Golf Club Head

• US 20060148586A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Hettinger, Ronald K., Hallack, Michael, Tang, Larry G., Gibbs, Evan D., Stevens, Daniel M., Williams, Luke R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,166,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• 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 53/042 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 head (42) having a substantially square or rectangular body is disclosed herein. The golf club head (42) preferably has a volume ranging from 420 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (42) preferably has a moment of inertia about the lzz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 4000 grams-centimeters squared, and a moment of inertia about the lxx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a front wall having a perimeter;

a heel wall extending 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches rearward from the perimeter of the front wall;

an aft wall substantially perpendicular to the heel wall, the aft wall extending from 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches from an aft edge of the heel wall; and

a toe wall substantially perpendicular to the aft wall, the toe wall extending from 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches from an aft edge of the toe wall.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the heel wall, the aft wall and the toe wall each have the same height.

3. The golf club head according to claim 2 wherein the heel wall, the aft wall and the toe wall each have a height ranging from 1.5 inches to 3.0 inches.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein a volume of the golf club head ranges from 350 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein a volume of the golf club head ranges from 400 cubic centimeters to 460 cubic centimeters.

6. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a crown, a sole, a heel wall, an rear wall, and a toe wall,

wherein the body has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters, and

wherein each of the rear wall, the toe wall and the heel wall is substantially straight.

7. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the body has a geometric center point, an aft-heel edge point and an aft-toe edge point, wherein the distance from the geometric center point to the aft-heel edge point is equal to the distance from the geometric center point to the aft-toe edge point.

8. The golf club head according to claim 6 further comprising an aft-heel curvature section between the aft wall and the heel wall, and an aft-toe curvature section between the aft wall and the toe wall.

9. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein each of the aft-heel curvature section and the aft-toe curvature section has a curvature length ranging from 0.5 inch to 1.0 inch.

10. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the heel wall extends rearward from a perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 50% of the length of the heel wall at an angle of 80 degrees to 90 degrees relative to relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the face.

11. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the heel wall extends rearward from a perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 66% of the length of the heel wall at an angle of 80 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the face.

12. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the heel wall extends rearward from a perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 75% of the length of the heel wall at an angle of 80 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the face.

13. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the heel wall extends rearward from a perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 90% of the length of the heel wall at an angle of 80 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the face.

14. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the heel wall extends rearward from a perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 95% of the length of the heel wall at an angle of 70 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the face.

15. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the distance from the geometric center point to the aft-heel edge point and the distance from the geometric center point to the aft-toe edge point are the greatest length of the geometric center point to a location on the golf club head.

16. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a first material, the face component comprising a striking plate portion and a return portion, the return portion extending a distance ranging from 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate portion; and

a substantially square aft-body coupled to the return portion of the face component, the aft-body composed of a second material having a density less than that of the first material, the aft-body comprising a crown portion, a sole portion, the sole portion having a bottom section and a ribbon section, the ribbon section being located between the crown portion and the bottom section of the sole portion, wherein the golf club head is substantially square.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a ribbon and a striking plate,

wherein the golf club head has a volume less than 460 cubic centimeters, a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, a moment of inertia about the lzz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 4000 grams-centimeters squared, and a moment of inertia about the lxx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared.

18. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a first material, the face component comprising a striking plate portion and a return portion, the return portion extending rearward from a perimeter of the striking plate portion; and

an aft-body coupled to the return portion of the face component, the aft-body composed of a second material having a density less than that of the first material, the aft-body comprising a crown portion, a sole portion, the sole portion having a bottom section and a ribbon section,

wherein the golf club head has a volume less than 460 cubic centimeters, a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, a moment of inertia about the lzz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 4000 grams-centimeters squared, and a moment of inertia about the lxx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared.

20. The golf club head according to claim 18 wherein the golf club head has a volume less than 460 cubic centimeters, a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, a moment of inertia about the lzz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 4000 grams-centimeters squared, and a moment of inertia about the lxx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared.

19. A golf club head comprising:

a front wall having a perimeter;

a heel wall extending rearward from the perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 66% of the length of the heel wall at an angle of 80 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the front wall;

an aft wall extending from 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches from an aft edge of the heel wall; and

a toe wall extending rearward from the perimeter of the front wall a distance of least 66% of the length of the toe wall at an angle of 80 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the farthest extent of the front wall,

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 420 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters.

21. The golf club head according to claim 19 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the lyy axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared.