Golf club head with ball speed control

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body, including a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a proximal end of the support bridge, at a portion of the body substantially adjacent to the access aperture, to a distal end of the support bridge; and a damping element between the distal end of the support bridge and a rear surface of the striking face.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 664,274, filed on May 14, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] It is a goal for golfers to reduce the total number of swings needed to complete a round of golf, thus reducing their total score. To achieve that goal, it is generally desirable for a golfer to have a ball fly a consistent distance when struck by the same golf club and, for some clubs, also to have that ball travel a long distance. For instance, when a golfer slightly mishits a golf ball, the golfer does not want the golf ball to fly a significantly different distance compared to a center strike. At the same time, the golfer also does not want to have a significantly reduced overall distance every time the golfer strikes the ball, even when the golfer strikes the ball in the “sweet spot” of the golf club. Additionally, it is also preferable for a golf club head to produce a pleasant sound to the golfer when the golf club head strikes the golf ball.

[0003] This background Section is provided only for purposes of introducing certain background material relating to the present disclosure and, thus, is not an admission of prior art.SUMMARY

[0004] According to an aspect, the technology relates to a golf club head, including a body, including a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a proximal end of the support bridge, at a portion of the body substantially adjacent to the access aperture, to a distal end of the support bridge; and a damping element between the distal end of the support bridge and a rear surface of the striking face.

[0005] In some examples, the golf club head includes a cap attached to the body and covering at least part of the access aperture.

[0006] In some examples, the golf club head includes a toe and a heel, the striking face extending between the toe and the heel, wherein the access aperture is at least partly in the toe.

[0007] In some examples, the access aperture is at least partly in an upper half of the toe, as measured along a height direction parallel to an outer surface of the striking face and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction.

[0008] In some examples, a front surface of the support bridge extends along a plane substantially parallel to the rear surface of the striking face.

[0009] In some examples, the golf club head includes a support arm extending at least partly rearwardly from the distal end of the support bridge to at least one of the sole or a back portion of the body.

[0010] In some examples, the support bridge extends from the distal end of the support bridge toward the proximal end of the support bridge along a direction partly away from the sole.

[0011] In some examples, the damping element includes a polymer material.

[0012] In some examples, the damping element overlaps with at least one of a geometric center of the striking face or a center of impact of the golf club head.

[0013] In some examples, the golf club head is an iron type golf club head.

[0014] According to an aspect, the technology relates to a golf club head, including a toe; a heel; a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge; a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge; a cavity surrounded in part by the toe, the heel, the striking face, and the sole; an access aperture at least partly in the toe; a damping element on a rear surface of the striking face; and a support bridge extending from a proximal end of the support bridge, substantially adjacent to the access aperture, through at least part of the cavity to a distal end of the support bridge, wherein the support bridge supports a rear surface of the damping element.

[0015] In some examples, the golf club head includes a cap attached to the toe and covering at least part of the access aperture.

[0016] In some examples, the access aperture is positioned frontward of the support bridge.

[0017] In some examples, the access aperture is at least partly in an upper half of the toe, as measured along a height direction that is substantially parallel to an outer surface of the striking face and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction.

[0018] In some examples, the support bridge extends from the damping element toward the proximal end of the support bridge along a direction partly away from the sole.

[0019] In some examples, the damping element overlaps with at least part of a geometric center of the striking face or a center of impact of the golf club head.

[0020] In some examples, the damping element includes a polymer and is directly between the rear surface of the striking face and the support bridge.

[0021] According to an aspect, the technology relates to a method of fabricating a golf club head, the method including fabricating a body of the golf club head, the body including a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a portion of the body substantially adjacent to the opening; and inserting a damping element through the access aperture and moving the damping element along the support bridge to a position within the cavity between the support bridge and the striking face.

[0022] In some examples, the method includes attaching a cap to the body to cover at least part of the access aperture.

[0023] In some examples, the body includes a toe and a heel, and the access aperture extends through at least the toe.

[0024] This Summary section introduces some features of nonlimiting and non-exhaustive examples of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples are described with reference to the following Figures.

[0026] FIG. 1 depicts a front perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0029] FIG. 4 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with a toe portion removed.

[0030] FIG. 5 depicts a toe side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with a toe portion removed.

[0031] FIG. 6 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with the striking face removed.

[0032] FIG. 7 depicts a rear view of a striking face.

[0033] FIG. 8 depicts a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 9 depicts a top cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 10A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples.

[0036] FIG. 10B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 10A without the striking face.

[0037] FIG. 10C illustrates the golf club head of FIG. 10A along the line 10′-10′ in FIG. 10B.

[0038] FIG. 11A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples.

[0039] FIG. 11B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 11A without the striking face.

[0040] FIG. 11C illustrates the golf club head of FIG. 11A along the line 11′-11′ in FIG. 11B and without the striking face.

[0041] FIG. 12A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples.

[0042] FIG. 12B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 12A without the striking face.

[0043] FIG. 12C illustrates the golf club head of FIG. 12A along the line 12′-12′ in FIG. 12B and without the striking face.

[0044] FIG. 13 illustrates a method for fabricating a golf club head.

[0045] FIG. 14A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples and without the striking face.

[0046] FIG. 14B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 14A along the line 14′-14′ in FIG. 14A.

[0047] FIG. 15A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples and without the striking face.

[0048] FIG. 15B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 15A along the line 15′-15′ in FIG. 15A.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The technologies described herein contemplate an iron-type golf club head that incorporates a damping element to promote more uniform ball speed across the striking face of the golf club head. Traditional thin-faced iron-type golf clubs generally produce less uniform launch velocities across the striking face due to increased compliance at the geometric center of the striking face. For example, when a golf club strikes a golf ball, the striking face of the club deflects and then springs forward, accelerating the golf ball off the striking face. While such a design may lead to large flight distances for a golf ball when struck in the center of the face, any off-center strike of the golf ball causes significant losses in flight distance. In comparison, an extremely thick face causes more uniform ball flight regardless of impact location, but it causes a significant loss in launch velocities. The present technology incorporates a damping element between a back portion of the hollow iron and the rear surface of the striking face. By including the damping element, the magnitude of the launch velocity may be reduced for strikes at the center of the face while improving uniformity of launch velocities across the striking face. The damping element compression and / or material may be selected to achieve desired deflection of the striking face depending on particular swing types and golfer needs.

[0050] FIGS. 1-9 depict a golf club head 100 having a damping element 125 positioned behind the striking face 118. FIG. 1 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 4 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head 100 with a toe portion removed. FIG. 5 depicts a toe side view of the golf club head 100 with a toe portion removed. FIG. 6 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head 100 with the striking face 118 removed. FIG. 7 depicts a rear view of the striking face 118. FIG. 8 depicts a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 9 depicts a top cross-sectional view of the golf club head 100.

[0051] The golf club head 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 is an iron type golf club head having a hollow body construction and includes a periphery portion 101 surrounding and extending rearward from a striking face 118. The periphery portion 101 includes a sole 105, a topline 107 opposite the sole 105, a heel side 104, and a toe side 106 opposite the heel side 104. The periphery portion 101 also includes a back portion 112 extending from the sole 105 to the topline 107 and extending from the heel side 104 to the toe side 106. The golf club head 100 includes a hosel 109 located on the heel side 104 configured to receive a shaft (not shown). A cavity 120 is formed between the periphery portion 101 and the striking face 118. The striking face 118 can be formed separately and welded to the periphery portion 101. In other embodiments, the striking face 118 may be formed integrally with the periphery portion 101.

[0052] The golf club head 100 further includes a damping element 125 located within the cavity 120. The damping element 125 has a front portion that contacts a rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. A rear portion of the damping element 125 contacts a support pad 132. The support pad 132 is attached to the back portion 112 of the golf club head 100. The support pad 132 includes a raised lip 133 projecting towards the striking face 118 which is critical for positioning the damping element 125 in the proper orientation on the support pad 132 during assembly when visual inspection is obscured. The raised lip 133 has a shape which complements the shape of the rear portion of the damping element 125 to prevent the damping element 125 from sliding or otherwise moving out of position once installed. In a preferred embodiment, the raised lip 133 has an arcuate shape to complement a rounded rear portion of the damping element 125. In addition to the raised lip 133, the damping element 125 is generally held in place due to compression of the damping element 125 between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The damping element 125 is configured to be installed in a set position during assembly and remain in that position. The support pad 132 and the raised lip 133 help to ensure the damping element 125 is installed consistently and that the damping element 125 properly and consistently engages the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 for optimal performance. An epoxy may be used to further secure the damping element 125 to the support pad 132 and / or the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The epoxy may also provide acoustic damping for desired sound characteristics.

[0053] The damping element 125 may have a generally frustoconical shape. In other examples, the damping element 125 may have a cylindrical, hemispherical, cuboid, or prism shape. The support pad 132 is formed to substantially match the shape of the rear portion of the damping element 125. The support pad 132 may be welded or otherwise attached to the back portion 112, or the support pad 132 may be formed as part of the back portion 112 during a casting or forging process. The back portion 112 may also be machined to include the support pad 132. The support pad 132 is oriented substantially parallel to the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The support pad 132 does not come into contact with the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 at maximum deflection thereof. The support pad 132 itself may be made of the same material as the back portion 112, such as a steel. The support pad 132 may also be made from titanium, aluminum, composite, or ceramic materials.

[0054] The periphery portion 101 includes an aperture 131 on the toe side 106 to allow installation of the damping element 125 within the cavity 120. This is critical for allowing the damping element 125 to be positioned between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 after the striking face 118 has been welded or otherwise attached to the periphery portion 101. In one embodiment where the striking face 118 is welded to the periphery portion 101, installing the damping element 125 after the striking face 118 has been welded protects the damping element 125 from adverse heat effects that the damping element 125 would be subjected to if it were installed prior to the welding process. In another embodiment where the striking face 118 is formed integrally with the periphery portion 101, installing the damping element 125 through the aperture 131 provides a minimally invasive assembly without the need for larger access openings and more complex finishing steps to enclose the cavity 120. The aperture 131 is sized to allow the damping element 125 to slide through the aperture 131 and be positioned between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. In one embodiment, the aperture 131 has a maximum height in the sole-to-topline direction that approximately equals the maximum height of the damping element 125, and the aperture 131 has a maximum width in the front-to-rear direction that approximately equals the maximum width of the damping element 125. The raised lip 133 assists in guiding the damping element 125 to its proper position. Once the damping element 125 is installed, a cap 136 covers the aperture 131 to prevent unwanted debris and moisture from entering the cavity 120. The cap 136 may be attached using an adhesive. Alternatively, the cap 136 may be attached by welding, preferably pulse welding. Pulse welding the cap 136 over the aperture 131 involves welding smaller sections of the weld path in multiple passes. This is critical for allowing the golf club head 100 to cool down in between welding passes to prevent excessive heat exposure to the damping element 125. Preferably, the aperture 131 is sized just big enough to permit the damping element 125 to pass through during assembly. The relatively small size of the aperture 131 provides minimal heat exposure time for the damping element 125 when the cap 136 is welded over the aperture 131. Additionally, the location of the aperture 131 on the toe side 106 of the periphery portion 101 provides a maximum separation distance from the heat exposure for the damping element 125 when the cap 136 is welded over the aperture 131.

[0055] In a preferred method of manufacturing the golf club head 100, the striking face 118 is welded to, or integrally formed with, the periphery portion 101. The damping element 125 is then inserted into the cavity 120 through the aperture 131 located on the toe side 106 of the periphery portion 101. The damping element 125 is positioned between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The raised lip 133 assists in locating the proper positioning of the damping element 125 and helps prevent unwanted movement of the damping element 125 once properly installed. The cap 136 is then welded or adhered to the periphery portion 101 to cover the aperture 131 and enclose the cavity 120.

[0056] In traditional thin face golf clubs, strikes at the geometric center of the striking face display the largest displacement of the striking face, and thus the greatest ball speeds. By disposing the damping element 125 proximate the geometric center of the striking face 118, the deflection of the striking face 118 at that point is reduced, thus reducing the ball speed. Portions of the striking face 118 not backed by the damping element 125, however, continue to deflect into the cavity 120 contributing to the speed of the golf ball. As such, a more uniform distribution of ball speeds resulting from ball strikes across the striking face 118 from the heel side 104 to the toe side 106 may be achieved.

[0057] The elasticity of the damping element 125 affects the deflection of the striking face 118. For instance, a material with a lower elastic modulus allows for further deflection of the striking face 118, providing for higher maximum ball speeds but less uniformity of ball speeds. In contrast, a material with a higher elastic modulus further prevents deflection of the striking face 118, providing for lower maximum ball speeds but more uniformity of ball speeds. For some applications, a range of elastic moduli for the damping element 125 from about 4 MPa to about 15 GPa may be used. In other applications, a range of elastic moduli for the damping element 125 from about 15 to about 40 GPa may be used. To achieve the goal of having the carry distance of off-center shots closer to the carry distance of center shots, the material for the damping element 125 may have an elastic modulus of about 40 GPa or greater, and more preferably about 70 GPa or greater. The material for the damping element 125 may be a polymer, preferably silicone, to achieve the lower elastic modulus for higher ball speeds or a metal such as aluminum, steel, or titanium to achieve the higher elastic modulus for more consistent carry distances across the striking face 118. Although the maximum ball speed for impacts at the center decreases when the damping element 125 has a higher elastic modulus, the speed retention across the striking face 118 is improved. This is desirable for golfers who want more consistent carry distance from strikes across the striking face 118 rather than maximizing overall carry distance.

[0058] The damping element 125 has a free thickness and an installed thickness measured in the front-to-rear direction. In some embodiments, the free thickness and the installed thickness of the damping element 125 can be substantially the same. In this case, there would be little to no preload of the damping element 125 against the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. In other embodiments, the installed thickness can be lower than the free thickness, creating a preload force on the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. This preload force can change the coefficient of restitution of the striking face 118. In an additional embodiment, multiple versions of the damping element 125 may be available with different free thicknesses to achieve a particular coefficient of restitution. Alternatively, the material of the damping element 125 could be altered to change its stiffness, thus altering the coefficient of restitution of the golf club head.

[0059] A higher compression of the damping element 125 against the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 further restricts the deflection of the striking face 118. In turn, further restriction of the deflection causes more uniform ball speeds across the striking face 118. However, the restriction on deflection also lowers the maximum ball speed from the center of the striking face 118. To achieve a golf club head 100 that produces further maximum distance, but does not need uniform ball speed across the striking face 118, the initial set compression of the damping element 125 can be reduced, or a damping element 125 having a lower elastic modulus can be used. In contrast, to achieve a golf club head 100 that has more uniform ball speed across the striking face 118, the initial set compression of the damping element 125 can be increased, or a damping element 125 having a higher elastic modulus can be used. This adjustability is critical for meeting a variety of specific performance needs for different individuals.

[0060] The inclusion of the damping element 125 in the golf club head 100 provides benefits in durability for the striking face 118 by reducing stress values displayed by the striking face 118 upon impact with a golf ball. Without the damping element 125, the von Mises stress levels are high and indicate that the striking face 118 may be susceptible to failure and / or early deterioration. Such von Mises stress values are lower with the damping element 125 and are indicative of a more durable golf club head 100 that is less likely to fail.

[0061] Another goal of the damping element 125 described herein is to dissipate energy of the golf club head after it strikes a golf ball. As the striking face 118 and other portions of the golf club head vibrate, the damping element 125 in contact with those surfaces can dissipate the energy. This can change the sound produced by the golf club head 100 by reducing the loudness and / or duration of the sound produced when the golf club head 100 strikes a golf ball.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the periphery portion 101 is configured to receive a first weight member 111a positioned proximate the toe side 106 and a second weight member 111b positioned proximate the heel side 104. The first weight member 111a has an angled upper surface 111a1 such that the first weight member 111a has a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point and a minimum height in the sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point. This shape of the first weight member 111a allows increased weight concentration toeward and soleward for higher moment of inertia and forgiveness. The second weight member 111b has an angled upper surface 111b1 such that the second weight member 111b has a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point and a minimum height in the sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point. This shape of the second weight member 111b allows increased weight concentration heelward and soleward for higher moment of inertia and forgiveness.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the striking face 118 has a thickness that varies from a front surface 117 to the rear surface 119 to further promote more uniform ball speed across the striking face 118 of the golf club head 100. The striking face 118 includes a thickened portion 122 which at least partially overlaps a vertical plane perpendicular to a ground plane and passing through the face center of the golf club head 100 when in an address position. The thickened portion 122 is preferably between 1.6 mm and 2.6 mm thick, more preferably between 1.8 mm and 2.4 mm thick, and most preferably between 1.9 mm and 2.2 mm thick. The striking face 118 also includes a thinned portion 123 at least partially surrounding the thickened portion 122. The thinned portion 123 is preferably between 1.1 mm and 2.1 mm thick, more preferably between 1.35 mm and 1.85 mm thick, and most preferably between 1.5 mm and 1.7 mm thick. The thickness of the striking face 118 may gradually taper from the thickened portion 122 to the thinned portion 123 which may be located at an outer periphery of the striking face 118. The thickened portion 122 is preferably between 10% and 50% thicker than the thinned portion 123, more preferably between 20% and 40% thicker than the thinned portion 123, and most preferably between 25% and 35% thicker than the thinned portion 123. These thicknesses and relative dimensions are critical for maintaining consistent ball speeds across the striking face 118 and controlling stresses experienced by the striking face 118. The front surface of the damping element 125 engages the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 at the thickened portion 122.

[0064] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 8, the back portion 112 of the golf club head 100 may include a pocket 113 to allow a back weight 115 to be inserted into the pocket 113 from a rear of the golf club head 100. The back weight 115 allows the swing weight of the golf club head 100 to be customized based on player preference. The back weight 115 may be selected from a plurality of different masses having the same shape and volume to achieve a specific swing weight in a later stage of club head production. This allows for greater flexibility in customization of the golf club head 100. The back weight 115 may be fixed within the pocket 113 by welding or adhesive bonding to prevent unwanted removal once the proper back weight 115 is selected. In another embodiment, the back weight 115 may be removably secured within the pocket 113 by clamping or threaded engagement to allow greater interchangeability of the back weight 115.

[0065] As discussed above, a damping element can be inserted into the cavity of a golf club head through an access aperture and then fitted into place between a support pad and the striking face. However, this can be a time-intensive and difficult process because it can be difficult to control the damping element within the cavity only through the access aperture. In some examples described herein, a golf club head may include a support bridge within the cavity. The support bridge may provide a structure (e.g., a surface) that helps to guide the damping element through the cavity from the access aperture to the support pad, thereby reducing the difficulty and the time required to fit the damping element between the support pad and the striking face.

[0066] FIG. 10A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head 200 according to some examples. FIG. 10B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head 200 of FIG. 10A without the striking face 118. FIG. 10C illustrates the golf club head 200 along the line 10′-10′ in FIG. 10B. The golf club head 200 may include features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 100 of FIGS. 1-9. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0067] The golf club head 200 may include a body 250 that includes the periphery portion 101 and the striking face 118.

[0068] In some examples, the golf club head 200 includes a support bridge 240 that extends at least partly through the cavity 120 between a proximal end 241 of the support bridge 240 and a distal end 242 of the support bridge. The proximal end 241 may be adjacent or attached to a first portion 248 of the body 250 (e.g., of the periphery portion 101), and the distal end 242 may correspond to (e.g., include or be) the support pad 232. In some other examples, the support bridge 240 extends through the entire cavity 120, the distal end 242 is attached to a second portion of the body (e.g., of the periphery portion 101), and an intermediate portion of the support bridge 240 between the proximal and distal ends corresponds to (e.g., includes or is) the support pad 232.

[0069] The first portion 248 of the body 250 may be a portion that is substantially adjacent to the access aperture 131. For example, the first portion 248 may be immediately adjacent to the access aperture 131 or offset from the access aperture 131 by a small distance, such as a distance less than a width of the access aperture 131 along a direction perpendicular to the outer surface 117 of the striking face 118. In some examples, the first portion 248 of the body 250 and at least the proximal end 241 of the support bridge 240 are positioned rearward to the access aperture 131. The support bridge 240 may allow the damping element 225 to be more easily and quickly moved into place on the support pad 232 during manufacture of the golf club head 200. For example, the damping element 225 can be inserted through the access aperture 131 onto the proximal end 241 of the support bridge 240, and then moved (e.g., slid) across the support bridge 240 to the support pad 232. In contrast, in other examples where the support bridge 240 is not included, the process of moving the damping element 225 through the cavity 120 and fitted in place between the support pad 232 and the striking face 118 can be more difficult and time intensive. This is because the damping element 225 may need to be carefully forced (e.g., via a friction fit) between the support pad 232 and the striking face 118, which can be difficult to do if the damping element 225 is only able to be held and controlled through the access aperture 131. The support bridge 240 can therefore reduce the difficulty in moving, and time required to move, the damping element 225 into place.

[0070] The support bridge 240 may have a front surface 240F that faces forward (e.g., toward the striking face 118). The support bridge 240 may be configured such that a distance between the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 remains substantially constant along at least part of the front surface 240 between the proximal end 241 and the distal end 242. For example, a first distance between a first portion of the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 may be substantially the same as (e.g., within 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1%) a second distance between a second portion of the front surface 240F, offset from the first portion of the front surface 240F, and the rear surface 119. The first portion of the front surface 240F may correspond to the proximal end 241, and the second portion of the front surface 240F may correspond to the distal end 242, the support pad 232, a portion of the support bridge 240 adjacent to the support pad 232, or a portion of the support bridge 240 halfway between the proximal end 241 and the support pad 232. The first and second distances may be measured along a fore-aft direction that is substantially parallel (e.g., within 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1% or being parallel) of a direction normal (e.g., perpendicular) to the front surface 240F, to the rear surface 119, or to the outer surface 117. In some examples, the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 are both flat. The front surface 240F may extend within a first plane that is substantially parallel (e.g., within 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1% of being parallel) to a second plane that the rear surface 119 extends within. By configuring the support bridge 240 such that the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 are spaced apart by a substantially constant distance, as the front surface 240F extends between the proximal end 241 and the support pad 232, movement and control of the damping element 225 can be improved as the damping element 225 is moved from the access aperture 131 to the support pad 232.

[0071] In some examples, the support bridge 240 is configured such that the front surface 240F extends partly forward as it extends from the proximal end 241 toward (e.g., to) the support pad 232. This can provide more room at the proximal end 241 to more easily accommodate the initial insertion of the damping element 225 through the access aperture 131, and the forwardly angled front surface 240F can allow the damping element 225 to be gradually compressed before being moved onto the support pad 232. The front surface 240F may form an angle with the rear surface 119 of between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, such as between 3 degrees and 15 degrees. In some examples, the first distance between the first portion of the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 may be greater than the second distance between the second portion of the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 by a factor within the range of 1.0 to 1.4, for example, within a range of 1.1 to 1.3.

[0072] In some examples, the damping element 225 and the support bridge 240 may be configured for the damping element 225 to couple to (e.g., latch onto or slidingly engage with) the support bridge 240. For example, a protruding guiding rail or a guiding groove may be on the support bridge 240 (e.g., on the front surface 240F), may extend at least partly between the proximal end 241 and the support pad 232, and may be configured to engage with a corresponding groove or protrusion of the damping element 225. The guiding rail or groove can more securely hold the damping element 225 on the front surface 240F and reduce the risk of the damping element 225 falling off as it is moved along the support bridge 240.

[0073] The access aperture 131 may be positioned at least partly on the toe side 106, for example, on an upper half of the toe side 106, as measured along a height direction that is substantially parallel to the outer surface 117 of the striking face 118 and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction. In some other examples, the access aperture 131 may be positioned elsewhere, such as on the lower half of the toe side 106 or on the heel side 104. However, it can be advantageous to position the access aperture 131 on the upper half of the toe side 106. For example, because the hosel 109 is located at the heel side 104 and may be integrally formed with the heel side 104, it may be difficult or impossible to position the access aperture 131 on the heel side 104. Also, because the first weight member 111a may be positioned in the bottom of the cavity 120 and toward the toe side 106, there may be insufficient room in the lower half of the toe side 106 to accommodate a support bridge.

[0074] The support bridge 240 may be configured such that it extends upwardly (e.g., away from the sole 105) as it extends from the support pad 232 to the proximal end 241.

[0075] In some examples, the golf club head 200 includes a support arm 245 extending at least partly rearwardly from the distal end 242 and / or from the support pad 232 to at least one of the back portion 112 or the sole 105. In some examples, the support arm 245 may also extend partly heel-ward as it extends away from the distal end 242 and / or away from the support pad 232. The support arm 245 may provide structural support for the support pad 232. The support bridge 240 and / or the support arm 245 may be integrally formed with the periphery portion 101, for example, during a casting process. For example, the support bridge 240 and / or the support arm 245 may be integrally joined with, and be the same material as, the periphery portion 101.

[0076] In some examples, the damping element 225 includes an anchor 249. The support pad 232 may include an attachment opening 234 shaped and sized to receive at least part of the anchor 249 and to engage with the anchor 249 to hold the damping element 225 in place. The anchor 249 may include a short, rearwardly protruding shaft and an enlarged head at an end of the shaft. The shaft may be shaped and sized to extend through at least part of the attachment opening 234, and the head may have a width along a direction that is larger than a width (e.g., a minimum width) of the attachment opening 234 along the same direction. The head of the anchor 249 may be rounded or tapered on top to facilitate movement of the head through the attachment opening 234, and the head may be shaped to form a step with the post so that the head cannot be pulled back through the attachment opening 234. The damping element 225 may be attached or secured to the support pad 232 by additional or alternative means, such as by an adhesive, a friction fit between the support pad 232 and the striking face 118, etc.

[0077] The damping element 225 may have a circular front surface in contact with the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118, such as in the illustrated example. In some other examples, the damping element 225 may have a different shape, such as an elongated shape (e.g., an oval shape). The damping element 225 may be positioned to overlap (e.g., along a direction normal to the outer surface 117 of the striking face 118) with at least one of a center (e.g., geometric center) of the striking face 118 or a center of impact of the golf club head 200.

[0078] FIG. 11A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head 300 according to some examples. FIG. 11B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head 300 of FIG. 11A without the striking face 118. FIG. 11C illustrates the golf club head 300 of FIG. 11A along the line 11′-11′ in FIG. 11B and without the striking face 118. The golf club head 300 may include features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 200 of FIGS. 10A-10C. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0079] The golf club head 300 may differ from the golf club head 200 in terms of its support bridge 240 and its damping element 325. The damping element 325 may have an elongated shape that is elongated along a primary direction 360 (e.g., a major axis). The primary direction 360 may correspond to (e.g., be substantially parallel to) a primary direction of extension of the support bridge 240 between the proximal end 241 and the distal end 242 (or the support pad 232). The damping element 325 may be shaped and sized to overlap with both the center of the striking face 118 and the center of impact of the golf club head 300.

[0080] The damping element 300 may include a plurality of anchors, each having features similar to, or the same as, the anchor 249 of the golf club head 200. In the illustrated example, the damping element 325 includes a first anchor 349A and a second anchor 349B offset from the first anchor 349A along the primary direction 360. The support bridge 240 may include a plurality of support pads corresponding to the plurality of anchors. In the illustrated example, the support bridge 240 includes a first support pad 332A and a second support pad 332B adjacent to the first support pad 332 along the primary direction 360. The first support pad 332A may support a first portion of the damping element 325 and may have a first attachment opening 334A configured to receive at least part of the first anchor 349A. The second support pad 332B may support a second portion of the damping element 325 adjacent to the first portion and may have a second attachment opening 334B configured to receive at least part of the second anchor 349B. The first and second support pads 332A and 332B may each have a circular front surface. By including the plurality of anchors and the plurality of support pads, the elongated damping element 325 can be more securely fitted between the support bridge 240 and the striking face 118.

[0081] FIG. 12A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head 400 according to some examples. FIG. 12B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head 400 of FIG. 12A without the striking face 118. FIG. 12C illustrates the golf club head 400 of FIG. 12A along the line 12′-12′ in FIG. 12B. The golf club head 400 may include features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 300 of FIGS. 12A-12C. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0082] The golf club head 400 may differ from the golf club head 300 in terms of its support pad 432 and its damping element 425. The damping element 425 may be elongated along a primary direction 460 in a similar manner as the damping element 325 is elongated along its primary direction 360. The damping element 425 in this example does not include an anchor. The support bridge 240 includes a single support pad 432 that has an elongated shape (e.g., an elongated front surface) that is elongated along a primary direction 462. The primary direction 462 of the support pad 432 may correspond to the primary direction 460 of the damping element 425. For example, the primary direction 462 may be substantially parallel (e.g., within 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, or 1 degree of being parallel) to the primary direction 460 of the damping element 425. In some examples, the shape of the front surface of the support pad 432 may correspond to (e.g., be the same as) the shape of the front surface of the damping element 425 and / or the shape of the rear surface of the damping element 425. In this example, the support pad 432 does not include an attachment opening. The damping element 425 may be secured between the support pad 432 and the striking face 118 by a friction fit and / or an adhesive. Although not shown, the damping element 425 may have a raised lip, similar to the raised lip 133, in some examples to help to further support the damping element 425.

[0083] FIG. 13 illustrates a method 500 for assembling (e.g., fabricating) a golf club head, such as any of the golf club heads 200, 300, and 400.

[0084] The method 500 includes a process 502 of providing (e.g., fabricating) a body of the golf club head. The body may be, for example, the body 250 of any one of the golf club heads 200, 300, and 400. The body may include a striking face, having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a portion of the body adjacent to the opening. In some examples, the access aperture may be the access aperture 131, and the support bridge may be the support bridge 240. The process 502 may include welding the striking face onto the periphery portion.

[0085] The method 500 may include a process 504 of inserting a damping element through the access aperture and moving the damping element along the support bridge to a set position within the cavity between the support bridge and the striking face. In some examples, the damping element is any one of the damping elements 225, 325, and 425, and the process 504 may include moving the damping element onto the respective support pad(s).

[0086] The method 500 may include a process 506 of attaching (e.g., via an adhesive, welding, and / or one or more mechanical fasteners) a cap to the body to cover at least part of the access aperture. In some examples, the cap may include the cap 136.

[0087] FIG. 14A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head 600 according to some examples and without the striking face 118. FIG. 14B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head 600 of FIG. 14A along the line 14′-14′ in FIG. 14A. The golf club head 600 may include features similar to the features of other golf club heads described herein. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0088] The golf club head 600 may include a first support arm 645A and a second support arm 645B, each of which may include features similar to, or the same as, the features of the support arm 245 of the golf club head 200. In some other examples, the golf club head 600 may include any number of three or more support arms. Including a plurality of support arms can provide better support for the support pad 632 and the damping element 625, compared to if only one support arm is included.

[0089] The first support arm 645A may extend partly rearwardly and partly toward the heel side 104 as it extends from the support pad 632 to at least one of the sole 105 or the back portion 112. The second support arm 645B may extend partly rearwardly and partly toward the toe side 106 as it extends from the support pad 632 to at least one of the sole 105 or the back portion 112. In the depicted example, the golf club head 600 does not include a support bridge that extends from the support pad 632 to a portion of the periphery portion 101 adjacent to the access aperture 131. However, such a support bridge can be provided in some other examples. Even in examples where such a support bridge is not included, the second support arm 645B can be used to provide some assistance in guiding the damping element 625 onto the support pad 632, because it is positioned, along the toe-heel direction, between the support pad 632 and the access aperture 131.

[0090] FIG. 15A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head 700 according to some examples and without the striking face 118. FIG. 15B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head 700 of FIG. 15A along the line 15′-15′ in FIG. 15A. The golf club head 700 may include some features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 600. Therefore, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0091] The golf club head 700 may include first and second support arms 745A and 745B to provide improved support for the support pad 732 and the damping element 725. The golf club head 700 may primarily differ from the golf club head 600 in that the directions of extension of the first and second support arms 745A and 745B, as they extend from the support pad 732, are inclined more rearwardly than the first and second support arms 645A and 645B of the golf club head 600.

[0092] Other than in the operating examples, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values, and percentages may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount, or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following description and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0093] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in any specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.

[0094] It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, processes, or other features, these elements, processes, or features should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, process, or feature from another element, process, or feature. Thus, a first element, process, or feature discussed herein could be termed a second element, process, or feature, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0095] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and / or the present specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

[0096] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,”“comprising,”“includes,” and “including,” specify the presence of stated elements, processes, and / or other features, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements, processes, and / or features. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. Further, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.”

[0097] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “connected to”, “coupled to”, “attached to”, or “adjacent to” another element, it can be directly on, connected to, coupled to, attached to, or adjacent to the other element, or one or more intervening element(s) may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,”“directly connected to”, “directly coupled to”, “directly attached to”, or “immediately adjacent to” another element, there are no intervening elements present. Similar terms and phrases should be understood in a similar manner to encompass both direct and indirect affiliations between two or more elements being discussed. In addition, it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “between” two elements, it can be the only element between the elements, or one or more intervening elements may also be present.

[0098] As used herein, the phrase “at least part” includes part or all of the stated item, the phrase “at least partly” includes the stated item partly or entirely, and similar phrases should be interpreted in a similar manner.

[0099] Also, any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges of the same numerical precision subsumed within the recited range. For example, a range of “1.0 to 10.0” is intended to include all subranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of 1.0 and the recited maximum value of 10.0, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0, such as, for example, 2.4 to 7.6. Any maximum numerical limitation recited herein is intended to include all lower numerical limitations subsumed therein and any minimum numerical limitation recited in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limitations subsumed therein. Accordingly, Applicant reserves the right to amend this specification, including the claims, to expressly recite any sub-range subsumed within the ranges expressly recited herein.

[0100] Features from an embodiment, or from multiple embodiments, described in the present disclosure may be combined with each other, partially or entirely, and may be technically interlocked and operated in various ways, and the embodiments described herein may be implemented independently of each other or in conjunction with each other.

[0101] Although specific embodiments are described herein, the scope of the technology is not limited to those specific embodiments. Moreover, while different embodiments may be described separately, such embodiments and examples may be combined with one another in implementing the technology described herein. One skilled in the art will recognize other embodiments or improvements that are within the scope and spirit of the present technology. Therefore, the specific elements, features, and processes are disclosed only as example embodiments. The scope of the technology is defined by the following claims and any equivalents thereof.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0049]The technologies described herein contemplate an iron-type golf club head that incorporates a damping element to promote more uniform ball speed across the striking face of the golf club head. Traditional thin-faced iron-type golf clubs generally produce less uniform launch velocities across the striking face due to increased compliance at the geometric center of the striking face. For example, when a golf club strikes a golf ball, the striking face of the club deflects and then springs forward, accelerating the golf ball off the striking face. While such a design may lead to large flight distances for a golf ball when struck in the center of the face, any off-center strike of the golf ball causes significant losses in flight distance. In comparison, an extremely thick face causes more uniform ball flight regardless of impact location, but it causes a significant loss in launch velocities. The present technology incorporates a damping element between a back portion of the holl...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 664,274, filed on May 14, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] It is a goal for golfers to reduce the total number of swings needed to complete a round of golf, thus reducing their total score. To achieve that goal, it is generally desirable for a golfer to have a ball fly a consistent distance when struck by the same golf club and, for some clubs, also to have that ball travel a long distance. For instance, when a golfer slightly mishits a golf ball, the golfer does not want the golf ball to fly a significantly different distance compared to a center strike. At the same time, the golfer also does not want to have a significantly reduced overall distance every time the golfer strikes the ball, even when the golfer strikes the ball in the “sweet spot” of the golf club. Additionally, it is also preferable for a golf club head to produce a pleasant sound to the golfer when the golf club head strikes the golf ball.

[0003] This background Section is provided only for purposes of introducing certain background material relating to the present disclosure and, thus, is not an admission of prior art.SUMMARY

[0004] According to an aspect, the technology relates to a golf club head, including a body, including a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a proximal end of the support bridge, at a portion of the body substantially adjacent to the access aperture, to a distal end of the support bridge; and a damping element between the distal end of the support bridge and a rear surface of the striking face.

[0005] In some examples, the golf club head includes a cap attached to the body and covering at least part of the access aperture.

[0006] In some examples, the golf club head includes a toe and a heel, the striking face extending between the toe and the heel, wherein the access aperture is at least partly in the toe.

[0007] In some examples, the access aperture is at least partly in an upper half of the toe, as measured along a height direction parallel to an outer surface of the striking face and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction.

[0008] In some examples, a front surface of the support bridge extends along a plane substantially parallel to the rear surface of the striking face.

[0009] In some examples, the golf club head includes a support arm extending at least partly rearwardly from the distal end of the support bridge to at least one of the sole or a back portion of the body.

[0010] In some examples, the support bridge extends from the distal end of the support bridge toward the proximal end of the support bridge along a direction partly away from the sole.

[0011] In some examples, the damping element includes a polymer material.

[0012] In some examples, the damping element overlaps with at least one of a geometric center of the striking face or a center of impact of the golf club head.

[0013] In some examples, the golf club head is an iron type golf club head.

[0014] According to an aspect, the technology relates to a golf club head, including a toe; a heel; a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge; a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge; a cavity surrounded in part by the toe, the heel, the striking face, and the sole; an access aperture at least partly in the toe; a damping element on a rear surface of the striking face; and a support bridge extending from a proximal end of the support bridge, substantially adjacent to the access aperture, through at least part of the cavity to a distal end of the support bridge, wherein the support bridge supports a rear surface of the damping element.

[0015] In some examples, the golf club head includes a cap attached to the toe and covering at least part of the access aperture.

[0016] In some examples, the access aperture is positioned frontward of the support bridge.

[0017] In some examples, the access aperture is at least partly in an upper half of the toe, as measured along a height direction that is substantially parallel to an outer surface of the striking face and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction.

[0018] In some examples, the support bridge extends from the damping element toward the proximal end of the support bridge along a direction partly away from the sole.

[0019] In some examples, the damping element overlaps with at least part of a geometric center of the striking face or a center of impact of the golf club head.

[0020] In some examples, the damping element includes a polymer and is directly between the rear surface of the striking face and the support bridge.

[0021] According to an aspect, the technology relates to a method of fabricating a golf club head, the method including fabricating a body of the golf club head, the body including a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a portion of the body substantially adjacent to the opening; and inserting a damping element through the access aperture and moving the damping element along the support bridge to a position within the cavity between the support bridge and the striking face.

[0022] In some examples, the method includes attaching a cap to the body to cover at least part of the access aperture.

[0023] In some examples, the body includes a toe and a heel, and the access aperture extends through at least the toe.

[0024] This Summary section introduces some features of nonlimiting and non-exhaustive examples of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples are described with reference to the following Figures.

[0026] FIG. 1 depicts a front perspective view of a golf club head in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0029] FIG. 4 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with a toe portion removed.

[0030] FIG. 5 depicts a toe side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with a toe portion removed.

[0031] FIG. 6 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 with the striking face removed.

[0032] FIG. 7 depicts a rear view of a striking face.

[0033] FIG. 8 depicts a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 9 depicts a top cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 10A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples.

[0036] FIG. 10B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 10A without the striking face.

[0037] FIG. 10C illustrates the golf club head of FIG. 10A along the line 10′-10′ in FIG. 10B.

[0038] FIG. 11A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples.

[0039] FIG. 11B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 11A without the striking face.

[0040] FIG. 11C illustrates the golf club head of FIG. 11A along the line 11′-11′ in FIG. 11B and without the striking face.

[0041] FIG. 12A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples.

[0042] FIG. 12B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 12A without the striking face.

[0043] FIG. 12C illustrates the golf club head of FIG. 12A along the line 12′-12′ in FIG. 12B and without the striking face.

[0044] FIG. 13 illustrates a method for fabricating a golf club head.

[0045] FIG. 14A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples and without the striking face.

[0046] FIG. 14B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 14A along the line 14′-14′ in FIG. 14A.

[0047] FIG. 15A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head according to some examples and without the striking face.

[0048] FIG. 15B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 15A along the line 15′-15′ in FIG. 15A.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The technologies described herein contemplate an iron-type golf club head that incorporates a damping element to promote more uniform ball speed across the striking face of the golf club head. Traditional thin-faced iron-type golf clubs generally produce less uniform launch velocities across the striking face due to increased compliance at the geometric center of the striking face. For example, when a golf club strikes a golf ball, the striking face of the club deflects and then springs forward, accelerating the golf ball off the striking face. While such a design may lead to large flight distances for a golf ball when struck in the center of the face, any off-center strike of the golf ball causes significant losses in flight distance. In comparison, an extremely thick face causes more uniform ball flight regardless of impact location, but it causes a significant loss in launch velocities. The present technology incorporates a damping element between a back portion of the hollow iron and the rear surface of the striking face. By including the damping element, the magnitude of the launch velocity may be reduced for strikes at the center of the face while improving uniformity of launch velocities across the striking face. The damping element compression and / or material may be selected to achieve desired deflection of the striking face depending on particular swing types and golfer needs.

[0050] FIGS. 1-9 depict a golf club head 100 having a damping element 125 positioned behind the striking face 118. FIG. 1 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 4 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head 100 with a toe portion removed. FIG. 5 depicts a toe side view of the golf club head 100 with a toe portion removed. FIG. 6 depicts a front perspective view of the golf club head 100 with the striking face 118 removed. FIG. 7 depicts a rear view of the striking face 118. FIG. 8 depicts a side cross-sectional view of the golf club head 100. FIG. 9 depicts a top cross-sectional view of the golf club head 100.

[0051] The golf club head 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 is an iron type golf club head having a hollow body construction and includes a periphery portion 101 surrounding and extending rearward from a striking face 118. The periphery portion 101 includes a sole 105, a topline 107 opposite the sole 105, a heel side 104, and a toe side 106 opposite the heel side 104. The periphery portion 101 also includes a back portion 112 extending from the sole 105 to the topline 107 and extending from the heel side 104 to the toe side 106. The golf club head 100 includes a hosel 109 located on the heel side 104 configured to receive a shaft (not shown). A cavity 120 is formed between the periphery portion 101 and the striking face 118. The striking face 118 can be formed separately and welded to the periphery portion 101. In other embodiments, the striking face 118 may be formed integrally with the periphery portion 101.

[0052] The golf club head 100 further includes a damping element 125 located within the cavity 120. The damping element 125 has a front portion that contacts a rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. A rear portion of the damping element 125 contacts a support pad 132. The support pad 132 is attached to the back portion 112 of the golf club head 100. The support pad 132 includes a raised lip 133 projecting towards the striking face 118 which is critical for positioning the damping element 125 in the proper orientation on the support pad 132 during assembly when visual inspection is obscured. The raised lip 133 has a shape which complements the shape of the rear portion of the damping element 125 to prevent the damping element 125 from sliding or otherwise moving out of position once installed. In a preferred embodiment, the raised lip 133 has an arcuate shape to complement a rounded rear portion of the damping element 125. In addition to the raised lip 133, the damping element 125 is generally held in place due to compression of the damping element 125 between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The damping element 125 is configured to be installed in a set position during assembly and remain in that position. The support pad 132 and the raised lip 133 help to ensure the damping element 125 is installed consistently and that the damping element 125 properly and consistently engages the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 for optimal performance. An epoxy may be used to further secure the damping element 125 to the support pad 132 and / or the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The epoxy may also provide acoustic damping for desired sound characteristics.

[0053] The damping element 125 may have a generally frustoconical shape. In other examples, the damping element 125 may have a cylindrical, hemispherical, cuboid, or prism shape. The support pad 132 is formed to substantially match the shape of the rear portion of the damping element 125. The support pad 132 may be welded or otherwise attached to the back portion 112, or the support pad 132 may be formed as part of the back portion 112 during a casting or forging process. The back portion 112 may also be machined to include the support pad 132. The support pad 132 is oriented substantially parallel to the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The support pad 132 does not come into contact with the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 at maximum deflection thereof. The support pad 132 itself may be made of the same material as the back portion 112, such as a steel. The support pad 132 may also be made from titanium, aluminum, composite, or ceramic materials.

[0054] The periphery portion 101 includes an aperture 131 on the toe side 106 to allow installation of the damping element 125 within the cavity 120. This is critical for allowing the damping element 125 to be positioned between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 after the striking face 118 has been welded or otherwise attached to the periphery portion 101. In one embodiment where the striking face 118 is welded to the periphery portion 101, installing the damping element 125 after the striking face 118 has been welded protects the damping element 125 from adverse heat effects that the damping element 125 would be subjected to if it were installed prior to the welding process. In another embodiment where the striking face 118 is formed integrally with the periphery portion 101, installing the damping element 125 through the aperture 131 provides a minimally invasive assembly without the need for larger access openings and more complex finishing steps to enclose the cavity 120. The aperture 131 is sized to allow the damping element 125 to slide through the aperture 131 and be positioned between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. In one embodiment, the aperture 131 has a maximum height in the sole-to-topline direction that approximately equals the maximum height of the damping element 125, and the aperture 131 has a maximum width in the front-to-rear direction that approximately equals the maximum width of the damping element 125. The raised lip 133 assists in guiding the damping element 125 to its proper position. Once the damping element 125 is installed, a cap 136 covers the aperture 131 to prevent unwanted debris and moisture from entering the cavity 120. The cap 136 may be attached using an adhesive. Alternatively, the cap 136 may be attached by welding, preferably pulse welding. Pulse welding the cap 136 over the aperture 131 involves welding smaller sections of the weld path in multiple passes. This is critical for allowing the golf club head 100 to cool down in between welding passes to prevent excessive heat exposure to the damping element 125. Preferably, the aperture 131 is sized just big enough to permit the damping element 125 to pass through during assembly. The relatively small size of the aperture 131 provides minimal heat exposure time for the damping element 125 when the cap 136 is welded over the aperture 131. Additionally, the location of the aperture 131 on the toe side 106 of the periphery portion 101 provides a maximum separation distance from the heat exposure for the damping element 125 when the cap 136 is welded over the aperture 131.

[0055] In a preferred method of manufacturing the golf club head 100, the striking face 118 is welded to, or integrally formed with, the periphery portion 101. The damping element 125 is then inserted into the cavity 120 through the aperture 131 located on the toe side 106 of the periphery portion 101. The damping element 125 is positioned between the support pad 132 and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. The raised lip 133 assists in locating the proper positioning of the damping element 125 and helps prevent unwanted movement of the damping element 125 once properly installed. The cap 136 is then welded or adhered to the periphery portion 101 to cover the aperture 131 and enclose the cavity 120.

[0056] In traditional thin face golf clubs, strikes at the geometric center of the striking face display the largest displacement of the striking face, and thus the greatest ball speeds. By disposing the damping element 125 proximate the geometric center of the striking face 118, the deflection of the striking face 118 at that point is reduced, thus reducing the ball speed. Portions of the striking face 118 not backed by the damping element 125, however, continue to deflect into the cavity 120 contributing to the speed of the golf ball. As such, a more uniform distribution of ball speeds resulting from ball strikes across the striking face 118 from the heel side 104 to the toe side 106 may be achieved.

[0057] The elasticity of the damping element 125 affects the deflection of the striking face 118. For instance, a material with a lower elastic modulus allows for further deflection of the striking face 118, providing for higher maximum ball speeds but less uniformity of ball speeds. In contrast, a material with a higher elastic modulus further prevents deflection of the striking face 118, providing for lower maximum ball speeds but more uniformity of ball speeds. For some applications, a range of elastic moduli for the damping element 125 from about 4 MPa to about 15 GPa may be used. In other applications, a range of elastic moduli for the damping element 125 from about 15 to about 40 GPa may be used. To achieve the goal of having the carry distance of off-center shots closer to the carry distance of center shots, the material for the damping element 125 may have an elastic modulus of about 40 GPa or greater, and more preferably about 70 GPa or greater. The material for the damping element 125 may be a polymer, preferably silicone, to achieve the lower elastic modulus for higher ball speeds or a metal such as aluminum, steel, or titanium to achieve the higher elastic modulus for more consistent carry distances across the striking face 118. Although the maximum ball speed for impacts at the center decreases when the damping element 125 has a higher elastic modulus, the speed retention across the striking face 118 is improved. This is desirable for golfers who want more consistent carry distance from strikes across the striking face 118 rather than maximizing overall carry distance.

[0058] The damping element 125 has a free thickness and an installed thickness measured in the front-to-rear direction. In some embodiments, the free thickness and the installed thickness of the damping element 125 can be substantially the same. In this case, there would be little to no preload of the damping element 125 against the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. In other embodiments, the installed thickness can be lower than the free thickness, creating a preload force on the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118. This preload force can change the coefficient of restitution of the striking face 118. In an additional embodiment, multiple versions of the damping element 125 may be available with different free thicknesses to achieve a particular coefficient of restitution. Alternatively, the material of the damping element 125 could be altered to change its stiffness, thus altering the coefficient of restitution of the golf club head.

[0059] A higher compression of the damping element 125 against the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 further restricts the deflection of the striking face 118. In turn, further restriction of the deflection causes more uniform ball speeds across the striking face 118. However, the restriction on deflection also lowers the maximum ball speed from the center of the striking face 118. To achieve a golf club head 100 that produces further maximum distance, but does not need uniform ball speed across the striking face 118, the initial set compression of the damping element 125 can be reduced, or a damping element 125 having a lower elastic modulus can be used. In contrast, to achieve a golf club head 100 that has more uniform ball speed across the striking face 118, the initial set compression of the damping element 125 can be increased, or a damping element 125 having a higher elastic modulus can be used. This adjustability is critical for meeting a variety of specific performance needs for different individuals.

[0060] The inclusion of the damping element 125 in the golf club head 100 provides benefits in durability for the striking face 118 by reducing stress values displayed by the striking face 118 upon impact with a golf ball. Without the damping element 125, the von Mises stress levels are high and indicate that the striking face 118 may be susceptible to failure and / or early deterioration. Such von Mises stress values are lower with the damping element 125 and are indicative of a more durable golf club head 100 that is less likely to fail.

[0061] Another goal of the damping element 125 described herein is to dissipate energy of the golf club head after it strikes a golf ball. As the striking face 118 and other portions of the golf club head vibrate, the damping element 125 in contact with those surfaces can dissipate the energy. This can change the sound produced by the golf club head 100 by reducing the loudness and / or duration of the sound produced when the golf club head 100 strikes a golf ball.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the periphery portion 101 is configured to receive a first weight member 111a positioned proximate the toe side 106 and a second weight member 111b positioned proximate the heel side 104. The first weight member 111a has an angled upper surface 111a1 such that the first weight member 111a has a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point and a minimum height in the sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point. This shape of the first weight member 111a allows increased weight concentration toeward and soleward for higher moment of inertia and forgiveness. The second weight member 111b has an angled upper surface 111b1 such that the second weight member 111b has a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point and a minimum height in the sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point. This shape of the second weight member 111b allows increased weight concentration heelward and soleward for higher moment of inertia and forgiveness.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the striking face 118 has a thickness that varies from a front surface 117 to the rear surface 119 to further promote more uniform ball speed across the striking face 118 of the golf club head 100. The striking face 118 includes a thickened portion 122 which at least partially overlaps a vertical plane perpendicular to a ground plane and passing through the face center of the golf club head 100 when in an address position. The thickened portion 122 is preferably between 1.6 mm and 2.6 mm thick, more preferably between 1.8 mm and 2.4 mm thick, and most preferably between 1.9 mm and 2.2 mm thick. The striking face 118 also includes a thinned portion 123 at least partially surrounding the thickened portion 122. The thinned portion 123 is preferably between 1.1 mm and 2.1 mm thick, more preferably between 1.35 mm and 1.85 mm thick, and most preferably between 1.5 mm and 1.7 mm thick. The thickness of the striking face 118 may gradually taper from the thickened portion 122 to the thinned portion 123 which may be located at an outer periphery of the striking face 118. The thickened portion 122 is preferably between 10% and 50% thicker than the thinned portion 123, more preferably between 20% and 40% thicker than the thinned portion 123, and most preferably between 25% and 35% thicker than the thinned portion 123. These thicknesses and relative dimensions are critical for maintaining consistent ball speeds across the striking face 118 and controlling stresses experienced by the striking face 118. The front surface of the damping element 125 engages the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 at the thickened portion 122.

[0064] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 8, the back portion 112 of the golf club head 100 may include a pocket 113 to allow a back weight 115 to be inserted into the pocket 113 from a rear of the golf club head 100. The back weight 115 allows the swing weight of the golf club head 100 to be customized based on player preference. The back weight 115 may be selected from a plurality of different masses having the same shape and volume to achieve a specific swing weight in a later stage of club head production. This allows for greater flexibility in customization of the golf club head 100. The back weight 115 may be fixed within the pocket 113 by welding or adhesive bonding to prevent unwanted removal once the proper back weight 115 is selected. In another embodiment, the back weight 115 may be removably secured within the pocket 113 by clamping or threaded engagement to allow greater interchangeability of the back weight 115.

[0065] As discussed above, a damping element can be inserted into the cavity of a golf club head through an access aperture and then fitted into place between a support pad and the striking face. However, this can be a time-intensive and difficult process because it can be difficult to control the damping element within the cavity only through the access aperture. In some examples described herein, a golf club head may include a support bridge within the cavity. The support bridge may provide a structure (e.g., a surface) that helps to guide the damping element through the cavity from the access aperture to the support pad, thereby reducing the difficulty and the time required to fit the damping element between the support pad and the striking face.

[0066] FIG. 10A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head 200 according to some examples. FIG. 10B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head 200 of FIG. 10A without the striking face 118. FIG. 10C illustrates the golf club head 200 along the line 10′-10′ in FIG. 10B. The golf club head 200 may include features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 100 of FIGS. 1-9. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0067] The golf club head 200 may include a body 250 that includes the periphery portion 101 and the striking face 118.

[0068] In some examples, the golf club head 200 includes a support bridge 240 that extends at least partly through the cavity 120 between a proximal end 241 of the support bridge 240 and a distal end 242 of the support bridge. The proximal end 241 may be adjacent or attached to a first portion 248 of the body 250 (e.g., of the periphery portion 101), and the distal end 242 may correspond to (e.g., include or be) the support pad 232. In some other examples, the support bridge 240 extends through the entire cavity 120, the distal end 242 is attached to a second portion of the body (e.g., of the periphery portion 101), and an intermediate portion of the support bridge 240 between the proximal and distal ends corresponds to (e.g., includes or is) the support pad 232.

[0069] The first portion 248 of the body 250 may be a portion that is substantially adjacent to the access aperture 131. For example, the first portion 248 may be immediately adjacent to the access aperture 131 or offset from the access aperture 131 by a small distance, such as a distance less than a width of the access aperture 131 along a direction perpendicular to the outer surface 117 of the striking face 118. In some examples, the first portion 248 of the body 250 and at least the proximal end 241 of the support bridge 240 are positioned rearward to the access aperture 131. The support bridge 240 may allow the damping element 225 to be more easily and quickly moved into place on the support pad 232 during manufacture of the golf club head 200. For example, the damping element 225 can be inserted through the access aperture 131 onto the proximal end 241 of the support bridge 240, and then moved (e.g., slid) across the support bridge 240 to the support pad 232. In contrast, in other examples where the support bridge 240 is not included, the process of moving the damping element 225 through the cavity 120 and fitted in place between the support pad 232 and the striking face 118 can be more difficult and time intensive. This is because the damping element 225 may need to be carefully forced (e.g., via a friction fit) between the support pad 232 and the striking face 118, which can be difficult to do if the damping element 225 is only able to be held and controlled through the access aperture 131. The support bridge 240 can therefore reduce the difficulty in moving, and time required to move, the damping element 225 into place.

[0070] The support bridge 240 may have a front surface 240F that faces forward (e.g., toward the striking face 118). The support bridge 240 may be configured such that a distance between the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118 remains substantially constant along at least part of the front surface 240 between the proximal end 241 and the distal end 242. For example, a first distance between a first portion of the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 may be substantially the same as (e.g., within 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1%) a second distance between a second portion of the front surface 240F, offset from the first portion of the front surface 240F, and the rear surface 119. The first portion of the front surface 240F may correspond to the proximal end 241, and the second portion of the front surface 240F may correspond to the distal end 242, the support pad 232, a portion of the support bridge 240 adjacent to the support pad 232, or a portion of the support bridge 240 halfway between the proximal end 241 and the support pad 232. The first and second distances may be measured along a fore-aft direction that is substantially parallel (e.g., within 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1% or being parallel) of a direction normal (e.g., perpendicular) to the front surface 240F, to the rear surface 119, or to the outer surface 117. In some examples, the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 are both flat. The front surface 240F may extend within a first plane that is substantially parallel (e.g., within 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1% of being parallel) to a second plane that the rear surface 119 extends within. By configuring the support bridge 240 such that the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 are spaced apart by a substantially constant distance, as the front surface 240F extends between the proximal end 241 and the support pad 232, movement and control of the damping element 225 can be improved as the damping element 225 is moved from the access aperture 131 to the support pad 232.

[0071] In some examples, the support bridge 240 is configured such that the front surface 240F extends partly forward as it extends from the proximal end 241 toward (e.g., to) the support pad 232. This can provide more room at the proximal end 241 to more easily accommodate the initial insertion of the damping element 225 through the access aperture 131, and the forwardly angled front surface 240F can allow the damping element 225 to be gradually compressed before being moved onto the support pad 232. The front surface 240F may form an angle with the rear surface 119 of between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, such as between 3 degrees and 15 degrees. In some examples, the first distance between the first portion of the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 may be greater than the second distance between the second portion of the front surface 240F and the rear surface 119 by a factor within the range of 1.0 to 1.4, for example, within a range of 1.1 to 1.3.

[0072] In some examples, the damping element 225 and the support bridge 240 may be configured for the damping element 225 to couple to (e.g., latch onto or slidingly engage with) the support bridge 240. For example, a protruding guiding rail or a guiding groove may be on the support bridge 240 (e.g., on the front surface 240F), may extend at least partly between the proximal end 241 and the support pad 232, and may be configured to engage with a corresponding groove or protrusion of the damping element 225. The guiding rail or groove can more securely hold the damping element 225 on the front surface 240F and reduce the risk of the damping element 225 falling off as it is moved along the support bridge 240.

[0073] The access aperture 131 may be positioned at least partly on the toe side 106, for example, on an upper half of the toe side 106, as measured along a height direction that is substantially parallel to the outer surface 117 of the striking face 118 and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction. In some other examples, the access aperture 131 may be positioned elsewhere, such as on the lower half of the toe side 106 or on the heel side 104. However, it can be advantageous to position the access aperture 131 on the upper half of the toe side 106. For example, because the hosel 109 is located at the heel side 104 and may be integrally formed with the heel side 104, it may be difficult or impossible to position the access aperture 131 on the heel side 104. Also, because the first weight member 111a may be positioned in the bottom of the cavity 120 and toward the toe side 106, there may be insufficient room in the lower half of the toe side 106 to accommodate a support bridge.

[0074] The support bridge 240 may be configured such that it extends upwardly (e.g., away from the sole 105) as it extends from the support pad 232 to the proximal end 241.

[0075] In some examples, the golf club head 200 includes a support arm 245 extending at least partly rearwardly from the distal end 242 and / or from the support pad 232 to at least one of the back portion 112 or the sole 105. In some examples, the support arm 245 may also extend partly heel-ward as it extends away from the distal end 242 and / or away from the support pad 232. The support arm 245 may provide structural support for the support pad 232. The support bridge 240 and / or the support arm 245 may be integrally formed with the periphery portion 101, for example, during a casting process. For example, the support bridge 240 and / or the support arm 245 may be integrally joined with, and be the same material as, the periphery portion 101.

[0076] In some examples, the damping element 225 includes an anchor 249. The support pad 232 may include an attachment opening 234 shaped and sized to receive at least part of the anchor 249 and to engage with the anchor 249 to hold the damping element 225 in place. The anchor 249 may include a short, rearwardly protruding shaft and an enlarged head at an end of the shaft. The shaft may be shaped and sized to extend through at least part of the attachment opening 234, and the head may have a width along a direction that is larger than a width (e.g., a minimum width) of the attachment opening 234 along the same direction. The head of the anchor 249 may be rounded or tapered on top to facilitate movement of the head through the attachment opening 234, and the head may be shaped to form a step with the post so that the head cannot be pulled back through the attachment opening 234. The damping element 225 may be attached or secured to the support pad 232 by additional or alternative means, such as by an adhesive, a friction fit between the support pad 232 and the striking face 118, etc.

[0077] The damping element 225 may have a circular front surface in contact with the rear surface 119 of the striking face 118, such as in the illustrated example. In some other examples, the damping element 225 may have a different shape, such as an elongated shape (e.g., an oval shape). The damping element 225 may be positioned to overlap (e.g., along a direction normal to the outer surface 117 of the striking face 118) with at least one of a center (e.g., geometric center) of the striking face 118 or a center of impact of the golf club head 200.

[0078] FIG. 11A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head 300 according to some examples. FIG. 11B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head 300 of FIG. 11A without the striking face 118. FIG. 11C illustrates the golf club head 300 of FIG. 11A along the line 11′-11′ in FIG. 11B and without the striking face 118. The golf club head 300 may include features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 200 of FIGS. 10A-10C. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0079] The golf club head 300 may differ from the golf club head 200 in terms of its support bridge 240 and its damping element 325. The damping element 325 may have an elongated shape that is elongated along a primary direction 360 (e.g., a major axis). The primary direction 360 may correspond to (e.g., be substantially parallel to) a primary direction of extension of the support bridge 240 between the proximal end 241 and the distal end 242 (or the support pad 232). The damping element 325 may be shaped and sized to overlap with both the center of the striking face 118 and the center of impact of the golf club head 300.

[0080] The damping element 300 may include a plurality of anchors, each having features similar to, or the same as, the anchor 249 of the golf club head 200. In the illustrated example, the damping element 325 includes a first anchor 349A and a second anchor 349B offset from the first anchor 349A along the primary direction 360. The support bridge 240 may include a plurality of support pads corresponding to the plurality of anchors. In the illustrated example, the support bridge 240 includes a first support pad 332A and a second support pad 332B adjacent to the first support pad 332 along the primary direction 360. The first support pad 332A may support a first portion of the damping element 325 and may have a first attachment opening 334A configured to receive at least part of the first anchor 349A. The second support pad 332B may support a second portion of the damping element 325 adjacent to the first portion and may have a second attachment opening 334B configured to receive at least part of the second anchor 349B. The first and second support pads 332A and 332B may each have a circular front surface. By including the plurality of anchors and the plurality of support pads, the elongated damping element 325 can be more securely fitted between the support bridge 240 and the striking face 118.

[0081] FIG. 12A illustrates an exploded, front perspective view of a golf club head 400 according to some examples. FIG. 12B illustrates a front perspective view of the golf club head 400 of FIG. 12A without the striking face 118. FIG. 12C illustrates the golf club head 400 of FIG. 12A along the line 12′-12′ in FIG. 12B. The golf club head 400 may include features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 300 of FIGS. 12A-12C. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0082] The golf club head 400 may differ from the golf club head 300 in terms of its support pad 432 and its damping element 425. The damping element 425 may be elongated along a primary direction 460 in a similar manner as the damping element 325 is elongated along its primary direction 360. The damping element 425 in this example does not include an anchor. The support bridge 240 includes a single support pad 432 that has an elongated shape (e.g., an elongated front surface) that is elongated along a primary direction 462. The primary direction 462 of the support pad 432 may correspond to the primary direction 460 of the damping element 425. For example, the primary direction 462 may be substantially parallel (e.g., within 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, or 1 degree of being parallel) to the primary direction 460 of the damping element 425. In some examples, the shape of the front surface of the support pad 432 may correspond to (e.g., be the same as) the shape of the front surface of the damping element 425 and / or the shape of the rear surface of the damping element 425. In this example, the support pad 432 does not include an attachment opening. The damping element 425 may be secured between the support pad 432 and the striking face 118 by a friction fit and / or an adhesive. Although not shown, the damping element 425 may have a raised lip, similar to the raised lip 133, in some examples to help to further support the damping element 425.

[0083] FIG. 13 illustrates a method 500 for assembling (e.g., fabricating) a golf club head, such as any of the golf club heads 200, 300, and 400.

[0084] The method 500 includes a process 502 of providing (e.g., fabricating) a body of the golf club head. The body may be, for example, the body 250 of any one of the golf club heads 200, 300, and 400. The body may include a striking face, having a lower leading edge and an upper edge, a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge, a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole, an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, and a support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a portion of the body adjacent to the opening. In some examples, the access aperture may be the access aperture 131, and the support bridge may be the support bridge 240. The process 502 may include welding the striking face onto the periphery portion.

[0085] The method 500 may include a process 504 of inserting a damping element through the access aperture and moving the damping element along the support bridge to a set position within the cavity between the support bridge and the striking face. In some examples, the damping element is any one of the damping elements 225, 325, and 425, and the process 504 may include moving the damping element onto the respective support pad(s).

[0086] The method 500 may include a process 506 of attaching (e.g., via an adhesive, welding, and / or one or more mechanical fasteners) a cap to the body to cover at least part of the access aperture. In some examples, the cap may include the cap 136.

[0087] FIG. 14A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head 600 according to some examples and without the striking face 118. FIG. 14B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head 600 of FIG. 14A along the line 14′-14′ in FIG. 14A. The golf club head 600 may include features similar to the features of other golf club heads described herein. Accordingly, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0088] The golf club head 600 may include a first support arm 645A and a second support arm 645B, each of which may include features similar to, or the same as, the features of the support arm 245 of the golf club head 200. In some other examples, the golf club head 600 may include any number of three or more support arms. Including a plurality of support arms can provide better support for the support pad 632 and the damping element 625, compared to if only one support arm is included.

[0089] The first support arm 645A may extend partly rearwardly and partly toward the heel side 104 as it extends from the support pad 632 to at least one of the sole 105 or the back portion 112. The second support arm 645B may extend partly rearwardly and partly toward the toe side 106 as it extends from the support pad 632 to at least one of the sole 105 or the back portion 112. In the depicted example, the golf club head 600 does not include a support bridge that extends from the support pad 632 to a portion of the periphery portion 101 adjacent to the access aperture 131. However, such a support bridge can be provided in some other examples. Even in examples where such a support bridge is not included, the second support arm 645B can be used to provide some assistance in guiding the damping element 625 onto the support pad 632, because it is positioned, along the toe-heel direction, between the support pad 632 and the access aperture 131.

[0090] FIG. 15A illustrates a front perspective view of a golf club head 700 according to some examples and without the striking face 118. FIG. 15B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the golf club head 700 of FIG. 15A along the line 15′-15′ in FIG. 15A. The golf club head 700 may include some features similar to, or the same as, the golf club head 600. Therefore, redundant descriptions may not be repeated.

[0091] The golf club head 700 may include first and second support arms 745A and 745B to provide improved support for the support pad 732 and the damping element 725. The golf club head 700 may primarily differ from the golf club head 600 in that the directions of extension of the first and second support arms 745A and 745B, as they extend from the support pad 732, are inclined more rearwardly than the first and second support arms 645A and 645B of the golf club head 600.

[0092] Other than in the operating examples, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values, and percentages may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount, or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following description and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0093] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in any specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.

[0094] It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, processes, or other features, these elements, processes, or features should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, process, or feature from another element, process, or feature. Thus, a first element, process, or feature discussed herein could be termed a second element, process, or feature, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0095] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and / or the present specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

[0096] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,”“comprising,”“includes,” and “including,” specify the presence of stated elements, processes, and / or other features, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements, processes, and / or features. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. Further, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.”

[0097] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “connected to”, “coupled to”, “attached to”, or “adjacent to” another element, it can be directly on, connected to, coupled to, attached to, or adjacent to the other element, or one or more intervening element(s) may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,”“directly connected to”, “directly coupled to”, “directly attached to”, or “immediately adjacent to” another element, there are no intervening elements present. Similar terms and phrases should be understood in a similar manner to encompass both direct and indirect affiliations between two or more elements being discussed. In addition, it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “between” two elements, it can be the only element between the elements, or one or more intervening elements may also be present.

[0098] As used herein, the phrase “at least part” includes part or all of the stated item, the phrase “at least partly” includes the stated item partly or entirely, and similar phrases should be interpreted in a similar manner.

[0099] Also, any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges of the same numerical precision subsumed within the recited range. For example, a range of “1.0 to 10.0” is intended to include all subranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of 1.0 and the recited maximum value of 10.0, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0, such as, for example, 2.4 to 7.6. Any maximum numerical limitation recited herein is intended to include all lower numerical limitations subsumed therein and any minimum numerical limitation recited in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limitations subsumed therein. Accordingly, Applicant reserves the right to amend this specification, including the claims, to expressly recite any sub-range subsumed within the ranges expressly recited herein.

[0100] Features from an embodiment, or from multiple embodiments, described in the present disclosure may be combined with each other, partially or entirely, and may be technically interlocked and operated in various ways, and the embodiments described herein may be implemented independently of each other or in conjunction with each other.

[0101] Although specific embodiments are described herein, the scope of the technology is not limited to those specific embodiments. Moreover, while different embodiments may be described separately, such embodiments and examples may be combined with one another in implementing the technology described herein. One skilled in the art will recognize other embodiments or improvements that are within the scope and spirit of the present technology. Therefore, the specific elements, features, and processes are disclosed only as example embodiments. The scope of the technology is defined by the following claims and any equivalents thereof.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0049]The technologies described herein contemplate an iron-type golf club head that incorporates a damping element to promote more uniform ball speed across the striking face of the golf club head. Traditional thin-faced iron-type golf clubs generally produce less uniform launch velocities across the striking face due to increased compliance at the geometric center of the striking face. For example, when a golf club strikes a golf ball, the striking face of the club deflects and then springs forward, accelerating the golf ball off the striking face. While such a design may lead to large flight distances for a golf ball when struck in the center of the face, any off-center strike of the golf ball causes significant losses in flight distance. In comparison, an extremely thick face causes more uniform ball flight regardless of impact location, but it causes a significant loss in launch velocities. The present technology incorporates a damping element between a back portion of the holl...

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:a body, comprising:a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge,a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge,a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole,an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, anda support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a proximal end of the support bridge, at a portion of the body substantially adjacent to the access aperture, to a distal end of the support bridge; anda damping element between the distal end of the support bridge and a rear surface of the striking face.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, comprising a cap attached to the body and covering at least part of the access aperture.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, comprising a toe and a heel, the striking face extending between the toe and the heel,wherein the access aperture is at least partly in the toe.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the access aperture is at least partly in an upper half of the toe, as measured along a height direction parallel to an outer surface of the striking face and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a front surface of the support bridge extends along a plane substantially parallel to the rear surface of the striking face.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a support arm extending at least partly rearwardly from the distal end of the support bridge to at least one of the sole or a back portion of the body.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the support bridge extends from the distal end of the support bridge toward the proximal end of the support bridge along a direction partly away from the sole.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the damping element comprises a polymer material.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the damping element overlaps with at least one of a geometric center of the striking face or a center of impact of the golf club head.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is an iron type golf club head.

11. A golf club head, comprising:a toe;a heel;a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge;a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge;a cavity surrounded in part by the toe, the heel, the striking face, and the sole;an access aperture at least partly in the toe;a damping element on a rear surface of the striking face; anda support bridge extending from a proximal end of the support bridge, substantially adjacent to the access aperture, through at least part of the cavity to a distal end of the support bridge, wherein the support bridge supports a rear surface of the damping element.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, comprising a cap attached to the toe and covering at least part of the access aperture.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the access aperture is positioned frontward of the support bridge.

14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the access aperture is at least partly in an upper half of the toe, as measured along a height direction that is substantially parallel to an outer surface of the striking face and perpendicular to a toe-heel direction.

15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the support bridge extends from the damping element toward the proximal end of the support bridge along a direction partly away from the sole.

16. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the damping element overlaps with at least part of a geometric center of the striking face or a center of impact of the golf club head.

17. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the damping element comprises a polymer and is directly between the rear surface of the striking face and the support bridge.

18. A method of fabricating a golf club head, the method comprising:providing a body of the golf club head, the body comprising:a striking face having a lower leading edge and an upper edge,a sole extending rearward from the lower leading edge,a cavity surrounded in part by the striking face and the sole,an access aperture extending through the body to the cavity, anda support bridge in the cavity and extending at least partly through the cavity from a portion of the body substantially adjacent to an opening; andinserting a damping element through the access aperture and moving the damping element along the support bridge to a position within the cavity between the support bridge and the striking face.

19. The method of claim 18, attaching a cap to the body to cover at least part of the access aperture.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the body comprises a toe and a heel, and the access aperture extends through at least the toe.

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