Plural Grooves Patents (Class 473/331)
  • Patent number: 8764578
    Abstract: Embodiments of grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Solheim, David L. Petersen
  • Patent number: 8758162
    Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head in which a plurality of scorelines are formed in its face surface at an equal pitch. Rounded portions are formed on the edges of the scorelines. Each region between adjacent scorelines includes a fine groove formation region in which N (N?2) fine grooves are formed to extend parallel to the scorelines and to align themselves in a direction perpendicular to the scorelines at an interval d (d?0). Letting S be the distance between the endpoints of the rounded portions of the adjacent scorelines, Wt be the sum total of the widths of all the fine grooves, A1 be the distance from the endpoint of the rounded portion of one scoreline of the adjacent scorelines to the fine groove formation region, A2 be the distance from the endpoint of the rounded portion of the other scoreline of the adjacent scorelines to the fine groove formation region, and Wmax be the maximum width of the widths of the fine grooves, 0?A1+A2<Wmax+d, |A1?A2|<(Wmax+d)/4, and Wt+d×(N?1)+A1+A2=S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Ban
  • Publication number: 20140171216
    Abstract: A face insert for golf club head in one embodiment can comprise a substrate comprising a score line groove-free front surface. A cover layer is provided at least on the front surface of the substrate. The cover layer can alternatively overlay at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the substrate. The cover layer comprises a ball-striking surface spaced by the cover layer from the substrate. Plural elongated score line grooves can extend into the polymer layer from the ball-striking surface. In addition, visible markings are interposed between the cover layer and the front surface of the substrate, the visible markings being visible through the cover layer. In one form the visible markings comprise elongated score line markings and target markings in a central portion of the substrate. The visible markings can be screen-printed markings, which are then protected by the cover layer from wear. The cover layer can be molded and can be a polymer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Lin, Bing-Ling Chao, Citra A. Ie, Todd P. Beach, Benoit Vincent, Peter L. Larsen, Marc Kronenberg, Drew T. DeShiell
  • Patent number: 8752271
    Abstract: A golf club head, and a method of making the golf club head, with an improved striking surface. The grooves are formed in the strike surface with tight tolerances. The grooves may contain a plurality of portions, including a radiused or angled portion, a portion having substantially parallel walls, and a portion having a v-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Peter J. Gilbert
  • Patent number: 8753223
    Abstract: A golf club head (such as a putter head), has a face that includes a ball-contacting region. The ball-contacting region has an inset containing an elastically deformable material and at least one rigid element disposed within the elastically deformable material. When a golf ball is struck, the elastically deformable material compresses and the rigid element imparts overspin to the ball that causes it to roll more accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 8747245
    Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves or openings formed therein. This base may be joined with another material (such as a polymer backing material) to form the insert, wherein the backing material at least partially fills the grooves or openings. In some arrangements, the backing material of the insert may be visible at the top and/or bottom surfaces of the putter structures. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: David N. Franklin, John T. Stites, Donald S. Rahrig, Jeremy N. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20140155192
    Abstract: A golf club head has a striking face with a plurality of scorelines including a first scoreline and a second scoreline adjacent thereto. The striking face also has a plurality of auxiliary grooves each spaced from the scorelines. In a first imaginary vertical plane, a first path is formed by a first intersection between the first imaginary vertical plane and the striking face, and the auxiliary grooves have a first concentration no less than 0.17 measured between the first and second scorelines. A second imaginary vertical plane is horizontally spaced from the first imaginary plane. A second path is formed in the second imaginary vertical plane by a second intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the striking face. The auxiliary grooves in the second imaginary vertical plane have a second concentration that is different from the first concentration measured between the first and second scorelines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Scott A. CARLYLE, Sharon J. PARK, Brian D. SCHIELKE
  • Patent number: 8740719
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head is disclosed including a main body including a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face. The main body has a recessed region including a relief region in the front portion. A replaceable striking plate is inserted into the recessed region and the relief region. The replaceable striking plate includes a front surface, a first rear surface region and a second rear surface region. A threaded opening is located on the rear surface of the replaceable striking plate and receives a fastener to retain the replaceable striking plate on the front portion of the main body and within the recessed region and relief region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Bret H. Wahl, Chris Schartiger, Marni D. Ines, Peter L. Larsen
  • Patent number: 8727907
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of manufacturing a golf club head by processing a head base body having a face base surface which becomes a face surface by finishing. The head base body includes a main body portion having the face base surface, and projecting portions which project from the main body portion. The method includes a finishing step of performing the finishing while the head base body is fixed in position by supporting the projecting portions, and a separation step of separating the projecting portions after the finishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Ban, Katsutoshi Kasuya
  • Publication number: 20140128176
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to composite articles, and in particular a composite face plate for a golf club-head, and methods for making the same. In certain embodiments, a composite face plate for a club-head is formed with a cross-sectional profile having a varying thickness. The face plate comprises a lay-up of multiple, composite prepreg plies. At least a portion of the plies comprise a plurality of elongated prepreg strips arranged in a predetermined criss-cross pattern in the lay-up. The prepreg strips create one or more areas of increased thickness where the strips overlap each other, thereby creating a desired profile for the plate. Metallic or polymer covers or cover layers can be used to define a striking surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Bing-Ling Chao
  • Publication number: 20140106899
    Abstract: A wedge type golf club head with improved performance characteristic is disclosed herein where at least a striking surface of the wedge type golf club head is coated with a polymer coating to decrease the coefficient of friction as well as create a hydrophobic surface to remove dirt and debris. More specifically, the present invention discloses a wedge type golf club head with a hydrophobic polymer coating that creates a contact angle of greater than about 90 degrees as well as decreases the coefficient of friction to be less than about 0.1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Helene S. Hipp
  • Patent number: 8690705
    Abstract: A golf club head which may include a golf club head body, a ball striking face and a piezoelectric member in the golf club head, wherein the piezoelectric member is configured to be selectively adjusted by an input provided through a controller operably connected to the piezoelectric member. Further, the piezoelectric member may be capable of having a first configuration to provide the golf club head body with a first attribute and may also be capable of having a second configuration to provide the body with a second attribute in response to the input provided by the controller. Further, the second attribute may be different from the first attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8684861
    Abstract: A golf club head has a striking face with a plurality of scorelines including a first scoreline and a second scoreline adjacent thereto. The striking face also has a plurality of auxiliary grooves each spaced from the scorelines. In a first imaginary vertical plane, a first path is formed by a first intersection between the first imaginary vertical plane and the striking face, and the auxiliary grooves have a first concentration no less than 0.17 measured between the first and second scorelines. A second imaginary vertical plane is horizontally spaced from the first imaginary plane. A second path is formed in the second imaginary vertical plane by a second intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the striking face. The auxiliary grooves in the second imaginary vertical plane have a second concentration that is different from the first concentration measured between the first and second scorelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Scott A. Carlyle, Sharon J. Park, Brian D. Schielke
  • Patent number: 8678947
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf club head with an improved striking surface. The grooves are machined into the strike surface with tight tolerances using a profiled cutter. More specifically, the grooves has a radius of curvature R1 and a draft angle ? forming a relationship that satisfies the equation R1?(1*10?7?3)?(3*10?5?2)+0.003??0.0891 to achieve a maximum spin performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Gregory D. Johnson, Helene Hipp, Kevin Tassistro, Douglas C. Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 8672773
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club, includes a head that has a face having a ball striking surface defined thereon and an arched top edge, an iron-type golf club body connected to the face, and a hosel connected to the body. The arched top edge of the face includes a crest portion, a first upwardly sloping portion extending from a toe edge of the face to the crest portion, and a second upwardly sloping portion extending from the hosel to the crest portion, such that the distance from the bottom edge of the face to the top edge of the face is greatest at the crest portion. The hosel has a first end connected to the body and a second end located below the crest portion of the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Finn
  • Patent number: 8641549
    Abstract: Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, David N. Franklin
  • Patent number: 8622850
    Abstract: This invention provides a putter head comprising a head body and a face insert mounted on a face surface of the head body. Slits are vertically aligned in multiple stages so as to extend in the face insert in a toe-to-heel direction. A depending portion is provided in the slit on a side of the face surface so as to reduce a vertical dimension of the slit. The slit is filled with a viscoelastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiro Narita, Wataru Ban
  • Publication number: 20130344984
    Abstract: A golf club head with an improved striking surface. The grooves are machined into the strike surface with tight tolerances. The face may be selectively textured to enhance certain shots that the golfer may perform. This may include providing a plurality of distinct sets of texturing and surface roughening to accommodate a plurality of different shots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Charles E. Golden, Peter J. Gilbert, Robert W. Vokey
  • Patent number: 8602911
    Abstract: Embodiments of club heads with grooves are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Solheim
  • Patent number: 8597138
    Abstract: A method for surface treating a golf club head, includes: (a) forming a depression unit in the golf club head, the depression unit being indented inwardly from an outer surface of the golf club head, the outer surface being divided into a working area and a non-working area, the depression unit being formed in the working area; (b) filling the depression unit with a shielding material and covering the non-working area with a covering material; and (c) sandblasting the golf club head after step (b) and removing subsequently the shielding material from the depression unit and the covering material from the non-working area so as to form the working area into sandblasted and non-sandblasted regions that differ in gloss intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Chih-Lung Liu, Chin-Chun Tseng, Jiann-Hsing Chuang, Sharon J. Park, Daniel J. Stone
  • Publication number: 20130310192
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided having a club body and a contact plate secured to the club body. The contact plate defines at least a portion of a striking surface having a plurality of striking surface grooves. The contact plate is formed using an electroforming process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Bret H. Wahl, Xinhui Deng
  • Patent number: 8585513
    Abstract: A golf club head according to this invention has scorelines formed in its face surface. A first plated layer is formed on at least the face surface of a head base body before the scorelines are formed in the face surface, the face surface is grooved to form the scorelines in it, and a second plated layer is formed on the face surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Ban
  • Publication number: 20130303303
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of manufacturing a golf club head including a face surface. This manufacturing method includes a step of forming a plurality of recessed portions in the face surface, included in a first member, to extend in the toe-to-heel direction, a fixing step of fixing, to the recessed portions, second members which are formed by a material different from that of the first member, and fill the recessed portions, and after the fixing step, a scoreline forming step of forming at least one scoreline in each of the second members, while not forming the scoreline in a portion, between the recessed portions, of the face surface of the first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wataru BAN
  • Patent number: 8579717
    Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves formed therein. This base may be joined with another material to form the insert. In some arrangements, the insert may be a two-sided, reversible construction and may have different performance characteristics associated with each side of the insert. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy N. Snyder, David N. Franklin, John T. Stites, Donald S. Rahrig
  • Patent number: 8578980
    Abstract: Some embodiments concern a groove forming machine configured to form a groove on the golf club face of a golf club head. The groove forming machine can include: a groove forming tool configured to rotate about an axis of rotation at a first angle substantially greater than zero degrees and substantially less than 90 degrees to the golf club face. The groove forming tool is further configured to actuate from a first end of the golf club face to a second end of the golf club face by contacting a first portion of the groove forming tool with the golf club face to cut the groove with a first cross-section into the golf club face. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Petersen, Michael Jakubowski, John A. Solheim
  • Patent number: 8579723
    Abstract: A golf club head has a clubface for striking a ball, wherein face grooves are formed by pressing a die; a metallic skin is forming on the clubface including the interior surfaces of the face grooves so that the surface roughness Ral of the interior surfaces of the face grooves becomes not more than 0.20 micrometers; the interior surface of the face grooves is masked with a masking agent; the clubface is provided with a surface roughness of more than 0.20 micrometers by blasting abrasive; and then the masking agent is removed from the face grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20130288820
    Abstract: A head 2 has a face 4. The face 4 has a plurality of score line grooves 8 and a plurality of fine grooves 10. A depth of fine groove 10 is less than 0.03 mm. A width of the fine groove 10 is 0.1 mm or greater and 0.3 mm or less. A pitch of the fine groove 10 is 0.3 mm or greater and 0.8 mm or less. The fine groove 10 has a first direction extending part d1 extending in a first direction and a second direction extending part d2 extending in a second direction. The first direction is a direction directed to a top blade side toward a heel side. The second direction is a direction directed to the top blade side toward a toe side. The score line groove 8 and the fine groove 10 do not cross each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki SHIMAHARA
  • Publication number: 20130281226
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of forming a fine groove with a width smaller than that of a scoreline in a golf club head. The method according to this invention includes a first step of forming a base groove in a face surface as a base of the fine groove, and a second step of forming a recess in at least one side wall of the base groove to reduce the angle between this side wall and the face surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wataru BAN
  • Patent number: 8562456
    Abstract: A golf club head 2 includes a face line 8 having a depth of D1 (mm) and a land area LA. When a boundary point between the land area LA and the face line 8 in a section line of a surface of the face line 8 is defined as Pa; a point of which a depth is T1 (mm) is defined as Pb; and a curvature radius of the section line between the point Pa and the point Pb is defined as R1 (mm), the golf club head 2 satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2): R1>T1??(1) 0.10?T1?0.5??(2) Preferably, a ratio (R1/T1) is greater than 1.0 and is equal to or less than 3.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Yasushi Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8550932
    Abstract: Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: David N. Franklin, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 8545343
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a head that includes a face having an outer surface located at a front of the head, a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, and a face mask connected to the outer surface of the face, the face mask having a first surface configured for forming at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured for striking a ball, a second surface opposite the first surface and confronting the outer surface of the face, and a plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the face mask, from the first surface to the second surface. The slots combine with the outer surface of the face to form a plurality of face grooves on the ball striking surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Sander J. Raymond, David S. Lee
  • Patent number: 8523703
    Abstract: A putter type golf club head having a unique ball striking face configuration to eliminate the dimple effect of grooved putters formed with a series of grooves and intermediate land areas between the grooves extending in a longitudinal direction across the striking face. Each of the grooves is characterized by a plurality of repeating, non-linear wave forms located at the center of the striking face and extending outwardly therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Guerin Design Putter Co, LLC
    Inventor: Guerin Rife
  • Publication number: 20130225318
    Abstract: Embodiments of club heads with grooves are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventor: John A. Solheim
  • Publication number: 20130225319
    Abstract: A golf club head of the present invention includes a face. The face has a score line groove, a fine groove, and a land area. A depth of the fine groove is 0.01 mm or greater and less than 0.03 mm. A width of the fine groove is 0.1 mm or greater and 0.3 mm or less. A pitch of the fine groove is 0.3 mm or greater and 0.7 mm or less. Preferably, the face further has a protruding part protruding beyond the land area. Preferably, the protruding part is provided on a top blade side of the fine groove. Preferably, the protruding part extends along the fine groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
  • Patent number: 8517861
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf club head with an improved striking surface. The grooves are machined into the strike surface with tight tolerances. The face may be selectively textured to enhance certain shots that the golfer may perform. This may include providing a plurality of distinct sets of texturing and surface roughening to accommodate a plurality of different shots. The grooves may contain a plurality of portions, including a radiused or angled portion, a portion having substantially parallel walls, a portion having a v-shape, and a curved portion. The grooves may also be characterized by various dimensions, including draft angle, inclusive side wall angle, width, depth, cross-sectional area, spacing, and pitch ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Charles E. Golden, Peter J. Gilbert, Robert W. Vokey
  • Publication number: 20130217513
    Abstract: There is provided a golf club head capable of reliably preventing a backspin rate from varying in rainfall. A plurality of fine grooves are formed on a face surface 2. When observing a cross-sectional surface perpendicular to the face surface 2 involving a vertical line passing through the center G of gravity of the golf club head 1 with the golf club head 1 set at preset loft and lie angles, an average width of the fine grooves 4 in the cross-sectional surface is 100 ?m or less and an average pitch thereof in the cross-sectional surface is 100 ?m or less. Hence, the discharge of water can be accelerated by a capillary phenomenon, making it possible to reliably prevent a backspin rate of a golf ball from varying in rainfall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
    Inventor: K.K. Endo Seisakusho
  • Publication number: 20130210537
    Abstract: A golf putter head (10) having an under surface (14) for contacting the ground and a ball-striking face. The under surface comprises a setting surface (26), operable to facilitate setting of the putter in the most optimum position on the ground prior to putting a golf ball, and a first lateral surface (28) and a second lateral surface (30), the setting surface being disposed adjacent and between the first and second lateral surfaces, wherein at least one of the first and second lateral surfaces are disposed at an angle relative to the setting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Roy Arthur Ainscough, Yvonne Ainscough
  • Patent number: 8506420
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a golf club head having a plurality of grooves. On the face of the golf club head is a first and second plurality of grooves. The second set of plurality of grooves is smaller in width and depth than those of the first set of plurality of grooves. Each groove of the second set of grooves is positioned at an angle ranging from 15 degrees to 25 degrees relative to each groove of the first set of grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Alan Hocknell, Matthew T. Cackett
  • Publication number: 20130190102
    Abstract: Golf club heads are described comprising a striking surface that includes a center zone that is free of scorelines and an impact zone having an impact zone area, Aiz, and having a plurality of scorelines in the impact zone having an impact zone scoreline area, Asliz, such that a ratio Asliz/Aiz is at least 0.10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130172101
    Abstract: Hybrid golf club heads and hybrid golf clubs are described herein. The hybrid golf club head includes a body member having a hitting surface, a top surface, a toe end, a heel end, and a sole surface extending between the toe end and the heel end. The hybrid golf club head also includes a shaft attachment portion extending from the heel end upwardly and rearwardly therefrom away from the toe end, where the shaft attachment portion defines a shaft axis. The hitting surface is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the shaft axis. The hybrid golf club head includes a first Length B of the top surface near the shaft attachment portion and a second Length A of the top surface near the toe end, where the ratio of B to A is in a range from about 0.428 to about 0.75.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Mark Doran
  • Patent number: 8468679
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for iron-type golf club heads wherein the scorelines of the iron-type golf club heads are media blasted and partially filled with clear paint to adjust the profile to a desired configuration that satisfies the 2010 condition of competition for golf clubs as set forth by the ruling bodies of golf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, Wayne H. Byrne, Alan Hocknell
  • Publication number: 20130157776
    Abstract: Embodiments of grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8444503
    Abstract: A head 2 has a face line 8 having a depth of D1 (mm). In a section line of a surface of the face line 8, a boundary between a land area LA and the face line 8 is defined as a point Pa; a point of which a depth is [D¼] (mm) is defined as a point Pb; a point of which a depth is [D½] (mm) is defined as a point Pc; a point of which a depth is [(D1)×(¾)] (mm) is defined as a point Pd; a radius of a circle CL1 passing through three points of the point Pa, the point Pb, and the point Pc is defined as R3 (mm); a straight line passing through the point Pc and the point Pd is defined as a straight line Lcd; a straight line perpendicular to the land area LA is defined as a straight line Lp; and an angle between the straight line Lcd and the straight line Lp is defined as ?m. At that time, the radius R3 is 0.01 (mm) or greater and 0.10 (mm) or less, and the angle ?m is 40 degrees or greater and 70 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomio Kumamoto
  • Publication number: 20130109498
    Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head including a plurality of scorelines formed in its face surface and extending in the toe-to-heel direction. This golf club head includes a recessed portion for the cutting start of each scoreline, which is formed at one end or each of both ends of the scoreline in the longitudinal direction at a depth equal to or larger than that of the scoreline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru BAN, Kozue WADA
  • Patent number: 8425342
    Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves or openings formed therein. This base may be joined with another material (such as a polymer backing material) to form the insert, wherein the backing material at least partially fills the grooves or openings. In some arrangements, the backing material of the insert may be visible at the top and/or bottom surfaces of the putter structures. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy N. Snyder, John T. Stites, N. Franklin David, Donald S. Rahrig
  • Patent number: 8425341
    Abstract: A wood type golf club head according to this invention includes a face portion and a crown portion. A center-of-gravity position mark which indicates a point where the center of gravity of the wood type golf club head is projected to the crown portion is formed on the surface of the crown portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Takechi, Yasunori Imamoto, Tomoe Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130090181
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a head that includes a face having an outer surface located at a front of the head, a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face, and a face mask connected to the outer surface of the face, the face mask having a first surface configured for forming at least a portion of a ball striking surface of the head configured for striking a ball, a second surface opposite the first surface and confronting the outer surface of the face, and a plurality of elongated slots extending completely through the face mask, from the first surface to the second surface. The slots combine with the outer surface of the face to form a plurality of face grooves on the ball striking surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Sander J. Raymond, David S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20130085011
    Abstract: Embodiments of grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
  • Patent number: 8409029
    Abstract: Groove depths D1 of clubs are defined as D1(1), D1(2), . . . , D1(n) in an order from the club having the smallest real loft angle L1, and groove widths W1 of face lines of the clubs measured by the 30 degree method of measurement are defined as W1(1), W1(2), . . . , W1(n) in an order from the club having the smallest real loft angle L1. At this time, a golf club set satisfies D1(1)?D1(2)? . . . ?D1(n). A ratio [D1(m)/D1(m?1)] of the groove depths D1 between two golf clubs with adjacent club numbers is 1.0 or greater and 3.0 or less. The golf club set satisfies W1(1)?W1(2)? . . . ?W1(n). A ratio [W1(m)/W1(m?1)] of the groove widths W1 between two golf clubs with adjacent club numbers is 1.0 or greater and 3.0 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Abe
  • Publication number: 20130053171
    Abstract: A golf club head has a striking face with a plurality of scorelines including a first scoreline and a second scoreline adjacent thereto. The striking face also has a plurality of auxiliary grooves each spaced from the scorelines. In a first imaginary vertical plane, a first path is formed by a first intersection between the first imaginary vertical plane and the striking face, and the auxiliary grooves have a first concentration no less than 0.17 measured between the first and second scorelines. A second imaginary vertical plane is horizontally spaced from the first imaginary plane. A second path is formed in the second imaginary vertical plane by a second intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the striking face. The auxiliary grooves in the second imaginary vertical plane have a second concentration that is different from the first concentration measured between the first and second scorelines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Scott A. CARLYLE, Sharon J. PARK, Brian D. SCHIELKE