.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

an insert mounted within the channel and engaging the channel to retain the insert within the channel, wherein the insert completely covers the slot.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein a portion of the insert is received within the slot.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the portion of the insert received within the slot is exposed to an interior of the body.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the portion of the insert is received within the slot and fills the slot.

6. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the insert is formed of a resilient polymer material.

7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the insert completely fills at least a portion of a length of the channel.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the slot has a length measured in the heel-to-toe direction and a width measured in a direction extending between front and rear edges of the channel, and wherein at least one of the length and the width of the slot are smaller than a respective length or width of the channel.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel extends adjacent and substantially parallel to the face.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the slot is positioned within the trough of the channel.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body and the face defining an enclosed internal cavity;

an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, the channel having a front edge located adjacent a peripheral edge of the face and extending substantially parallel to the peripheral edge of the face and a rear edge located rearwardly of the front edge, the channel comprising a trough that is inwardly recessed with respect to adjacent surfaces of the body and sidewalls extending inwardly from the front and rear edges to the trough, wherein the body has a thin-wall construction, such that the channel creates a raised portion on an interior surface of the body; and

a slot positioned within the channel, the slot comprising an opening and extending completely through a wall of the channel, such that the slot is in communication with the internal cavity and with an exterior of the body,

wherein the sidewalls extend into the internal cavity to create the raised portion on the interior surface of the body.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, further comprising:

an insert mounted within the channel and engaging the channel to retain the insert within the channel, wherein the insert completely covers the slot.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein a portion of the insert is received within the slot.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the portion of the insert received within the slot is exposed to an interior of the body.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the portion of the insert is received within the slot and fills the slot.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the insert is formed of a resilient polymer material.

17. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the insert completely fills at least a portion of a length of the channel.

18. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the slot has a length measured in a heel-to-toe direction and a width measured in a direction extending between the front and rear edges of the channel, and wherein at least one of the length and the width of the slot are smaller than a respective length or width of the channel.

19. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the slot is positioned within the trough of the channel.

20. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball;

a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face, the body and the face defining an enclosed internal cavity, wherein the body comprises a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe;

an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body in a heel-to-toe direction, the channel having a front edge located adjacent a peripheral edge of the face and a rear edge located rearwardly of the front edge, and the channel comprising a trough that is inwardly recessed with respect to adjacent surfaces of the body and sidewalls extending inwardly from the front and rear edges to the trough, wherein the body has a thin-wall construction, such that the channel creates a raised portion on an interior surface of the body;

a slot positioned within the channel and extending completely through a wall of the channel, such that the slot is in communication with the internal cavity and with an exterior of the body; and

a flexible polymer material at least partially filling the channel and engaging the channel, wherein the polymer material completely covers the slot, and a portion of the polymer material extends into the slot and is received within the slot,

wherein the sidewalls extend into the internal cavity to create the raised portion on the interior surface of the body.

21. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the polymer material completely fills at least a portion of a length of the channel.

22. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the slot is positioned within the trough of the channel.

23. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the channel extends adjacent and substantially parallel to the face.

24. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the slot has a length measured in the heel-to-toe direction and a width measured in a direction extending between front and rear edges of the channel, and wherein at least one of the length and the width of the slot are smaller than a respective length or width of the channel.

25. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the portion of the polymer material extending into the slot has at least one of a length and a width that are smaller than a respective length or width of the polymer material.

26. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the portion of the polymer material extending into the slot is exposed to an interior of the body.

27. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the portion of the polymer material is received within the slot and fills the slot.