Golf Club Head or Other Ball Striking Device Having a Reinforced or Localized Stiffened Face Portion

• US 20100273565A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Liber, Adam, Oldknow, Andrew G.V., Stites, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/282
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface 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 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face. A brace extends from an inner surface of the body or from a perimeter weight system to a contact point on the rear surface of the face. This brace may extend from the sole or a sole oriented perimeter weight member to the rear surface of the face. The brace applies force to the face (at least when the face is flexed by a threshold amount) such that the area of the face surrounding the contact point has less flexibility relative to other areas of the face located away from the contact point. The brace and club head may include structures that allow one to control and customize the force applied to the face.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head, comprising:

a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof;

a body connected to the face, the body having a sole extending rearward from a bottom edge of the face; and

a brace extending from the sole to a contact point on an inner surface of the face, wherein the brace applies force to the face such that an area of the face surrounding the contact point has less flexibility relative to other areas of the face located away from the contact point.

2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body and the face define a cavity, and wherein the brace extends through a portion of the cavity between the sole and the face.

3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace comprises a fixed rod extending from the sole to the face.

4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace comprises an adjustable member operable to allow adjustment of the force applied to the face by the brace.

5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 4, wherein the adjustable member comprises a threaded member positioned within a threaded passage, wherein rotation of the threaded member is operable to adjust the force applied by the brace.

6. The wood-type golf club head of claim 5, wherein the brace further comprises a threaded tube extending from the sole toward the face, the threaded tube defining the threaded passage therethrough.

7. The wood-type golf club head of claim 5, wherein the threaded member has an engagement portion that is accessible from an exterior of the club head body for rotating the threaded member.

8. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace includes a support member that is removable from the club head body through a first opening defined in the club head body.

9. The wood-type golf club head of claim 8, wherein the club head body includes a second opening defined therein, and wherein the brace is removably mountable within the club head body through either the first opening or the second opening.

10. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace includes an end portion having an elongated shape such that the contact point between the end portion and the face is elongated in shape.

11. The wood-type golf club head of claim 10, wherein the brace further comprises a rod with the end portion at an end thereof, wherein the end portion is enlarged with respect to the rod.

12. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the brace is made from a material that flexes when the face flexes in response to contact with a golf ball.

13. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace extends into an opening defined through the face.

14. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace extends into an opening defined through the sole.

15. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace is engaged with at least one of the face or the sole by a welded joint.

16. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the face includes a brace contacting element having an elongated shape, and wherein the brace includes a rod having an end portion that engages the brace contacting element.

17. The wood-type golf club head of claim 16, wherein the brace contacting element includes an opening defined therein for receiving the end portion of the rod.

18. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the contact point extends diagonally across a portion of the face.

19. The wood-type golf club head of claim 18, wherein the contact point extends from a high heel to a low toe direction.

20. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace engages a receptacle defined on or in the inner surface of the face.

21. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the brace engages a receptacle defined on or in the inner surface of sole.

22. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the wood-type golf club head is a driver head.

23. A wood-type golf club comprising the wood-type golf club head of claim 1, and a shaft engaged with the wood-type golf club head.

24. The wood-type golf club of claim 23, wherein the wood-type golf club is a driver.

25. A wood-type golf club head, comprising:

a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof;

a body connected to the face, wherein the body includes a crown portion and a sole portion, and wherein the face and the body cooperate to define a cavity within the head; and

a brace extending from a central inner surface of the crown portion or the sole portion of the body, across a portion of the cavity, to an inner surface of the face, wherein the brace applies force to the face such that an area of the face surrounding a contact point between the brace and the face has less flexibility relative to other areas of the face located away from the contact point.

26. The wood-type golf club head of claim 25, wherein the wood-type golf club head is a driver head.

27. A wood-type golf club comprising the wood-type golf club head of claim 25, and a shaft engaged with the wood-type golf club head.

28. The wood-type golf club of claim 27, wherein the wood-type golf club is a driver.

29. A wood-type golf club head, comprising:

a face configured for striking a ball with an outer surface thereof;

a body connected to the face, the body having a sole extending rearward from a bottom edge of the face; and

a brace extending in a direction from an inner surface of the sole toward an inner surface of the face, wherein the brace is fixedly engaged with respect to at least one of the sole and the face, and wherein when the face flexes in response to contact with a golf ball by more than a threshold amount, the brace applies force to the face such that an area of the face surrounding a contact point between the brace and the face has less flexibility relative to other areas of the face located away from the contact point.

38. The wood-type golf club head of claim 29, wherein an inner surface of the face includes a brace contacting element having an elongated shape, and wherein the brace includes a rod having an end portion that engages the brace contacting element.

39. The wood-type golf club head of claim 38, wherein the brace contacting element includes an opening defined therein for receiving the end portion of the rod.

40. The wood-type golf club head of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the brace is made from a material that flexes when the face flexes in response to contact with a golf ball more than the threshold amount.

41. The wood-type golf club head of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the brace is located in contact with or adjacent an inner surface of the face, and wherein said portion is made, at least in part, from a material that compresses when the face flexes more than the threshold amount.

49. The wood-type golf club head of claim 29, wherein the brace engages a receptacle defined on or in an inner surface of the face.

30-37. -37. (canceled)

42-48. -48. (canceled)

50-85. -85. (canceled)