Multi-material golf club head

• US 20080058119A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Morris, Thomas, Soracco, Peter, Roach, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0479 Wedge-type clubs, details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0458 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 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head formed of multiple materials is disclosed. Those portions of the club head that are subject to high stresses during normal use of the golf club head are formed of a metallic material. Most of the material beyond what is required to maintain structural integrity, however, is removed and replaced with a lightweight material. This freed-up mass that can be redistributed to other, more beneficial locations of the club head. The lightweight material also damps vibrations generated during use of the golf club. This vibration damper may be retained in a state of compression to enhance the vibration damping. One or more weight members may be included to obtain desired center of gravity position, moments of inertia, and other club head attributes. A insert formed of multiple materials and having regions of varying thickness may also be included on a rear surface of the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body including a front wall defining a striking face and a rear surface opposite said striking face; and

an insert coupled to said rear surface, said insert having a varying rearward thickness.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said insert includes distinct regions having different thicknesses.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said insert comprises a first region of greatest thickness, said first region comprising a major portion of said insert.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said insert has a rear surface area and said first region comprises approximately 40-75% of said rear surface area, the remainder of said rear surface area being of substantially uniform thickness.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, further comprising a thickness transition zone between said first region and said remainder.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said striking face defines a hitting region and said insert is positioned such that said first region is opposite said hitting region.

7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

said insert includes a first region having a first thickness and a second region having a second thickness; and

said first thickness being greater than said second thickness.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein said striking face defines a hitting region and said insert is positioned such that said first region is opposite said hitting region and said second region substantially surrounds said hitting region.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein said first region is offset from said second region.

10. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein said first thickness is 2 to 4 times said second thickness.

11. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein said second region extends from an upper heel area of the club head to a lower toe area of the club head.

12. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein:

said insert includes a first region having a first thickness, a second region having a second thickness, and a third region having a third thickness; and

said first thickness being greater than said second thickness and said second thickness being greater than said third thickness.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said first thickness is from 0.07 to 0.09 inch, said second thickness is from 0.03 to 0.05 inch, and said third thickness is from 0.01 to 0.03 inch.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said first thickness is at least twice said second thickness and said second thickness is at least twice the third thickness.

15. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said insert has a rear surface area and said first region comprises approximately 40-75% of said rear surface area, said second region comprises approximately 10-25% of said rear surface area, and said third region comprises 5-25% of said rear surface area.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said first region is positioned in a lower portion of the club head, said second region is positioned in an intermediate portion of the club head, and said third region is positioned in an upper portion of said club head.

17. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said body further includes a sole wall defining a sole and an upper surface opposite said sole, said upper surface defining a recess extending toward said sole, the golf club head further comprising a plated plastic insert assembly coupled to said body within said recess.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein said upper surface further defines a secondary recess extending toward said sole, said secondary recess located beneath said plated plastic insert assembly.

19. A golf club head, comprising:

a body including a front wall defining a striking face and a rear surface opposite said striking face; and

an insert assembly coupled to said rear surface, said insert assembly comprising both a free-layer damper and a constrained-layer damper.

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein said constrained-layer damper is positioned opposite a hitting region of said striking face and said free-layer damper is positioned to substantially surround an area opposite said hitting region.

21. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein said constrained-layer damper is positioned in a low region of said rear surface adjacent a sole of the club head and said free-layer damper extends from an upper heel area of the club head to a lower toe area of the club head.

22. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein said insert assembly comprises

a first component formed of a viscoelastic material and positioned adjacent said rear surface;

and

a second component formed of a relatively rigid material and positioned adjacent to and rearward of said first component.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein said first component has distinct regions of varying thickness, including a first region having a first thickness positioned opposite a hitting region of said striking face and a second region having a second thickness positioned to substantially surround an area opposite said hitting region, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness.

24. The golf club head of claim 23, wherein said second component has a substantially uniform thickness and is contoured to overlie said first component regions.

25. The golf club head of claim 23, said first component has a rear surface area and said first region comprises approximately 40-75% of said rear surface area.

26. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein second component defines apertures therein through which an exposed region said first component extends, thereby forming said free-layer damper.

27. The golf club head of claim 26, wherein said exposed region comprises approximately 10-25% of a rear surface area of said insert assembly.

28. The golf club head of claim 26, wherein said exposed region comprises approximately 10-25% of a rear surface area of said second component.

29. The golf club head of claim 26, wherein an outer surface of said exposed region is substantially flush with a surrounding outer surface of said second component.

30. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein said body further includes a sole wall defining a sole and an upper surface opposite said sole, said upper surface defining a recess extending toward said sole, the golf club head further comprising a plated plastic insert assembly coupled to said body within said recess.

31. The golf club head of claim 30, wherein said upper surface further defines a secondary recess extending toward said sole, said secondary recess being beneath said plated plastic insert assembly.