GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20110218053A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: HALL, J. NEIL, TANG, LARRY G., GRIFFIN, SEAN G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head (20) having optimized ball speed robustness is disclosed. The golf club head (20) preferably has one or more channels (100, 110, 120) disposed proximate to a striking face (40), and in some embodiments the one or more channels (100, 110, 120) substantially encircle the striking face (40).

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown and a sole; and

a face portion attached to the body, the face portion comprising a striking face and a rear section extending laterally rearwardly from the striking face;

wherein the rear section comprises a sole side, a crown side, a heel side, and a toe side;

wherein the heel side comprises a first channel and the toe side comprises a second channel;

wherein the first channel extends along the heel side proximate to and parallel with the striking face; and

wherein the second channel extends along the toe side proximate to and parallel with the striking face.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second channels is approximately 0.06 to 0.25 inch deep, 0.15 to 0.5 inch wide, and 0.5 to 2.5 inches long.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first and second channels are located in substantially mirror imaged positions with respect to a vertical plane bisecting said striking face.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first and second channels each extend from the sole side to the crown side.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first channel extends less than or equal to half of a length of the heel side, wherein the length is measured from the crown side to the sole side along the heel side.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second channel extends less than or equal to half of a length of the toe side, wherein the length is measured from the crown side to the sole side along the toe side.

7. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a heel end, a toe end, and an opening;

a face portion attached to the body at the opening, the face portion comprising a striking face for contacting a ball;

wherein the heel side comprises a first channel that extends along the heel end proximate to and parallel with the striking face; and

wherein the toe side comprises a second channel that extends along the toe end proximate to and parallel with the striking face.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second channels is approximately 0.06 to 0.25 inch deep, 0.15 to 0.5 inch wide, and 0.5 to 2.5 inches long.

9. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the striking face is an insert.

10. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the first and second channels are located in substantially mirror imaged positions with respect to a vertical plane bisecting said striking face.

11. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the first and second channels each extend from the sole to the crown.

12. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the first channel extends less than or equal to half of a length of the heel end, wherein the length is measured from the crown to the sole along the heel end.

13. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the second channel extends less than or equal to half of a length of the toe end, wherein the length is measured from the crown to the sole along the toe end.

14. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a heel end, a toe end, and an opening; and

a face portion attached to the body at the opening, the face portion comprising a striking face for contacting a ball;

wherein a plurality of channels are defined in the crown, sole, heel end, and toe end proximate the striking face; and

wherein the plurality of channels substantially encircle the striking face.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein each of the channels is substantially rectangular in shape, having two longer sides and two shorter sides, and wherein at least one of the longer sides of each channel is disposed on the body parallel with the striking face.

16. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein each of the channels is approximately 0.090 to 0.250 inch deep, 0.120 to 0.375 inch wide, and 0.400 to 1.500 inches long.

17. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the channels are spaced 0.06 to 0.50 inch apart from one another on the body.

18. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the plurality of channels comprises six to thirty channels.

19. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the plurality of channels is composed of two continuous channels, each of which substantially encircles the striking face

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein each of the channels is 0.090 to 0.250 inch deep and 0.120 to 0.375 inch wide.