IP Library Granted Patent US 7,658,685
Granted Patent B2
US 7,658,685 · App. 12/327,371 · Granted Feb 9, 2010

Spin milled grooves for a golf club

Assignee: Acushnet Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,658,685
App. No.
12/327,371
Granted
Feb 9, 2010
Kind
B2
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 grooves have sharp edges, radiused ends, and a draft angle between about 2° and 12°. The striking face is machined such that it has a uniform texture with a roughness of more than 40 Ra.

Claims (40)

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a face with a striking surface with a plurality grooves formed therein, wherein each groove comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of grooves are radiused at toe and heel portions of the golf club head about axes of rotation that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axes, wherein at least one groove has both an overall distance d 1 and a maximum depth distance d 2 that is shorter than the overall distance, and wherein the face has a substantially uniform textured surface with an average roughness greater than 40 determined according to the relationship

Ra

=

1

L

0

L

r

(

x

)

x

wherein Ra is the average roughness and L is the evaluation length.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein each groove comprises a groove draft angle less than 16°.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the average roughness is from 75 Ra to 300 Ra.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the average roughness is from 100 Ra to 200 Ra.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the average roughness is from 120 Ra to 180 Ra.

6. A golf club head, comprising:

a face with a striking surface with a plurality of grooves formed therein, wherein each groove comprises a longitudinal axis, and wherein the plurality of grooves are radiused at toe and heel portions of the golf club head about axes of rotation that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axes, wherein the plurality of grooves comprises at least one groove having both an overall distance and a maximum depth distance that is at least 0.25 inch shorter than the overall distance, and wherein the at least one groove is about 0.02 inch deep in a central region thereof and shallower in heel and toe ends thereof.

7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the at least one groove is radiused from 0.125 inch to 5 inches.

8. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein each groove is radiused from 0.125 inch to 5 inches.

9. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein each groove is radiused from 0.125 inch to 2.5 inches.

10. A golf club head, comprising:

a strike face with a striking surface comprising a plurality of grooves each comprising a longitudinal axis, wherein each of the plurality of grooves are radiused at toe and heel portions of the golf club head about axes of rotation that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axes, and

wherein the plurality of grooves comprises at least one groove having both an overall distance and a maximum depth distance less than the overall distance, and wherein the strike face comprises a portion in the proximity of the plurality of grooves having a substantially uniform textured surface with an average roughness from 75 Ra to 300 Ra.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the average roughness is from 100 Ra to 200 Ra.

12. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of grooves further comprises a radius at a groove-to-strike face junction of less than 0.01 inch.

13. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of grooves comprises a groove draft angle less than 16°.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein the groove draft angle is from 0.5° to 12°.

15. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the at least one groove is about 0.02 inch deep in a central region thereof and shallower in heel and toe ends thereof.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061099/0236 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (ASSIGNS 039506-0030) Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS RESIGNING ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061521/0414 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (027332/0829) Recorded Sep 7, 2016
From: KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 039939/0012 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2016
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039506/0030 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 6, 2011
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 027332/0829 →
PATENT OWNERSHIP Recorded Dec 5, 2008
From: VOKEY, ROBERT W.; GILBERT, PETER J.; BURNETT, M. SCOTT; KAYS, CHRISTOPHER R.
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 021928/0995 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 1188983600 · Aug 16, 2007
Continuation 1090206400 · Jul 30, 2004
Provisional Application 6052870800 · Dec 12, 2003
Related Publication 20090082130A1 · Mar 26, 2009