High moment of inertia composite golf club head

• US 6,607,452 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• 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., Reyes, Herbert, Murphy, James M., Helmstetter, Richard C., Fan, Pin
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US09/796,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 473/348, 473/347, 473/345, 473/346, 473/349, 473/324
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 high moment of inertia golf club head composed of a composite material and having a weight strip in a ribbon section is disclosed herein. The weight strip may be composed of copper, tungsten or a similar metal. The moment of inertia, Izz, of the golf club head about a vertical axis Z through the center of gravity ranges from 2800 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 2500 g-cm². The golf club head is preferably composed of plies of pre-peg sheets. The volume of the composite golf club head varies from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³.

Claims

1. 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 in the ribbon;

wherein the body has a volume greater than 300 cm³ and 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, and a moment of inertia, Iyy, about the horizontal axis Y through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 g-cm² to 2500 g-cm².

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of weight strips is composed of a copper material.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of weight strips is parallel to each other on the ribbon.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of weight strips comprise a first weight strip disposed in the heel end of the ribbon, a second weight strip disposed in the rear of the ribbon and a third weight strip disposed in the toe end of the ribbon.

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

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head weighs between 170 grams to 250 grams.