Iron-type golf club head with groove profile in ceramic face

• US 8,221,262 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Cackett, Matthew T., Rollinson, Augustin W., Hocknell, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/339,615
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, D21/750
• US Class Current: 473/330
• 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 53/047 iron-type

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacture and design such that very small detail features can be produced within the groove profile on an iron or wedge. The advantage in being able to do this is that spin will be enhanced for a variety of shot types and conditions when striking a golf ball with cover composed of a urethane-based material.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a face insert composed of a ceramic material, the body composed of a stainless steel or titanium alloy material; and

a plurality of grooves extending partially along the face insert from a heel end to a toe end of the face insert, each of the plurality of grooves having a plurality of micro-edges, each of the plurality of micro-edges within a zone between a circle of radius 0.010 inch and a concentric circle of radius 0.011 inch, each of the plurality of micro-edges has a length L2 of 0.004 inch and consists of a first curvature with a radius R3 of 0.002 inch and a second curvature with a radius R2 of 0.002 inch, wherein the second curvature is adjacent an edge surface of the face insert and the first curvature is adjacent a side wall of the groove.

2. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a face insert composed of a ceramic material, the body composed of a stainless steel or titanium alloy material; and

a plurality of grooves extending partially along the face insert from a heel end to a toe end of the face insert, each of the plurality of grooves having a Y-shape cross-section with a plurality of micro-edges, each of the plurality of micro-edges within a zone between a circle of radius 0.010 inch and a concentric circle of radius 0.011 inch, each of the plurality of micro-edges has a length L2 of 0.004 inch and consists of a first curvature with a radius R3 of 0.002 inch and a second curvature with a radius R2 of 0.002 inch, wherein the second curvature is adjacent an edge surface of the face insert and the first curvature is adjacent a side wall of the groove.