Multi-material golf club head

• US 20090118037A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Roach, Ryan L., Morris, Thomas C., Rice, Scott A., Nardacci, Nicholas M., Best, Christopher B., Soracco, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,922,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/349
• 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• 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.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a first body portion including a face and at least a part of a sole, said first body portion comprising a first material having a first density;

a second body portion coupled to a rear surface of said first body portion opposite said face, said second body portion comprising a second material having a second density; and

a third body portion coupled to at least one of said first and second body portions, said third body portion comprising a third material having a third density;

wherein said third density is greater than said first density and said first density is greater than said second density.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said third body portion is coupled only to said sole.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said second body portion includes at least a part of said sole and said third body portion is coupled to both said first and second body portions.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said face is an insert coupled to said first body portion.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein:

said face insert is formed of a material including titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or stainless steel; and

said first body portion is formed of a material including stainless steel.

6. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein:

one of said face insert and said body includes a tab;

the other of said face insert and said body includes a cooperating groove corresponding to said tab; and

said tab and said groove are configured to retain said tab within said groove when said face insert is positioned in a predetermined location relative said body.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said tab and said groove are one of a plurality of discrete tab and groove pairs.

8. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein one or both of said face insert and said body define a groove proximate said face.

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

said first material comprises a ferrous alloy, titanium, a titanium alloy, or steel;

said second material comprises a bulk molding compound, rubber, urethane, polyurethane, a viscoelastic material, a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer, butadiene, polybutadiene, silicone, or combinations thereof; and

said third material comprises tungsten, a tungsten alloy, or a castable tungsten alloy.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said third density is greater than 7.5 gm/cc.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said third body portion is in the form of a bar or one or more weight inserts.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said face includes a projection extending outward from a rear surface thereof.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the golf club head is a cavity back, said projection being located within said cavity, and said projection has a shape of a rhombus.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the club head has a MOI-to-COG ratio of approximately 1600 g·

cm or greater.

15. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said third body portion is co-molded to said first and second body portions.

16. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening, said body including a ledge adjacent said front opening;

a face insert coupled to said body at said ledge; and

a damping member intermediate said body and said face insert.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member is retained in a state of compression.

18. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said face insert contacts said body only at said ledge.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein said ledge extends around a perimeter of said front opening.

20. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said body defines an undercut in a lower portion thereof, said undercut extending toward a sole of the club head.

21. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein said damping member at least partially fills said undercut.

22. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said face insert comprises titanium, a titanium alloy, a high strength steel, a high strength aluminum alloy, or a metal matrix composite material.

23. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member comprises bulk molding compound, rubber, urethane, polyurethane, a viscoelastic material, a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer, butadiene, polybutadiene, silicone, or combinations thereof.

24. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member comprises a plurality of materials, including a first material in contact with said face insert and a second material in contact with said body, wherein said first material is harder than said second material.

25. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said face insert includes one or more raised areas on a rear surface thereof, said raised areas being in at least partial contact with said damping member.

26. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein said body includes a chamber into which a rear portion of said damping member is positioned.

27. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein:

said face insert includes a sweet spot; and

said damping member is in contact with a rear surface of said face insert opposite said sweet spot.

28. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member includes one or more weight members.

29. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member is in contact with said body and said face insert, but is not coupled to said body or said face insert.

30. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said face insert includes a projection extending outward from a rear surface thereof.

31. The golf club head of claim 30, wherein the golf club head is a cavity back, said projection being located within said cavity, and said projection has a shape of a rhombus.

32. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member comprises a material that changes appearance when subjected to a predetermined load.

33. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member is a first damping member and is positioned toward a toe of the club head, and further comprising a second damping member positioned toward a heel of the club head.

34. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said damping member is one of a plurality of suspended, compressed fingers contacting a rear surface of said face insert.

35. The golf club head of claim 34, wherein each of said fingers is joined to a common base member.

36. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein:

said face insert is formed of a material including titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, high strength aluminum alloy, or stainless steel; and

said body is formed of a material including stainless steel.

37. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein said face insert is isolated from said body by a backing member.

38. The golf club head of claim 37, wherein said backing member is formed of a vibration damping material.

39. The golf club head of claim 37, further comprising a foil substantially surrounding said backing member.

40. The golf club head of claim 39, wherein:

said backing member includes a textured rear surface; and

said foil is designed to enhance said textured surface.

41. The golf club head of claim 40, wherein:

said textured surface includes one or more indicia; and

said foil is designed to enhance said textured surface by providing color to said indicia.

42. The golf club head of claim 16, further comprising a medallion having a base member defining a chamber and an indicia member coupled to said base member within said chamber.

43. The golf club head of claim 42, wherein the indicia member defines one or more grooves, said grooves being paint filled.

44. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein:

one of said face insert and said body includes a tab;

the other of said face insert and said body includes a cooperating groove corresponding to said tab; and

said tab and said groove are configured to retain said tab within said groove when said face insert is positioned in a predetermined location relative said body.

45. The golf club head of claim 44, wherein said tab and said groove are one of a plurality of discrete tab and groove pairs.

46. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein one or both of said face insert and said body define a groove proximate said face.

47. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the club head has a MOI-to-COG ratio of approximately 1600 g·

cm or greater.