Internal weighting for a composite golf club head

• US 6,527,650 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Evans, D. Clayton, Reyes, Herbert, Murphy, James M., Jacobson, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US09/947,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 473/335, 473/336, 473/345, 473/347, 473/348, 473/349, 473/344
• 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 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• 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: 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 head composed of a composite material and having a plurality of weight members in a ribbon section is disclosed herein. The weight members are composed of a polymer material integrated with a high density metal such as tungsten. Each of the weight members preferably has a mass ranging from 5 grams to 25 grams. The golf club head is preferably composed of plies of pre-preg sheets. The club head preferably has a volume ranging from 175 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material, the body having a striking plate, a crown, a sole with a bottom portion and a ribbon, wherein the striking plate, the crown and the sole define the hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 450 cubic centimeters and a mass ranging from 80 grams to 120 grams; and

a plurality of weight members embedded between the plurality of plies of pre-preg material in the ribbon, each of the plurality of weight members composed of a polyurethane material integrated with tungsten, each of the plurality of weight members having a density ranging from 7 grams per cubic centimeters to 12 grams per cubic centimeters, the plurality of weight members having a combined mass ranging from 40 grams to 70 grams, wherein the plurality of weight members consists of a toe weight member, a heel weight member and a center weight member, each of the plurality of weight members having a length that ranges from 1.5 inches to 3.0 inches and a height that ranges from 0.25 inch to 1.0 inch;

wherein the wood-type golf club head has a mass ranging from 170 grams to 250 grams.

2. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the weight members is composed of from 60 to 95 volume percent polyurethane and from 40 to 5 volume percent tungsten.

3. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the weight members is composed of from 10 to 25 weight percent polyurethane and from 90 to 75 weight percent tungsten.

4. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material, the body having a striking plate, a crown, a sole with a bottom portion and a ribbon with an upper wall and a lower wall, wherein the striking plate, the crown and the sole define the hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters and a mass ranging from 90 grams to 115 grams; and

a plurality of weight members embedded between the plurality of plies of pre-preg material in the upper wall of the ribbon, each of the plurality of weight members composed of a polyurethane material integrated with tungsten, each of the plurality of weight members having a density ranging from 7 grams per cubic centimeter to 12 grams per cubic centimeter, the plurality of weight members having a combined mass ranging from 40 grams to 60 grams, wherein the plurality of weight members consists of a toe weight member, a heel weight member and a center weight member each of the plurality of weight members having a length that ranges from 1.5 inches to 3.0 inches and a height that ranges from 0.25 inch to 1.0 inch;

wherein the wood-type golf club head has a mass ranging from 170 grams to 220 grams.

5. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and composed of a plurality plies of pre-preg material, the body having a striking plate, a crown, a sole with a bottom portion and a ribbon with an upper wall and a lower wall, wherein the striking plate, the crown and the sole define the hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters and a mass ranging from 90 grams to 115 grams;

three weight members embedded between the plurality of plies of pre-preg material in the upper wall of the ribbon, each of the three weight members composed of a polyurethane material integrated with tungsten, each of the three weight members has a density ranging from 7 grams per cubic centimeter to 12 grams per cubic centimeter, the three weight members having a combined mass ranging from 40 grams to 60 grams, wherein the three weight members consists of a toe weight member, a heel weight member and a center weight member, each of the plurality of weight members having a length that ranges from 1.5 inches to 3.0 inches and a height that ranges from 0.25 inch to 1.0 inch;

a sole plate composed of a metal material attached to the bottom portion of the sole; and

an internal tube disposed within the hollow interior of the body, the internal tube having a bore for receiving a shaft through an aperture in the crown;

wherein the wood-type golf club head has a mass ranging from 170 grams to 220 grams.

6. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a hollow interior and composed of a plurality of layers of plies of pre-preg material, the body having a striking plate, a crown, a sole with a bottom portion and a ribbon with an upper wall and a lower wall, wherein the striking plate, the crown and the sole define the hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters and a mass ranging from 90 grams to 115 grams; and

a plurality of weight members embedded between the plurality of plies of pre-preg material in the upper wall of the ribbon, each of the plurality of the weight members composed of a polyurethane material integrated with tungsten, each of the plurality of weight members having a density ranging from 7 grams per cubic centimeter to 12 grams per cubic centimeter, the plurality of weight members having a combined mass ranging from 40 grams to 60 grams, wherein the plurality of weight members consists of a toe weight member, a heel weight member and a center weight member, each of the plurality of weight members having a length that ranges from 1.5 inches to 3.0 inches and a height that ranges from 0.25 inch to 1.0 inch;

wherein the wood-type golf club head has a mass ranging from 170 grams to 220 grams and a moment of inertia ranging from 2500 grams-centimeter squared to 3500 grams-centimeter squared about the Izz axis through the center of gravity.