US 11,938,387 B2
Golf club having a damping element for ball speed control
Grant M. Martens, San Diego, CA (US); Gentry Ferguson, San Marcos, CA (US); Kyle A. Carr, Carlsbad, CA (US); Jonathan Hebreo, San Diego, CA (US); Jason A. Mata, Logan, UT (US); Charles E. Golden, Encinitas, CA (US); and John Morin, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Assigned to Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed by Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/543,459.
Application 17/543,459 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/532,222, filed on Nov. 22, 2021.
Application 17/532,222 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/377,696, filed on Jul. 16, 2021.
Application 17/377,696 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/349,519, filed on Jun. 16, 2021.
Application 17/543,459 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/337,151, filed on Jun. 2, 2021.
Application 17/349,519 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/138,618, filed on Dec. 30, 2020.
Application 17/138,618 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/127,061, filed on Dec. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,433,284.
Application 17/127,061 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/085,474, filed on Oct. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,202,946.
Application 17/085,474 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/833,054, filed on Mar. 27, 2020, granted, now 11,020,639, issued on Jun. 1, 2021.
Application 16/833,054 is a continuation of application No. 16/592,170, filed on Oct. 3, 2019, granted, now 10,821,344, issued on Nov. 3, 2020.
Application 16/592,170 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/401,926, filed on May 2, 2019, granted, now 10,821,338, issued on Nov. 3, 2020.
Application 16/833,054 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/286,412, filed on Feb. 26, 2019, granted, now 10,625,127, issued on Apr. 21, 2020.
Application 16/286,412 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/225,577, filed on Dec. 19, 2018, abandoned.
Application 16/592,170 is a continuation of application No. 16/214,405, filed on Dec. 10, 2018, granted, now 10,471,319, issued on Nov. 12, 2019.
Application 16/225,577 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/158,578, filed on Oct. 12, 2018, granted, now 10,293,226, issued on May 21, 2019.
Application 16/158,578 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/027,077, filed on Jul. 3, 2018, abandoned.
Application 16/401,926 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/848,697, filed on Dec. 20, 2017, abandoned.
Application 15/848,697 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/359,206, filed on Nov. 22, 2016, granted, now 10,150,019, issued on Dec. 11, 2018.
Application 15/359,206 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/220,107, filed on Jul. 26, 2016, granted, now 9,993,704, issued on Jun. 12, 2018.
Application 16/027,077 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/220,122, filed on Jul. 26, 2016, granted, now 10,086,244, issued on Oct. 2, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/065,310, filed on Aug. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0152465 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. A63B 60/54 (2015.01); A63B 53/04 (2015.01); A63B 102/32 (2015.01)
CPC A63B 60/54 (2015.10) [A63B 53/047 (2013.01); A63B 53/0416 (2020.08); A63B 2102/32 (2015.10); A63B 2209/00 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
8. A golf club head comprising:
a striking face;
a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from said striking face;
a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to the striking face, extending towards a heel of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;
a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head, said heel side located opposite a toe side;
wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;
a damping element comprising a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface of said damping element opposite said front surface of said damping element;
wherein said front surface of said damping element is in contact with said rear surface of said striking face;
wherein said striking face comprises a first portion having a substantially constant thickness measured from said front surface to said rear surface;
wherein said striking face comprises a plurality of scorelines having the same length measured along said x-axis; and
a center face plane parallel to said y-axis and said z-axis, said center face plane located equidistant from a heel-most extent of said plurality of scorelines and a toe-most extent of said plurality of scorelines;
wherein said front surface of said damping element contacts said first portion of said striking face;
wherein said front surface of said damping element comprises a geometric center;
wherein said striking face comprises a second portion, said second portion of said striking face located heelward of said center face plane, said second portion of said striking face having a thickness measured from said front surface to said rear surface which tapers at a constant rate along said x-axis from a maximum thickness at a thick end of said second portion to a minimum thickness at a thin end of said second portion, wherein said thick end is located toeward of said thin end, wherein said second portion has a height which tapers from a maximum height at said thick end of said second portion to a minimum height at said thin end of said second portion.