Golf club head

• US 7,066,832 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Burnett, Michael Scott, Willett, Kraig A., Hoffman, Joseph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/928,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20050026720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473/291, D21733-753
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0458 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 is provided having a substantially increased sweet spot. A preferred embodiment includes a striking plate, the striking plate having a striking surface, a rear surface opposed to the striking surface and defining a thickness therebetween, and a periphery. The periphery has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge. A balance point is disposed in a central region of the striking surface, a first thickness profile extending between the balance point and the first edge, a second thickness profile extending between the balance point and the second edge, a third thickness profile extending between the balance point and the third edge, and a fourth thickness profile extending between the balance point and the fourth edge. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles includes a first region encompassing the periphery of the striking plate, a second region disposed between the first region and the balance point, and a third region disposed between the second region and the balance point. Each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness at least 1.5 times greater than a minimum first region thickness. Each of the first and second thickness profiles has a second region thickness that is less than the maximum second region thickness of the third and fourth thickness profiles and greater than or equal to the minimum first region thickness. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles has a third region thickness that is less than the maximum second region thickness of the third and fourth thickness profiles and greater than the minimum first region thickness.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, and a crown portion, together defining an opening;

a striking plate disposed at the opening, the striking plate having a striking surface, a rear surface opposed to the striking surface and defining a thickness therebetween, and a periphery;

wherein the periphery has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge;

a balance point disposed in a central region of the striking surface, a first thickness profile extending between the balance point and the first edge, a second thickness profile extending between the balance point and the second edge, a third thickness profile extending between the balance point and the third edge, and a fourth thickness profile extending between the balance point and the fourth edge;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles includes a first region encompassing the periphery of the striking plate, a second region disposed between the first region and the balance point, and a third region disposed between the second region and the balance point;

wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness at least 1.5 times greater than a minimum first region thickness;

wherein each of the first and second thickness profiles has a second region thickness that is less than the maximum second region thickness of the third and fourth thickness profiles and greater than or equal to the minimum first region thickness; and

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles has a third region thickness that is less than the maximum second region thickness of the third and fourth thickness profiles and greater than the minimum first region thickness.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first edge is a top edge of the striking plate, the second edge is a bottom edge of the striking plate, the third edge is a heel side edge of the striking plate, and the fourth edge is a toe side edge of the striking plate.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second region comprises a substantially annular region of increased thickness.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head with a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.80.

5. A striking plate for a golf club head, comprising:

a striking surface, a rear surface opposed to the striking surface and defining a thickness therebetween, and a periphery, wherein the periphery has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge;

a balance point disposed in a central region of the striking surface, a first thickness profile extending between the balance point and the first edge, a second thickness profile extending between the balance point and the second edge, a third thickness profile extending between the balance point and the third edge, and a fourth thickness profile extending between the balance point and the fourth edge;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles includes a first region encompassing the periphery of the striking plate, a second region disposed between the first region and the balance point, and a third region disposed between the second region and the balance point;

wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness at least 1.5 times greater than a minimum first region thickness;

wherein each of the first and second thickness profiles has a second region thickness that is less than the maximum second region thickness of the third and fourth thickness profiles and greater than or equal to the minimum first region thickness; and

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles has a third region thickness that is less than the maximum second region thickness of the third and fourth thickness profiles and greater than the minimum first region thickness.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the second region comprises a substantially annular region of increased thickness.

7. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, a crown portion and a striking plate, wherein the striking plate has a striking surface, a rear surface opposed to the striking surface and defining a thickness therebetween, and a periphery, wherein the periphery has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge;

a balance point disposed in a central region of the striking surface, a first thickness profile extending between the balance point and the first edge, a second thickness profile extending between the balance point and the second edge, a third thickness profile extending between the balance point and the third edge, and a fourth thickness profile extending between the balance point and the fourth edge;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles includes a first region encompassing the periphery of the striking plate, a second region disposed between the first region and the balance point, and a third region disposed between the second region and the balance point; and

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles has a third region thickness that is greater than a first region thickness and less than a second region thickness.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the first edge is a top edge of the striking plate, the second edge is a bottom edge of the striking plate, the third edge is a heel side edge of the striking plate, and the fourth edge is a toe side edge of the striking plate.

9. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head with a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.80.

10. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness that is greater than the maximum second region thickness of the first and second thickness profiles.

11. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness that is greater than the maximum second region thickness of the first thickness profile.

12. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness that is greater than the maximum second region thickness of the second thickness profile.

13. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the second region comprises a substantially annular region of increased thickness.

14. A striking plate for a golf club head, comprising:

a striking surface, a rear surface opposed to the striking surface and defining a thickness therebetween, and a periphery, wherein the periphery has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge;

a balance point disposed in a central region of the striking surface, a first thickness profile extending between the balance point and the first edge, a second thickness profile extending between the balance point and the second edge, a third thickness profile extending between the balance point and the third edge, and a fourth thickness profile extending between the balance point and the fourth edge;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles includes a first region encompassing the periphery of the striking plate, a second region disposed between the first region and the balance point, and a third region disposed between the second region and the balance point; and

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth thickness profiles has a third region thickness that is greater than a first region thickness and less than a second region thickness.

15. The striking plate of claim 14, wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness that is greater than the maximum second region thickness of the first and second thickness profiles.

16. The striking plate of claim 14, wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness that is greater than the maximum second region thickness of the first thickness profile.

17. The striking plate of claim 14, wherein each of the third and fourth thickness profiles has a maximum second region thickness that is greater than the maximum second region thickness of the second thickness profile.

18. The striking plate of claim 14, wherein the second region comprises a substantially annular region of increased thickness.

19. A striking plate for a golf club head, comprising:

a striking surface, a rear surface opposed to the striking surface and defining a thickness therebetween, and a periphery, wherein the periphery has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge;

a balance point disposed in a central region of the striking plate, a first stiffness profile extending between the balance point and the first edge, a second stiffness profile extending between the balance point and the second edge, a third stiffness profile extending between the balance point and the third edge and a fourth stiffness profile between the balance point and the fourth edge;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth stiffness profiles includes a first region encompassing the periphery of the striking plate, a second region disposed between the first region and the balance point, and a third region disposed between the second region and the balance point;

wherein each of the third and fourth stiffness profiles has a maximum second region stiffness at least 3.5 times greater than a minimum first region stiffness;

wherein each of the first and second stiffness profiles has a second region stiffness that is less than the maximum second region stiffness of the third and fourth stiffness profiles and greater than or equal to the minimum first region stiffness; and

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth stiffness profiles has a third region stiffness that is less than the maximum second region stiffness of the third and fourth stiffness profiles and greater than the minimum first region stiffness.

20. The striking plate of claim 19, wherein the second region comprises a substantially annular region of increased stiffness.