Metal wood club with improved hitting face

• US 20060068932A1
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rice, Scott A., Nardacci, Nicholas M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,704,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/014 Resonance or resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00

Abstract

A hitting face of a golf club head having a location of longest characteristic time shifted away from the geometric center of the hitting face. In one embodiment, the hitting face is made from multiple materials. In another embodiment, the hitting face as a central zone that is thicker than the surrounding material. In another embodiment, a dense insert is attached directly or indirectly to a plate-like face insert at or near the geometric center of the insert. In another embodiment, the central zone of the hitting face is reinforced with ribs. In another embodiment, the central zone is elliptical with varying thickness. In this embodiment, the central zone minor axis is thinner than the major axis. The central zone is positioned within the hitting face such that the minor axis is oriented from the low heel region to the high toe region.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a hitting face comprising

a central zone having a first flexural stiffness, and

an intermediate zone concentric with the central zone, wherein the intermediate zone has a second flexural stiffness that is lower than the first flexural stiffness, and wherein a location of longest characteristic time is offset from a geometric center of the hitting face.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the intermediate zone is thinner than the central zone.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central zone is reinforced.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the central zone is reinforced with at least one rib.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the central zone is reinforced with a dense insert.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the intermediate zone comprises a first material and the central zone comprises a second material, and the first material is less dense than the second material.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the location of longest characteristic time is offset from the geometric center toward the club head'"'"'s toe.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the location of longest characteristic time is offset from the geometric center toward the club head'"'"'s crown.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the location of longest characteristic time is offset from the geometric center toward the club head'"'"'s heel.

10. A golf club head comprising:

a hitting face comprising

a central zone having a flexural stiffness which varies along a horizontal axis of the hitting face, wherein a location of longest characteristic time is offset from a geometric center of the hitting face.

11. The golf club head of claim 11 further comprising an adjacent zone concentric with the central zone, wherein the adjacent zone has a second flexural stiffness that is different from the flexural stiffness of the central zone.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the central zone is reinforced.

14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the central zone is made of a material that is different from the material of an adjacent zone.

12. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the second flexural stiffness is lower than the lowest flexural stiffness of the central zone.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a hitting face comprising

an elliptical central zone having a varying thickness, wherein a minor axis of the central zone is thinner than a major axis of the central zone, and wherein a location of longest characteristic time is offset from a geometric center of the hitting face.

16. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the minor axis runs from a low heel region of the club head to a high toe region of the club head.

17. A golf club head comprising means for shifting a location of longest characteristic time away from a geometric center of the hitting face.