Golf club head

• US 6,364,789 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Kosmatka, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/475,754
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/290, 473/291, 473/292, 473/293, 473/324, 473/329, 473/332, 473/345, 473/342, 473/346, 473/347, 473/348, 473/349, 473/350, 473/288
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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

A golf club having a club head with a striking plate and an annular deflection enhancement member isolating the striking plate from the body of the golf club head. The annular deflection enhancement member is composed of a material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus lower than that of the material of the striking plate. Thus, the striking plate may be composed of steel while the annular deflection enhancement member is composed of titanium.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and a face opening thereto;

a striking plate having an exterior surface and an interior surface and composed of a titanium material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus of approximately 1.1×

10¹¹ Pascals and a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.200 inch; and

an annular deflection enhancement member disposed between the body and the striking plate, the annular deflection enhancement member composed of a material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus less than 0.825×

10¹¹ Pascals and selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, brass and magnesium, the annular deflection enhancement member isolating the striking plate from the body;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.83.

2. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the annular deflection enhancement member comprises a plurality of portions.

3. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the annular deflection enhancement member has an “

H”

cross-sectional shape.

4. The wood-type golf head according to claim 1 wherein the annular deflection enhancement member has an “

L”

cross-sectional shape.

5. The wood-type golf head according to claim 1 further comprising a pin for connecting the striking plate and the annular deflection enhancement member to the body.

6. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and a face opening thereto;

a striking plate having an exterior surface and an interior surface and composed of stainless steel and having a Young'"'"'s Modulus of approximately 2×

10¹¹ Pascals, and a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.200 inch; and

an annular deflection enhancement member disposed between the body and the striking plate, the annular deflection enhancement member composed of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, brass, aluminum and magnesium, and having a Young'"'"'s Modulus less than 1.5×

10¹¹ Pascals, the annular deflection enhancement member isolating the striking plate from the body;

wherein the golf club bead has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.83.

7. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and a face opening thereto;

a striking plate having an exterior surface and an interior surface and composed of a graphite material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus of ranging from 3×

10¹⁰ Pascals to 20×

10¹⁰ Pascals, and a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.200 inch; and

an annular deflection enhancement member disposed between the body and the striking plate, the annular deflection enhancement member composed of a polyurethane material and having a Young'"'"'s Modulus less than 2×

10¹⁰ Pascals, the annular deflection enhancement member isolating the striking plate from the body;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.83.