Golf club head

• US 6,875,129 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Hocknell, Alan, Galloway, J. Andrew, Cackett, Matthew T., Evans, D. Clayton, Erickson, Joel B., Reyes, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/250,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20040248665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• 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 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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

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) is disclosed herein. The body (22) is preferably composed of a light weight material such as a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy. 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) preferably has a volume between 300 cubic centimeters and 500 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 first half body and a second half body, the first half body comprising a crown, a downwardly depending front wall with an upper opening defined in the lower periphery of the upper front wall, and an upper ribbon, the second body comprising a sole, an upwardly depending lower front wall with a lower opening defined in the upper periphery of the lower front wall, a lower ribbon with an exterior recess opposite the lower opening, the first body being aligned with and bonded to the second body with the upper opening and the lower opening forming an opening in the body, the body composed of a first metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the striking plate insert composed of a second metal material and having a mass ranging from 60 grams to 100 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the exterior recess of the lower ribbon, the weighting member having a mass ranging from 5 grams to 40 grams and composed of a third metal material;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 30 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate insert is composed of a formed metal material.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein striking plate insert is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a forged metal material, a formed metal material, a machined metal material and a cast metal material.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body has a mass ranging from 50 grams to 110 grams.

5. 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 g-cm².

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate insert is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy, steel alloys and amorphous metals.

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

8. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a first half body and a second half body, the first body comprising a crown, a downwardly depending front wall with an upper opening defined in the lower periphery of the upper front wall, and an upper ribbon, the second body comprising a sole, an upwardly depending lower front wall with a lower opening defined in the upper periphery of the lower front wall, a lower ribbon, the first body being aligned with and bonded to the second body with the upper opening and the lower opening forming an opening in the body, the body composed of a first metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch the striking plate insert composed of a second metal material and having a mass ranging from 60 grams to 100 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the exterior recess of the lower ribbon, the weighting member having a mass ranging from 5 grams to 40 grams and composed of a third metal material;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.70 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 g-cm², and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 1900 g-cm².

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a first half body and a second half body, the first body comprising a crown, a downwardly depending front wall with an upper opening defined in the lower periphery of the upper front wall, and an upper ribbon, the second body comprising a sole, an upwardly depending lower front wall with a lower opening defined in the upper periphery of the lower front wall, a lower ribbon, the first body being aligned with and bonded to the second body with the upper opening and the lower opening forming an opening in the body, the body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch the striking plate insert composed of a steel alloy material and having a mass ranging from 60 grams to 100 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the exterior recess of the lower 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 volume ranging from 320 cubic centimeters to 450 cubic centimeters, the golf club head ha 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 g-cm², and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 1900 g-cm².

10. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a first half body and a second half body, the first body comprising a crown, a downwardly depending front wall with an upper opening defined in the lower periphery of the upper front wall, and an upper ribbon, the second body comprising a sole, an upwardly depending lower front wall with a lower opening defined in the upper periphery of the lower front wall, a lower ribbon, the first body being aligned with and bonded to the second body with the upper opening and the lower opening forming an opening in the body, the body composed of a first metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum; and

a striking plate;

wherein the golf club head has a volume less than 450 cubic centimeters, a mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 g-cm², and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 g-cm².

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the first half-body and the second half-body arc composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum, and the striking plate insert is composed of a metal material.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a first half body and a second half body, the first body comprising a crown, a downwardly depending front wall with an upper opening defined in the lower periphery of the upper front wall, and an upper ribbon, the second body comprising a sole, an upwardly depending lower front wall with a lower opening defined in the upper periphery of the lower front wall, a lower ribbon, the first body being aligned with and bonded to the second body with the upper opening and the lower opening forming an opening in the body, the body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum;

a striking plate insert positioned within the opening, the striking plate insert having a thickness in the range of 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch the striking plate insert composed of a steel alloy material and having a mass ranging from 60 grams to 100 grams; and

a weighting member positioned within the exterior recess of the lower 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, and the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 450 cubic centimeters, the golf club head having a mss ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams, wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 g-cm², and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 g-cm².