Golf club head with localized grooves and reinforcement

Abstract

The present invention relates to a golf club head provided with a shell defining an inner cavity and having a face and a body. The face has a first or reinforcement portion with a first thickness and a second or remaining portion with a second thickness less than the first thickness. The reinforcement portion is located at the center of the face. In one embodiment, the exterior surface of the face defines at least one groove spaced from the center of the face.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . A golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft comprising: 
 a shell defining an inner cavity and having a face, the face being comprised of: 
 i) a first portion having a first thickness and a first perimeter less than or about 25 percent of the area of the face, wherein the first portion encompasses the center of the face;  
 ii) a second portion in contact with and surrounding the first perimeter and having a second thickness less than or equal to about 0.08 inch, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness,  
   wherein about 50 percent or less of the face comprises corrugations, and wherein the corrugations do not extend across the first portion.    
     
     
         25 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the first perimeter is rectangular.  
     
     
         26 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the first thickness is between about 0.08 inch and about 0.12 inch.  
     
     
         27 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the first portion and second portion are formed of the same material.  
     
     
         28 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second portions are formed of different materials.  
     
     
         29 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the area of the first portion is less than or equal to about 15% of the area of the face.  
     
     
         30 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the first thickness is uniform.  
     
     
         31 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the corrugations are V-shaped, square-shaped, or U-shaped.  
     
     
         32 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the corrugations are spaced from the first portion at least 0.375 inches in any direction.  
     
     
         33 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the shell further includes a crown plate, a sole plate, the face, and a hosel.  
     
     
         34 . The golf club of  claim 33 , wherein the sole plate is formed integral with the shell.  
     
     
         35 . The golf club of  claim 33 , wherein the crown plate is formed integral with the shell.  
     
     
         36 . A golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft comprising: 
 a shell defining an inner cavity and having a face, the face being comprised of: 
 i) a first portion having a first thickness and a first perimeter encompassing the center of the face;  
 ii) a second portion in contact with and surrounding the first perimeter and having a second thickness less than or equal to about 0.08 inch, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness,  
 wherein the first portion is grooveless, and wherein the first portion and second portion are formed of different materials.  
   
     
     
         37 . The golf club head of  claim 36 , wherein the second portion is grooveless.  
     
     
         38 . A golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft comprising: 
 a shell defining an inner cavity and having a face, the face being comprised of: 
 i) a first portion having a first uniform thickness and a first asymmetrical perimeter encompassing the center of the face; and  
 ii) a second portion in contact with and surrounding the first portion and having a second thickness less than or equal to about 0.08 inch, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness,  
   wherein the second portion comprises at least one corrugation, and wherein the at least one corrugation is spaced at least about 0.375 inch away from the first portion in any direction.    
     
     
         39 . The golf club head of  claim 38 , wherein the face is stamped titanium alloy comprising 4.5 percent titanium, 3 percent aluminum, 2 percent vanadium, and 2 percent molybdenum.  
     
     
         40 . The golf club of  claim 38 , wherein the second thickness is about 0.06 inch or less.  
     
     
         41 . The golf club of  claim 38 , wherein the first portion is rectangular.  
     
     
         42 . The golf club of  claim 38 , wherein the first portion forms less than about 15 percent of the face.