Golf club having a reinforced ball striking plate

• US 9,168,436 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Slaughter, Byron C., Knight, William C., Franklin, David N., Snyder, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/905,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A ball striking device includes a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The ball striking plate has a desired-contact region and a perimeter. One or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface and may radiate away from the desired-contact region toward the perimeter. At least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located in an upper-toe quadrant or in an upper-heel quadrant of the rear surface. One or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface. The one or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be at least partially encircling the desired-contact region. A thickened portion of the ball striking plate may be positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate. The ball striking device may be a golf club head.

Claims

1. A ball striking device comprising:

a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the ball striking plate having a desired-contact region and a perimeter;

one or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs located on the rear surface and extending away from the desired-contact region toward the perimeter;

one or more encircling reinforcement ribs located on the rear surface, the one or more encircling reinforcement ribs at least partially encircling the desired-contact region,

wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs has a maximum cross-sectional area ranging from 0.10 mm² to 0.70 mm², and

wherein at least one of the encircling reinforcement ribs partially encircles the desired-contact region and has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is joined to a first portion of the perimeter of the ball striking plate and the second end is joined to a second portion of the perimeter of the ball striking plate.

2. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the one or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs is a plurality of spoke-like reinforcement ribs, and wherein the plurality of spoke-like reinforcement ribs is radially-aligned with a predetermined point of the ball striking plate.

3. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs is a linear element.

4. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs extends to the perimeter of the ball striking plate.

5. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs has an approximately constant cross-sectional area.

6. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs has a cross-sectional area that decreases as the spoke-like reinforcement rib extends outward.

7. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs has a maximum height ranging from 0.20 mm to 0.60 mm.

8. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the one or more encircling reinforcement ribs comprises at least three encircling reinforcement ribs, and wherein a spacing of the at least three encircling reinforcement ribs from one another increases as a distance from the desired-contact region increases.

9. The ball striking device of claim 1, further comprising a thickened portion of the ball striking plate, the thickened portion including an elevated area on the rear surface of the ball striking plate positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate.

10. The ball striking device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs extends from the thickened portion.

11. The ball striking device of claim 9, wherein the elevated area has a maximum thickness of that ranges from approximately 2.5 mm to approximately 3.5 mm.

12. The ball striking device of claim 9, wherein a peripheral portion of the ball striking plate at least partially surrounds the thickened portion, the peripheral portion having a minimum thickness that is less than approximately 2.0 mm.

13. The ball striking device of claim 1, further including a body connected to the ball striking plate to thereby form a golf club head, the body configured for engagement to a shaft.

14. A ball striking device comprising:

a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the ball striking plate having a desired-contact region and a perimeter;

one or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs located on the rear surface and extending away from the desired-contact region toward the perimeter;

one or more encircling reinforcement ribs located on the rear surface, the one or more encircling reinforcement ribs at least partially encircling the desired-contact region,

wherein the one or more encircling reinforcement ribs comprises at least three encircling reinforcement ribs, and wherein a spacing of the plurality of encircling reinforcement ribs from one another increases as a distance from the desired-contact region increases.

15. The ball striking device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the encircling reinforcement ribs has a maximum cross-sectional area ranging from 0.10 mm² to 0.70 mm².

16. The ball striking device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the encircling reinforcement ribs completely encircles the desired-contact region.

17. The ball striking device of claim 14, further comprising a thickened portion of the ball striking plate, the thickened portion including an elevated area on the rear surface of the ball striking plate positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate.

18. The ball striking device of claim 17, wherein the thickened portion further includes a transition area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary that defines a perimeter of the elevated area and a lower boundary that defines a perimeter of the thickened portion.

19. The ball striking device of claim 17, wherein the elevated area has one of a peanut shape and a kidney shape, and wherein at least one of the encircling reinforcement ribs encircles the thickened portion and has the same general shape as the shape of the elevated area.

20. A ball striking device comprising:

a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the ball striking plate having a desired-contact region and a perimeter;

a thickened portion of the ball striking plate, the thickened portion including an elevated area on the rear surface of the ball striking plate positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate; and

a plurality of reinforcement ribs located on the rear surface, the plurality of reinforcement ribs including at least one of a spoke-like reinforcement rib extending away from the desired-contact region and at least one of an encircling reinforcement rib at least partially encircling the thickened portion;

wherein the at least one of the encircling reinforcement has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is joined to a first portion of the perimeter of the ball striking plate and the second end is joined to a second portion of the perimeter of the ball striking plate.

21. The ball striking device of claim 20, wherein the at least one spoke-like reinforcement rib extends from the thickened portion.

22. The ball striking device of claim 20, wherein the at least one encircling reinforcement rib completely encircles the thickened portion.

23. The ball striking device of claim 20, wherein the elevated area has a maximum thickness of that ranges from approximately 2.5 mm to approximately 3.5 mm, and wherein a peripheral portion of the ball striking plate at least partially surrounds the thickened portion, the peripheral portion having a minimum thickness that is less than approximately 2.0 mm.