Golf club head

• US 20110028240A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Wahl, Bret H., Stowe, Loren, Larsen, Peter L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,088,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 17/04 characterised by the nature of the material involved or the kind of product independently of its shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49993 Filling of opening

Abstract

An iron-type golf club head is disclosed having a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face. A back wall is also disclosed in the rear portion enclosing a portion of the rear portion to create an enclosed cavity. The cavity is defined by at least a rear surface of the striking face, an inner back wall surface, and the sole portion. A plug and a filler material is located within the enclosed cavity. The filler material surrounds the plug and is configured to hold the plug in place. The plug is lighter than the filler material.

Claims

1. A hollow iron-type golf club head comprising:

a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face;

a back wall in the rear portion enclosing a substantial portion of the rear portion to create a substantially enclosed cavity, the enclosed cavity being defined by at least a rear surface of the striking face, an inner back wall surface, and the sole portion;

at least one plug and a filler material located within the enclosed cavity, the filler material substantially surrounding the at least one plug and being configured to hold the at least one plug in place.

2. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the enclosed cavity has a volume between about 1 cc and 200 cc.

3. The iron-type golf club head of claim 2, wherein an unsupported face area is between about 300 mm² to about 4,000 mm².

4. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3, wherein the unsupported face area includes a thickened central region.

5. The iron-type golf club head of claim 4, wherein the at least one plug is positioned to be in contact with at least a portion of the thickened central region.

6. The iron-type golf club head of claim 5, wherein the at least one plug contacts the inner back wall surface.

7. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the striking face includes a welded striking plate.

8. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein a total striking face area is between about 2,700 mm² and about 5,000 mm².

9. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, further comprising an aperture into the enclosed cavity, the aperture being configured to allow the cavity to be filled with the filler material.

10. The iron-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the filler material is an expanding foam material having a density between about 0.03 g/cc and about 0.19 g/cc.

11. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the filler material occupies about 50% to about 99% of the total club head cavity volume in the enclosed cavity.

12. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the filler material completely fills a remaining cavity volume around the at least one plug.

13. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the filler material contacts an entire first side surface of the at least one plug.

14. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the filler material and the at least one plug have a combined weight of less than about 10 g.

15. The iron-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the filler material and the at least one plug have a combined weight of less than about 5 g.

16. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the filler material and the at least one plug have a combined weight of less than about 20% of the total club head weight.

17. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the filler material and the at least one plug have a combined weight of less than about 5% of the total club head weight.

18. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the back wall includes a first aperture.

19. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the back wall includes a first aperture having at least a first diameter and a slot configured to match at least a keying portion of the at least one plug.

20. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the coefficient of restitution of the club is greater than about 0.8.

21. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the striking face includes a striking plate formed of a steel selected from the group consisting of maraging steels, maraging stainless steels, and PH stainless steels.

22. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the at least one plug is in direct contact with a rear surface of the striking face and at least a portion of the filler material is in direct contact with a rear surface of the striking face.

23. The iron-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the back wall includes at least a first aperture, the first aperture being configured to allow the at least one plug to be inserted into the first aperture and is configured to allow the at least one plug to move from a first position to a second position.

24. The club head of claim 23, wherein the back wall includes at least one slot, the at least one slot being connected to the first aperture and is configured to secure the at least one plug.

25. A method of manufacturing a hollow iron-type golf club head comprising:

forming a body including a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, and a rear portion having a back wall,

forming an aperture on the body;

forming a striking face;

attaching the striking face to the front portion of the body to form a cavity defined by a rear surface of the striking face, an inner surface of the back wall, and the sole portion;

inserting at least one plug into the aperture, the at least one plug being in direct contact with the rear surface of the striking face and the inner surface of the back wall;

inserting a filler material into the aperture, the filler material substantially surrounding the at least one plug and being configured to hold the at least one plug in place; and

covering the aperture with a badge.

26. The method of claim 25 further including moving the at least one plug from a first position to a second position.

27. A hollow iron-type golf club head comprising:

a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face;

a back wall in the rear portion enclosing a substantial portion of the rear portion to create a substantially enclosed cavity, the enclosed cavity being defined by at least a rear surface of the striking face, an inner back wall surface, and the sole portion;

at least one plug and a filler material located within the enclosed cavity, the filler material substantially surrounding the at least one plug and being configured to hold the at least one plug in place, wherein the at least one plug is in contact with the rear surface of the striking face and the inner back wall surface.