Golf club head that optimizes products of inertia

• US 6,669,580 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• 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: Fan, Frank “Pin” H., Cackett, Matthew T., Evans, D. Clayton, Hocknell, Alan, Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US10/249,451
• Time in Patent Office: 264 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 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 53/047 iron-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 having products of inertia Ixy and Ixz with absolute values below 100 g-cm² and a positive product of inertia Iyz 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 is greater than 1900 g-cm². The golf club head may be composed of plies of pre-preg sheets. The volume of the golf club head preferably ranges 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 moment of inertia, Izz, greater than 3000 g-cm² and a moment of inertia, Iyy, greater than 1900 g-cm², and each of the products of inertia, Ixy and Ixz, of the golf club head has an absolute value less than 100 g-cm², and the product of inertia, Iyz, is greater than 0 g-cm², wherein the moments of inertia and 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 are orthogonal to each other.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein product of inertia Iyz is less than 300 g-cm².

4. The golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the product of inertia Iyz ranges from 50 g-cm² to 300 g-cm².

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

6. The golf club head according to claim 5 further comprising at least one weight strip 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 body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy, steel, stainless steel, and amorphous metals.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the striking plate has regions of varying thickness.

9. The golf club head according to claim 7 further comprising a plurality of weight members, the plurality of weight members having a total mass of less than 85 g.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the body is composed of a titanium alloy material, the body having a mass less than 250 g.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the product of inertia, Ixy, has an absolute value less than 50 g-cm².

12. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a ribbon and a striking plate, the body having a hollow interior, the body composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy, steel, stainless steel, and amorphous metals; and

at least one weight member disposed within the hollow interior of the body along the ribbon,

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cm³ to 600 cm³, a moment of inertia, Izz, that ranges from 3000 g-cm² to 5000 g-cm², and a moment of inertia, Iyy, of at least 1900 g-cm², and each of the products of inertia, Ixy and 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 ranges from 0 g-cm² to 300 g-cm², wherein the moments of inertia and 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 are orthogonal to each other.

13. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the striking plate has regions of varying thickness.

14. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the plurality of weight members have a total mass of less than 85 g.

15. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the body is composed of a titanium alloy material, the body having a mass less than 250 g.

16. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the product of inertia, Ixy, has an absolute value less than 50 g-cm².

17. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein a plurality of weight members are disposed within the hollow interior of the body along the ribbon.