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

• US 10,682,554 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Akiyama, Hiromitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US15/892,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20180161646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face member with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a flange that comprises a portion of the crown. The flange being made of at least two members that are made of different materials, where a second material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the first material. The second member has a length, a width, a thickness and a location proximate to the ball striking surface to improve the impact efficiency of a collision with a golf ball.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a club head body member formed of a first material comprising a heel, a toe, a portion of a crown, and a sole;

a face member formed of a second material comprising a ball striking surface and a flange;

wherein the flange extends from the ball striking surface to form a portion of the crown, wherein the flange further comprises a third material contained within the flange;

wherein the third material of the flange is further contained within the crown;

wherein the club head body member and the face member are joined to form a hollow interior;

wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than both of the first material and the second material;

wherein the third material has a density that is higher than a density of both the first material and the second material; and

wherein a width of the third material measured in a front-to-back direction varies in width such that the width of the third material varies in a direction from a center of the flange towards the heel or toe.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the third material is gum metal.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the flange has a thickness within a range of 0.8 mm and 2.2 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is at least 10 percent lower than a modulus of elasticity of the first material.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is at least 10 percent lower than a modulus of elasticity of the second material.

6. A golf club head comprising:

a club head body member formed of a first material comprising a heel, a toe, a portion of a crown, and a sole;

a face member formed of a second material comprising a ball striking surface and a flange, wherein the flange forms a portion of the crown;

wherein the flange further comprises a third material contained within the flange;

wherein the third material of the flange is further contained within the crown;

wherein the flange has a length measured along the crown in a heel-to-toe direction;

wherein the club head body member and the face member are joined to form a hollow interior;

wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than both of the first material and the second material;

wherein the third material has a density that is higher than a density of both the first material and the second material;

wherein a length of the third material measured in a heel-to-toe direction is between 65% and 90% of the length of the flange; and

wherein a width of the third material measured in a front-to-back direction varies in with such that the width of the third material varies from a center of the flange towards the heel or toe.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the face member forms a cup face.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the flange has a thickness within a range of 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm.

9. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the third material is gum metal.

10. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is at least 10 percent lower than a modulus of elasticity of the second material.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a club head body member formed of a first material comprising a heel, a toe, a portion of a crown, and a sole;

a face member formed of a second material forming a cup face, wherein the face member comprises a ball striking surface and a flange, wherein the flange is formed of a third material contained within the flange;

wherein the third material is further contained within the crown;

wherein the flange has a length measured along the crown in a heel-to-toe direction;

wherein the club head body member and the face member are joined to form a hollow interior;

wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than both of the first material and the second material;

wherein the third material has a density that is higher than a density of both the first material and the second material;

wherein a length of the third material measured in the heel-to-toe direction is at least 65% of the length of the flange; and

wherein a width of the third material measured in a front-to-back direction varies in width such that the width of the third material varies from a center of the flange towards the heel or toe.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third material forms a portion of the ball striking surface and the entire flange of the face member.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the first material is a titanium alloy.

14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third material is gum metal.

15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third material has a modulus of elasticity that is at least 10 percent lower than a modulus of elasticity of the second material.

16. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the flange has a thickness within a range of 0.7 mm and 2.5 mm.

17. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein a rear edge of the flange is within a range of 10 mm and 20 mm from a crown-face intersection point.