Golf club with multiple material weighting member

• US 6,406,382 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Vecchio, Kenneth S., Erickson, Joel B., Deshmukh, Uday V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARMA, SNEH K
• Application Number:
  US09/683,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 183 Days
• Field of Search: 148/327, 148/427, 419/47, 752/11, 473/345, 473/347, 473/349, 473/350
• US Class Current: 473/349
• 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• 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 use of liquid phase sintering for weighting of a golf club head is disclosed herein. The preferred weighting material is a multiple component material that includes a high-density component, a binding component and an anti-oxidizing component. A preferred multiple component material includes tungsten, copper and chromium. The liquid phase sintering process is performed in an open air environment at standard atmospheric conditions.

Claims

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a striking plate, a toe end, a heel end, a main rear exterior cavity opposite the striking plate, the main rear exterior cavity defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a heel wall and a toe wall, the bottom wall having a second exterior cavity; and

a weighting member formed within the second exterior cavity and occupying the entire second exterior cavity, the weighting member comprising a tungsten component ranging from 5 to 90 weight percent of the weight member, a copper component ranging from 5 to 40 weight percent of the weight member, and an anti-oxidizing component ranging from 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the weight member, the weighting member having a density ranging from 11.0 grams per cubic centimeter to 17.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the anti-oxidizing component is selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel-chrome, stainless steel, nickel superalloy and other chromium alloys.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the main rear cavity further comprises an undercut recess into at least one region of the top wall, bottom wall, toe wall or heel wall.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the weight member is less then twenty percent of the volume of the golf club head and is more than twenty percent weight of the golf club head.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is composed of material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy, steel, zirconium and zirconium alloy.

6. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a string plate, a toe end, a heel end, a main rear exterior cavity opposite the striking plate, the main rear exterior cavity defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a heel wall and a toe wall, the bottom wall having a second exterior cavity; and

a weighting member formed within the second exterior cavity and occupying the entire second exterior cavity, the weighting member comprising a mixture of a tungsten component ranging from 5 to 90 weight percent of the weight member, a copper component ranging from 5 to 40 weight percent of the weight member, and a nickel chrome component ray from 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the weight member, the weighting member having a density ranging from 12.5 grams per cubic centimeter to 15.9 grams per cubic centimeter.

7. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a striking plate, a toe end, a heel end and a bottom wall having an exterior cavity; and

a weighting member formed within the exterior cavity and occupying the entire exterior cavity, the weighting member comprising a mixture of a tungsten component ranging from 5 to 90 weight percent of the weight member, a copper component ranging from 5 to 40 weight percent of the weight member, and a nickel chrome component ranging from 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the weight member, the weighting member having a density ranging from 12.5 grams per cubic centimeter to 15.9 grams per cubic centimeter.

8. The iron-type golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the body is composed of a titanium alloy material.

9. The iron-type golf club bead according to claim 7 wherein the body is composed of a stainless steel material.

10. The iron-type golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the body is composed of a zirconium alloy material.