Method and apparatus for enhancing surface strike performance

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed having a face which includes a striking surface. The striking surface has a combination of properties configured to enhance performance characteristics, such as a launch angle, carry distance, and spin rate of an associated ball. The combination of properties of the striking surface at least includes an adequate hardness, smoothness, and durability. A method of enhancing surface strike performance is also disclosed. The method includes providing an associated item of sports equipment with a face including a ball striking surface having a combination of properties such as an adequate hardness, smoothness, and durability.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 325,124, filed Apr. 20, 2016, the entirety of which is fully incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to golf clubs and related sports applications. More particularly, it relates to enhanced surface strike performance of a golf club head, which may be achieved by a coating applied to the golf club head. Although a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a golf club head, it is contemplated that other types of sports equipment (e.g., baseball bats, hockey sticks, polo mallets, croquet mallets bocce balls, bowling balls, billiard balls, etc., and the like) may similarly benefit from the enhanced surface strike performance disclosed herein.[0003]The design of typical golf clubs includes specific features that affect the flight characteristics of the golf ball after impact. For examp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention improves the launch angle and carry distance of a golf ball by transferring more kinetic energy to its propulsion and less to its rotation. This is achieved by coating the clubface with an oil modified polyurethane, which provides a superior ball striking surface that is more durable and performs better than PTFE. The use of modified polyurethane coatings for corrosion protection of metal surfaces is non-obvious and effective in enhancing the performance of golf clubs.

Problems solved by technology

The vast majority of golfers are insufficiently skilled in the control of spin on the ball.

Therefore, the inadvertent and errant introduction of spin commonly results in either hooking or slicing the balls flight path in an unintended direction.

These practices, however, are not “legally conforming” to the Rules of Golf issued by the United States Golf Association (“USGA”), as these substances are “temporary modifications.” The removal of grooves on the golf clubface is also widely known in the industry to modify the aforementioned characteristics of golf balls, and clubs having groove-less and highly polished clubfaces are currently marketed today.

While being somewhat effective, this approach of using PTFE had limited functionality and practicality.

As a result, the PTFE coatings on the golf club did not reach the level of performance expectation.

Chang describes the problem as ultimately relating to the softness of the PTFE and that at impact the compression of the golf ball into the layer of PTFE produces a mechanical engagement of the ball against the surface and introduces unexpected and unwanted spin of the golf ball.

However, this limits the degree of mechanical engagement of the PTFE layer with the golf ball.

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