Golf club head with improved striking face

Abstract

A golf club head with improved striking face is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head wherein the striking face is further comprised out of a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of the striking face portion, a central transition region extending outward radially from the thickened central region, a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from the central transition region, a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from the thinned intermediate region, and a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from the thickened stress reducing region, all of which combine to form the improved striking face.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face portion, located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, adapted to impact a golf ball; and   a body portion, attached to a rear of said striking face portion,   wherein said striking face portion further comprises;
 a frontal striking surface, wherein said frontal striking surface is substantially planar, and 
 an internal rear surface,
 wherein said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface combine to further comprises;
 a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of said striking face portion, having a first thickness, 
 a central transition region, extending outward radially from said thickened central region, having a variable thickness, 
 a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from said central transition region, having a third thickness, 
 a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from said thinned intermediate region, having a fourth thickness, and 
 a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from said thickened stress reducing region, having a fifth thickness, 
 
 
   wherein said thickened stress reducing region forms a horseshoe shaped ring, protruding rearward from said internal rear surface of said striking face portion,   wherein a lower thickened stress reducing region of said horseshoe shaped ring has a reduced thickness, and   wherein said fourth thickness is greater than said first thickness.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein an opening in said horseshoe shaped ring is located near a crown transition portion of said striking face portion. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region further comprises;
 a toe side upper thickened stress reducing region,   a toe side thickened stress reducing region,   a heel side thickened stress reducing region, and   a heel side upper thickened stress reducing region,   wherein said lower thickened stress reducing region is position is positioned between said toe side thickened stress reducing region and said heel side thickened stress reducing region, and   wherein said toe side upper thickened stress reducing region and said heel side upper thickened stress reducing region are discontinuous from one another.   
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein said reduced thickness of said lower thickened stress reducing region is thinner than said fourth thickness of both said toe side thickened stress reducing region and said heel side thickened stress reducing region. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said thickened stress reducing region have a T over H ratio of between about 0.6 to 1.1, said T over H ratio defined as; 
       
         
           
             
               
                 T 
                 ⁢ 
                     
                 over 
                 ⁢ 
                     
                 H 
                 ⁢ 
                     
                 Ratio 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     Thickness 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     T 
                     ⁢ 
                     4 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     of 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Thickened 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Stress 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Reducing 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Region 
                   
                   
                     Height 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     H 
                     ⁢ 
                     4 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     of 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Thickened 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Stress 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Reducing 
                     ⁢ 
                         
                     Region 
                   
                 
                 . 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein said T over H ratio is between about 0.7 to about 0.9. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein said T over H ratio is about 0.8. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said reduced thickness is about 0.25 mm thinner than said fourth thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said reduced thickness is less about 96% of said fourth thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein said reduced thickness is less than about 95% of said fourth thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said reduced thickness is less than about 94% of said fourth thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said reduced thickness is between about 3.85 mm to about 4.15 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said fourth thickness is between about 3.6 mm to about 4.4 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said reduced thickness is between about 3.55 mm to about 3.95 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said fourth thickness is between about 3.8 mm to about 4.2 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein said reduced thickness is about 3.75 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 16 , wherein said fourth thickness is about 4.00 mm. 
     
     
         18 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face portion, located at a frontal portion of said golf club head, adapted to impact a golf ball; and   a body portion, attached to a rear of said striking face portion,   wherein said striking face portion further comprises;
 a frontal striking surface, wherein said frontal striking surface is substantially planar, and 
 an internal rear surface,
 wherein said frontal striking surface and said internal rear surface combine to further comprises;
 a thickened central region, located near a geometric center of said striking face portion, having a first thickness, 
 a central transition region, extending outward radially from said thickened central region, having a variable thickness, 
 a thinned intermediate region, extending outward radially from said central transition region, having a third thickness, 
 a thickened stress reducing region, extending outward radially from said thinned intermediate region, having a fourth thickness, 
 wherein said thickened stress reducing region further comprises; 
  a toe side upper thickened stress reducing region, 
  a toe side thickened stress reducing region, 
  a lower thickened stress reducing region, 
  a heel side thickened stress reducing region, and 
  a heel side upper thickened stress reducing region, 
  wherein said toe side upper thickened stress reducing region and said heel side upper thickened stress reducing region are discontinuous from one another, 
 a thinned perimeter region, extending outward radially from said thickened stress reducing region, having a fifth thickness, 
 
 
   wherein said thickened stress reducing region forms a horseshoe shaped ring, protruding rearward from said internal rear surface of said striking face portion,   wherein said fourth thickness is greater than said first thickness.   
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein said lower thickened stress reducing region has a reduced thickness that is thinner than a fourth thickness of both said toe side thickened stress reducing region and said heel side thickened stress reducing region. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein said reduced thickness is less than about 94% of said fourth thickness.