U.S. patent application number 10/616946 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-27 for faceplate backings and monolithic inserts for golf clubs.
Invention is credited to Dennis, Tyler, Krumme, John F..
Application Number | 20050020378 10/616946 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34079679 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050020378 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Krumme, John F. ; et
al. |
January 27, 2005 |
Faceplate backings and monolithic inserts for golf clubs
Abstract
A striking face backing for golf clubs, such as a driver, iron
or putter, is formed of non-uniform geometry or material arranged
to create a desired "feel" to the golfer and/or produce a desired
effect on the golf ball. For instance, the backing can be arranged
to create a variation in mechanical properties across the striking
face. The backing designs can be applied behind integral striking
faces, or as part of monolithic, unitary striking face, or pixel
striking face inserts. The geometry, compression, and rebound
properties of the backing are communicated to the striking face.
Thus a sweet spot on the striking face of the club may be enlarged
and/or shifted and the effects of imperfectly executed impacts may
be mitigated.
Inventors: |
Krumme, John F.; (Tahoe
City, CA) ; Dennis, Tyler; (Holladay, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BURNS, DOANE, SWECKER & MATHIS, L.L.P.
P.O. Box 1404
Alexandria
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
34079679 |
Appl. No.: |
10/616946 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/332 ;
473/340; 473/342; 473/349; 473/350 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0425 20200801;
A63B 53/0445 20200801; A63B 53/0466 20130101; A63B 60/00 20151001;
A63B 53/042 20200801; A63B 53/0458 20200801; A63B 53/0462 20200801;
A63B 53/047 20130101; A63B 53/04 20130101; A63B 53/0416
20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/332 ;
473/342; 473/340; 473/350; 473/349 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A golf club head comprising: a front face having a recess; a
faceplate insert situated within said recess comprising a plurality
of discrete pieces of the same material distributed within the
recess of the striking face, the pieces having endwalls forming the
striking face and each of the pieces having at least one sidewall
in contact with a sidewall of an adjacent one of the pieces wherein
the assembled pieces are shaped to fill the height and width of the
recess in a close packed relationship; a faceplate backing wherein
the faceplate backing is situated within the recess behind at least
a portion of the striking face; and said backing being non-uniform
in thickness, material or both across the extent of the faceplate
in the vertical and/or horizontal direction.
2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said faceplate backing is
in contact with the back ends of all faceplate pieces.
3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the faceplate backing
comprises a single piece of material with the thickness of said
backing being non-uniform in the horizontal and vertical
directions.
4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said faceplate backing
comprises a plurality of layers of material.
5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein at least one of the
plurality of layers of material has a uniform cross section in the
horizontal or vertical direction.
6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said faceplate backing
comprises a plurality of discrete backing elements distributed
horizontally and/or vertically within the striking face recess.
7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said discrete backing
elements are composed of at least two different materials.
8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said faceplate backing
encloses one or more voids within the front face recess.
9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said faceplate insert
comprises a plurality of discrete pieces of the same material
distributed within the recess of the striking face, the pieces
having frontwalls forming the striking face, each of the pieces
having at least one sidewall contiguous with a sidewall of an
adjacent pieces and the pieces filling the height and/or width of
the recess in a close packed relationship.
10. A golf club head comprising: a front face having a recess; a
faceplate insert comprising a single piece situated within said
recess forming a striking face; and the faceplate insert being
non-uniform in thickness across the extent of the faceplate in the
vertical and horizontal direction.
11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein said faceplate insert
encloses one or more voids within the front face recess.
12. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the impact response of
the front face is controlled by the non-uniform thickness of the
faceplate insert.
13. A golf club head comprising: a front face having a recess; a
faceplate insert situated within said recess; a faceplate backing
comprising a plurality of layers of material wherein the faceplate
backing is situated within the recess behind at least a portion of
the striking face; and said faceplate backing being non-uniform in
thickness, material or both across the extent of the faceplate in
the vertical and/or horizontal direction.
14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least one of the
plurality of layers of material has a uniform cross section in the
horizontal or vertical direction.
15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the faceplate insert
comprises a unitary striking face element forming a striking
face.
16. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the faceplate insert
comprises a plurality of discrete pieces of the same material in a
close packed arrangement.
17. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least one of the
plurality of layers comprises a plurality of discrete backing
elements distributed horizontally and/or vertically within the
front face recess.
18. A golf club head comprising: a golf club head body; a striking
face integral with the head body; a striking face backing wherein
the backing is situated within a opening behind at least a portion
of the striking face; and said backing being non-uniform in
thickness and/or material across the extent of the striking face in
the vertical and/or horizontal direction.
Description
FILED OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to improvements in golf clubs such as
a driver, iron or putter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A large variety of materials have been proposed and in fact
used and offered commercially as golf club heads and faces. These
materials have commonly been integral or applied as monolithic
inserts in the club face in an attempt to achieve more distance
and/or more control over the ball. The list of materials includes
polymers, ceramics, and metals, typically the most common,
stainless steels, BeCu, and lately various titanium alloys, and
shape memory materials such as NiTi based and copper based
alloys.
[0003] Since the mechanical characteristics (club speed, materials
properties, geometry) at the impact of the club face with the ball
determine the course (trajectory, distance, dispersion) of the
ball; control of the impact response properties can be key to
control of the course of the ball. Club head speed and geometry
being constant or independent, the specific properties of the
material used as the impact surface of the club control the
trajectory of the ball.
[0004] It is known that an impact face comprising pixels can
improve performance of a golf club. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,190,
various individual elements, referred to as pixels are assembled
into an insert for a golf club head striking face. The pixels
provide a more uniform response upon impact of a golf ball with a
golf club head striking face. This results in less loss of distance
on off-center hits and better distance control.
[0005] Modifications to the volume behind the striking face for the
purpose of providing certain properties in golf club heads has been
addressed in several patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,543 discloses a
"dead center" club wherein the front face is backed by an open
cavity such that the center "sweet spot" is less responsive and
thus hits outside the "sweet spot" are said to be similar to
on-center hits.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,030 discloses a putter head wherein a
hard faceplate is attached to a flexible compressible layer
comprised of discrete pieces such that the faceplate moves with the
compressible layer, and the pieces of the compressible layer have
differing hardness and thus compress more or less with harder
hits.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,036 discloses a vibration damping iron
club head wherein a cavity behind the club face is filled with
polyurethane and optionally a vibration damping layer.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,522 discloses a golf club head with a
pressure focusing member comprising a paraboloid metallic element
inserted into a cavity in the club face and filled with epoxy. A
hollow sphere is situated between the back of the paraboloid insert
and back wall of the cavity.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,116 discloses a backing and bonding for
monolithic face inserts wherein channels are formed in the back of
the recess in the club head body. An elastomeric material is poured
into these channels for the purpose of binding a monolithic insert
to the body and vibration damping. The channels may be deeper near
the bottom of the club for added damping of below center
impacts.
[0010] There are two primary avenues available to avid golfers
desiring to better their score; these are increased skill and
improved equipment. The desire for improvements in golf club design
and performance is insatiable among enthusiasts. Therefore, there
is a need in the art for improvements in club design. The present
invention addresses this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] By providing a backing design for the striking face of a
golf club head, the impact response properties of the striking face
may be controlled for example to enlarge or shift the zone of
optimum response also known as the "sweet spot". In a common golf
club the size and position of the sweet spot is determined by the
material and geometry of club head. Faceplate inserts such as the
"pixel" type insert may be used to increase the size of the sweet
spot.
[0012] According to the present invention, the performance of a
golf club head may be further improved by providing a striking face
backing of non-uniform geometry and/or materials. The material and
geometric properties of the striking face backing influence the
impact response of the striking face. Thus desired effects may be
achieved which include enhanced "feel", longer contact time with a
struck ball, a more uniform response across the striking face, and
a shifted and/or expanded "sweet spot".
[0013] The backings of the present invention may be applied to golf
club heads comprising an integral striking face, a monolithic
insert, unitary striking face insert or pixel striking face insert.
The backings may comprise one or more layers of material, and/or
zones comprising elements of different material and/or voids
distributed behind all or part of the extent of the striking face.
The thickness may be non-uniform, tapering horizontally,
vertically, or both being greatest at the periphery or behind an
interior portion of the striking face. The backings may comprise
elements of the same or different materials of varied geometry
distributed within a recess behind the striking face.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a putter club head incorporating a striking
faceplate insert;
[0015] FIGS. 2-9 show various backing arrangements for "pixel"
faceplate inserts in cut-away view at line II-II of FIG. 1 wherein
the backing is non-uniform in the horizontal direction in
accordance with the invention;
[0016] FIGS. 10-14 show various backing arrangements of backings
for "pixel" faceplate inserts in cut-away view at line X-X of FIG.
1 wherein the backing is non-uniform in the vertical direction in
accordance with the invention;
[0017] FIGS. 15-20 show various monolithic inserts in accordance
with the invention wherein the faceplate backing is non-uniform in
the horizontal direction according to the invention;
[0018] FIGS. 21-23 show backing arrangements for faceplate inserts
wherein the faceplate backing may comprise one or more voids and/or
materials which are different from the striking surface
material;
[0019] FIG. 24 shows an example of the backing arrangements of the
invention incorporated into a club head having an integral striking
face;
[0020] FIGS. 25-28 show various monolithic inserts in accordance
with the invention wherein the faceplate backing is non-uniform in
the vertical direction;
[0021] FIGS. 29-31 show various backing arrangements for faceplate
inserts wherein the faceplate may comprise one or more voids and/or
materials which are different from the faceplate;
[0022] FIG. 32 shows an iron type golf club head with a "pixel"
type faceplate insert;
[0023] FIGS. 33-36 show various backing arrangements for a "pixel"
type faceplate in cut-away view at line XXXIII-XXXIII of FIG.
32;
[0024] FIGS. 37-39 show various backing arrangements for a "pixel"
type faceplate in cut-away view at line XXXVII-XXXVII of FIG.
32;
[0025] FIG. 40 shows an iron type golf club head with a monolithic
faceplate insert;
[0026] FIGS. 41-42 show alternative backing arrangements for a
faceplate insert in cut-away view at line XLI-XLI of FIG. 40;
[0027] FIG. 43 shows an iron club head with the faceplate removed
to reveal an example arrangement for the faceplate backing
illustrated in FIG. 42.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The present invention provides improvements in the
performance of golf clubs through the design of faceplate backings
situated behind the impact surface of the striking face. The
striking face backings of the present invention may be implemented
in golf club heads comprising an integral striking face, monolithic
faceplate inserts (a single piece comprising a striking surface and
backing), unitary striking surface faceplate inserts (comprising a
single unit striking surface and separate backing element(s)), or a
pixel faceplate insert comprising individual striking surface
elements as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,190 (incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety) and separate backing
elements.
[0029] The impact response properties across integral faceplates in
golf club heads may be controlled by providing faceplate backings
according to the present invention. In a golf club head with an
integral faceplate, the impact surface is preferably thin metal
faceplate backed by a faceplate backing comprising a non-uniform
geometry or material property. The impact response of the striking
face is influenced by the compression, rebound, and geometry of the
faceplate backing in order to achieve a desired property.
[0030] In golf clubs comprising faceplate inserts, the front face
of a golf club head includes a recess in which a faceplate insert
is retained. The faceplate insert is usually situated in the recess
with the front striking surface flush with the front face of the
club head body. The club head body may be constructed of any
suitable material including various metals, wood, polymers, and
composites. The club head body may further comprise features such
as perimeter weighting accomplished by club head shape or inserted
weights, sole plates, and the like, as commonly found in golf
clubs. The faceplate insert may be retained in the recess by any
suitable arrangement such as adhesive bonding or mechanical
interfaces between the insert and the club head body.
[0031] A monolithic insert may be constructed of any material
suitable for an impact face including metals, polymers, and
composite materials. The impact surface may be grooved and
otherwise mechanically or chemically treated to provide a suitable
texture. A monolithic insert is commonly constructed of a material
different from the club head body. A faceplate backing according to
the present invention comprises a non-uniform geometry which may be
fully in contact with the inner wall of the striking face recess.
Alternatively, a backing may enclose voids within the striking face
recess, or may be at least partially exposed by an opening in the
top, bottom, toe, heel, or back of the club head body such as a
through hole from the back of the recess to the back of the club
head body. The impact response of the striking surface of a
monolithic insert is controlled by the faceplate material and
geometry of the faceplate backing to achieve a desired
property.
[0032] The monolithic molded polymer inserts commonly found in
putters provide a uniform thickness polymeric insert and give a
softer "feel" on impact with the golf ball. According to the
invention, the geometry and materials of the insert backings are
altered to achieve a more uniform response for off-center hits and
improved distance control. Alternatively, the geometry of the back
surface of the inserts themselves may be altered. This improvement
is achieved by the present invention while retaining the soft
"feel" of the polymeric material.
[0033] According to one embodiment of the invention, a unitary
striking surface insert comprises a single striking surface element
and one or more backing elements. The striking surface element may
be comprised of any suitable material for an impact face.
Preferably it is relatively thin and flexible so that the
properties of the faceplate backing are communicated to the impact
surface. The impact surface may be grooved and otherwise
mechanically or chemically treated to provide a suitable texture. A
faceplate backing according to the present invention comprises
non-uniform materials and/or geometries in one or more layers.
Materials may include metal, polymers, composite, or combinations
of these. Thus, faceplate backings according to the present
invention may provide a nearly infinite spectrum of properties
which can be used to control the impact response of the striking
surface. The backing may be fully in contact with the inner wall of
the club head body striking face recess, may enclose voids within
the club face recess, or may be at least partially exposed by a
second opening in the club head body.
[0034] Faceplate inserts comprised of pixels are known to improve
golf club performance by allowing for fine control of the impact
response properties across a club face. Pixel elements respond to
an impact individually. Thus, the impact response properties of a
faceplate insert may be controlled by the selective assembly of a
matrix of pixels with desired properties. The impact response of a
golf club with a faceplate comprised of pixels can be further
improved and controlled by providing a backing for the pixels of
varied geometry and/or materials. The backings may be made of a any
of suitable materials, and combinations of materials. The backings
can be in contact with the back ends of all the pixels in the
faceplate. In the backings for unitary faceplates or pixel
faceplates, the variety of suitable materials is greater than for
the faceplates themselves since abrasion resistance is not a
required property. For example, by providing a compressible
polyurethane backing to the pixels that is thicker behind the
center and thinner, tapered or absent behind the outer areas of the
pixel insert the effect is to make club response more uniform than
previously achievable.
[0035] Tapering the backing horizontally from the center can
provide a gradual transition of response from the center to the
edges of the impact zone comprising the insert. The insert backing
may be either thicker in the center or thinner in the center
depending on materials and desired effect. Varying the thickness of
the insert backing vertically behind the pixels of the insert
provides a desired compensation for too high or too low ball impact
on the face of the club. Both horizontal and vertical variations in
the backing can be combined in a single insert.
[0036] The insert backings can be made of single pieces or
assembled from individual elements of the same or different
materials combined to comprise the complete backing. The materials
of the backing can be metal or polymer or a combination of
materials with a very wide range of mechanical properties.
Materials of the backing can be of various hardness, durometer, and
linear or non-linear stress/strain characteristics, such as
exhibited by shape memory metals are known to those skilled in the
art. In the case of polymers, injection or transfer molding is
often a preferred method to produce complex geometry for the
backings.
[0037] Thus, according the present invention, the performance of a
golf club may be improved by the incorporation of a faceplate
insert comprising a well chosen backing. The "sweet spot" may be
expanded, the "feel" experienced by a golfer may be enhanced,
and/or the effects of imperfectly executed impacts may be
mitigated.
[0038] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a putter club head 1 has a top 4,
bottom 5, toe 6, and heel 7. The club head 1 is connected to a
shaft 2. The front striking face 3 may be provided with a recess 9
in the vicinity of the impact zone into which an insert 8, such as
a pixel insert may be retained. The insert may also be a single
piece or may comprise a striking face as well as backing
elements.
[0039] According to the present invention, the impact response of
the striking face of the golf club may be finely controlled by
designing the geometry and materials of the faceplate backing.
FIGS. 2-31 illustrate example embodiments of the invention applied
to putter type clubs. The backing is situated between the faceplate
and the back wall of the faceplate recess 9. A faceplate insert may
be retained by any appropriate mechanical or adhesive arrangement
such as a mechanical interface between the edges of the faceplate
and the striking face recess, by adhesive bonding of the faceplate
to edges of the recess, or adhesive bonding to backing elements
which are in turn adhesively bonded to the inner surface of the
striking face recess. Among the examples, FIGS. 2-9 illustrate the
potential to vary the materials and geometry of the faceplate
backing horizontally in faceplate backings preferably for "pixel"
type inserts; while, FIGS. 10-14 illustrate the potential to vary
the geometry and materials vertically in faceplate backings
preferably for "pixel" type inserts. FIGS. 15-31 illustrate
additional embodiments of the invention applied to monolithic
faceplate inserts, multi-layer inserts, and integral putter
faceplates.
[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred faceplate backing 11 for a
pixel type striking face insert 8 in a putter club head body 1
wherein the backing material is thickest behind the center of the
faceplate. The faceplate insert 8 may be comprised of any suitable
material, preferably a metal or relatively hard polymer. The
faceplate backing 11 may be made of any suitable material,
preferably a polymer whose properties are chosen to provide a
desired feel and impact response. For example, a compressible
polyurethane insert 11 may be chosen to provide a golfer with an
enhanced feeling of control by extending the contact time between
the ball and the club.
[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates another preferred faceplate backing
design 12 wherein the material of the faceplate backing is thicker
near the toe and heel of the striking face 3. The faceplate backing
12 may be made, for example, of polymeric material with a high
rebound energy to provide a better response to off-center impacts
(i.e., a larger "sweet spot").
[0042] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate alternative embodiments for
faceplate backings 13, 14 wherein the backing comprises stepped
zones of thickness. The backing may have a stepped thickness 13 or
a extend beneath only a portion of the faceplate 14. A
stepped-thickness backing 13 may be comprised of a single material
as illustrated or may comprise more than one material such as a
front layer and a back layer of different materials or peripheral
zones and a central zone of different materials. Furthermore, there
may be multiple discrete steps which may not necessarily be
symmetrical.
[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present
invention wherein the backing thickness varies continuously from
toe to heel. An asymmetrical insert 15 constructed of highly
responsive polymer may be used to compensate for the pushing and
pulling of putts off of the intended path which typically result
when a ball is struck near the toe or heel of a common putter club.
The direction of variation may be reversed in order to shift and
extend the "sweet spot" towards the heel of the club.
[0044] FIGS. 7-8 illustrate alternative embodiments of faceplate
backing arrangements according to the invention wherein the backing
may comprise voids and/or more than one material. The impact
response of the faceplate may be further controlled by
incorporating additional elements into the faceplate backing. A
faceplate backing arrangement may comprise a stepped backing
element 16 with additional backing zones 17 which may be voids or
may comprise a second material. A stepped faceplate backing element
16 may be combined with voids 17 which may be in outer zones as
illustrated in FIG. 7 or may comprise a central zone of second
backing layer as shown in FIG. 8. A backing element 18 may be
combined with multiple zones 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 of a second layer.
In further variations of this embodiment, one or more or the second
layer zones 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 may comprise the material of the
first layer 18 or a void.
[0045] The response of a pixel faceplate insert 8 may be even more
finely controlled by providing a backing arrangement comprising a
plurality of backing elements 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 of
variable geometry and/or materials as illustrated for example in
FIG. 9.
[0046] In accordance with additional examples of the present
invention, a backing arrangement for a "pixel" faceplate insert 8
may comprise variations in geometry and/or materials in the
vertical direction as illustrated for example in FIGS. 10-14. A
faceplate backing 31 may be thicker near the bottom to provide a
more even response and less harsh feel for low impacts, or a
backing may comprise additional highly responsive lightweight
material 32 near the top to shift and expand the "sweet-spot"
upward while maintaining a mass distribution near the bottom as may
be desired for certain club head designs. A backing 33 of
compressible material with the maximum thickness behind the
"sweet-spot" 33 allows extended contact between a struck ball and
the club face. Backing arrangements 34, 35 may also extend behind a
portion of the faceplate to provide a discrete zone of controlled
impact response. It should be recognized that, many of the
arrangements for varying the geometry or materials of a backing in
the horizontal direction shown in FIGS. 2-9 may also be applied in
the vertical direction.
[0047] FIGS. 15-20 illustrate example embodiments of monolithic
faceplate inserts 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 in a putter club head
comprising various non-uniform thickness faceplate backings.
Inserts 41, 42, 43 may have a stepped thickness from the toe to
heel ends of the insert. Any number of steps may be included, or
the thickness may vary continuously 44, 45. Many other geometries
may be implemented in a monolithic insert according to the
invention, for example the backing may taper toward the toe or heel
end of the insert. A material for each embodiment is chosen in
combination with the backing geometry to provide the desired
properties. For example, a soft material with a low rebound in
inserts having backings 42, 43, 44 which are thickest in the center
provides a soft "feel" with extended contact between the ball and
club face. The same material in a monolithic insert with a backing
thickest at the toe and heel give a softer feel in off center hits
serves to provide the golfer with tactile feedback as well as
reducing the distance of off center hits. A material with a high
energy rebound in inserts having backings 42, 43, 44 which are
thickest in the center provides a highly reactive sweet spot. The
same material in a stepped insert backing which is thickest at the
periphery may be chosen to provide a more even reaction in off
center hits. A monolithic insert backing 46 incorporating a void 47
may be used to control and enhance the shaped deformation of the
faceplate and to provide distinct zones of impact response in a
monolithic insert. FIGS. 25-28 show example vertical variations in
monolithic insert backings 70, 71, 72, 73 which may be used
individually or in combination with the designs exemplified in
FIGS. 15-20.
[0048] FIGS. 21-23 illustrate faceplate inserts comprising a solid
faceplate backed by one or more backing elements. For example, as
shown in FIG. 21, a faceplate 48, which may be made of relatively
hard and semi-rigid material, may be backed by inner 49 and outer
50 zones of different softer material or voids. Alternatively, a
faceplate 51 shown in FIG. 22, which may be made of flexible but
un-compressible material, may be backed by multiple layers with
variable thickness which may be chosen for individual properties. A
first backing layer 52 may be chosen for example to absorb
vibrations while a second backing layer 53 which is thickest in the
center may be chosen to provide a compressible reactive backing
with a greater response behind the centroidal sweet spot. A uniform
faceplate 54 shown in FIG. 23 may be backed by a plurality of
backing elements 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 and/or voids 60 which are
arranged to provide zones of response to a faceplate which may be
made of uniform flexible material. FIGS. 29-31 show example
embodiments having vertical thickness variations in multilayer
insert backings with backing layers 75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 82, 83 and
voids 84 which may be used individually or in combination with the
designs exemplified in FIGS. 21-23.
[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 24, the faceplate backing of the
invention may be incorporated into a golf club head with an
integral faceplate 61. A golf club head 1 may be cast or machined
to have a thin integral faceplate 61 and a slot opening to at least
one of the top, bottom, toe or heel. A faceplate backing comprising
one or more backing elements 62, 64, 65 and/or voids 63 may be
inserted into this slot in order to enhance and control the impact
response of the faceplate.
[0050] Faceplate backings in accordance with the invention may be
incorporated into iron and driver type clubs as well. FIG. 32
illustrates an iron type club with a recess 109 in the front face
103 with an insert 108 such as a "pixel" type insert. FIGS. 33-39
illustrate example embodiments of faceplate backings which may be
utilized with pixel type iron faceplates. As described above for a
putter, backings may be more 111 or less 112 thick in the center,
or may taper towards the toe or heel. As shown in FIG. 35, a
faceplate backing may comprise multiple elements such as a layer
which is thicker at the periphery 113 in combination with a layer
thickest in the center 115, optionally, a thin element 114 such as
a NiTi may lie between such layers to provide "shape memory". A
faceplate 108 may be backed by multiple layers 116, 117, 118, 119,
each layer may comprising zones of differing material and/or
voids.
[0051] FIGS. 37-39 illustrate example embodiments having vertical
thickness variations of the backings 121, 122 or multiple backings
123, 125, 126.
[0052] FIG. 40 shows an iron type club with a monolithic insert or
unitary faceplate insert 131 in a recess 109 in the front face 103
of the club head 101. FIG. 41 shows a cross section view at line
XLI-XLI of FIG. 40 where a monolithic insert 131 encloses voids 132
within the recess 109. It should be apparent from FIGS. 40-41 that
the various backing geometries for monolithic inserts illustrated
in FIGS. 15-20 and FIGS. 25-28 for putters are applicable to
embodiments of the present invention irons and drivers.
[0053] FIG. 42 shows a unitary faceplate insert 137 and faceplate
backing 136 which may be inserted into the recess 109 of club head
body 101, the zone 135 may be an enclosed void as illustrated or
may comprise material different from the faceplate 137.
[0054] FIG. 43 illustrates a view of club head body 101 with the
faceplate 137 removed to show an example embodiment of backing 136
in place. It should also be apparent that the backing arrangements
for unitary faceplate inserts illustrated in FIGS. 21-23 and FIGS.
29-31 for putters are also applicable to irons and drivers.
[0055] Any of the backing arrangements which are non-uniform in the
vertical direction may be horizontally uniform or non-uniform.
Likewise, any of the backing arrangements which are non-uniform in
the horizontal direction may be vertically uniform or non-uniform
in accordance with the invention.
[0056] The foregoing has described the principles, preferred
embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention.
However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to
the particular embodiments discussed. Thus, the above-described
embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than
restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be
made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without
departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the
following claims.
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