Golf club head with undercut and insert

Abstract

The invention described herein is an iron-type golf club head having a back cavity and a multi-section back cavity insert that preserves more strikeface flexibility and energy return to the golf ball. Additionally, the back cavity insert includes a damping member that mitigates undesirable vibrations produced after the golf club head impacts a golf ball. In some embodiments, the damping member includes an extension tip or arm that contacts an undercut of the golf club head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 an iron-type golf club head body comprising:   a front portion and a back portion rearward of the front portion, a top portion comprising a top rail, and a bottom portion comprising a sole;   a strikeface comprising:   a strikeface front surface located at the front portion,   a strikeface rear surface located opposite the strikeface front surface towards the back portion;   a strikeface perimeter; and   a rear perimeter extension extending rearwardly from the strikeface perimeter;   wherein the strikeface rear surface and the rear perimeter extension cooperate to define a back cavity and the top rail and strikeface rear surface further define an undercut; and   a multi-material insert is configured to adhesively attached to the strikeface rear surface;   the multi-material insert comprising an adhesive layer, an elastomeric layer, a carbon fiber overlay, a metallic cap, a damping member, an insert exterior surface, and an insert perimeter;   the damping member further comprising:   a damping member base portion;   at least one damping member extension that extends from the damping member base portion towards the insert perimeter proximate the top rail:   at least one damping member extension tip distal from the damping member base portion, such that the damping member extension tip does not extend beyond the insert perimeter.   
     
     
         2 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is formed from a foam-based, very high bond (VHB) tape. 
     
     
         3 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the damping member comprises
 a damping member material selected from a group consisting of a natural rubber, synthetic rubber, a thermoplastic, a resin, a felt, or cork; and   wherein the damping member material has a Shore A hardness in a range between 10 and 60.   
     
     
         4 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the rear perimeter extension further comprises:
 a rear perimeter extension top portion,   an undercut recess circumscribes the back cavity; and   the damping member extension tip is in contact with the rear perimeter extension top portion, but is not within the undercut recess.   
     
     
         5 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the elastomeric layer comprises an elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and an elastomeric layer toewardmost piece;   the elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and the elastomeric layer toewardmost piece are separated by a notch, exposing an adhesive layer rearward surface;   the damping member is directly adhered to the adhesive layer; and   gaps are defined between the damping member and the elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and the elastomeric layer toewardmost piece.   
     
     
         6 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein each gap comprises a minimum gap width in a range between 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch. 
     
     
         7 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the carbon fiber overlay comprises a carbon fiber overlay heelwardmost piece and a carbon fiber overlay toewardmost piece adhesively attached to the elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and the elastomeric layer toewardmost piece, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the damping member further comprises:
 a damping member height measured perpendicular from a tangent to a damping member most soleward point to a tangent from a damping member uppermost point; and   a damping member width measured perpendicularly from a damping member extension most toeward edge to a damping member extension most heelward edge.   
     
     
         9 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein damping member defines a damping member extension angle between a damping member most toeward edge and damping member base upper edge; wherein
 the damping member extension angle is in a range between 80 degrees and 120 degrees.   
     
     
         10 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 an iron-type golf club head body comprising:   a front portion and a back portion rearward of the front portion, a top portion comprising a top rail, and a bottom portion comprising a sole;   a strikeface comprising:   a strikeface front surface located at the front portion,   a strikeface rear surface located opposite the strikeface front surface towards the back portion;   a strikeface perimeter; and   a rear perimeter extension extending rearwardly from the strikeface perimeter;   wherein the strikeface rear surface and the rear perimeter extension cooperate to define a back cavity and the top rail and strikeface rear surface further define an undercut; and   a multi-material insert is configured to adhesively attached to the strikeface rear surface;   the multi-material insert comprising an adhesive layer, an elastomeric layer, a carbon fiber overlay, a metallic cap, a damping member, an insert exterior surface, and an insert perimeter;   the damping member further comprising:   a damping member base portion;   at least one damping member extension that extends from the damping member base portion towards the insert perimeter proximate the top rail:   at least one damping member extension tip distal from the damping member base portion, such that the damping member extension tip the damping member extension tip extends beyond the insert perimeter.   
     
     
         11 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the rear perimeter extension further comprises:
 a rear perimeter extension top portion,   an undercut recess circumscribes the back cavity; and   wherein the damping member extension tip is in contact with the rear perimeter extension top portion within the undercut recess.   
     
     
         12 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the multi-material insert comprises an insert thickness measured perpendicularly from an innermost surface formed by the adhesive layer to an insert rearwardmost surface; and   the insert thickness at the damping member is a maximum thickness of multi-material insert.   
     
     
         13 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein
 the damping member further comprises a damping member extension tip, distal from the damping member base portion, extending outward from the insert perimeter to contact the undercut.   
     
     
         14 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the damping member extension tip further comprises a lateral arm extending toeward and parallel to the insert perimeter; wherein the lateral arm is harbored entirely within the undercut. 
     
     
         15 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein the lateral arm further comprises:
 a lateral arm length is between 0.10 inch to 0.75 inch;   a lateral arm width is between 0.10 inch to 0.50 inch; and   a lateral arm thickness is between 0.10 inch to 0.50 inch.   
     
     
         16 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the damping member comprises a damping member material selected from a group consisting of a natural rubber, a synthetic rubber, a thermoplastic, a resin, a felt, or cork; and
 wherein the damping member material has a Shore A hardness in a range between 10 and 60.   
     
     
         17 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the elastomeric layer comprises an elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and an elastomeric layer toewardmost piece separated by a notch to expose an adhesive layer rearward surface;   the damping member is directly adhered to the adhesive layer; and   gaps are defined between the damping member and the elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and the elastomeric layer toewardmost piece.   
     
     
         18 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 17 , wherein each gap comprises a minimum gap width in a range between 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch. 
     
     
         19 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon fiber overlay comprises a carbon fiber overlay heelwardmost piece and a carbon fiber overlay toewardmost piece adhesively attached to the elastomeric layer heelwardmost piece and the elastomeric layer toewardmost piece, respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The iron-type golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the damping member further comprises a plurality of alignment tabs; and   the elastomeric layer comprises a plurality recesses configured to receive the alignment tabs.