Multiple material golf club head

• US 6,663,504 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Reyes, Herebert, Rollinson, Augustin W., Galloway, J. Andrew, Cackett, Matthew T., Evans, D. Clayton, Hocknell, Alan, Smith, Garth W., Murphy, James M., Deshmukh, Uday V., Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Thanh P
• Application Number:
  US10/063,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 473/329, 473/342, 473/345, 473/349, 473/350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/02 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering 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: B21J 5/00 Methods for forging, hammering, or pressing for working sheet-metal or metal tubes, rods, or profiles B21D; for working wire B21F; Special equipment or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 17/00 Making sport articles, e.g. skates
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/183 of titanium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/26 for etching refractory metals

Abstract

A fairway wood type golf club having a club head with a major body and a minor body is disclosed herein. The major body is composed of an amorphous metal material and has a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge portion. The minor body is preferably composed of a composite material and has a crown section and a ribbon section. The striking plate section preferably has variable face thickness. The minor body is preferably attached by a liquid adhesive to the ledge section of the major body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a major body composed of an amorphous metal material, the major body having striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return section having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.250 inch, the return section extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section; and

a minor body composed of a non-metal material, the minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate section has a thickness in the range of 0.055 inch to 0.125 inch.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the amorphous metal of the major body has a density ranging from 2 g/cc to 6 g/cc.

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

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the ledge section is inward a distance ranging from 0.005 inch to 0.020 inch from an exterior surface of the major body.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate section has concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region in about the center.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate section comprises a central elliptical region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the return section has a thickness ranging from 0.050 inch to 0.150 inch.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 200 cubic centimeters to 300 cubic centimeters.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis of the golf club head ranges from 1900 grams-centimeter squared to 2400 grams-centimeter squared.

11. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head comprising

a major body composed of an amorphous metal material, the major body having striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return section having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.250 inch, the return section extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section, and

a minor body composed of a non-metal material, the minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body;

a shaft connected to the golf club head;

wherein the golf club has a loft angle greater than thirteen degrees;

wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity ranges from 1900 to 2400 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity ranges from 900 to 1400 grams-centimeter squared.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a major body composed of an amorphous metal material having a density ranging from 8 grams per cubic centimeter to 10 grams per cubic centimeter, the major body having striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return section having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.250 inch, the return section extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section, the ledge section is inward a distance ranging from 0.005 inch to 0.020 inch from an exterior surface of the major body; and

a minor body composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material, the minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body with a liquid adhesive, the minor body having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.070 inch;

wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity ranges from 1900 to 2400 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity ranges from 900 to 1400 grams-centimeter squared.