Bi-metallic golf club head with single plane interface

• US 6,149,534 A
• Filed: 11/02/1998
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Wahl, Bret H., Peters, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/184,573
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/338, 473/344, 473/349, 473/325-337, 473/350, 473/345, 473/346, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The present invention is a golf club head whose engagement surface is formed between an upper metal piece and a lower metal piece, the upper piece being composed of relatively lighter and less dense material and the lower piece being composed of relatively denser and heavier material. The union of the two pieces is along a single unitary plane. By utilizing this type of design, in which two engagement surfaces of different metallic composition are joined on a single plane to create a continuous engagement surface on the club head, the benefits of improved balance and enhanced performance that result from the lower piece being heavier than the upper piece can be achieved without the need to fit a precisely engineered weight into a precut opening in the golf club head, thus making the manufacture of golf club heads easier and more efficient.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

an upper metal piece defining an upper engagement surface, the upper engagement surface lying substantially entirely in a single plane;

a hollow lower metal piece defining a lower engagement surface positioned flush against the upper engagement surface to define a substantially single-plane interface between the lower and upper pieces, the lower and upper pieces not interfacing with each other apart from the single-plane interface; and

at least one fastener engaged with the pieces, the upper metal piece being devoid of any weighting elements denser than the upper piece above the plane apart from the fastener.

2. The club head of claim 1, wherein the upper piece has a first density and the lower piece has a second density, and the first density is less than the second.

3. The club head of claim 1, wherein the upper piece has a first weight and the lower piece has a second weight, and the first weight is less than the second.

4. The club head of claim 1, wherein the upper piece includes a material selected from the group of materials including titanium and aluminum, and the lower piece includes at least one of:

copper, iron, nickel, or tungsten.

5. The club head of claim 4, wherein the upper piece includes titanium and the lower piece includes at least tungsten.

6. The club head of claim 1, in combination with a golf club shaft to establish a golf club.

7. The club head of claim 1, further comprising plural bolts engaging the pieces.

8. A golf club head, comprising:

an upper head piece;

a hollow lower head piece;

one and only one substantially planar interface therebetween; and

at least one fastener engaged with the pieces, the upper piece being devoid of any weighting elements denser than the upper piece above the planar interface apart from the fastener.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the upper piece has a first density and the lower piece has a second density, and the first density is less than the second.

10. The club head of claim 8, wherein the upper piece includes a material selected from the group of materials including titanium and aluminum, and the lower piece includes at least one of:

copper, iron, nickel, or tungsten.

11. The club head of claim 10, wherein the upper piece includes titanium and the lower piece includes tungsten.

12. The club head of claim 8, in combination with a golf club shaft to establish a golf club.

13. The club head of claim 8, further comprising plural bolts engaging the pieces.