Golf club head

• US 6,860,823 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Lee, Kyu Wang
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/707,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-291
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• 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 53/0458 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 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head (20) having a body (22) with a front wall (30) with an opening (32) and a face component (40) is disclosed herein. The face component (40) has a striking plate 41 and a return portion 43. The return portion (43) creates a sandwich structure (70) with edges (75 and 77) of the body (22). The body (22) is preferably composed of a light weight non-metal material. The golf club head (20) preferably has a volume between 300 cubic centimeters and 600 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (20) preferably 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, the front wall having an upper edge and a lower edge defining a groove, the body composed of plies of pre-preg material;

a face component having a striking plate and a return portion, the face component having a uniform thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the face component composed of a metal material and having a mass ranging from 40 grams to 80 grams; and

wherein the return portion of the face component and the upper edge and lower edge of the body form a sandwich structure having a thickness ranging 6.0 nm to 20 mm;

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 300 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters;

wherein the moment of inertia about the Jzz 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 1990 grams-centimeter squared.

2. A golf club head comprising:

a face component having a striking plate and a return portion, the return portion extending laterally and outwardly from a striking plate, the return portion having a plurality of openings, the face component composed of a metal material; and

a body composed of plies of pre-preg material and having an open portion in a front wall, the body having a first edge and a second edge, the face component attached to the front wall of the body and covering the open portion of the front wall, wherein the return portion of the face component is bonded by the first edge and the second edge of the body to form a sandwich structure;

wherein the golf club head has volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

3. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a non-metal material, the body having a front face wall with an opening, the body having a first edge and a second edge; and

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a striking plate and a return portion, the return portion extending laterally and outwardly from the striking plate, the return portion molded between the first edge and the second edge of the body to form a sandwich structure;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.