# US 11,998,812 B2 · Club heads having reinforced club head faces and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,812 B2 - Document ID: US11998812B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/816,295 - Filed: 2022-07-29 - Published: 2022-11-17 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-15 - Assignees: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation - Applicants: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation - Inventors: Jacob T. Clarke; Ryan M. Stokke; Cory S. Bacon; Martin R. Jertson; Eric J. Morales - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998812B2 ## CPC - A63B 53/0475: {with one or more enclosed cavities} - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B 53/06: adjustable - A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like - A63B 60/002: {Resonance frequency related characteristics} - A63B 60/02: Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass (A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence) - A63B 60/54: with means for damping vibrations - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0416: {Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert} - A63B 53/0445: {Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface} - A63B 53/0454: {Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate} - A63B 53/0458: {with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate} - A63B 60/52: with slits - A63B 2053/0491: {with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable} - Y10T 29/49828: Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Some embodiments include club heads having reinforced club head faces. In one example, the club head comprises a variable face thickness with thickened and thinned regions. The face includes a thinned perimeter region positioned near a perimeter of the face, and a thickened central region positioned over a geometric center of the face. The club head further comprises a 360 undercut that extends along the entire perimeter of the face. The combination of the thinned perimeter region, thickened central region, and 360 undercut reinforces the club head while permitting the face to bend. Other embodiments of related club heads and methods are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club head comprising: a front end and a rear end; a face element comprising a face surface located at the front end and a rear surface located at the rear end; the face element comprises a face center, a face perimeter, and a thickness measured from the face surface to the rear surface; the face element includes a perimeter region comprising a constant perimeter thickness and extending inward from the face perimeter toward the face center; the face element includes a transition region comprising a varying transition thickness and extending inward from the perimeter region toward the face center; the face element includes a central region encompassing the face center, the central region comprising a constant central thickness and extending inward from the transition region toward the face center; wherein the perimeter thickness comprises a minimum thickness of the face element; wherein the central thickness comprises a maximum thickness of the face element; a top end and a bottom end; the top end having a top rail extending in an arcuate fashion toward the bottom end to form a top rail wall; the bottom end having a sole and a rear portion that integrally forms with the sole, where the rear portion extends upward toward the top end; a toe end and a heel end; wherein the toe end comprises a toe ledge extending in a curved manner between the top rail and rear portion, the toe ledge is integral with the top rail wall and the rear portion; and wherein the heel end comprises a heel ledge extending in a curved manner between the top rail and the rear portion, the heel ledge is integral with the top rail wall and the rear portion; an undercut comprising a first cavity, and a second cavity; the first cavity is formed between the rear surface and the top rail wall, the first cavity having a first depth ranging from 0.115 inch to 0.135 inch; the second cavity is formed between the rear surface and the rear portion, the second cavity having a second depth ranging from 0.460 inch to 0.580 inch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity, are interrupted and non-continuous by an interrupting structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein: the perimeter thickness ranges from 0.06 inch to 0.10 inch; and the central thickness ranges from 0.09 inch to 0.15 inch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a cascading sole at the bottom end of the second cavity, wherein the cascading sole comprises a first tier, a second tier, and a third tier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first tier comprises a greater thickness than a thickness of the second tier, and the second tier comprises a greater thickness than a thickness of the third tier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central region comprises a central region center offset from the face center. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a first aperture positioned at the toe end of the club head and a second aperture positioned in a hosel of the club head, wherein the first aperture is configured to receive a first weight and the second aperture is configured to receive a second weight. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the club head comprises a club head center of gravity position, the first weight comprise a first weight center of gravity position, the second weight comprises a second weight center of gravity position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The golf club head of claim 8, wherein a first distance is defined between the club head center of gravity position and the first weight center of gravity position, and a second distance is defined between the club head center of gravity position and the second weight center of gravity position, wherein the first distance and the second distance are equal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the club head can comprise 5 to 15 grams more weight at the heel end than the toe end of the club head. ### Claim 11 A golf club head comprising: a front end and a rear end; a face element comprising a face surface located at the front end and a rear surface located at the rear end; the face element comprises a face center, a face perimeter, and a thickness measured from the face surface to the rear surface; the face element includes a perimeter region comprising a constant perimeter thickness and extending inward from the face perimeter toward the face center; the face element includes a transition region comprising a varying transition thickness and extending inward from the perimeter region toward the face center; the face element includes a central region encompassing the face center, the central region comprising a constant central thickness and extending inward from the transition region toward the face center; wherein the perimeter thickness comprises a minimum thickness of the face element; wherein the central thickness comprises a maximum thickness of the face element; a top end and a bottom end; the top end having a top rail extending in an arcuate fashion toward the bottom end to form a top rail wall; the bottom end having a sole and a rear portion that integrally forms with the sole, where the rear portion extends upward toward the top end; a toe end and a heel end; wherein the toe end comprises a toe ledge extending in a curved manner between the top rail and the rear portion, the toe ledge is integral with the top rail wall and the rear portion; and wherein the heel end comprises a heel ledge extending in a curved manner between the top rail and the rear portion, the heel ledge is integral with the top rail wall and the rear portion; an undercut comprising a first cavity, a second cavity, and a third cavity; wherein: the first cavity is formed between the rear surface and the top rail wall, the first cavity having a first depth ranging from 0.115 inch to 0.135 inch; the second cavity is formed between the rear surface and the rear portion, the second cavity having a second depth ranging from 0.460 inch to 0.580 inch; the third cavity is formed between the rear surface and the toe ledge having a third depth ranging from 0.140 inch to 0.165 inch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The golf club head of claim 11, wherein: the perimeter thickness ranges from 0.06 inch to 0.10 inch; and the central thickness ranges from 0.09 inch to 0.15 inch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The golf club head of claim 11 further comprising a cascading sole at the bottom end of the second cavity, wherein the cascading sole comprises a first tier, a second tier, and a third tier. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the first tier comprises a greater thickness than a thickness of the second tier, and the second tier comprises a greater thickness than a thickness of the third tier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, the third cavity, are all integrally connected and continuous. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the central region comprises a central region center offset from the face center. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The golf club head of claim 11, further comprising a first aperture positioned at the toe end of the club head and a second aperture positioned in a hosel of the club head, wherein the first aperture is configured to receive a first weight and the second aperture is configured to receive a second weight. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The golf club head of claim 17, where the first weight comprises a weight greater than a weight of the second weight. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the club head comprises a club head center of gravity position, the first weight comprises a first weight center of gravity position, and the second weight comprises a second weight center of gravity position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The golf club head of claim 19, wherein a first distance is defined between the club head center of gravity position and the first weight center of gravity position, and a second distance is defined between the club head center of gravity position and the second weight center of gravity position, wherein the first distance and the second distance are equal.