Golf club head with ball speed control

Abstract

A golf club head including a striking face, a periphery portion surrounding and extending rearwards from the striking face, and a damping element including a first end abutting the striking face. The damping element is installed in the golf club head through an aperture in the toe side of the golf club head.

1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face having a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   a periphery portion extending rearward from said striking face and including a sole, a topline opposite said sole, a heel side, a toe side opposite said heel side, and a back portion extending from said sole to said topline and from said heel side to said toe side;   a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on said heel side;   a cavity formed between said periphery portion and said striking face;   an aperture extending through said toe side and into said cavity;   a support pad within said cavity attached to said back portion; and   a damping element positioned between said support pad and said rear surface of said striking face.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap covering said aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said support pad is parallel with said striking face. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said support pad includes a raised lip projecting towards said striking face. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said raised lip has an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said damping element has an elastic modulus between 4 MPa and 15 GPa. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said damping element has an elastic modulus between 15 GPa and 40 GPa. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a first weight member and a second weight member,
 wherein said first weight member is positioned proximate said toe side,   wherein said first weight member has an angled upper surface and a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point and a minimum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point,   wherein said second weight member is positioned proximate said heel side, and   wherein said second weight member has an angled upper surface and a maximum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point and a minimum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point.   
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said aperture has a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction that is approximately equal to a maximum height of said damping element in said sole-to-topline direction. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said aperture has a maximum width in a front-to-rear direction that is approximately equal to a maximum width of said damping element in said front-to-rear direction. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a golf club head comprising:
 providing a striking face having a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   providing a periphery portion extending rearward from said striking face and including a sole, a topline opposite said sole, a heel side, a toe side opposite said heel side, and a back portion extending from said sole to said topline and from said heel side to said toe side,   wherein a cavity is formed between said periphery portion and said striking face;   providing a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on said heel side;   providing an aperture extending through said toe side and into said cavity; and   inserting a damping element through said aperture into said cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a support pad within said cavity attached to said back portion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning said damping element between said support pad and said rear surface of said striking face. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising covering said aperture with a cap. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein covering said aperture with said cap comprises pulse welding said cap over said aperture. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein covering said aperture with said cap comprises adhering said cap over said aperture. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said support pad is parallel with said striking face. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said support pad includes a raised lip projecting towards said striking face. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said raised lip has an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said aperture has a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction that is approximately equal to a maximum height of said damping element in said sole-to-topline direction, and
 wherein said aperture has a maximum width in a front-to-rear direction that is approximately equal to a maximum width of said damping element in said front-to-rear direction.