Strike face insert

• US 7,942,757 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Blumenkrantz, Mark, Wallans, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/844,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100292026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473/238, 473/242
• US Class Current: 473/331
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, comprises a metallic striking wall having a striking surface and at least one through score-line opening. At least one complementary component may be disposed rearward of the striking surface such that at least a part of the at least one complementary component extends into only a part of the at least one through score-line opening.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a metallic striking wall comprising a striking surface and at least one elongate through score-line opening extending across a majority of the metallic striking wall, the at least one elongate through score-line opening having a stepped portion including a ledge;

a chassis comprising a recess including a base surface, wherein the metallic striking wall is at least partially located in the recess; and

at least one complementary component rearward of the striking surface and including a base, at least a part of the at least one complementary component extending into only a part of the at least one through score-line opening, wherein the base of the at least one complementary component is interposed between the ledge of the at least one through score-line opening and the base surface of the recess.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the metallic striking wall further comprises a thickness between about 0.6 mm and about 10 mm.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the metallic striking wall is between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the metallic striking wall is between about 1 mm and about 3 mm.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one complementary component comprises a non-metallic material.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 further comprising an aft portion coupled to the at least one complementary component.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the aft portion comprises a non-metallic material.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the aft portion comprises a constrained layer damper.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one through score-line opening is formed by hydro-jet cutting.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one through score-line opening is formed by through-slot milling.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a metallic striking wall comprising a striking surface and at least one elongate through score-line opening extending across a majority of the metallic striking wall, the at least one elongate through score-line opening including side walls formed in the metallic striking wall; and

a chassis comprising a recess having a base surface and at least one protrusion extending from the base surface, at least a part of the at least one protrusion extending into only a part of the at least one through score-line opening and having an anterior surface recessed in its entirety from the striking surface, wherein at least a portion of the side walls of the at least one elongate through score-line opening and at least a portion of the anterior surface of the at least one protrusion are visually exposed and delimit at least a portion of at least one face groove.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the metallic striking wall further comprises a thickness between about 0.6 mm and about 10 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the metallic striking wall is between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the thickness of the metallic striking wall is between about 1 mm and about 3 mm.

15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the at least one through score-line opening is formed by hydro-jet cutting.

16. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the at least one through score-line opening is formed by through-slot milling.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, further comprising a non-metallic material.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, further comprising a top-line wall including at least one through aperture, the non-metallic material extending into at least a part of the at least one through aperture.

19. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the metallic striking wall further comprises at least one through cavity, the non-metallic material extending into at least a part of the at least one through cavity.

20. The golf club head of claim 11, further comprising a constrained layer damper.