IP Library Granted Patent US 11,504,585
Granted Patent B2
US 11,504,585 · App. 17/678,779 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Laser-contrasted golf club head and manufacturing process

Inventors: Stephanie Luttrell (Carlsbad, CA); Vincent Jacobson (Murrieta, CA); Kevin Wolfe (Fallbrook, CA)
Assignee: Acushnet Company
A63B53/04C23C14/028A63B53/0441A63B2209/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,504,585
App. No.
17/678,779
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf club head having a laser-generated features to create contrast on the club face of the golf club head. The club face includes a central region, a toe region, and a heel region. The central region includes a first plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region, a width-intersection coverage of the central region, and a surface-area coverage of the central region. The toe region includes a second plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the toe region, a width-intersection coverage of the toe region, and a surface-area coverage of the toe region. The heel region includes a third plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the heel region, a width-intersection coverage of the heel region, and a surface-area coverage of the heel region.

Claims (53)

1. A method for manufacturing a golf club head having a crown, a sole, and a club face, the method comprising:

applying a coating to the club face of the golf club head such that the coating covers a central region of the club face, a toe region of the club face, and a heel region of the club face;

generating, by one or more lasers, a first plurality of laser-generated features on the central region of a club face, wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features provides at least two of a height-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 80%, a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 80%, or a surface-area coverage of the central region of at least 25%;

forming a second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the second plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features and do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features; and

forming a third plurality of laser-generated features on the heel region of the club face, wherein the third plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features and do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features; and

the third plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second plurality of laser-generated features provides width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 80% and a surface-area coverage of the toe region of at least 10%; and

the third plurality of laser-generated features provides width-intersection coverage of the heel region of at least 80% and a surface-area coverage of the heel region of at least 10%.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features has a maximum width between about 30% to 50% of a maximum width of the club face.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the central region has a maximum width that is between 30% to 50% of a maximum width of the club face.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face extend in a heel-to-toe direction and do not extend into the central region of the club face; and

the third plurality of laser-generated features on the heel region extend in a heel-to-toe direction and do not extend into the central region of the club face.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the width-intersection coverage of the central region by first plurality of laser-generated features is substantially the same as a width-intersection coverage of the toe region by the second plurality of laser-generated features and a width intersection coverage of the heel region by the third plurality of laser-generated features.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the width-intersection coverage of the central region by the first plurality of laser-generated features is at least 90%.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features, the second plurality of laser-generated features, and the third plurality of laser-generated features are offset from a lower perimeter of the club face by an offset distance between 2-5 mm.

10. A method for manufacturing a golf club head having a crown, a sole, and a club face, the method comprising:

applying a coating to the club face such that the coating covers a central region, a toe region of the golf club head, and a heel region of the golf club head;

generating, by one or more lasers, a first plurality of laser-generated features on the central region of a club face, wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 80% and a surface-area coverage of the central region of at least 25%;

forming a second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the second plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features, and are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features; and

forming a third plurality of laser-generated features on the heel region of the club face, wherein the third plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features, and are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features;

wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features create a contrast with the second plurality of laser-generated features and the third plurality of laser generated features.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the second plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 90%;

the second plurality of laser-generated features do not extend into the central region;

the third plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the heel region of at least 90%; and

the third plurality of laser-generated features do not extend into the central region.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a fourth plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the fourth plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 80%.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the laser-generated features of the first plurality of laser-generated features are lines extending in the heel-to-toe direction.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming, in the central region, a laser-generated band that is contoured to match a shape of a lower boundary of the club face, the band being offset from a perimeter of the club face by an offset distance between 2-5 mm.

15. A method for manufacturing a golf club head having a crown, a sole, and a club face, the method comprising:

applying a coating to the club face such that the coating covers a central region, a toe region of the golf club head, and a heel region of the golf club head;

generating, by one or more lasers, a first plurality of laser-generated features on the central region of a club face, wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features provide a width-intersection coverage of the central region of at least 90%, a surface-area coverage of the central region of at least 15%, and a maximum width between about 30% to 50% of a maximum width of the club face measured in a heel-to-toe direction;

forming a second plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the second plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features, and are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features; and

forming a third plurality of laser-generated features on the heel region of the club face, wherein the third plurality of laser-generated features are different from the first plurality of laser-generated features, do not overlap with the first plurality of laser-generated features, and are spaced apart, in a heel-to-toe direction, from the first plurality of laser-generated features.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of laser-generated features create a contrast with the second plurality of laser-generated features and the third plurality of laser generated features.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a fourth plurality of laser-generated features on the toe region of the club face, wherein the fourth plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 80%; and

forming, in the central region, a laser-generated band that is contoured to match a shape of a lower perimeter of the club face, the band being offset from the lower perimeter of the club face by an offset distance between 2-5 mm.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the central region has a maximum width that is between 30% to 50% of the maximum width of the club face;

the width-intersection coverage of the central region provided by the first plurality of laser-generated features is at least 90%;

the second plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 90% and a surface-area coverage of the toe region of at least 10%;

the third plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the heel region of at least 90% and a surface-area coverage of the heel region of at least 10%;

the fourth plurality of laser-generated features provides a width-intersection coverage of the toe region of at least 80%;

the laser-generated features of the first plurality of laser-generated features are lines extending in the heel-to-toe direction;

the first plurality of laser-generated features do not extend into the heel region or the toe region;

the second plurality of laser-generated features do not extend into the central region;

the third plurality of laser generated features to do not extend into the central region; and

the fourth plurality of laser-generated features do not extend into the central region.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2025
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 073689/0441 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061099/0236 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2022
From: LUTTRELL, STEPHANIE; JACOBSON, VINCENT; WOLFE, KEVIN
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 059081/0283 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17525231 · Nov 12, 2021
Continuation 16901876 · Jun 15, 2020
Related Publication 20220176209A1 · Jun 9, 2022
Cited By (4)
US 1,091,736 US 1,109,831 US 1,133,073 US 12,377,321