METAL-COMPOSITE GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20080176673A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Morales, Eric J., Bliss, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,686,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A golf club head is formed with a crown having an aperture with an arcuate rear edge and a forward edge that is substantially parallel to the striking face. The aperture is transected by an arcuate rib that extends from a region proximal the heel end of the crown to a region proximal the toe end of the crown and is concave toward the striking face. A pair of linear ribs extend radially outward from the arcuate rib to join the arcuate rib to a perimeter region of the crown. Openings formed in the aperture by the ribs are filled with an organic-composite material such as graphite epoxy.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body formed of a metallic material, said body having an inside surface, an outside surface, a heel end, a toe end, a front wall and a rear body portion, said front wall including a face adapted for impacting a golf ball, said rear body portion including a crown, a sole, and a perimeter region extending continuously from said toe end to said heel end, said body further comprising an aperture formed in said crown, said aperture having an arcuate rear edge and a forward edge at least a portion of which is substantially parallel to said face;

a solid rear extension comprising a solid wall extending at least 20 millimeters rearward from the crown region of said front wall, the rearward edge of said solid rear extension forming the forward edge of said aperture;

a first rib having a substantially continuous arcuate shape extending into said aperture, said first rib further having a first end attached to said solid rear extension proximal the toe end of said body and a second end attached to said solid rear extension proximal the heel end of said body;

a second rib extending into said aperture, said second rib extending from a medial region of said arcuate rib to said perimeter region; and

nonmetallic material extending across and closing said aperture.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first rib has a first edge that is concave toward the front wall of said body and a second edge that is convex toward the rear body portion of said body.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said nonmetallic material is bonded to said body.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said nonmetallic material is bonded to the inside surface of said body.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said aperture is semicircular in shape.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a third rib extending into said aperture; and

said third rib extending from a medial region of said arcuate rib to said perimeter region.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said second and third ribs extend substantially radially from a point located within the solid rear extension on a line extending perpendicular to the face intermediate the first and second ends of said first rib.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said second rib extends toward the heel end of said body and said third rib extends toward the toe end of said body

9. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said second and third ribs are disposed substantially symmetrically about an axis extending perpendicular to said face through the geometric center of said crown.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said rear body portion includes a skirt, and wherein said perimeter region forms a junction between said crown and said skirt.

21. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

said solid rear extension extends between 20 and 60 millimeters rearward from the crown region of said front wall.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a body formed of a metallic material, said body having an inside surface, an outside surface, a heel end, a toe end, a front wall and a rear body portion, said front wall including a face adapted for impacting a golf ball, said rear body portion including a crown, a sole, and a perimeter region extending continuously from said toe end to said heel end, said body further comprising a solid rear extension comprising a solid wall extending at least 20 millimeters rearward from a crown region of said front wall and first and second openings formed in the crown, said first and second openings each being in the form of an annular sector rearward of said solid rear extension; and

a nonmetallic material extending across and closing said first and second openings.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said first and second openings each have a first edge that is concave toward the front wall of said body and a second edge that is convex toward the rear body portion of said body.

16. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said first opening is symmetric about a plane perpendicular to the face.

18. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said nonmetallic material is bonded to said body.

19. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said nonmetallic material is bonded to the inside surface of said body.

20. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said rear body portion includes a skirt, and wherein said perimeter region forms a junction between said crown and said skirt.

22. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein:

said solid rear extension extends between 20 and 60 millimeters rearward from the crown region of said front wall.

13. (canceled)

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein:

said body comprises a third opening formed in the crown;

said third opening has the form of an annular sector is having a first edge that is concave toward the front wall of said body and a second edge that is convex toward the rear body portion of said body; and

said nonmetallic material extends across and closes said third opening.

17. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein said first, second and third openings form a pattern that is symmetric about a plane perpendicular to the face.

15. (canceled)

23. A golf club head comprising:

a body formed of a metallic material, said body having an inside surface, an outside surface, a heel end, a toe end, a front wall and a rear body portion, said front wall including a face adapted for impacting a golf ball, said rear body portion including a crown, a sole, and a perimeter region extending continuously from said toe end to said heel end, said body further comprising an aperture formed in said crown, said aperture having an arcuate rear edge and a forward edge at least a portion of which is substantially parallel to said face;

a solid rear extension comprising a solid wall extending at least 20 millimeters rearward from the crown region of said front wall, the rearward edge of said solid rear extension forming the forward edge of said aperture;

a first rib having an arcuate shape extending into said aperture, said first rib having a first edge that is concave toward the front wall of said body over a majority of the length of said first edge and a second edge that is convex toward the rear body portion of said body over a majority of the length of said second edge, said first rib further having a first end attached to said solid rear extension proximal the toe end of said body and a second end attached to said solid rear extension proximal the heel end of said body;

a second rib extending into said aperture, said second rib extending from a medial region of said arcuate rib to said perimeter region; and

nonmetallic material extending across and closing said aperture.

24. The golf club head of claim 23, further comprising:

a third rib extending into said aperture; and

said third rib extending from a medial region of said arcuate rib to said perimeter region.