Golf club with diagonally reinforced contoured front wall

• US 6,926,618 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Kubica, Daniel J., Sanchez, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/441,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20040235585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 473345-346, 473/324, 473/349, 473/350, 473/290, 473/329, 473/342, 472/291
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club head composed of a forged metal material has a striking surface that is supported by diagonal stiffening regions that extend from a central region of the face toward the heel-sole quadrant, heel-crown quadrant, toe-crown quadrant, and toe-sole quadrants of the face. The diagonal stiffening regions are smoothly contoured to blend into the back surface of the face so as to avoid any stress concentrations. By extending the stiffening regions diagonally from the center of the club face to the four quadrants, a more uniform stress distribution can be obtained and therefore more uniform performance. Additionally, since the diagonal stiffening regions are greater in length than vertical or horizontal stiffening region could be made, the center of the face can deflect a greater amount without exceeding the yield strength of the material and, therefore, there is a more efficient transfer of energy from the club head to the ball.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a hollow body including a face composed of a forged metal material, said face comprising a ball striking surface and a back surface opposite the ball striking surface, said face comprising a heel edge, a toe edge, a sole edge and a crown edge;

a first diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a first axis from a heel-sole quadrant to a central region of the face;

a second diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a second axis from a heel-crown quadrant to said central region of the face;

a third diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a third axis from a toe-crown quadrant to said central region of the face;

a fourth diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a fourth axis from a toe-sole quadrant to said central region of the face;

said first diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers gradually from a first thickness proximal said first axis to a second thickness distal from said first axis, said second diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers gradually from a third thickness proximal said second axis to a fourth thickness distal from said first axis, said third diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers gradually from a fifth thickness proximal said third axis to a sixth thickness distal from said third axis, said fourth diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers gradually from a seventh thickness proximal said second axis to an eighth thickness distal from said fourth axis;

said first thickness being greater than said second thickness, said third thickness being greater than said fourth thickness, said fifth thickness being greater than said sixth thickness and said seventh thickness being greater than said eighth thickness; and

a locally thickened central region having a thickness which tapers gradually along a vertical axis extending from said locally thickened central region toward said sole edge and said crown edge and which tapers along a horizontal axis extending from said locally thickened central region toward said heel edge and said toe edge, the thickness of said locally thickened central region tapering more abruptly than the thickness of said diagonal stiffening regions.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said first, third, fifth and seventh thicknesses are equal.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said first, second, third and fourth axes are straight.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein:

said first and third axes are co-linear and said second and fourth axes are co-linear.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said first, second, third and fourth axes are curved.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said locally thickened region has a thickness greater than each of said first, third, fifth, and seventh thicknesses.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said forged metal material comprises forged titanium.