GOLF CLUB HEADS WITH IMPROVED SOUND CHARACTERISTICS

• US 20130225320A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Woolley, Brandon H., Chao, Bing-Ling, Beach, Todd P.
• Application Number:
  US13/842,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20130225320A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

Golf club heads with improved sound can be provided while implementing an adjustable loft, lie, and face angle adjustment system. A face portion is attached to the front portion of the golf club head. A sleeve is received in the hosel portion having a sleeve bore, a threaded portion, and an anti-rotation portion. A screw inserted into a sole opening in the sole portion configured to engage the threaded portion of the sleeve.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head with a body having a front portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel portion, the body comprised of a first material;

a hosel bore located in the hosel portion;

a sleeve having a sleeve bore, a threaded portion, and an anti-rotation portion, the sleeve being configured to be received in the hosel portion;

a screw configured to engage the threaded portion of the sleeve, the screw also configured to be inserted into a sole opening in the sole portion;

a first longitudinal axis defined by the sleeve bore;

a second longitudinal axis defined by the hosel bore of the hosel portion;

an offset angle located between the first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis, the offset angle being between 0 degrees and 4 degrees;

a face portion comprising a second material and being configured to be attached to the front portion of the body, the face portion having a face size surface area being at least at least 4,500 mm²;

a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.79 and a characteristic time greater than 220 μ

s;

a loudness of the club head is less than 240 sones upon striking a golf ball at about 110 mph, measured by a microphone positioned at 64 inches above the golf ball, wherein the face portion has a characteristic time slope of greater than 10 and less than 150.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the second material is a composite material having a layup-to-fiber ratio of greater than 0.5 but less than 1.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the second material is a composite material having a strength-to-modulus fiber ratio of greater than 1 and less than 10.

4. The golf club of claim 3, wherein the second material includes a strength-to-modulus layup ratio of greater than 0.5 and less than 10.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the face portion further includes a face insert;

a recess that receives the face insert and defines a face insert depth;

a rear support member having an end point thickness; and

a face insert ratio between 0.5 and 10, the face insert ratio being defined as the face insert depth divided by the end point thickness.

6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein a peak un-weighted acoustic amplitude of the club head is less than 114 dB, a peak A-weighted sound pressure level of the club head is less than 5 Pa as measured by the microphone positioned at 64 inches above the golf ball.

7. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the face portion includes a face insert having a face insert area and a face insert area-to-face size ratio of greater than 0.65 and less than 1.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein the golf club head further includes a maximum sound power-to-frequency ratio greater than 1*10⁻

5 watts/hertz and less than 4.5*10<sup>−

5</sup> watts/hertz.

9. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the golf club has a head volume between 400 cc to about 475 cc.

10. The golf club of claim 8, wherein the golf club head has a frequency-to-volume ratio of greater than 6.0 hertz/cc and less than 16 hertz/cc.

11. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the golf club head includes frequency-to-offset angle ratio between 1,000 Hz/degree to 7,000 Hz/degree.

12. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sole opening is located adjacent to a non-undercut portion.

13. The golf club of claim 12, wherein a heel-side rear support member is integral with an internal hosel tube structure.

14. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head with a body having a front portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel portion, the body comprised of a first material;

a face portion comprising a second material and being configured to be attached to the front portion of the body;

a sleeve having a sleeve bore, a threaded portion, and an anti-rotation portion, the sleeve being configured to be received in the hosel portion;

a screw configured to engage the threaded portion of the sleeve, the screw also configured to be inserted into a sole opening in the sole portion;

a first longitudinal axis defined by the sleeve bore;

a second longitudinal axis defined by a hosel bore of the hosel portion;

an offset angle located between the first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis, the offset angle being between 0 degrees and 4 degrees;

a peak un-weighted acoustic amplitude of the club head is less than 113 dB upon striking a golf ball at about 110 mph, measured by a microphone positioned at 64 inches above the golf ball, wherein the face portion has a characteristic time slope of greater than 10 and less than 150.

15. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the second material is a composite material having a layup-to-fiber ratio of greater than 0.5 but less than 1.

16. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the second material is a composite material having a strength-to-modulus fiber ratio of greater than 1 and less than 10.

17. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the second material is a composite material having a strength-to-modulus layup ratio of greater than 0.5 and less than 10.

18. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head with a body having a front portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel portion, the body comprised of a first material;

a face portion comprising a second material and being configured to be attached to the front portion of the body;

a sleeve having a sleeve bore, a threaded portion, and an anti-rotation portion, the sleeve being configured to be received in the hosel portion;

a screw configured to engage the threaded portion of the sleeve, the screw also configured to be inserted into a sole opening in the sole portion;

a first longitudinal axis defined by the sleeve bore;

a second longitudinal axis defined by a hosel bore of the hosel portion;

an offset angle located between the first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis, the offset angle being between 0 degrees and 4 degrees;

a peak A-weighted sound pressure level of the club head is less than 5 Pa upon striking a golf ball at about 110 mph, measured by a microphone positioned at 64 inches above the golf ball, wherein the face portion has a characteristic time slope of greater than 10 and less than 150.

19. The golf club of claim 18, wherein the second material is a composite material having a strength-to-modulus layup ratio of greater than 0.5 and less than 10.

20. The golf club of claim 18, wherein the second material is a composite material having a layup-to-fiber ratio of greater than 0.5 but less than 1.