PLATED MAGNESIUM GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20050215350A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Byrne, Wayne H., Reyes, Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,063,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/344
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60) and an aft-body (61) is disclosed herein. The face component (60) has a striking plate portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61) is composed of a crown portion (62), a sole portion (64) and optionally a ribbon section (90). The face component (60) is composed of a metal material, and the aft-body (61) is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum. A plating layer (300) is disposed on at least a portion of the aft-body (61). The plating layer (300) preferably comprises a nickel or nickel-based alloy material. The club head (42) preferably has a volume in the range of 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a magnesium alloy material, the body comprising at least a portion of a sole and a portion of a crown of the golf club head; and

a plating deposited on the portion of the sole of the body, the plating comprising a nickel or nickel-based alloy material.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating has a thickness ranging from 0.0002 inch to 0.002 inch.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the nickel or nickel-based alloy material comprises a layer of MAGENTA electroless nickel and a layer of medium or high phosphorus electroless nickel.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating further comprises a zinc layer.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating further comprises a chromium layer.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating further comprises a tin-cobalt layer.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating further comprises a copper layer.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating further comprises a zinc layer on the magnesium alloy material, a copper layer on the zinc layer, the nickel or nickel-based alloy on the copper layer, and a tin-cobalt or chromium layer on the nickel or nickel-based alloy layer.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plating has a Rockwell C hardness greater than 50.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a plating material on the crown portion of the body.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a striking plate portion and a return portion, the striking plate portion having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return portion having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch;

an aft-body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, magnesium alloys, aluminum, and aluminum alloys, the aft-body having a crown portion, a sole portion and a ribbon portion, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component; and

a plating layer disposed on the aft-body, the plating layer comprising nickel or nickel-based alloy material.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the plating layer has a thickness ranging from 0.0002 inch to 0.002 inch.

13. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the plating layer comprises a layer of MAGENTA electroless nickel and a layer of medium or high phosphorus electroless nickel.

14. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the plating layer further comprises a zinc layer on the metal aft-body, a copper layer on the zinc layer, the nickel or nickel-based alloy on the copper layer, and a tin-cobalt or chromium layer on the nickel or nickel-based alloy layer.

15. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the aft-body is composed of an injection molded metal material.

16. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

17. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis of the golf club head is greater than 3000 g-cm².

18. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the face component is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy, amorphous metal, stainless steel and maraging steel.

19. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the nickel or nickel-based alloy is deposited by an electrolytic process.

20. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the nickel or nickel-based alloy is deposited by an electroless process.

21. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a striking plate portion and a return portion, the striking plate portion having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return portion having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, the return portion extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches;

an aft-body comprising an upper section and a lower section, the upper section comprising a crown portion and an upper ribbon portion and the lower section comprising a sole portion and a lower ribbon portion, the aft-body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, magnesium alloys, aluminum, and aluminum alloys, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component, the aft-body having a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.100 inch; and

a plating layer disposed on the aft-body, the plating layer comprising nickel or a nickel-based alloy material, the plating layer having a thickness ranging from 0.0002 inch to 0.002 inch.

22. A golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a magnesium alloy material, the body comprising at least a portion of a sole and a portion of a crown of the golf club head; and

a plating deposited on the portion of the sole of the body, the plating comprising an electroless nickel layer and a layer of one of a medium phosphorus nickel-based alloy material or a high phosphorus nickel-based alloy material.

23. The golf club head according to claim 22 further comprising a striking plate coupled to the body, the striking plate being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, amorphous metals, and stainless steel.

24. The golf club head according to claim 22 wherein the plating further comprises a chromium layer.

25. A method for producing a nickel-plated magnesium component for a golf club head, the method comprising:

de-ionizing a component for a golf club head, the component composed of magnesium or a magnesium alloy material; and

electroless plating the component with a nickel or nickel-based alloy material to create a nickel-plated component having a plating layer with a thickness ranging from 0.0002 inch to 0.002 inch.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein electroless plating the component includes electroless plating the component first with a MAGENTA and then with a medium or high phosphorus nickel or a high phosphorus nickel.

27. The method according to claim 25 further comprising applying a plasma vapor deposition coating to the nickel-plated component.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the plasma vapor deposition coating comprises a titanium nitride or a titanium aluminum carbide.

29. The method according to claim 25 further comprising applying a chemical vapor deposition coating to the nickel-plated component.

30. The method according to claim 25 further comprising treating the component with ammonium fluoride to inhibit oxidation of the magnesium.

31. The method according to claim 25 further comprising applying a zinc layer prior to electroless plating.

32. The method according to claim 31 further comprising applying a copper layer to the zinc layer prior to electroless plating.

33. The method according to claim 32 further comprising applying a tin-cobalt layer subsequent to electroless plating.

34. The method according to claim 32 further comprising applying a chromium layer subsequent to electroless plating.

35. The method according to claim 25 wherein the component of the golf club head is a sole section.

36. The method according to claim 25 wherein the component of the golf club head is an aft-body.

37. A golf club head comprising:

a first part composed of a first material and having a mass ranging from 50 grams to 110 grams;

a second part attached to the first part, the second part composed of a second material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, magnesium alloy, aluminum, and aluminum alloy, the second part having a mass ranging from 10 grams to 60 grams; and

a plating layer on at least a portion of the second part, the plating layer having a mass ranging from 0.5 grams to 5 grams,

wherein the golf club head has a mass ranging from 150 grams to 300 grams.

38. The golf club head according to claim 37 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 465 cubic centimeters.

39. The golf club head according to claim 37 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about the Z-axis of the center of gravity ranging from 2800 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm².

40. The golf club head according to claim 37 wherein the first part is a face component including a striking plate portion and a return portion, and wherein the second part is connected to the return portion of the first part.

41. The golf club head according to claim 37 wherein the first part is composed of a titanium alloy material.