SELECTIVELY LIGHTENED WOOD-TYPE GOLF CLUB HEAD

• US 20110039636A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: COLTON, JEFF, VINCENT, BRANDON T., CACKETT, MATTHEW T., HOCKNELL, ALAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

A wood type golf club head having a plurality of interior recesses is disclosed herein. The plurality of interior recesses are preferably formed in a body of the golf club head and remove mass from the body to be used elsewhere on the golf club head to increase the inertial properties of the golf club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a metal material and having a front opening, the body have a plurality of interior recesses; and

a striking plate insert positioned in the opening of the body.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of plurality of interior recesses has a diameter ranging from 0.030 inch to 10 microns.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of plurality of interior recesses has a depth of 50% to 90% of the thickness of the body.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of plurality of interior recesses has uniformly dispersed on the interior surface of the body.

11. The golf club head according to any of the preceding claims wherein each of the plurality of recesses is formed by drilling, milling, punching, forming, forging, chemical etching, photo-etching, water jet or laser.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11 further comprising reflattening a sheet of the body.

5. A golf club head comprising:

a major body composed of a metal material, the major body having front wall section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the front wall section has an opening, the major body having a mass ranging from 140 grams to 200 grams;

a striking plate insert positioned in the opening of the front wall section of the major body, the striking plate insert having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch;

a minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body, the minor body having a mass ranging from 4 grams to 50 grams;

wherein the major body and the minor body each has a plurality of interior recesses.

6. The golf club head according to claim 5 wherein each of plurality of interior recesses has a diameter ranging from 0.030 inch to 10 microns.

7. The golf club head according to claim 5 wherein each of plurality of interior recesses has a depth of 50% to 90% of the thickness of the body.

8. The golf club head according to claim 5 wherein each of plurality of interior recesses has uniformly dispersed on the interior surface of the body.

9. The golf club head has a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranges from 2800 grams-centimeters squared to 5000 grams-centimeters squared

10. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a cast titanium alloy material, the body having a front wall section, a crown section, a sole section and a ribbon section, wherein the body has a plurality of interior recesses;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 400 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters.

13. A method for manufacturing a golf club head, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of recesses into a surface of a first sheet of material for a crown of a golf club head;

forming a plurality of recesses into a surface of a second sheet of material for a sole of a golf club head;

welding the first sheet to the second sheet to form a body of a golf club head;

welding a striking plate to the body; and

finishing the golf club head.

14. The method according to clam 13 wherein each of the plurality of recesses is formed by drilling, milling, punching, forming, forging, chemical etching, photo-etching, water jet or laser.

15. A method for manufacturing a golf club head, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of recesses into a surface of a first sheet of material;

forming a plurality of recesses into a surface of a second sheet of material;

forming the first sheet of material into a sole section of a golf club head;

forming the second sheet of material into a crown section of a golf club head;

welding the first sheet to the second sheet to form a body of a golf club head;

welding a striking plate to the body; and

finishing the golf club head.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material are composed of a titanium alloy.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material are composed of a iron alloy.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material are composed of a magnesium alloy.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material are composed of an aluminum alloy.

16. The method according to clam 13 wherein each of the plurality of recesses is formed by drilling, milling, punching, forming, forging, chemical etching, photo-etching, water jet or laser.