Nike, Inc.

Karsten Manufacturing Corporation

Kartsen Manufacturing Corp.

Jeremy N Snyder

David N Franklin

John T Stites

Robert M Boyd

Raymond J Sander

James S Thomas

Byron Cole Slaughter

Donald S Rahrig

Michael E Finn

Jason Cardani

William C Knight

Hiroshi Kawaguchi

Douglas Anthony Thornton

Jeffrey Alan Hadden

Bradley Charles Glenn

Rick S Wahlin

Daniel Alan Roberts

Daniel John Simpson

Akira Shimozuma

Michael G Taylor

Andrew G V Oldknow

Carl Andreas Jonsson

Philip J Hatton

Jason P Martin

Michael R Pinto

N Franklin David

Akira Shimozuuma

Gregory Scott Hinzmann

Donald Rahrig

In general, aspects of this invention relate to blade-type iron golf clubs or golf club heads. The blade-type golf club head may comprise a body forged of a metal material. The body may include a hosel, a top surface, a sole, a heel, a toe, a ball striking surface, and a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface. The rear surface may have recess in which a dual-density insert is affixed. The dual-density insert may have a first portion or first insert with a density greater than a second portion or second insert with a lesser density located closer to the toe than the first portion or first insert located closer to the heel. The mass distribution of the dual-density insert moves the center of gravity of the club head closer or substantially coincident to the face center location.

Iron-type golf club heads with a dual-density insert

A ball striking device may include a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The ball striking device may include a covering element located behind the rear surface. The covering element may be affixed to the rear surface of the ball striking plate with an adhesive member. The adhesive member may include a double-sided tape. Further, a thickened portion of the ball striking plate may be located behind a desired-contact region of the ball striking plate and the covering element may be affixed thereto. The covering element may be a highly-contoured element. The ball striking device may be a golf club head.

Ball striking device having a covering element

A ball striking device includes a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The ball striking plate has a desired-contact region and a perimeter. One or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface and may radiate away from the desired-contact region toward the perimeter. At least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located in an upper-toe quadrant or in an upper-heel quadrant of the rear surface. One or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface. The one or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be at least partially encircling the desired-contact region. A thickened portion of the ball striking plate may be positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate. The ball striking device may be a golf club head.

Golf club having a reinforced ball striking plate

A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head that includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face. A face member formed primarily of a metallic material forms the face, and a body member is connected to the face member and extends rearward from the face member to form at least a portion of the body. The body member is formed at least partially of a polymer material, and has a doped portion containing a doping material dispersed within the polymer material. The doping material may have a different density than the polymer material, such that the doped portion has a different density than the portions of the body member not containing the doping material. A co-molding method may be used to form the ball striking device.

Golf club head or other ball striking device with weighted body member

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face has a thickened portion including an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary. The upper and/or lower boundary defines a shape having two lobes, each with an outer edge with a convex profile, and a connecting portion extending between the lobes, such that the connecting portion is defined by two outer edges extending between the outer edges of the lobes, wherein at least one of the outer edges of the connecting portion has a concave outer profile.

Golf club head or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion

Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as iron heads, may include an iron body and a ball striking plate engaged with the iron body. The ball striking plate may include a face layer and a backing layer. The face layer of the ball striking plate may be formed of a metal material, while the backing layer may be formed of a polymeric material. The backing layer isolates the face layer from the iron body. In some arrangements, the backing layer of the insert may be visible at the top, the bottom, the side and/or the front surfaces of the iron head. Methods for making such iron devices are also described.

Golf club irons including backing material behind ball striking face

Growing community of inventors

Benbrook, TX, United States of America

Jeremy N Snyder