Golf club head or other ball striking device having face deformation limiting member

A golf club head comprising:

• a face having a ball striking surface adapted to impact a golf ball and an inner surface opposite the ball striking surface,
• the face being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges;
• a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face,
• wherein the face and the body define an interior cavity and an interior surface surrounding the interior cavity and further define a volume of at least 400 cc;
• and
• a plurality of deformation limiting members located behind the face, each having a first portion extending toward an inner surface of the face and extending toward the interior cavity from a fixed end at the interior surface spaced a first rearward distance from a first of the peripheral edges of the face, and
• wherein each of the plurality of deformation limiting members has a second portion extending toward the inner surface of the face and extending toward the interior cavity from a fixed end at the interior surface spaced a second rearward distance from a second of the peripheral edges of the face,
• the first and second portions of each of the plurality of deformation limiting members each have a free end spaced a third rearward distance from the inner surface of the face,
• wherein a gap is formed between the plurality of deformation limiting members and the inner surface of the face, and
• wherein for each of the plurality of deformation limiting members the first rearward distance and the second rearward distance are greater than the third rearward distance such that the gap is greater at the fixed end than at the free end;
• wherein the face and the plurality of deformation limiting members are adapted such that an impact of the golf ball on the ball striking surface causes deformation of the face toward each of the free ends of the first and second portions of the plurality of deformation limiting members, and
• wherein when the deformation of the face is sufficient to cause the inner surface of the face to engage at least one of the free ends of the plurality of deformation limiting members,
• wherein the plurality of deformation limiting members exert a force on the face to resist further deformation of the face;
• and
• wherein the first portion of each of the plurality of deformation limiting members comprises a flange extending from a top side of the interior surface and the second portion of each of the plurality of deformation limiting members comprises a flange extending from a bottom side of the interior surface,
• wherein the first portion and the second portion of each of the plurality of deformation limiting members extend from a toe side of the body to a heel side of the body, and
• wherein the first portion and the second portion of each of the plurality of deformation limiting members are separate members.

A golf club head comprising:

• a face member forming a face having a ball striking surface adapted to impact a golf ball and an inner surface opposite the ball striking surface;
• a body member connected to the face member,
• wherein the face member and the body member define an interior cavity and an inner surface surrounding the interior cavity,
• the body member having a front end with an opening receiving the face member therein and a rear end extending rearwardly from the front end to form a body extending rearward from the face;
• and
• a plurality of deformation limiting members comprises a flange,
• wherein each of the plurality of deformation limiting members have a fixed end spaced a first rearward distance from the inner surface of the face that is connected to the inner surface of the body,
• each of the plurality of deformation limiting members extending toward the inner surface of the face and inwardly toward the interior cavity from each of the fixed ends at the inner surface of the body member,
• wherein each of the plurality of deformation limiting members have a free end spaced a second rearward distance from the inner surface of the face,
• wherein a gap is formed between each of the plurality of deformation limiting members and the inner surface of the face, and
• wherein the first rearward distance is greater than the second rearward distance such that the gap is greater at the fixed end than at the free end for each of the plurality of deformation limiting members;
• wherein the face member and each of the plurality of deformation limiting members are adapted such that an impact of the golf ball on the ball striking surface causes deformation of the face toward the plurality deformation limiting members, and
• wherein when the deformation of the face is sufficient to cause the inner surface of the face to engage the free ends of the plurality of deformation limiting members, the plurality of deformation limiting members exert a force on the face to resist further deformation of the face, and
• wherein the flange forms an inner edge at the free ends of the plurality of deformation limiting members, wherein the inner edge forms an elliptical shape.