Golf club with diagonally reinforced contoured front wall

• US 20040235585A1
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Sanchez, Richard R., Kubica, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,926,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club head composed of a forged metal material has a striking surface that is supported by diagonal stiffening regions that extend from a central region of the face toward the heel-sole quadrant, heel-crown quadrant, toe-crown quadrant, and toe-sole quadrants of the face. The diagonal stiffening regions are smoothly contoured to blend into the back surface of the face so as to avoid any stress concentrations. By extending the stiffening regions diagonally from the center of the club face to the four quadrants, a more uniform stress distribution can be obtained and therefore more uniform performance. Additionally, since the diagonal stiffening regions are greater in length than vertical or horizontal stiffening region could be made, the center of the face can deflect a greater amount without exceeding the yield strength of the material and, therefore, there is a more efficient transfer of energy from the club head to the ball.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a hollow body including a face composed of a forged metal material, said face comprising a ball striking surface and a back surface opposite the ball striking surface;

a first diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a first axis from a heel-sole quadrant to a central region of the face;

a second diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a second axis from a heel-crown quadrant to said central region of the face;

a third diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a third axis from a toe-crown quadrant to said central region of the face; and

a fourth diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along a fourth axis from a toe-sole quadrant to said central region of the face;

said first diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers from a first thickness proximal said first axis to a second thickness distal from said first axis, said second diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers from a third thickness proximal said second axis to a fourth thickness distal from said first axis, said third diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers from a fifth thickness proximal said third axis to a sixth thickness distal from said third axis, said fourth diagonal stiffening region having a thickness that tapers from a seventh thickness proximal said second axis to an eighth thickness distal from said fourth axis;

said first thickness being greater than said second thickness, said third thickness being greater than said fourth thickness, said fifth thickness being greater than said sixth thickness and said seventh thickness being greater than said eighth thickness.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said first, third, fifth and seventh thicknesses are equal.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said first, second, third and fourth axes are straight.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein:

said first and third axes are co-linear and said second and fourth axes are co-linear.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said first, second, third and fourth axes are curved.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a locally thickened region proximal the center of said back surface, said locally thickened region having a thickness greater than each of said first, third, fifth, and seventh thicknesses.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said forged metal material comprises forged titanium.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth diagonal stiffening regions tapers in maximum thickness from a thickest region proximal said central region of the face to a thinner region proximal a perimeter region of the face.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein:

each of said first, second, third, and fourth diagonal stiffening regions tapers in maximum thickness from a thickest region proximal said central region of the face to a thinner region proximal a perimeter region of the face.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a face composed of a forged metal material, said face comprising a ball striking surface and a back surface opposite the ball striking surface;

a diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along an axis from a heel-sole quadrant to a toe-crown quadrant of the face, and another diagonal stiffening region on said back surface extending along another axis from a heel-crown quadrant to a toe-sole quadrant of the face, said diagonal stiffening regions comprising locally thickened regions proximal said axes tapering to relatively thinner regions distal of said axes; and

four thinned regions substantially triangular in plan view, each of said thinned regions being located in a quarter sector of said face and having a first side defined by said first-mentioned diagonal stiffening region, a second side defined by said another diagonal stiffening region and a third side defined by a perimeter edge of said face.

9. A golf club head with a heel end and a toe end, said golf club head comprising:

a hollow body with a face formed of forged metal, a crown and a sole;

said face having a back surface contoured to provide a plurality of diagonal stiffening regions that extend from a perimeter edge of the face toward a central region of the face;

said face also having a heel-sole quadrant, a heel-crown quadrant, a toe-crown quadrant, and a toe-sole quadrant; and

said plurality of diagonal stiffening regions including a first diagonal stiffening region extending from said heel-sole quadrant toward said face central region, a second diagonal stiffening region extending from said heel-crown quadrant toward said face central region, a third diagonal stiffening region extending from said toe-crown quadrant toward said face central region, and a fourth diagonal stiffening region extending from said toe-sole quadrant toward said face central region.

12. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein:

each of said diagonal stiffening regions is smoothly contoured from a thicker portion proximal a longitudinal axis thereof to a thinner portion distal of said longitudinal axis.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein:

at least one of said diagonal stiffening regions tapers in maximum thickness from a thickest region proximal said central region of the face to a thinner region proximal a perimeter region of the face.