Golf club head
First Claim
1. A golf club head, having a coefficient of restitution measuring at least about 0.80, comprising:
- a body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, and a crown portion, together defining a front opening;
a striking plate disposed at the opening, the striking plate having a substantially planar striking surface on a front side, a rear surface on a rear side, and a periphery for attachment at the opening on the body;
wherein the periphery has a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, and each point on the striking plate has a thickness;
wherein the striking surface has a balance point at a central region and further has a total area on its front side;
wherein the striking plate has a first thickness profile between the balance point and the top edge, a second thickness profile between the balance point and the bottom edge, a third thickness profile between the balance point and the first side edge, and a fourth thickness profile between the balance point and the second side edge;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at first locations encompassing the periphery of the striking plate and include minimum values adjacent the edges;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at second locations positioned between the first locations and the balance point, and third locations positioned in the central region between the second locations and the balance point;
wherein the third and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at least 1.5 times the minimum values at the second locations and include points having maximum values;
wherein the first and second thickness profiles have thickness values at the second locations that are less than the maximum values of the third and fourth thickness profiles at the second locations, but greater than the minimum values of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles at the first locations; and
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at the third locations in the central region that are less than the maximum values of the third and fourth thickness profiles at the second locations but greater than the minimum values of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles at the first locations.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A golf club head is provided having a substantially increased sweet spot across its striking face. A preferred embodiment includes a striking plate with a substantially annular area on a rear surface that has an increased thickness or stiffness surrounding the central region of the balance point of the striking surface. The central region of the striking plate has a generally reduced thickness or stiffness that is less than the maximum thickness or stiffness values found at the third and fourth thickness or stiffness profiles of the substantially annular area but greater than a minimum thickness or stiffness values at the peripheral area. The first and second thickness or stiffness profiles of the substantially annular area have thicknesses or stiffnesses less than the maximum values of the third and fourth thickness or stiffness profiles but more than the minimum thickness or stiffness values at the periphery.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A golf club head, having a coefficient of restitution measuring at least about 0.80, comprising:
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a body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, and a crown portion, together defining a front opening;
a striking plate disposed at the opening, the striking plate having a substantially planar striking surface on a front side, a rear surface on a rear side, and a periphery for attachment at the opening on the body;
wherein the periphery has a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, and each point on the striking plate has a thickness;
wherein the striking surface has a balance point at a central region and further has a total area on its front side;
wherein the striking plate has a first thickness profile between the balance point and the top edge, a second thickness profile between the balance point and the bottom edge, a third thickness profile between the balance point and the first side edge, and a fourth thickness profile between the balance point and the second side edge;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at first locations encompassing the periphery of the striking plate and include minimum values adjacent the edges;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at second locations positioned between the first locations and the balance point, and third locations positioned in the central region between the second locations and the balance point;
wherein the third and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at least 1.5 times the minimum values at the second locations and include points having maximum values;
wherein the first and second thickness profiles have thickness values at the second locations that are less than the maximum values of the third and fourth thickness profiles at the second locations, but greater than the minimum values of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles at the first locations; and
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at the third locations in the central region that are less than the maximum values of the third and fourth thickness profiles at the second locations but greater than the minimum values of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles at the first locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A striking plate for a golf club head, comprising:
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a striking plate having a substantially planar striking surface on a front side, a rear surface on a rear side and a periphery for attachment to the golf club bead, the periphery having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge;
the striking surface having a balance point at a central region of the striking plate and each point on the striking surface having a local cross-sectional bending stiffness profile, the striking surface having a total area on the front side of the striking plate;
the striking plate having a first stiffness profile between the balance point and the top edge, a second stiffness profile between the balance point and the bottom edge, a third stiffness profile between the balance point and the first side edge and a fourth stiffness profile between the balance point and the second side edge;
the first, second, third, and fourth stiffness profiles having stiffness values at first locations encompassing the periphery of the striking surface and including minimum values adjacent the periphery;
the third and fourth stiffness profiles having stiffness values at least 3.5 times the minimum values at the second locations and including points having maximum values;
the first and second stiffness profiles having stiffness values at the second locations that are less than the maximum values of the third and fourth stiffness profiles at the second locations, but greater than the minimum values of the first, second, third, and fourth stiffness profiles at the first locations; and
the first, second, third, and fourth stiffness profiles having stiffness values at the third locations in the central region that are less than the maximum values of the third and fourth stiffness profiles at the second locations but greater than the minimum values of the first, second, third, and fourth stiffness profiles at the first locations. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A golf club head comprising:
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a body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, a top portion and a front portion;
the front portion having a substantially planar striking surface on a front side, a rear surface on a rear side, and a periphery;
wherein the periphery has a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, and each point on the front portion has a thickness;
wherein the front portion has a balance point at a central region and further has a total area on its front side;
wherein the front portion has a first thickness profile between the balance point and the top edge, a second thickness profile between the balance point and the bottom edge, a third thickness profile between the balance point and the first side edge, and a fourth thickness profile between the balance point and the second side edge;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at first locations encompassing the periphery of the front portion and include minimum values adjacent the edges;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles have thickness values at second locations positioned between the first locations and the balance point, and third locations positioned in the central region between the second locations and the balance point; and
wherein the thickness values at the third locations are greater than the thickness values at the first locations and less than the thickness values at the second locations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification