Golf club head or other ball striking device with modifiable feel characteristics

• US 20060073908A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Tavares, Gary G., Waatti, Todd A., Madore, Carl L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,354,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/340
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), include devices within and/or otherwise engaged with the ball striking head that allow users to selectively change the sound and/or other aspects of the “feel” associated with using the ball striking device to strike a ball. In this manner, a user, a club fitter, or the like can freely customize and adjust the sound and/or other aspects of the ball striking device'"'"'s feel to correspond to a particular user'"'"'s preferences.

Claims

1. A ball striking device, comprising:

a ball striking head including a ball striking surface that faces a ball in use; and

means for changing a sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

2. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein the ball striking head further includes a body member.

3. A ball striking device according to claim 2, wherein the means for changing the sound, at least in part, is included within the body member.

4. A ball striking device according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the means for changing the sound is exposed through an opening defined in the body member.

5. A ball striking device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a weighted member removably engaged with the body member of the ball striking head.

6. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the means for changing the sound directly contacts a backside of the ball striking surface.

7. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein the means for changing the sound allows a user to selectively change the sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

8. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the means for changing the sound is rotatably mounted with respect to the ball striking head.

9. A ball striking device according to claim 8, wherein the sound emanated by the ball striking head is changed by rotating a rotatable portion of the means for changing the sound.

10. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the means for changing the sound is engaged with the ball striking head.

11. A ball striking device according to claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the means for changing the sound is removable from the ball striking head.

12. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein the ball striking device is a golf club head.

13. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein the ball striking device is a putter head.

14. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein the ball striking device is a golf club.

15. A ball striking device according to claim 1, wherein the ball striking device is a putter.

16. A ball striking device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shaft engaged with the ball striking head.

17. A ball striking device, comprising:

a ball striking head including a ball striking surface that faces a ball in use;

at least one wall member located behind the ball striking surface; and

means for applying a force to the wall member.

18. A ball striking device according to claim 17, wherein the wall member at least partially defines a first chamber extending in a direction away from the ball striking surface.

19. A ball striking device according to claim 18, wherein the means for applying the force is at least partially located in the first chamber.

20. A ball striking device according to claim 17, wherein the means for applying the force includes a screw member.

21. A ball striking device according to claim 20, wherein the screw member applies a compressive force to the wall member.

22. A ball striking device according to claim 20, wherein the screw member, at least in part, controls a stiffness characteristic of the wall member.

23. A ball striking device according to claim 17, wherein the wall member and the means for applying the force are at least partially located in the ball striking head.

24. A ball striking device according to claim 23, wherein the ball striking head includes an opening defined therein to allow access to the means for applying the force.

25. A ball striking device according to claim 24, wherein the wall member at least partially defines a first chamber extending in a direction away from the ball striking surface.

26. A ball striking device according to claim 25, wherein the means for applying the force is at least partially located in the first chamber.

27. A ball striking device according to claim 24, wherein the means for applying the force applies a compressive force to the wall member.

28. A ball striking device according to claim 24, wherein the means for applying the force, at least in part, controls a stiffness characteristic of the wall member.

29. A ball striking device according to claim 23, wherein the means for applying the force is selectively removable from the ball striking head.

30. A ball striking device according to claim 23, wherein the wall member and the means for applying the force are selectively removable from the ball striking head.

31. A ball striking device according to claim 17, wherein the means for applying the force allows a user to selectively change the force applied to the wall member.

32. A ball striking device according to claim 31, wherein changing the force applied to the wall member changes a sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

33. A ball striking device according to claim 31, wherein changing the force applied to the wall member changes a feel associated with the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

34. A ball striking device according to claim 17, wherein the ball striking device is a putter head.

35. A ball striking device according to claim 17, wherein the ball striking device is a putter.

36. A ball striking device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a shaft engaged with the ball striking head.

37. A ball striking device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a second wall member located behind the ball striking surface; and

a second means for applying a force to the second wall member.

38. A ball striking device according to claim 37, wherein the second wall member at least partially defines a second chamber extending in a direction away from the ball striking surface.

39. A ball striking device according to claim 38, wherein the second means for applying the force is at least partially located in the second chamber.

40. A ball striking device according to claim 37, wherein the second wall member and the second means for applying the force to the second wall are at least partially located in the ball striking head.

41. A method, comprising:

providing a ball striking device including a ball striking head having a ball striking surface that faces a ball in use and a means for changing a sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface; and

adjusting the means for changing a sound to thereby change the sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein the ball striking device further includes a body member that extends in a direction away from the ball striking surface.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the means for changing the sound, at least in part, is included within the body member.

44. A method according to claim 42, wherein the adjusting includes moving at least a portion of the means for changing the sound through an opening defined in the body member.

45. A method according to claim 44, wherein the adjusting includes rotating at least a portion of the means for changing the sound.

46. A method according to claim 41, wherein the adjusting includes moving at least a portion of the means for changing the sound.

47. A method according to claim 41, further comprising:

adjusting the means for changing the sound a second time to further change the sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

48. A method according to claim 41, wherein the adjusting includes rotating at least a portion of the means for changing the sound with respect to the ball striking head.

49. A method according to claim 41, further comprising:

removing at least a first portion of the means for changing the sound from the ball striking head.

50. A method according to claim 49, further comprising:

engaging at least a new first portion of a second means for changing the sound with the ball striking head.

51. A method according to claim 50, wherein at least the new first portion of the second means for changing the sound has different weight characteristics from at least the first portion of the means for changing the sound removed from the ball striking head to thereby alter swing characteristics of the ball striking head.

52. A method according to claim 41, wherein the ball striking head is a golf club head.

53. A method according to claim 41, wherein the ball striking head is a putter head.

54. A method according to claim 41, further comprising:

engaging a shaft with the ball striking head.

55. A method, comprising:

providing a ball striking device, having;

(a) a ball striking head including a ball striking surface that faces a ball in use, (b) at least one wall member located behind the ball striking surface, and (c) means for applying a force to the wall member; and

adjusting the means for applying the force to the wall member to thereby change a characteristic of a response by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

56. A method according to claim 55, wherein the wall member at least partially defines a first chamber extending in a direction away from the ball striking surface.

57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the means for applying the force is at least partially located in the first chamber.

58. A method according to claim 55, wherein the adjusting includes rotating a screw member included as part of the means for applying the force.

59. A method according to claim 55, wherein the adjusting includes changing a compressive force applied to the wall member.

60. A method according to claim 55, wherein the adjusting includes changing a stiffness characteristic of the wall member.

61. A method according to claim 55, wherein the wall member and the means for applying the force are at least partially located in the ball striking head.

62. A method according to claim 61, wherein the adjusting includes moving at least a portion of the means for applying the force through an opening defined in the ball striking head.

63. A method according to claim 62, wherein the means for applying the force is at least partially located in the first chamber.

64. A method according to claim 63, wherein the adjusting includes changing a compressive force applied to the wall member.

65. A method according to claim 63, wherein the adjusting includes changing a stiffness characteristic of the wall member.

66. A method according to claim 61, further comprising:

removing the means for applying the force from the ball striking head.

67. A method according to claim 66, further comprising:

engaging a second means for applying the force with the ball striking head.

68. A method according to claim 67, wherein the second means for applying the force has different weight characteristics from the means for applying the force removed from the ball striking head to thereby alter swing characteristics of the ball striking head.

69. A method according to claim 61, further comprising:

removing the wall member and the means for applying the force from the ball striking head.

70. A method according to claim 69, further comprising:

engaging a second wall member and a second means for applying the force with the ball striking head.

71. A method according to claim 70, wherein at least one of the second wall member or the second means for applying the force has different weight characteristics from at least one of the wall member or the means for applying the force removed from the ball striking head to thereby alter swing characteristics of the ball striking head.

72. A method according to claim 55, wherein the adjusting changes a sound emanated by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

73. A method according to claim 55, further comprising:

adjusting the means for applying the force a second time to further change the characteristic of the response by the ball striking head when a ball contacts the ball striking surface.

74. A method according to claim 55, wherein the ball striking head is a putter head.

75. A method according to claim 55, further comprising:

engaging a shaft with the ball striking head.