Multi-material golf club head

• US 10,350,464 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Myrhum, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse, Nini F
• Application Number:
  US15/386,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20170136319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 473345, 473349
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head made out of multi-material is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has at least a portion of the body of the golf club head that is further comprised out of a base layer and a lightweight cover layer. The base layer may have a plurality of cutouts to help reduce unnecessary mass and the lightweight cover layer may be made out of an ultra-lightweight material to further reduce the unnecessary mass. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the base layer may have one or more ribs to provide structural rigidity to the base layer.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; and

a body portion attached to an aft portion of said striking face portion further comprising a crown portion and a sole portion;

wherein said least one of said crown portion or said sole portion further comprises a base layer and a lightweight cover layer;

said base layer further comprises a plurality of cutouts and at least one rib, said at least one rib is attached to an internal surface of said base layer,

wherein said at least one rib is in the shape of a “

T”

, and

wherein an outer surface of said base layer contacts an inner surface of said lightweight cover layer.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said at least one rib at least partially traverses at one least one of said plurality of cutouts.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said at least one rib completely traverses at least one of said plurality of cutouts.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said at least one rib completely traverses two or more of said plurality of cutouts.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said at least one rib completely traverse no more than one of said plurality of cutouts.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said at least one rib substantially spans an entirety of said crown in a heel to toe orientation.

7. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said at least one rib substantially spans an entirety of said crown in a front to back orientation.

8. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said lightweight cover layer has an Internal Exposure Percentage of between about 15% and about 60%.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein said lightweight cover layer has an Internal Exposure Percentage of between about 20% and about 50%.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said lightweight cover layer has an Internal Exposure Percentage of between about 25% and about 45%.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; and

a body portion attached to an aft portion of said striking face portion further comprising a crown portion and a sole portion;

wherein sat least one of said crown portion or said sole portion further comprises a base layer and a lightweight cover layer;

said base layer further comprises a plurality of cutouts and at least one rib, said at least one rib is attached to an internal surface of said base layer, and

wherein said at least one rib is in the shape of a “

T”

, and

wherein said lightweight cover layer has an Internal Exposure Percentage of between about 25% to about 40%.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said lightweight cover layer has an Internal Exposure Percentage of between about 20% and about 50%.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said lightweight cover layer has an Internal Exposure Percentage of between about 25% and about 45%.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein said lightweight cover layer is made out of a material with a density of less than about 2.7 g/cm³.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein said lightweight cover layer is made out of a material with a density of less than about 1.75 g/cm³.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein said lightweight cover layer is made out of a material with a density of less than about 1.50 g/cm³.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said lightweight cover layer is made out of a composite material.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein said “

T”

shaped at least one rib has an overall width of between about 4 mm and about 6 mm, an overall height of between about 1 mm to about 3 mm, and a material thickness of about 0.5 mm.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein said “

T”

shaped at least one rib is made out of a material with a density of between about 4.0 g/cm³ and about 4.7 g/cm³.

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein said “

T”

shaped at least one rib is made out of a titanium material.