Bonded joint design for a golf club head

• US 6,676,536 B1
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Jacobson, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/249,862
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/345, 473/346, 473/349, 473/342, 473/350, 473/290, 473/291, 473/329
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/04 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 53/0462 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

Abstract

A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60) and an aft body (61) is disclosed herein. The face component (60) has a striking plate portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61) is composed of a crown portion (62), a sole portion (64) and optionally a ribbon section (90). The face component (60) is composed of a metal material, and the aft-body (61) is preferably composed of a non-metal material such as a composite material or a thermoplastic material. The face component (60) is bonded to the aft-body (61) with a leading edge (180) of an undercut portion (62a and 64a) of the aft-body positioned a distance of 0.100 inch to 0.500 inch from the interior surface (60a) of the face component (60) in order to reduce the stress on the bonded joint of between the face component (60) and the aft-body (61). The club head (42) has a volume in the range of 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, a weight in the range of 165 grams to 300 grams, and a striking plate portion (72) surface area in the range of 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a face component having a return portion and a striking plate portion, the return portion extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate portion, the face component composed of a metal material; and

the aft-body having a crown portion and a sole portion, the crown portion having a crown undercut portion with a leading edge and the sole portion having an undercut portion with a leading edge, the leading edge of the crown undercut portion positioned from an interior surface of the striking plate of the face component a distance ranging from 0.100 inch to 0.500 inch, the leading edge of the sole undercut portion positioned from an interior surface of the striking plate of the face component a distance ranging from 0.100 inch to 0.550 inch, the return portion of the face component overlapping a section of the crown undercut portion for attachment of the face component to the aft-body, and the leading edge of the crown undercut portion positioned under the return portion, the return portion of the face component overlapping a section of the sole undercut portion for attachment of the face component to the aft-body, and the leading edge of the sole undercut portion positioned under the return portion.

2. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the return portion of the face component overlaps the crown undercut portion a length ranging from 0.250 inch to 0.600 inch, and the return portion of the face component overlaps the sole undercut portion a length ranging from 0.250 inch to 1.00 inch.

3. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face component is bonded to the aft-body with a liquid adhesive.

4. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein a bond thickness of the adhesive ranges from 0.002 inch to 0.100 inch.

5. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350-510 cubic centimeters.