Golf club head having stress-reducing structures
A golf club head comprising a body and a plurality of stiffening members is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face section, a sole section, and a crown section or a return section, and also defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of stiffening members extends from the crown section or return section to the sole section to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball. The stiffening members preferably are preloaded, and may be tightened using a tool. Each of the stiffening members has a midsection that is preferably selected from the group consisting of a solid metal rod, a hollow metal tube, and a spring, and each preferably is composed of a titanium alloy.
1. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a striking face, a sole section extending from a lower edge of the striking face, a return section extending from an upper edge of the striking face, and an upper opening, the return section disposed between the striking face and the upper opening;
a crown section affixed to the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior;
at least one first boss extending from the return section into the hollow interior and comprising a first through-bore with a first plurality of threads, the first through-bore in communication with at least one return aperture disposed in the return section;
at least one second boss extending from the sole section into the hollow interior and comprising a second through-bore surrounded by a ledge, the second through-bore in communication with at least one sole aperture disposed in the sole section; and
at least one stiffening member comprising a head portion, an end portion comprising a second plurality of threads sized to mate with the first plurality of threads, and a midsection connecting the head portion to the end portion,
wherein the striking face comprises a face center and an interior surface facing the hollow interior,
wherein the at least one stiffening member is engaged with the body so that the head portion abuts the ledge, the midsection extends through the second through-bore and hollow interior, and the end portion is received within the first through-bore so that the second plurality of threads engages the first plurality of threads,
wherein the at least one stiffening member is entirely disposed within 0.500 inch of the interior surface along a vertical plane extending through the face center perpendicular to the striking face,
wherein the at least one stiffening member is at least partially composed of a metal alloy, and
wherein torqueing the head portion with a tool causes the end portion to move upwards within the first boss away from the sole section and the return section to move toward the sole section and reduces peak stress placed on the striking face section when the striking face section impacts a golf ball.
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the midsection comprises a structure selected from the group consisting of a solid rod, a hollow tube, and a spring.
3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a maximum vertical height, and wherein the at least one stiffening member has a length that is greater than the maximum vertical height.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stiffening member has a diameter ranging from 0.050 inch to 0.200 inch.
5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stiffening member has a mass ranging from 0.5 gram to 3.0 grams.
6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a characteristic time of no greater than 257 microseconds.
7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stiffening member comprises three stiffening members.