Golf club head with variable flexural stiffness for controlled ball flight and trajectory

• US 7,041,003 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bissonnette, Laurent, Nardacci, Nicholas M
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/428,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-291
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/014 Resonance or resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a golf club head with a hitting face. The hitting face comprises a directional control portion, which has at least two zones with different flexural stiffness, such that when the hitting face strikes a golf ball the two zones deform differently to selectively control the direction of the flight of the golf ball. The directional control portion may comprise an upper zone and a lower zone, where the upper zone has a lower flexural stiffness. Alternatively, the lower zone has a lower flexural stiffness. On the other hand, the directional control portion may comprise a left zone and a right zone, and either the left or right zone may have a lower flexural stiffness to selectively control the lateral launch angle either to the left of right. The hitting face may further comprise a central zone disposed within the directional control zone, wherein the central zone has a flexural stiffness of at least about three times greater than the flexural stiffness of the directional control zone.

Claims

1. A golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft and having a hitting face, wherein the hitting face comprises a directional control portion, said directional control portion comprises two or more non-concentric zones having different flexural stiffness with at least a varying crown to sole flexural stiffness, such that when the hitting face impacts a golf ball the zones exhibit different degrees of deformation to selectively control the direction of the flight of the golf ball, wherein the flexural stiffness is asymmetric about at least one axis on the hitting face, and the coefficient of restitution of the club head is greater than about 0.81.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a perimeter portion disposed around the directional control portion, wherein the flexural stiffness of the perimeter portion is at least about two times greater than the flexural stiffness of the directional control portion.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the flexural stiffness of a first zone of said two or more zones is between about 8,500 lb·

in to about 60,000 lb·

in.

4. The golf club bead of claim 3, wherein the flexural stiffness of a second zone of said two or more zones is about 0.5 time to about two times the flexural stiffness of the first zone.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the flexural stiffness of a third zone of said two or more zones is about 0.7 times to about 1.3 times the flexural stiffness of the first zone.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the flexural stiffness of a fourth zone of said two or more zones is about 0.7 times to about two times the flexural stiffness of the first zone.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the directional control portion comprises an upper toe zone and a lower heel zone.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the directional control portion comprises a lateral heel zone and a lateral toe zone.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the directional control portion comprises four zones, and wherein the zones are delineated by a vertical center line and a horizontal center line of the hitting face.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the hitting face comprises a laminate material.