Golf Club Head

• US 20050272528A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Nigro, Anthony V., Erickson, Matthew J., Kosmatka, John B., Ehlers, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,144,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3206 aliphatic

Abstract

A golf club head having a matrix layer composed of an interconnected reinforcement structure and a polymer material is disclosed herein. The matrix layer provides the golf club head with a greater coefficient of restitution during impact with a golf ball. The matrix layer is preferably disposed within a recess in the front wall of the body of the golf club head. The interconnected reinforcement structure is preferably composed of interconnected hexagonal cells.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a metallic material and including a front wall having a recess formed therein, the front wall having an exterior surface; and

a matrix layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the matrix layer disposed within the recess of the front wall with the interior surface of the matrix layer disposed on the exterior surface of the front wall, the matrix layer comprising

an integrated reinforcement structure having a plurality of integrated walls forming a plurality of integrated cells, each of the plurality of integrated cells having a cell size ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.375 inch, and

a polymer material substantially filling each of the plurality of integrated cells of the integrated reinforcement structure.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the club head is a putter-type golf club head.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the club head is an iron-type golf club head.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the club head is a wood-type golf club head.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the recess in the front wall of the body has a depth ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, and wherein the matrix layer has a thickness ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the integrated reinforcement structure is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aramid fiber, fiberglass, carbon and polyurethae.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the integrated reinforcement structure has a hexagonal grid configuration.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the integrated walls of the integrated reinforcement structure has a wall thickness ranging from 0.0005 inch to 0.01 inch.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the polymer material is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane and polycarbonate blend, ABS polymer, ABS and polyamide blend, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, polyphenylene ether and polystyrene blend, amorphous thermoplastic polymer, ABS and polycarbonate blend, and nylon 6 with nano polymer.

10. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a metallic material and including a front wall having a recess formed therein, the front wall having an exterior surface, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters; and

a matrix layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the matrix layer disposed within the recess of the front wall with the interior surface of the matrix layer disposed on the exterior surface of the front wall, the matrix layer comprising

a reinforcement structure having a plurality of walls forming a plurality of cells, and

a polymer material substantially filling each of the plurality of cells of the reinforcement structure;

wherein the golf cub head has a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.80 to 0.87.

11. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the polymer material is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane and polycarbonate blend, ABS polymer, ABS and polyamide blend, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, polyphenylene ether and polystyrene blend, amorphous thermoplastic polymer, ABS and polycarbonate blend, and nylon 6 with nano polymer.

12. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the reinforcement structure is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aramid fiber, fiberglass, carbon and polyurethane.

13. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the reinforcement structure is absent from the center of the face.

14. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about the Z axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 2700 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².