Nike, Inc.

Karsten Manufacturing Corporation

Rick S Wahlin

Robert M Boyd

Raymond J Sander

Jeremy N Snyder

Hiroshi Kawaguchi

James S Thomas

John T Stites

Andrew G V Oldknow

Akira Shimozuma

Akira Shimozuuma

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

A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.

Golf club head or other ball striking device having impact-influencing body features

Golf club or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion

Growing community of inventors

Keller, TX, United States of America

Rick S Wahlin