CONTOURED SCORELINES FOR THE FACE OF A GOLF CLUB

• US 20020049095A1
• Filed: 11/01/1999
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: HELMSTETTER, RICHARD C., GALLOWAY, J ANDREW, HOCKNELL, ALAN
• Granted Patent: US 6,443,856 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/330
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 golf club head having a face with a plurality of scorelines that have a contour with a continuous curvature is disclosed herein. The face has a thickness that is less than 0.110 inches, and each of the scorelines have a depth that is greater than 0.012 inches. The width of each of the scorelines may be between 0.028 inches and 0.032 inches. Each of the scorelines may have a contour with a first convex section, a concave section and a second convex section. Preferably, the face is composed of a forged titanium material. However, the face and/or club head body may be composed of steel, other metals and composite materials.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a plurality of line scorelines, each of the plurality of line scorelines having a contour with a continuous curvature, wherein the face has a thickness that is less than 0.110 inches.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the contour of each of the plurality of line scorelines comprises a first convex section, a concave section, and a second convex section.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the greatest depth of each of the plurality of line scorelines is less than 0.012 inches.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face comprises a heel portion, a toe portion and a center portion juxtaposed by the heel portion and the toe portion, wherein the center portion is divided into a crown half and a sole half, wherein the crown half has an absence of line scorelines.

5. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the heel portion and the toe portion of the face have an equal number of line scorelines.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the vertical distance between each of the plurality of line scorelines is equal.

7. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the width of each of the plurality of scorelines is between 0.028 and 0.032 inches.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face has a thickness in the range of 0.064 to 0.110 inches.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head is selected from the group consisting of a metal wood, an iron and a putter.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the golf club head is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of forged titanium alloy material, steel, composite materials, and mixtures thereof.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a plurality of line scorelines, each of the plurality of line scorelines having a contour comprising a first convex section, a concave section and a second convex section.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of line scorelines has a width of less than 0.032 inches.

13. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of line scorelines has a width of between 0.028 and 0.032 inches.

14. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the concave section has a radius of at least 0.015 inches.

15. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the first convex edge section and the second convex edge section each have a radius in the range of 0.01 to 0.001.

16. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the face comprises a heel portion, a toe portion and a center portion juxtaposed by the heel portion and the toe portion, wherein the center portion is divided into a crown half and a sole half, wherein the crown half has an absence of line scorelines.

17. The golf club head according to claim 16 wherein the length of each of the plurality of scorelines is between 0.5 and 1.0 inches.

18. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the face has a thickness in the range of 0.064 to 0.110 inches.

19. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the golf club head is a metal wood club head.

20. A golf club head comprising:

a face having a plurality of line scorelines, each of the plurality of line scorelines having a contour comprising a first convex section, a concave section and a second convex section, wherein each of the plurality of line scorelines have a depth that is greater than twenty percent of the thickness of the face.