Golf club having an improved face plate
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A golf club head comprising:
- a body having a top, a bottom, a toe portion, a heel portion, and a front;
a face plate located at the front of the body, the face plate having an impact surface and an opposed rear surface, the rear surface having a toe zone disposed adjacent the toe, a heel zone disposed adjacent the heel, and a vertical zone disposed between the toe zone and the heel zone and extending from a top edge of the face plate to a bottom edge of the face plate, the vertical zone having a width at least 30% of the total distance measured in a toe to heel direction of the front of the body;
wherein the thickness of the face plate within the toe zone and the heel zone is less than 2.5 mm and the thickness of the face plate within the vertical zone is at least 3.0 mm;
a central recess formed in about the center of the face plate and surrounded by the vertical zone;
an upper recess formed in the face plate, the upper recess intersecting a top edge of the face plate and surrounded by the vertical zone;
wherein the vertical zone has a maximum width measured in a toe to heel direction across the central recess.
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Abstract
A golf club head is provided having an increased sweet spot across its club face. A preferred construction includes a face plate having vertical zone of increased thickness and a central region having a reduced thickness. An upward extension of the vertical zone comprises divergent segments separated by an upper region of reduced thickness. The face plate material is preferably metallic, but in alternative embodiments may be formed of a composite or non-metal material. Methods for manufacturing a golf club head having a face plate with the thicknesses of the present invention include forging and machining techniques. The club head may be a wood-type or iron.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A golf club head comprising:
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a body having a top, a bottom, a toe portion, a heel portion, and a front; a face plate located at the front of the body, the face plate having an impact surface and an opposed rear surface, the rear surface having a toe zone disposed adjacent the toe, a heel zone disposed adjacent the heel, and a vertical zone disposed between the toe zone and the heel zone and extending from a top edge of the face plate to a bottom edge of the face plate, the vertical zone having a width at least 30% of the total distance measured in a toe to heel direction of the front of the body; wherein the thickness of the face plate within the toe zone and the heel zone is less than 2.5 mm and the thickness of the face plate within the vertical zone is at least 3.0 mm; a central recess formed in about the center of the face plate and surrounded by the vertical zone; an upper recess formed in the face plate, the upper recess intersecting a top edge of the face plate and surrounded by the vertical zone; wherein the vertical zone has a maximum width measured in a toe to heel direction across the central recess. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A golf club head comprising:
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a body having a top, a bottom, a toe portion, a heel portion, and a front; a face plate located at the front of the body, the face plate having an impact surface, an opposed rear surface, the rear surface having a toe zone disposed adjacent the toe, a heel zone disposed adjacent the heel, and a vertical zone disposed between the toe zone and the heel zones and extending from a top edge of the face plate to a bottom edge of the face plate, the vertical zone having a width at least 30% of the total distance measured in a toe to heel direction of the front of the body, wherein the thickness of the face plate within the toe and heel zones is less than 2.5 mm and the thickness of the face plate within the vertical zone is at least 3.0 mm; a central recess formed in about the center of the face plate and surrounded by the vertical zone; and an upper recess formed in the face plate, the upper recess intersecting a top edge of the face plate and surrounded by the vertical zone.
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Specification