Golf club head that optimizes products of inertia

• US 6,425,832 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Cackett, Matthew T., Evans, D. Clayton, Hocknell, Alan, Fan, Frank H., Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US09/916,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 473/345, 473/348, 473/349
• 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• 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: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• 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 products of inertia Ixy, Ixz and Iyz with absolute values below 100 g-cm² is disclosed herein. The golf club has a large volume, a high moment of inertia, or both. Preferably, the moment of inertia, Izz, of the golf club head about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², and a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm². Preferably, the golf club head is composed of plies of pre-preg sheets. The volume of the golf club head preferably varies from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³, and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein a moment of inertia, Izz, is greater than 3000 g-cm² about the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is composed of a plurality of layers of plies of pre-preg material.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz and Iyz, of the golf club head have an absolute value less than 50 g-cm².

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

6. The golf club head according to claim 3 wherein further comprising a weight strip that is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a densified loaded film, copper, tungsten and bismuth.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the moment of inertia, Izz, about the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranges from 3500 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm².

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Iyy, of at least 1900 g-cm² about the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 where in the golf club head has a volume that ranges from 350 cm³ to 525 cm³.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head weighs between 150 grams to 250 grams.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the moment of inertia, Iyy, about the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm².

12. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the moment of inertia, Izz, about the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranges from 3700 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm².

13. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and composed of a composite material, the body having a face, a sole, a crown, a ribbon juxtaposed by the sole and the crown, a heel end and a toe end; and

a plurality of weight strips, each of the plurality of weight strips composed of a material having a density greater than the composite material, each of the plurality of weight strips disposed on the ribbon;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³, and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the face, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

14. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm², and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis x through the center of gravity to the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior, the body composed of a titanium alloy material, the body having a mass less than 250 g;

a plurality of weight members disposed within the hollow interior of the body, the plurality of weight members having a total mass of less than 85 g;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm², and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

16. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior, the body composed of a steel alloy material;

a plurality of weight members disposed within the hollow interior of the body, the plurality of weight members having a total mass of less than 85 g;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm², and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

17. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a crown, a sole, a striking plate and an external hosel extending outward from the crown, the golf club head having a hollow interior;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm², and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

18. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a crown, a sole and a striking plate, the golf club head having a hollow interior, the golf club head composed of a titanium alloy material, the golf club head having a mass less than 250 g, the striking plate having concentric regions of varying thickness;

a plurality of weight members disposed within the hollow interior of the body, the plurality of weight members having a total mass of less than 85 g;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2050 g-cm², and each of the products inertia, Ixy, Ixz, and Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

19. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³, the product of inertia, Ixy, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 50 g-cm², the product of inertia, Ixz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², and the product of inertia, Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.

20. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole with a ribbon, and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior;

a plurality of weight members disposed within the hollow interior of the body, the plurality of weight members having a total mass of less than 85 g;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³, a moment of inertia, Izz, about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², the product of inertia, Ixy, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 50 g-cm², the product of inertia, Ixz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², and the product of inertia, Iyz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², wherein the products of inertia are defined by the vertical axis Z through the center of gravity of the golf club head, a horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head and substantially parallel to the striking plate, and a forward to rearward axis X through the center of gravity of the golf club head, the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis orthogonal to each other.