Golf club

• US 10,286,266 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Wester, Christian Reber, Sargent, Nathan T., Nielson, Joseph Reeve, Harbert, Christopher John, Jeon, Hong G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dennis, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US15/954,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20180280769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

In one embodiment the golf club head includes three main components, a frame component, a rear cap component, and a striking plate.

In another embodiment the club head may also comprise a front component, which is manufactured as a single unitary piece, and a rear cap component. The front component may also be overmolded by a thermoplastic polymeric outer portion which may or may not cover the striking face and which provides additional reinforcement at the load bearing sections of the club head and allows a more facile connection to the rear cap component.

In another embodiment, a club head having a main body, crown insert, sole insert and metal face plate frame is formed by forming the sole insert and crown insert from a polymeric material using a thermoforming or thermosetting process and then injection molding the main body over the sole insert, crown insert and metal face plate frame.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a face, sole, crown, heel and toe, the golf club head comprising:

a front component made of a metal or metal alloy, the front component having surfaces forming at least a portion of the face, sole, crown, heel and toe;

a rear body joined to the front component to provide a hollow club head having an interior volume, the rear body comprising at least in part a polymeric material and having at least one opening; and

at least one reinforcing insert joined to the front component and rear body along one or more of the crown, sole, heel or toe, wherein the rear body is overmolded over the at least one reinforcing insert, and the at least one reinforcing insert overlies the at least one opening and forms part of an exterior surface of the head.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the front component defines an opening in the face to which a face plate may be joined.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the rear body comprises a material selected from the group of PES, PESU, PPSU and polysulfones and any combinations thereof.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the front component comprises a material selected from the group of titanium, one or more titanium alloys, aluminum, one or more aluminum alloys, steel, one or more steel alloys, and any combinations thereof.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the rear body comprises a material selected from the group of thermoset polymers, thermoplastic polymers, aromatic polysulfones and any combinations thereof.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the rear body comprises a material selected from the group of thermoset polyurethanes, thermoset polyureas, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyureas, polyamides (PA), polyketones (PK), polyphenylene sulfides (PPS), polyphthalamides (PPA), thermoplastic urethane (TPU) and any combination thereof.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the rear body is formed of at least two layers, including an injection-molded inner layer and an outer composite layer.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein the injection-molded inner layer includes a material selected from the group of thermoset polyurethanes, thermoset polyureas, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyureas, polyamides (PA), polyketones (PK), polyphenylene sulfides (PPS), polyphthalamides (PPA), thermoplastic urethane (TPU) and any combination thereof.

9. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein the outer composite layer is a continuous fiber composite laminate material.

10. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein the inner and outer layers each include materials having compatible polymer matrices to facilitate bonding therebetween.

11. A golf club head having a face, sole, crown, heel, and toe, the club head comprising:

a face component having surfaces defining the face, a portion of the sole, a portion of the crown, a portion of the toe, and a portion of the heel;

a rear shell joined to the face component to provide a club head having an interior volume, the rear shell comprising at least two layers including an injection molded inner layer and an outer composite layer, the rear shell having an exterior surface with at least one opening; and

at least one reinforcing insert joined to the face component and rear shell along one or more of the sole, crown, heel or toe, the at least one reinforcing insert overlying the at least one opening and being flush with the exterior surface.

12. The club head of claim 11 wherein the rear shell comprises material selected from the group of thermoset polymers, thermoplastic polymers, and any combinations thereof.

13. The club head of claim 11 wherein the outer composite layer is a continuous fiber composite laminate material.