# US 10,369,432 B2 · Golf club head or other ball striking device with weighted body member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,432 B2 - Document ID: US10369432B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/983,001 - Filed: 2018-05-17 - Published: 2018-09-20 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-31 - Assignees: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation - Applicants: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation - Inventors: Michael E. Finn; David N. Franklin; Raymond J. Sander; Jeremy N. Snyder; Robert M. Boyd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369432B2 ## CPC - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B 53/0475: {with one or more enclosed cavities} - B29C 45/1671: {with an insert} - A63B 53/005: {Club sets} - A63B 53/04: Heads - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0416: {Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert} - A63B 53/042: {the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head} - A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations} - A63B 53/0437: {with special crown configurations} - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 53/0487: {for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence)} - A63B 2053/0491: {with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable} - A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials - A63B 2209/02: with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres - B29C 45/0013: {using fillers dispersed in the moulding material, e.g. metal particles} - B29C 45/14336: {Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article (B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence)} - B29L 2031/5227: {Clubs} - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An iron-type golf club head comprising: a face member comprising a hosel, a substantially flat ball striking surface configured for striking a ball defined by a plurality of peripheral edges, and a peripheral wall extending rearwardly from a portion of the plurality of peripheral edges of the face member, wherein the face member is formed primarily of a metallic material, and wherein the face member has a loft angle in a range of about 20° to about 65°; a body member connected to at least a portion of the peripheral wall of the face member, wherein the body member is formed at least partially of a polymer material, and wherein the body member extends from a heel side of the peripheral wall of the face member to a toe side of the peripheral wall of the face member; wherein the face member and the body member form an open rear cavity; and wherein the body member has a fiber reinforced portion containing a fiber reinforcing material within the polymer material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall of the face member extends rearwardly around all of the plurality of peripheral edges of the face member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The iron-type golf club head of claim 2, wherein the body member is connected around the entire peripheral wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the entire body member contains the fiber reinforcing material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body member extends rearward from the face member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face member and the body member are connected by forming the body member in connection to the face member in a co-molding process. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face member is connected to the body member using a lap joint. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body member further comprises a doped portion containing a doping material dispersed within the polymer material, wherein the doping material has a higher density than the polymer material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face member and the body member have complementary mating structures connecting the face member to the body member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The iron-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein one of the face member and the body member has a projection and another of the face member and the body member has a receiver that receives the projection to connect the face member to the body member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The iron-type golf club head of claim 10, wherein the projection comprises a ridge extending around at least a sole portion of a periphery of the face member. ### Claim 12 An iron-type golf club head comprising: a face member comprising a hosel, a face having a substantially flat ball striking surface configured for striking a ball, and a portion of a sole formed of a metallic material, wherein the face member is formed primarily of a metallic material, and wherein the face has a loft angle of about 20° to about 65°; a body member connected to the face member and forming at least a portion of an iron-type body extending rearward from the face, wherein the body member is formed at least partially of a polymer material, and wherein the body member extends from a heel side of the face member to a toe side of the face member; wherein the face member and the body member form an open rear cavity; wherein the body member has a fiber reinforced portion comprising the polymer material and containing a fiber reinforcing material within the polymer material; and wherein the fiber reinforced portion is connected to the face member by forming the polymer material of the fiber reinforced portion in connection with the face member using a co-molding process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The iron-type golf club head of claim 12, wherein the entire body member has the fiber reinforcing material engaged with the polymer material and reinforcing the polymer material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The iron-type golf club head of claim 12, wherein the face member and the body member have complementary mating structures connecting the face member to the body member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The iron-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein one of the face member and the body member has a projection and another of the face member and the body member has a receiver that receives the projection to connect the face member to the body member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The iron-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the face member has a dovetail mating structure and the body member has a complementary dovetail mating structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The iron-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the complementary mating structures comprise several structures spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The iron-type golf club head of claim 12, wherein the body member further comprises a doped portion containing a doping material dispersed within the polymer material, wherein the doping material has a higher density than the polymer material. ### Claim 19 A set of iron-type golf clubs comprising: six iron-type golf clubs, each having an iron-type golf club head comprising: a hosel, a face member having a substantially flat ball striking surface configured for striking a ball defined by a plurality of peripheral edges, wherein the face member has a peripheral wall extending rearwardly from the plurality of peripheral edges, wherein the face member is formed primarily of a metallic material, and wherein the face member has a loft angle of about 20° to about 65°; a body member connected to at least a portion of the peripheral wall, the body member forming at least a portion of an iron-type body extending rearward from the face, wherein the body member is formed at least partially of a polymer material, and wherein the body member extends from a heel side of the face member to a toe side of the face member; wherein the body member has a fiber reinforced portion containing a fiber reinforcing material dispersed within the polymer material; and wherein the face member and the body member form an open rear cavity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The set of iron-type golf clubs of claim 19, wherein the six iron-type golf clubs have different loft angles that increase in a sequence, such that the loft angle of each of the iron-type golf club head is about 5° greater than the loft angle of a previous iron-type golf club head in the sequence.