GOLF CLUB WITH A STRIKING FACE HAVING IMPROVED CHARACTERISTIC TIME VALUES

Abstract

A ball striking face for a golf driver, fairway wood and hybrid type golf club head having a central impact area with a average thickness and additional multiple distinct areas outside the central impact area with other average face thicknesses for the improved transfer of energy to a golf ball for additional distance without any additional effort by the golfer. The striking face provides a transfer of energy at the central impact area which does not exceed CT values of 257 u sec. and an improved transfer of energy in one or more areas outside the central impact area that provides CT values greater than 257 u sec. but not greater than 275 u sec. when tested with the United States Golf Association's CT test protocol.

Claims

1-23. (canceled)

24. A ball striking face characterized for use with a driver type metal wood golf head having a ball striking face, an upper crown, heel, toe, and a bottom sole; said striking face having a central impact area with an average thickness between approximately 2.8 mm and approximately 3.4 mm; said striking face being further defined by an additional area located adjacent to the toe side of said impact area and an additional area located adjacent to the heel side of said central impact area; said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area having an average thickness between approximately 2.2 mm and approximately 2.6 mm; said striking face having remaining areas outside said central impact area and outside said additional areas adjacent to and on either side of said central impact area; and, said striking face being further defined by said central impact area having a characteristic time, CT, value no greater than 257 u sec. and by one or more of the areas outside said central impact area having CT values greater than 257 u sec. but not greater than 275 u sec.

25. The ball striking face of claim 24 wherein said central impact area is approximately 4.3 cm wide and approximately 2.4 cm high and said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area are approximately 1.3 cm wide and approximately 2.4 cm high.

26. The striking face of claim 25 wherein said central impact area and said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area are rectangular.

27. The striking face of claim 24 wherein said central impact area is located on said face at an equal distance from said upper crown and said bottom sole.

28. The striking face of claim 24 wherein said two additional adjacent areas located on either side of said central impact are located at an equal distance from said upper crown and said bottom sole.

29. The striking face of claim 24 being further defined by remaining areas between said central impact area and said upper crown and between said impact area and said bottom sole having an average thickness that is the same, thicker, or thinner than the average thickness of said central impact area.

30. The striking face of claim 24 being further defined by said all remaining areas to said heel side and to said toe side of said central impact area and said additional adjacent areas located on either side of said central impact area; said remaining areas each having an average thickness the same, thicker, or thinner thickness than the average thickness of said two additional adjacent areas on either side of the central impact area.

31. A ball striking face characterized for use with a fairway type metal wood golf head having a ball striking face, an upper crown, heel, toe, and a bottom sole; said striking face having a central impact area with an average thickness between approximately 2.1 mm and approximately 2.5 mm, said striking face being further defined by an additional area located adjacent to the toe side of said impact area and an additional area located adjacent to the heel side of said central impact area; said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area having an average thickness between approximately 1.3 mm and approximately 1.9 mm; said striking face having remaining areas outside said central impact area and outside said additional areas adjacent to and on either side of said central impact area; and, said striking face being further defined by said central impact area having a characteristic time, CT, value no greater than 257 u sec. and by one or more of the areas outside said central impact area having CT values greater than 257 u sec. but not greater than 275 u sec.

32. The ball striking face of claim 31 wherein said central impact area is approximately 4.3 cm wide and approximately 2.0 cm high and said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area are approximately 0.7 cm wide and approximately 2.0 cm high.

33. The striking face of claim 32 wherein said central impact area and said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area are rectangular.

34. The striking face of claim 31 wherein said central impact area is located on said face at an equal distance from said upper crown and said bottom sole.

35. The striking face of claim 31 wherein said two additional adjacent areas located on either side of said central impact are located at an equal distance from said upper crown and said bottom sole.

36. The striking face of claim 31 being further defined by remaining areas between said central impact area and said upper crown and between said impact area and said bottom sole having an average thickness that is the same, thicker, or thinner than the average thickness of said central impact area.

37. The striking face of claim 31 being further defined by said all remaining areas to said heel side and to said toe side of said central impact area and said additional adjacent areas located on either side of said central impact area; said remaining areas each having an average thickness the same, thicker, or thinner thickness than the average thickness of said two additional adjacent areas on either side of the central impact area.

38. A ball striking face characterized for use with a hybrid type metal wood golf head having a ball striking face, an upper crown, heel, toe, and a bottom sole; said striking face having a central impact area with an average thickness between approximately 2.2 mm and approximately 2.6 mm; said striking face being further defined by an additional area located adjacent to the toe side of said impact area and an additional area located adjacent to the heel side of said central impact area; said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area having an average thickness between approximately 1.6 mm and approximately 2.0 mm; said striking face having remaining areas outside said central impact area and said additional areas adjacent to and on either side of said central impact area; and, said striking face being further defined by said central impact area having a characteristic time, CT, value no greater than 257 u sec. and by one or more of the areas outside said central impact area having CT values greater than 257 u sec. but not greater than 275 u sec.

39. The ball striking face of claim 38 wherein said central impact area is approximately 4.3 cm wide and approximately 2.0 cm high and said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area are approximately 0.7 cm wide and approximately 1.6 cm high.

40. The striking face of claim 39 wherein said central impact area and said additional adjacent areas on either side of said central impact area are rectangular.

41. The striking face of claim 38 wherein said central impact area is located on said face at an equal distance from said upper crown and said bottom sole.

42. The striking face of claim 38 wherein said two additional adjacent areas located on either side of said central impact are located at an equal distance from said upper crown and said bottom sole.

43. The striking face of claim 38 being further defined by remaining areas between said central impact area and said upper crown and between said impact area and said bottom sole having an average thickness that is the same, thicker, or thinner than the average thickness between approximately 2.1 and approximately 2.5 mm.

44. The striking face of claim 38 being further defined by said all remaining areas to said heel side and to said toe side of said central impact area and said additional adjacent areas located on either side of said central impact area; said remaining areas each having an average thickness the same, thicker, or thinner thickness than the average thickness of said two additional adjacent areas on either side of the central impact area.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a frontal view of the striking face of a golf driver in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the striking face of a fairway wood in accordance with the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the striking face of a hybrid in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, the drawings illustrate a driver golf club head 100 in accordance with the present invention. The club head 100 includes a hose 102 for connection to a conventional shaft and upper grip (not shown). The club head 100 includes a frontal ball striking face 104 made with and/or secured to a club head body 106 having an upper crown 108, bottom sole 109 and sides 110.

[0024] The striking face 104 preferably in the present embodiment is wide and extends between the toe 112 and heel 113 of the club head 100 with CT values up to the USGA's 257 u sec limit in the Impact Area 115 and greater than 257 u sec and approaching the 275 u sec limit in the Outside Impact Areas 116 and 117.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a driver golf club with a frontal ball striking face 104. The driver has an area that is located an equal distance from the crown and the sole and is 4.267 cm wide and 2.4 cm in height in the Impact Area 115 with an average thickness between 2.8 and 3.4 mm. The combined thickness of the areas above and below the central part of the Impact Area 115 can have the same, thicker or thinner average thickness. Preferably, these areas will have an average thickness less than 2.8 mm to increase the CT in those areas. The areas immediately to the right and left of the Impact Area in the Outside Impact Area 116 and 117 are equal distance from the crown and the sole and are 2.4 cm high and 1.3 cm wide. These areas have an average thickness between 2.2 and 2.6 mm. The remaining heel and toe areas in can have the same, thicker or thinner average dimension. Preferably, these areas will have an average thickness less than 2.2 mm to increase the CT in those areas.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a fairway wood type golf club with a frontal ball striking face 204. The central part of the fairway wood 215 has an area located an equal distance from the crown and the sole in the Impact Area and is 2.0 cm high and 4.267 cm wide 215 with an average thickness between 2.1 and 2.5 mm. The combined thickness of the areas above and below this central area can have the same, thicker or thinner average thickness, preferably an average thickness of 2.1 mm or less to increase the CT in those areas. The areas immediately right and left of the Impact Area 216 and 217 are located an equal distance between the crown and the sole and are 2.0 cm high and 0.7 cm wide with an average thickness between 1.3 mm and 1.9 mm. The remaining heel and toe areas can have the same, thicker or thinner average thickness dimension. Preferably these areas will have an average thickness less than 1.3 mm to increase the CT in those areas.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a hybrid type golf club with a frontal ball striking face 304. The central part of the Impact Area 315 is 2.0 cm high and 4.267 cm wide. The hybrid type golf club has an area located an equal distance from the crown and the sole in the Impact Area and is 2.0 cm high, 4.267 cm wide 315 and has an average thickness between 2.2 and 2.6 mm. The combined thickness of the areas above and below this central area can have the same, thicker or thinner average thickness, but preferably an average thickness of 2.2 mm or less to increase the CT in those areas. The areas immediately right and left of the Impact Area in the Outside the Impact Area 315 and 316 are located an equal distance from the crown and sole; and are 2.0 cm high and 0.7 cm wide. These areas have an average thickness between 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm. The remaining heel and toe areas can have the same, thicker or thinner average thickness dimension. Preferably these areas will have an average thickness less than 1.6 mm to increase the CT in those areas.

[0028] It will be appreciated that the above example of a preferred embodiment and the thicknesses disclosed are not limiting but may be altered in keeping within the concept of the invention.