Golf club head with improved striking face
A golf club head with improved striking face is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head wherein the striking face is further comprised out of a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of the striking face portion, a central transition region extending outward radially from the thickened central region, a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from the central transition region, a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from the thinned intermediate region, and a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from the thickened stress reducing region, all of which combine to form the improved striking face.
1 . A golf club head comprising:
a striking face portion, located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, adapted to impact a golf ball; and
a body portion, attached to a rear of said striking face portion,
wherein said striking face portion further comprises;
a frontal striking surface, wherein said frontal striking surface is substantially planar, and
an internal rear surface,
wherein said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface combine to further comprises;
a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of said striking face portion, having a first thickness,
said first thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a central transition region, extending outward radially from said thickened central region, having a variable thickness,
said variable thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from said central transition region, having a third thickness,
said third thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from said thinned intermediate region, having a fourth thickness,
said fourth thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface, and
a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from said thickened stress reducing region, having a fifth thickness,
wherein said thickened stress reducing region forms at least a portion of a ring protruding rearward from said internal rear surface of said striking face portion, and
wherein said fourth thickness is greater than said thickness.
2 . The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region only partially encircles said thinned intermediate region.
3 . The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region further comprises;
an upper thickened stress reducing region, and
a lower thickened stress reducing region,
wherein said fourth thickness of both said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region is a thickest portion of said striking face portion.
4 . The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein both said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region have a T over H ratio of between about 0.6 to 1.1, said T over H ratio defined as:
T
over
H
Ratio
=
Thickness
T
4
of
Thickened
Stress
Reducing
Region
Height
H
4
of
Thickened
Stress
Reducing
Region
.
wherein said height H4 measures the height of the Stress Reducing Region from said intermediate region and said thinned perimeter region.
5 . The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein said T over H ratio is between about 0.7 to about 0.9.
6 . The golf club head of claim 5 , wherein said T over H ratio is about 0.8.
7 . The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region has a same height.
8 . The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region has a different height.
9 . The golf club head of claim 8 , wherein a height of said upper thickened stress reducing region is smaller than a height of said lower thickened stress reducing region.
10 . The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein said height of said upper thickened stress reducing region is about 0.5 mm smaller than said height of said lower thickened stress reducing region.
11 . A golf club head comprising:
a striking face portion, located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, adapted to impact a golf ball; and
a body portion, attached to a rear of said striking face portion,
wherein said striking face portion further comprises;
a frontal striking surface, wherein said frontal striking surface is substantially planar, and
an internal rear surface,
wherein said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface combine to further comprises;
a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of said striking face portion, having a first thickness,
said first thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a central transition region, extending outward radially from said thickened central region, having a variable thickness,
said variable thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from said central transition region, having a third thickness,
said third thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from said thinned intermediate region, having a fourth thickness,
said fourth thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface, and
a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from said thickened stress reducing region, having a fifth thickness,
wherein said internal rear surface can be divided into a clock grid comprising at least;
a 12 o'clock ray,
a 1 o'clock ray,
a 2 o'clock ray,
a 3 o'clock ray,
a 4 o'clock ray,
a 5 o'clock ray,
a 6 o'clock ray,
a 7 o'clock ray,
an 8 o'clock ray,
a 9 o'clock ray,
a 10 o'clock ray, and
an 11 o'clock ray;
wherein said thickened stress reducing region is located only at a region consisting of an upper region between said 9 o'clock ray and said 2 o'clock ray and a lower region between said 3 o'clock ray and said 9 o'clock ray.
12 . The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region is located only at a region consisting of an upper region between said 10 o'clock ray and said 2 o'clock ray and a lower region between said 4 o'clock ray and said 8 o'clock ray.
13 . The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region further comprises;
an upper thickened stress reducing region, and
a lower thickened stress reducing region,
wherein said fourth thickness of both said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region is a thickest portion of said striking face portion.
14 . The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein both said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region have a T over H ratio of between about 0.6 to 1.1, said T over H ratio defined as;
T
over
H
Ratio
=
Thickness
T
4
of
Thickened
Stress
Reducing
Region
Height
H
4
of
Thickened
Stress
Reducing
Region
.
wherein said height H4 measures the height of the Stress Reducing Region from said intermediate region and said thinned perimeter region.
15 . The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein said T over H ratio is between about 0.7 to about 0.9.
16 . The golf club head of claim 15 , wherein said T over H ratio is about 0.8.
17 . A golf club head comprising:
a striking face portion, located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, adapted to impact a golf ball; and
a body portion, attached to a rear of said striking face portion,
wherein said striking face portion further comprises;
a frontal striking surface, wherein said frontal striking surface is substantially planar, and
an internal rear surface,
wherein said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface combine to further comprises;
a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of said striking face portion, having a first thickness,
said first thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a central transition region, extending outward radially from said thickened central region, having a variable thickness,
said variable thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from said central transition region, having a third thickness,
said third thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface,
a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from said thinned intermediate region, having a fourth thickness,
said fourth thickness measures a thickness of said striking face portion between said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface, and
a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from said thickened stress reducing region, having a fifth thickness,
wherein said internal rear surface can be divided into a clock grid comprising at least;
a 12 o'clock ray,
a 1 o'clock ray,
a 2 o'clock ray,
a 3 o'clock ray,
a 4 o'clock ray,
a 5 o'clock ray,
a 6 o'clock ray,
a 7 o'clock ray,
an 8 o'clock ray,
a 9 o'clock ray,
a 10 o'clock ray, and
an 11 o'clock ray;
wherein said thickened stress reducing region has an area of reduced thickness between the 8 o'clock ray and the 10 o'clock ray forming a heel thickened stress reducing region.
18 . The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region has an area of reduced thickness between the 1 o'clock ray and the 4 o'clock ray forming a toe thickened stress reducing region.
19 . The golf club head of claim 18 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region further comprises;
an upper thickened stress reducing region, and
a lower thickened stress reducing region,
wherein said fourth thickness of both said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region is a thickest portion of said striking face portion.
20 . The golf club head of claim 19 , wherein both said upper thickened stress reducing region and said lower thickened stress reducing region have a T over H ratio of between about 0.6 to 1.1, said T over H ratio defined as;
T
over
H
Ratio
=
Thickness
T
4
of
Thickened
Stress
Reducing
Region
Height
H
4
of
Thickened
Stress
Reducing
Region
.
wherein said height H4 measures the height of the Stress Reducing Region from said intermediate region and said thinned perimeter region.