Golf club head or other ball striking device having custom machinable portions

• US 9,630,071 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Thomas, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/458,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20140357399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/28 Grooving workpieces tread-cutting by milling B23G1/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303752 Process

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and at least one weight element connected to the body. The head has a total weight that is higher than a target weight of the head, and the at least one weight element is configured to be at least partially removed by a material removal technique to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight. The at least one weight element may be integrally connected to the body, such as being integrally formed with at least a portion of the body. The material removal technique may constitute milling, machining, or other material removal techniques or combination of such techniques.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

an iron-type face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball;

an iron-type golf club body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face and having a rear surface; and

at least one weight element integrally formed with the body, wherein the head has a total weight that is higher than a target weight of the head, and wherein the at least one weight element is configured to be at least partially removed by machining the rear surface to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight;

wherein the at least two sections include boundaries marked by visible indicia.

2. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight element comprises at least two sections, and wherein at least one of the at least two sections is configured to be at least partially removed by machining the rear surface to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight.

3. The iron-type golf club head of claim 2, wherein the weight element comprises two sections arranged vertically.

4. The iron-type golf club head of claim 2, wherein the weight element comprises two sections arranged horizontally.

5. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight element comprises at least four sections, and wherein at least one of the at least four sections is configured to be at least partially removed by machining the rear surface to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight.

6. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight element comprises at least eight sections, and wherein at least one of the at least eight sections is configured to be at least partially removed by machining the rear surface to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight.

7. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

an iron-type face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball;

an iron-type golf club body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face; and

at least one weight element integrally formed with the body, wherein the head has a total weight that is higher than a target weight of the head, wherein the at least one weight element is configured to be at least partially removed to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight, and wherein one of the weight element and the body contain visible indicia to identify the weight element;

wherein the visible indicia is a surface finish.

8. The iron-type golf club head of claim 7, wherein the head has a total weight that is 10-30 grams higher than a target weight of the head.

9. The iron-type golf club head of claim 7, wherein the body comprises a peripheral wall extending rearward from the face, wherein the at least one weight element is integrally formed with the peripheral wall.

10. The iron-type golf club head of claim 7, wherein the body comprises a rear surface rearward from the face, and wherein the at least one weight element is integrally formed with the rear surface.

11. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

an iron-type face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball;

an iron-type golf club body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face; and

at least one weight element integrally formed with the body, wherein the head has a total weight that is higher than a target weight of the head, wherein the at least one weight element is configured to be at least partially removed to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight, and wherein one of the weight element and the body contain visible indicia to identify the weight element;

wherein the visible indicia is a texture.

12. The iron-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the head has a total weight that is 10-30 grams higher than a target weight of the head.

13. The iron-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the body comprises a peripheral wall extending rearward from the face, wherein the at least one weight element is integrally formed with the peripheral wall.

14. The iron-type golf club head of claim 11, wherein the body comprises a rear surface rearward from the face, and wherein the at least one weight element is integrally formed with the rear surface.