Golf club having a damping element for ball speed control

Abstract

A golf club head including a striking face, a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from the striking face, a damping element including a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface of the damping element opposite the front surface of the damping element, wherein the striking face comprises a first portion having a substantially constant thickness, wherein the front surface of the damping element comprises a geometric center, wherein the golf club head includes additional damping structures and materials to achieve desired acoustic characteristics.

1 . 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 a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said 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;   wherein said striking face comprises a plurality of scorelines having the same length; 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; and   wherein said front surface of said damping element comprises a geometric center.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is aligned with said center face plane. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is located a damping offset distance heelward from said center face plane of 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is located a damping offset distance toeward from said center face plane of 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said first portion of said striking face has a thickness greater than 1.5 mm and less than 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion;   a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose a cavity in said golf club head; and   a back cavity bridge which extends across said cavity from one region of said shelf to another region of said shelf.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion; and   a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose a cavity in said golf club head,   wherein said shelf includes a protruding section which spans said cavity from one region of said shelf to another region of said shelf.   
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion; and   a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose a cavity in said golf club head,   wherein said back cover includes a thermoset material.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said rear surface of said striking face includes a thermoset material. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein said thermoset material is applied to said rear surface of said striking face in an uncured state,
 wherein said thermoset material subsequently cures with a thickness between 0.1 mm and 4.0 mm.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said thermoset material includes a filler material. 
     
     
         12 . 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 a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said 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;   wherein said striking face comprises a plurality of scorelines having the same length; 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 periphery portion comprises a sole extending rearwards from a bottom of said striking face, a topline extending rearwards from a top of said striking face, and a back portion extending upwards from said sole and spaced from said striking face, wherein said striking face and said periphery portion form a cavity, wherein said damping element resides within said cavity;   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; and   wherein at least a portion of said damping element overlaps said center face plane.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said geometric center of said front surface of said damping element is located a damping offset distance toeward from said center face plane of 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein said first portion of said striking face has a thickness greater than 1.5 mm and less than 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a shelf extending inward from said periphery portion; and   a back cover attached to said shelf to enclose said cavity,   wherein said shelf includes a protruding section which spans said cavity from one region of said shelf to another region of said shelf.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said rear surface of said striking face includes a thermoset material. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein said thermoset material is applied to said rear surface of said striking face in an uncured state,
 wherein said thermoset material subsequently cures with a thickness between 0.1 mm and 4.0 mm.   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein said thermoset material includes a filler material. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , 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 which tapers 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. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein said striking face comprises a third portion, said third portion of said striking face located toeward of said center face plane, said third portion of said striking face having a thickness which tapers from a maximum thickness at a heel end of said third portion to a minimum thickness at a toe end of said third portion.