GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH REPLACEABLE FACE

• US 20130150179A1
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Golden, Charles E., Morin, John, Hipp, Helene
• Granted Patent: US 8,753,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• 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 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head having a replaceable striking face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a golf club head where at least a portion of the frontal striking surface of the face is detachable and replaceable to improve performance. A golf club head in accordance with the present invention may generally have a thinned striking face with a thickness of less than about 3.0 mm yielding a golf club head with a larger sweet spot that'"'"'s greater than 6% of the frontal striking surface; defined as an area of the frontal striking surface having at least 99% of the maximum characteristic time between about 239 microseconds to about 257 microseconds.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion; and

a replaceable striking face releasably connected to said body comprising an impact zone and a connection zone;

wherein a thickness of said impact zone is less than about 3.0 mm;

wherein said golf club head has a volume of greater than about 350 cc; and

wherein said golf club head has a primary first mode frequency of greater than about 3,500 Hertz.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said thickness of said impact zone is less than about 2.5 mm.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said thickness of said impact zone is less than about 2.0 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a vibration dampening material is juxtaposed between said replaceable striking face and said body.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein said replaceable striking face is connected to said body using at least one screw.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said replaceable striking face further comprises at least one screw receptable to engage a terminal end of said at least one screw.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said body comprises at least one screw well to engage a proximal end of said at least one screw.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein sait at least one wcrew well is located near a sole portion of said golf club head.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown portion, a sole portion, and at least one screw well; and

a replaceable striking face releasably connected to said body comprising an impact zone, a connection zone, and at least one screw receptacle,

wherein said replaceable striking face is connected to said body using at least one screw engaging said at least one screw well and said at least one screw receptacle;

wherein said replaceable striking face has a variable face thickness geometry; and

wherein a thickness of a thinnest region of said replaceable striking face is less than about 3.0 mm.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said thickness of said thinnest region of said replaceable striking face is less than about 2.5 mm.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein said thickness of said thinnest region of said replaceable striking face is less than about 2.0 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein a thickness of a thickest region of said of said replaceable striking face less than about 4.5 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said thickness of said thickest region of said replaceable striking face is less than about 4.0 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein said thickness of said thickest region of said replaceable striking face is less than about 3.5 mm.

15. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein said golf club head has a primary first mode frequency of greater than about 3,500 Hertz.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein said at least one screw well is located near said sole portion of said golf club head.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein said at least one screw well is located near a crown portion of said golf club head.

18. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said replaceable striking face is rotatably connected to a shaft axis of said golf club head.

19. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said replaceable striking face further comprises a sweet spot located within said impact zone;

wherein said sweet spot is defined as an area of a frontal striking surface of said golf club head having a characteristic time that is at least 99% of a maximum characteristic time of between about 239 microseconds to about 257 microseconds; and

wherein said sweet spot comprises greater than about 6% of said frontal striking surface.