Golf club head with metal striking plate insert

• US 6,669,578 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Evans, D. Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/064,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20040009828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/330, 473/331, 473/342, 473/345, 473/346, 473/347, 473/348, 473/349, 473/350, 473/290, 473/291, 473/292, 473/287, 473/329, 473/332, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/338, 473/339, D21/759, D21/733
• US Class Current: 473/342
• 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 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head (20) having a body (22) with a front wall (30) with an opening (32) and a striking plate insert (40) composed of an amorphous metal is disclosed herein. The body (22) is preferably composed of a light weight non-metal material. A ribbon (28) of the body (22) has a recess (52) therein for placement of a rear weighting member (50). The golf club head (20) has a volume between 300 cubic centimeters and 500 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (20) has a mass between 105 grams and 300 grams.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall with an opening, and a ribbon with an exterior recess opposite the opening, the body composed of a plies of pre-preg material;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a uniform thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the striking plate insert composed of an amorphous metal material having a density ranging from 2 g/cc to 6 g/cc and having a mass ranging from 40 grams to 80 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the recess of the ribbon, the weighting member having a mass ranging from 30 grams to 60 grams and composed of a metal material;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94, and the golf club head has a volume ranging from 330 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the amorphous metal has a composition of Zr_41.2Ti_3.8Cu₁₀Ni_12.5Be_22.5.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body has a mass ranging from 50 grams to 90 grams.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the moment of inertia about an Izz axis of the golf club head is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the amorphous metal has a composition of Zr₆₀Al₁₅Co_2.5Ni_7.5Cu₅.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the weighting member is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, brass, tungsten, copper, and any alloy thereof.

7. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall with an opening, and a ribbon with an exterior recess opposite the opening, the body composed of a plies of pre-preg material;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a uniform thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the striking plate insert composed of an amorphous metal material and having a mass ranging from 40 grams to 80 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the recess of the ribbon, the weighting member having a mass ranging from 30 grams to 60 grams and composed of a metal material;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94, and the golf club head has a volume ranging from 330 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters;

wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 1900 grams-centimeter squared.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall with an opening, and a ribbon with an exterior recess opposite the opening, the body composed of a plies of pre-preg material;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a uniform thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the striking plate insert composed of an amorphous metal material having a density ranging from 2 g/cc to 6 g/cc and having a mass ranging from 40 grams to 80 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the recess of the ribbon, the weighting member having a mass ranging from 30 grams to 60 grams and composed of a tungsten alloy material;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.82 to 0.89, the golf club head has a volume ranging from 360 cubic centimeters to 450 cubic centimeters, the golf club head has a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 1900 grams-centimeter squared.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a crown, a sole, a ribbon and a striking plate composed of an amorphous metal;

wherein the golf club head has a volume less than 450 cubic centimeters, a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared, and a moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the crown, sole and ribbon are composed of plies of pre-preg material and the striking plate insert is composed of a metal material.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 further comprising a rear weighting member disposed within an exterior recess in the ribbon opposite of the striking plate insert.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall with an opening, and a ribbon with an exterior recess opposite the opening, the body composed of a plies of pre-preg material;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a uniform thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the striking plate insert composed of an amorphous metal material and having a mass ranging from 40 grams to 80 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the recess of the ribbon, the weighting member having a mass ranging from 30 grams to 60 grams and composed of a tungsten alloy material;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.82 to 0.89, the golf club head has a volume ranging from 360 cubic centimeters to 450 cubic centimeters, the golf club head has a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared.