# US 2006/0154746 A1 · Method and apparatus for elastic tailoring of golf club impact > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2006/0154746 A1 - Document ID: US20060154746A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/314,521 - Filed: 2005-12-20 - Published: 2006-07-13 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-22 - Assignees: HEAD USA, Inc. - Inventors: Nesbitt Hagood; Jason Horodezky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20060154746A1 ## CPC - A63B 53/04: Heads - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0416: {Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert} - A63B 53/0454: {Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate} - A63B 53/0458: {with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate} - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 53/0487: {for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence)} - A63B 60/54: with means for damping vibrations - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for beneficially controlling the impact between a club head and a golf ball are described. A golf club head (such as on a driver, iron, or putter) has a body and a face mechanically supported thereon, wherein the face and body are elastically tailored to create beneficial face motion and deformation at impact. The tailored clubhead compliance is shown to influence impact properties and resulting ball parameters such as speed, direction and spin rates resulting from the impact event between the face of the club and the golf ball. Several embodiments are presented for controlling ball spin through design of the elastic and dynamic response of the face and body under impact loading. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club head defined by a ball hitting face and a body having a top, a sole, a toe, a heel and a rear surface; the head comprising: at least one flexure module interposed between said face and said rear surface of said body for controlled tangential motion of said face relative to said body upon impact of said head with a golf ball. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club head recited in claim 1 wherein said head is a golf club iron head. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The golf club head recited in claim 1 further comprising a planar backing structure behind said face and substantially parallel to said face. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The golf club head recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one flexure module comprises a folded beam having a face mount affixed to an elongated flexure beam for tangential elastic movement of the face. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The golf club head recited in claim 3 wherein said at least one flexure module comprises a folded beam having a face mount affixed to a first elongated flexure beam and at least one backing structure mount affixed to a second elongated flexure beam for tangential elastic movement of the face relative to a fixed backing structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The golf club head recited in claim 1, said head comprising a plurality of said flexure modules interposed between said face and said rear surface of said body for controlled tangential motion of said face relative to said body upon impact of said head with a golf ball. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The golf club head recited in claim 6 wherein each said flexure module comprises a folded beam having a face mount affixed to an elongated flexure beam for tangential elastic movement of the face. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The golf club head recited in claim 6 wherein each said flexure module comprises a folded beam having a face mount affixed to a first elongated flexure beam and at least one additional mount affixed to a second elongated flexure beam and to said body for tangential elastic movement of the face relative to said body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The golf club head recited in claim 6 further comprising a planar backing structure behind said face and substantially parallel to said face and affixed to said body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The golf club head recited in claim 9 wherein each said flexure module comprises a folded beam having a face mount and a backing structure mount for permitting controlled tangential elastic movement of said face relative to said backing structure. ### Claim 11 A golf club head having a ball hitting face and a body defined by a top, a sole, a toe, a heel and a rear surface; the head comprising a face configured for limited tangential motion relative to said body in response to impact of said head with a golf ball. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is elastically supported relative to said body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said head is a golf club iron head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is supported by a plurality of elastic mounts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is supported by at least one elastic motion mount on an elongated beam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The golf club head recited in claim 15 wherein said beam has a varying thickness along its length. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The golf club head recited in claim 16 wherein said beam is thinner at its center than at its ends. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is supported on a plurality of elastic mounts supported on a folded beam extending to said rear surface of said body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is configured for limited tangential motion which decreases golf ball spin in response to impact with said golf ball. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is configured for limited tangential motion which increases golf ball spin in response to impact with said golf ball. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is configured for limited tangential motion which alters ball spin in a direction between said body top and sole. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is configured for limited tangential motion which alters ball spin in a direction between said body heel and toe. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The golf club head recited in claim 11 wherein said face is configured for limited tangential motion which alters the trajectory of a golf ball impacted by said golf club head. ### Claim 24 A method of elastic tailoring of a golf club head to alter the trajectory of a golf ball impacted by the head; the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a golf club head having a face that is free to move tangentially relative to the body of the head in response to golf ball impact; b) attaching the face to the body by an elastic structural support; and c) tailoring the elastic structural support to produce face motion to achieve a desired altering effect on the golf ball. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method recited in claim 24 wherein step c) is performed to produce a change in ball spin resulting from impact by said face.