Golf club having a damping element for ball speed control

Abstract

A golf club head including a striking face, a back portion, and a back cover attached to the back portion, wherein the golf club head includes damping structures and materials to achieve desired acoustic characteristics.

1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face including a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   a back portion behind said striking face extending from a topline to a sole;   a back cover attached to said back portion to enclose a cavity in said golf club head;   a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head, said heel side located opposite a toe side;   a support arm attached to said back portion and spanning at least a portion of said cavity;   a damping element positioned between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face;   a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said striking face, extending towards said heel side of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;   wherein a section of said golf club head beginning at said striking face and moving rearwards along an axis parallel to said z-axis includes a series of materials including a first material, followed by a second material, followed by a third material, followed by a fourth material, followed by a fifth material.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said first material comprises steel, said second material comprises polymer, said third material comprises steel, said fourth material comprises polymer, and said fifth material comprises polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said fourth material comprises a silicone or epoxy. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said fourth material comprises a room-temperature-vulcanizing sealant. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said room-temperature-vulcanizing sealant has a hardness between about 10 Shore A and about 50 Shore A. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said fourth material comprises an epoxy having a hardness between about 40 Shore D and about 80 Shore D. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said first material comprises SUP10 steel, said second material comprises silicone, said third material comprises 17-4 steel, said fourth material comprises a room-temperature-vulcanizing sealant or an epoxy, and said fifth material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said section is continuous with no gaps between said first material and said second material, said second material and said third material, said third material and said fourth material, and said fourth material and said fifth material. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said first material has a hardness greater than said second material, said second material has a hardness less than said third material, said third material has a hardness greater than said fourth material, and said fourth material has a hardness less than said fifth material. 
     
     
         10 . A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face including a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface;   a back portion behind said striking face extending from a topline to a sole;   a back cover attached to said back portion to enclose a cavity in said golf club head;   a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on a heel side of said golf club head, said heel side located opposite a toe side;   a support arm attached to said back portion and spanning at least a portion of said cavity;   a coordinate system centered at a center of gravity of said golf club head, said coordinate system comprising a y-axis extending vertically, perpendicular to a ground plane when said golf club head is in an address position at a prescribed loft and lie, an x-axis perpendicular to said y-axis and parallel to said striking face, extending towards said heel side of said golf club head, and a z-axis, perpendicular to said y-axis and said x-axis and extending through said striking face;   wherein said back cover is attached to a shelf on said back portion; and   wherein said back cover is attached to said support arm using a bonding element.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said bonding element comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said polymer comprises a silicone or an epoxy. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said polymer comprises a room-temperature-vulcanizing sealant. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said bonding element comprises a foam. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said foam is attached to said back cover and said support arm using a tape or an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said bonding element comprises a damping tape. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said bonding element is located in a gap between said back cover and said support arm,
 wherein an epoxy is used as said bonding element when said gap is less than 3.0 mm, and   wherein a room-temperature-vulcanizing sealant is used as said bonding element when said gap is greater than or equal to 3.0 mm.   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said bonding element is placed in a gap between said back cover and said support arm, and
 wherein a room-temperature-vulcanizing sealant is used as said bonding element when said gap is less than 15.0 mm.   
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , further comprising a damping element positioned between said support arm and said rear surface of said striking face. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein said striking face is made of steel, said damping element is made of polymer, said support arm is made of steel, said bonding element is made of polymer, and said back cover is made of polymer.