Multiple material golf club head

• US 6,881,159 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Rollinson, Augustin W., Galloway, J. Andrew, Cackett, Matthew T., Evans, D. Clayton, Hocknell, Alan, Smith, Garth W., Reyes, Herbert, Murphy, James M., Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/250,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20030176238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/329, 473/330, 473/342, 473/346
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 5/00 Methods for forging, hammering, or pressing for working sheet-metal or metal tubes, rods, or profiles B21D; for working wire B21F; Special equipment or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 17/00 Making sport articles, e.g. skates
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/183 of titanium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/26 for etching refractory metals

Abstract

A fairway wood type golf club having a club head with a major body and a minor body is disclosed herein. The major body is composed of a metal material and has a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge portion. The minor body is preferably composed of a composite material and has a crown section and a ribbon section. The striking plate section preferably has variable face thickness. The minor body is preferably attached by a liquid adhesive to the ledge section of the major body.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a major body composed of a metal material, the major body having a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, and the return section having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.250 inch, the return section extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section, the major body having a mass ranging from 140 grams to 200 grams;

a minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body, the minor body having a mass ranging from 4 grams to 20 grams; and

a rear weighting member disposed on an interior surface of the ribbon section of the major body, the rear weighting member having a mass ranging from 10 grams to 50 grams.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate section has a thickness in the range of 0.055 inch to 0.125 inch.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a heel weight member disposed on an interior surface of the sole section of the major body, the heel weight member having a mass ranging from 2 grams to 15 grams.

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

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the ledge section is inward a distance ranging from 0.005 inch to 0.020 inch from an exterior surface of the major body.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate section has a plurality of concentric regions of varying thickness.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the striking plate section comprises a central elliptical region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the return section has a thickness ranging from 0.050 inch to 0.150 inch.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 200 cubic centimeters to 300 cubic centimeters.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head ranges from 1900 grams-centimeter squared to 2400 grams-centimeter squared.

11. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head comprising

a major body composed of a metal material, the major body having a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, and the return section having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.250 inch, the return section extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section, the major body having a mass ranging from 140 grams to 200 grams,

a minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body, the minor body having a mass ranging from 4 grams to 20 grams, and

a rear weighting member disposed on an interior surface of the ribbon section of the major body, the rear weighting member having a mass ranging from 10 grams to 50 grams; and

a shaft connected to the golf club head,

wherein the golf club has a left angle greater than thirteen degrees, and

wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity ranges from 1900 to 2400 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity ranges from 900 to 1400 grams-centimeter squared.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a major body composed of a cast stainless steel material, the major body having a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a lodge section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, and the return section having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.250 inch, the return section extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section, the ledge section is inward a distance ranging from 0.005 inch to 0.020 inch from an exterior surface of the major body;

a minor body having a crown section and a ribbon section, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body with a liquid adhesive, the minor body having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.070 inch;

a rear weighting member disposed on an interior surface of the ribbon section of the major body, the rear weighting member having a mass ranging from 10 grams to 50 grams; and

a heel weight member disposed on an interior surface of the sole section of the major body, the heel weight member having a mass ranging from 2 grams to 15 grams,

wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 1900 to 2400 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 900 to 1400 grams-centimeter squared.

13. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the ledge section is inward a distance ranging from 0.005 inch to 0.020 inch from an exterior surface of the major body.

14. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the striking plate section has a plurality of concentric regions of varying thickness.

15. The golf club head according to claim 14 further comprising a periphery region having a thickness that ranges from 0.050 inch to 0.080 inch.

16. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the striking plate section comprises a central elliptical region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.

17. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the return section has a thickness ranging from 0.050 inch to 0.150 inch.

18. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 200 cubic centimeters to 300 cubic centimeters.

19. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the striking plate section comprises a central region having a thickness ranging from 0.100 inch to 0.120 inch, a first concentric region having a thickness ranging from 0.090 inch to 0.110 inch, and a second concentric region having a thickness 0.080 inch to 0.100 inch.

20. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the minor body is composed of a thermoplastic material.

21. A golf club head comprising:

a major body composed of a metal material, the major body having a striking plate section, a return section, a sole section, a ribbon section and a ledge section, the return section extending a distance ranging from 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate section, the striking plate section having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, the striking plate section comprising a central elliptical region having a base thickness, at least one concentric region having a thickness less than the base thickness, and a periphery region having a thickness less than the thickness of the at least one concentric region; and

a minor body composed of a non-metal material, the minor body attached to the ledge section of the major body.