Composite golf club head and method of manufacturing

• US 6,406,381 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Reyes, Herbert, Murphy, James M., Galloway, J. Andrew, Evans, D. Clayton, Helmstetter, Richard C., Jacobson, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US09/752,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/345-349, 473/342
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/342 using isostatic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/5227 Clubs

Abstract

A golf club having a club head with a striking plate composed of a composite material and having a thickness in the range of 0.010 to 0.250 inches is disclosed herein. The golf club head also has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.8 under test conditions such as the USGA test conditions specified pursuant to Rule 4-1e, Appendix II, of the Rules of Golf for 1998-1999. The golf club head body is also composed of a composite material, and a weight strip is placed within a ribbon of the body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a sole composed of at least eight sole plies of pre-preg sheets having a zero to forty-five degree orientation;

and a striking plate and crown composed of at least nineteen face/crown plies of pre-preg sheets, the striking plate further composed of at least eight full face piles of pre-preg sheets and at least two face doubler piles of pre-peg sheets, the striking plate having a thickness in the range of 0.010 to 0.250 inch;

wherein the crown, sole and strikng plate define a completely hollow interior and;

wherein the golf club head has a coeffcient of restitution in the range of 0.8 to 0.9.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a return disposed between the striking plate and the crown, and having a thickness in the range of 0.100 to 0.200 inches.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a ribbon and a weight strip composed of a metal material disposed on the ribbon.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising an integral hosel and sole plate composed of a metal material attached to the sole.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plies of pre-preg sheets are in a ninety degree orientation.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 plies of pre-preg sheets are in a forty-five degree orientation.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the full face plies and face/crown plies of pre-preg sheets are in a quasi-isotropic orientation.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a volume in the range of 300 cubic centimeters to 310 cubic centimeters, and a weight in the range of 100 grams to 195 grams.