Striking plate for a golf club head

• US 6,338,683 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Kosmatka, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/475,752
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/329, 473/330, 473/345, 473/346, 473/342, 473/349, 473/350, 473/347, 473/348, 473/290, 473/291, 473/292, 473/332
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

A golf club having a club head with a striking plate that has an aspect ratio in excess of 0.575. The golf club head has a thin striking plate with a high aspect ratio in order to increase the deflection of the striking plate during impact with a golf ball. The striking plate may be composed of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, amorphous metal, composites, or the like. The golf club head may be a wood or an iron.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a heel end and a toe end;

a striking plate disposed on the body and extending from the heel end to the toe end, the striking plate having an exterior surface

wherein the depth, D, ranges from 1.45 inches to 2.50 inches and width, W, ranges from 2.50 inches to 4.00 inches, and the striking plate has an aspect ratio of at least 0.575.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate has a thickness in the range of 0.055 inch to 0.125 inch.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate has a thickness in the range of 0.060 inch to 0.0110 inch.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, steels, vitreous metals, ceramics, composites, carbon materials, carbon fiber materials, other fibrous materials and mixtures thereof.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate has an aspect ratio greater than 0.6.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the depth ranges from 1.90 inches to 2.25 inches, and the width ranges from 3.25 inches to 3.75 inches.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate has a face stiffness less than 8×

10⁴ pounds/inch.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate has a figure of merit less than 40×

10⁵ pounds-grams/inch.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the club head is selected from the group consisting of woods and irons.

10. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a heel end and a toe end;

a striking plate disposed on the body and extending from the heel end to the toe end, the striking plate having an exterior surface

wherein the depth, D, ranges from 1.45 inches to 2.50 inches and width, W, ranges from 2.50 inches to 4.00 inches, and the striking plate has a stiffness less than 7.75×

10⁴ pounds per inch.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the striking plate is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, steels, vitreous metals, ceramics, composites, carbon materials, carbon fiber materials, other fibrous materials and mixtures thereof.

12. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the striking plate has an aspect ratio greater than 0.575.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a heel end and a toe end;

a striking plate disposed on the body and extending from the heel end to the toe end, the striking plate having an exterior surface

wherein the depth, D, ranges from 1.45 inches to 2.50 inches and width, W, ranges from 2.50 inches to 4.00 inches, and the striking plate has a figure of merit less than 40×

10⁵ pounds-grams per inch.

14. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the striking plate is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, steels, vitreous metals, ceramics, composites, carbon materials, carbon fiber materials, other fibrous materials and mixtures thereof.

15. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the striking plate has an aspect ratio greater than 0.575.