Golf club with golf club head having compressible v-shaped grooves

• US 7,841,952 B1
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Oldknow, Andrew G.V., Rahrig, Donald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/469,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type

Abstract

A golf club with a golf club head having compressible v-shaped grooves is presented. The club head may include a plurality of grooves formed in a striking face. In some arrangements, the grooves have a rectangular cross section. The grooves may also include a compressible insert having a v-shaped end and being formed of a material softer than that of the grooves. As the club head strikes a golf ball, the insert may compress, thereby allowing additional contact between the groove and the ball to impart spin on the ball. In an alternate arrangement, the groove may include a compressible support arranged between the insert and an end of the groove. The compressible insert may be formed of a material softer than the groove and/or the insert and is configured to compress when the club head strikes a golf ball.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club, comprising:

a club shaft;

an iron-type golf club head configured at one end of the club shaft and having a club face constructed from a first material;

a plurality of grooves formed in the club face including a first groove and a second groove separate from the first groove, each of the first and second grooves being defined in the first material and including an open front end, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a closed end surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and located opposite the open front end;

a first insert arranged within the first groove, the first insert being formed of a second material, softer than the first material and the first insert having a shape corresponding to the shape of the first groove and a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the first groove; and

a second insert arranged within the second groove, the second insert being formed of the second material, the second insert having a shape corresponding to the shape of the second groove and a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the second groove, and wherein the second insert is a separate and independent part from the first insert,

wherein the first and second inserts are compressible with respect to the first and second grooves, respectively, in which they are mounted such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a v-shaped cross section when the first and second inserts are in an uncompressed state and such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a u-shaped cross section when a golf ball is struck at the first and second grooves to thereby compress the first and second inserts.

2. The iron-type golf club of claim 1, wherein the first material is at least one of carbon steel, stainless steel and titanium.

3. The iron-type golf club of claim 1, wherein the second material is at least one of a polymer, and a soft metal.

4. An iron-type golf club, comprising:

a club shaft;

an iron-type golf club head configured at one end of the club shaft and having a club face constructed from a first material;

a plurality of grooves formed in the club face including a first groove and a second groove separate from the first groove, each of the first and second grooves being defined in the first material and including an open front end, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a closed end surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and located opposite the open front end;

a first insert arranged within the first groove, the first insert being formed of a material having a softer durometer than a durometer of the first material, the first insert having a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the first groove and configured to be compressed when the club face strikes a golf ball, wherein portions of the first groove adjoining the first insert are configured to impart spin on the golf ball when the club face strikes the golf ball; and

a second insert arranged within the second groove, the second insert being formed of a material having a softer durometer than the durometer of the first material, the second insert having a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the second groove and configured to be compressed when the club face strikes a golf ball, wherein the second insert is a separate and independent part from the first insert, and wherein portions of the second groove adjoining the second insert are configured to impart spin on the golf ball when the club face strikes the golf ball, and

wherein the first and second inserts are compressible with respect to the first and second grooves, respectively, in which they are mounted such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a v-shaped cross section when the first and second inserts are in an uncompressed state and such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a u-shaped cross section when a golf ball is struck at the first and second grooves to thereby compress the first and second inserts.

5. The iron-type golf club of claim 4, wherein the first insert is in contact with the top surface, the bottom surface, and the closed end surface of the first groove and wherein the second insert is in contact with the top surface, the bottom surface, and the closed end surface of the second groove.

6. The iron-type golf club of claim 4, wherein the first material is at least one of carbon steel, stainless steel and titanium.

7. The iron-type golf club of claim 4, wherein the material of the first and second inserts is at least one of a polymer and a soft metal.

8. An iron-type golf club, comprising:

a club shaft;

an iron-type golf club head arranged at one end of the club shaft and having a club face formed of a first material;

a plurality of grooves formed in the club face including a first groove and a second groove separate from the first groove, each of the first and second grooves being defined in the first material and having a rectangular cross section including an open front end, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a closed end surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and located opposite the open front end;

a first compressible support arranged within the first groove and formed of a second material, the second material being softer than the first material, the first compressible support configured to be compressed when the golf club strikes a golf ball;

a second compressible support separate and independent from the first compressible support and arranged within the second groove, the second compressible support being formed of the second material and configured to be compressed when the golf club strikes a golf ball;

a first insert arranged within the first groove, wherein the first compressible support is located between the first insert and the closed end surface of the first groove, the first insert being formed of a third material and having a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the first groove; and

a second insert arranged within the second groove, wherein the second compressible support is located between the second insert and the closed end surface of the second groove, the second insert being formed of the third material and having a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the second groove, wherein the second insert is a separate and independent part from the first insert, and

wherein the first and second compressible supports are compressible with respect to the first and second grooves, respectively, in which they are mounted such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a v-shaped cross section when the first and second compressible supports are in an uncompressed state and such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a u-shaped cross section when a golf ball is struck at the first and second grooves to thereby compress the first and second compressible supports.

9. The iron-type golf club of claim 8, wherein the first groove surrounds the first compressible supports on three sides and is in contact with the first compressible support on three sides, and wherein the second groove surrounds the second compressible support on three sides and is in contact with the second compressible support on three sides.

10. The iron-type golf club of claim 8, wherein the first groove is in contact with two opposite sides of the first insert, and wherein the second groove is in contact with two opposite sides of the second insert.

11. The iron-type golf club of claim 8, wherein the second material is configured to be compressed to a greater degree than the first material and the third material when the golf club strikes the golf ball.

12. The iron-type golf club of claim 8, wherein the first and third materials are the same material.

13. The iron-type golf club of claim 8, wherein the first, second and third materials are all different materials.

14. The iron-type golf club of claim 8, wherein the second material is a polymer.

15. An iron-type golf club head, comprising:

a striking face constructed from a first material;

a plurality of grooves including a first groove and a second groove separate from the first groove formed in the striking face, each of the first and second grooves having a rectangular cross section and being defined in the first material, and each of the first and second grooves including an open front end, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a closed end surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and located opposite the open front end;

a first insert arranged within the first groove, the first insert having a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the first groove, and the first insert being made from a material having a compressibility greater than a compressibility of the first material; and

a second insert arranged within the second groove, the second insert having a v-shaped end exposed at the open front end of the second groove, and the second insert being made from a material having a compressibility greater than a compressibility of the first material, and

wherein the first and second inserts are compressible with respect to the first and second grooves, respectively, in which they are mounted such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a v-shaped cross section when the first and second inserts are in an uncompressed state and such that the open ends of the first and second grooves provide a u-shaped cross section when a golf ball is struck at the first and second grooves to thereby compress the first and second inserts.

16. The iron-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the first insert is in contact with the first groove on three sides, and wherein the second insert is in contact with the second groove on three sides.