US 12,280,301 B2
Golf club heads with a multi-material striking surface
James D. Willmott, Loughborough (GB); Erik M. Henrikson, Phoenix, AZ (US); David A. Higdon, Cave Creek, AZ (US); Cole D. Brubaker, Scottsdale, AZ (US); Anthony D. Serrano, Anthem, AZ (US); and John A. Solheim, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed by KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/645,267.
Application 17/645,267 is a continuation of application No. 16/983,924, filed on Aug. 3, 2020, granted, now 11,207,572.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/046,505, filed on Jun. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/881,463, filed on Aug. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0111265 A1, Apr. 14, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A63B 37/06 (2006.01); A63B 53/04 (2015.01)
CPC A63B 53/0429 (2020.08) [A63B 53/0412 (2020.08); A63B 53/0487 (2013.01); A63B 53/0445 (2020.08)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A putter type golf club head comprising:
a body comprising:
a heel portion;
a toe portion opposite from the heel portion;
a top rail;
a sole portion opposite from the top rail;
a strike face comprising a striking surface adapted to impact a golf ball; and
a striking surface first imaginary vertical axis that extends through a geometric center of the striking surface, the striking surface first imaginary vertical axis extends in a top rail to sole portion direction, and striking surface second and third imaginary vertical axes extending in the top rail to sole portion direction that are offset 0.5 inch from the geometric center in heel portion and toe portion directions respectively;
wherein:
the strike face defines a first plurality of continuous groove recesses extending between the heel portion and the toe portion, the first plurality of continuous groove recesses forming non-ball contact areas of the striking surface;
each of the first plurality of continuous groove recesses comprises an arcuate portion extending across the striking surface first imaginary vertical axis;
each of the first plurality of continuous groove recesses comprises a first linear portion proximal to the heel portion and a second linear portion proximal to the toe portion;
a width of the first plurality of continuous groove recesses, measured in the top rail to sole portion direction, is constant across the striking surface in a heel portion to toe portion direction; and
a spacing between adjacent first plurality of continuous groove recesses, measured in the top rail to sole portion direction, increases in a direction extending from the striking surface first imaginary vertical axis to at least one of the heel portion or the toe portion;
wherein the strike face further comprises second and third pluralities of arcuate continuous groove recesses extending across the striking surface first imaginary vertical axis;
wherein the second and third pluralities of arcuate continuous groove recesses each comprise a first end and a second end;
wherein the second plurality of arcuate continuous groove recesses first and second ends are connected to a striking surface upper border;
wherein the third plurality of arcuate continuous groove recesses first and second ends are connected to a striking surface lower border;
wherein more continuous groove recesses are within an area bounded by the striking surface second and third imaginary vertical axes than outside the area bounded by the striking surface second and third imaginary vertical axes;
wherein the strike face comprises a first material having a first hardness and a second material having a second hardness; and
wherein the first material at least partially fills the first plurality of continuous groove recesses; and
the second and third pluralities of arcuate continuous groves recesses.