# US 2017/0282020 A1 · Metal wood club > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0282020 A1 - Document ID: US20170282020A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/624,543 - Filed: 2017-06-15 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-31 - Assignees: Acushnet Company - Applicants: Acushnet Company - Inventors: David M. Shear - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282020A1 ## CPC - A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like - A63B 53/00: Golf clubs - A63B 53/04: Heads - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 60/52: with slits - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0412: {Volume} - A63B 53/0416: {Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert} - A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations} - A63B 53/0458: {with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate} - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A golf club head is provided having a body and a face, with a slot in a perimeter region of the body of the club head adjacent the face. The slot increases the flex of the hitting surface on impact with a golf ball, thereby increasing the speed with which the ball rebounds off the hitting face and increases the overall distance the ball is hit. The slot preferably moves the sweet spot of the hitting face a distance X from the face center of the hitting face. The slot may be partially or wholly filled with an insert. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club head, the club head comprising: a face having a geometric face center and an area of maximum coefficient of restitution, wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is greater than about 0.8, wherein the face has at least two portions having different thicknesses; a hollow body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, a hosel, a crown portion and a heel portion, the hollow body defining a perimeter region and an inner cavity, wherein a slot is formed in the sole portion and at least a portion of the slot forms an opening into the inner cavity of the hollow body; and an elastomeric material disposed in the slot, and at least partially filling the slot, wherein the elastomeric material extends into the inner cavity, and wherein the elastomeric material is held within the slot by at least one of an interference fit and an adhesive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed within a zone on the face and the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed less than 20 mm from the geometric face center, and wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is at least about 0.81. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is at least about 0.82. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the body forming a side of the slot extends further into the inner cavity than a second portion of the body forming a side of the slot opposite the first portion to form a pathway to the inner cavity of the hollow body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the elastomeric material fills at least a portion of the pathway, wherein a first thickness of a first portion of the elastomeric material within the pathway is different than a second thickness of a second portion of the elastomeric material that is disposed in the inner cavity of the hollow body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material is an elastomeric insert that has a protrusion, wherein the protrusion engages a wall of the slot so that the insert is kept within the slot through normal use of the golf club head. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the wall of the slot includes a groove and the protrusion extends into the groove. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed less than 10 mm from the geometric face center. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed within 2 mm of the geometric face center. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the slot comprises multiple openings into the inner cavity of the hollow body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the slot has a width of greater than 1 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the slot has a length of greater than 15 mm. ### Claim 13 A golf club head, the club head comprising: a face having a geometric face center and an area of maximum coefficient of restitution, wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is greater than about 0.8, wherein the face has at least two portions having different thicknesses; a hollow body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, a hosel, a crown portion and a heel portion, the hollow body defining a perimeter region and an inner cavity, wherein a slot is formed in the sole portion and at least a portion of the slot forms an opening into the inner cavity of the hollow body, wherein a first portion of the body forms a side of the slot closer to the face than a second portion of the body forming a side of the slot opposite the first portion, wherein the first portion extends further into the inner cavity than the second portion to form a pathway to the inner cavity of the hollow body; and an elastomeric material disposed in the slot, and at least partially filling the slot, wherein the elastomeric material extends into the inner cavity, and wherein the elastomeric material is held within the slot by at least one of an interference fit and an adhesive. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the elastomeric material fills at least a portion of the pathway, wherein a first thickness of a first portion of the elastomeric material within the pathway is different than a second thickness of a second portion of the elastomeric material that is disposed in the inner cavity of the hollow body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed less than 10 mm from the geometric face center. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the slot is substantially filled with an elastomeric material that is exposed to the inner cavity of the hollow body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the elastomeric material wholly fills the slot. ### Claim 18 A golf club head, the club head comprising: a face having a geometric face center and an area of maximum coefficient of restitution, wherein the face has at least two portions having different thicknesses; a hollow body having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole portion, a hosel, a crown portion and a heel portion, the hollow body defining a perimeter region and an inner cavity, wherein a slot is formed in the sole portion and at least a portion of the slot forms an opening into the inner cavity of the hollow body; and an elastomeric insert disposed in the slot, and at least partially filling the slot, wherein the elastomeric insert has a protrusion, wherein the protrusion engages a wall of the slot so that the insert is kept within the slot through normal use of the golf club head, wherein the elastomeric insert is held within the slot by at least one of an interference fit and an adhesive, wherein the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed within a zone on the face and the area of maximum coefficient of restitution is disposed less than 20 mm from the geometric face center, and wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is at least about 0.81. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the wall of the slot includes a groove and the protrusion extends into the groove. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the maximum coefficient of restitution is at least about 0.82.