Golf club head

• US 6,932,716 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Nigro, Anthony V., Erickson, Matthew J., Kosmatka, John B., Ehlers, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/249,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-291
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3206 aliphatic

Abstract

A golf club head having a matrix layer composed of an interconnected reinforcement structure and a polymer material is disclosed herein. The matrix layer provides the golf club head with a greater coefficient of restitution during impact with a golf ball. The matrix layer is preferably disposed within a recess in the front wall of the body of the golf club head. The interconnected reinforcement structure is preferably composed of interconnected hexagonal cells.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole and a front wall, the front wall having an exterior surface, the body having a hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters, the body composed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloy and steel; and

a matrix layer having an interior surface, the interior surface of the matrix layer disposed on the exterior surface of the front wall of the body, the matrix layer comprising a polymer material and an integrated reinforcement structure, the matrix layer having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, the integrated reinforcement structure composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aramid fiber, fiberglass, carbon and polyurethane.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the integrated reinforcement structure is a plurality of interconnected cells, each cell having a cell size ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is composed of a titanium alloy material and the front wall has a thickness ranging from 0.030 inch to 0.150 inch.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the polymer material of the matrix layer is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyether block copolymer, ionomer, nylon, polyamide and polypropylene.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the matrix layer has a thickness ranging from 0.080 inch to 0.120 inch.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein a face of the golf club head has an aspect ratio greater than 0.575.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the front wall has a plurality of concentric regions of thickness.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.82 to 0.93.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole and a front wall, the front wall having an exterior surface, the body having a hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters, the body composed of a titanium alloy material, the front wall having a recess, the recess having a depth ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch; and

a matrix layer having an interior surface, the matrix layer disposed within the recess of the front wall with the interior surface of the matrix layer disposed on the exterior surface of the front wall, the matrix layer comprising a polymer material and an integrated reinforcement structure composed of interconnected hexagonal cells, each hexagonal cell having a cell size of 0.0625 inch to 0.100 inch, the matrix layer having a thickness ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the integrated reinforcement structure composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aramid fiber, fiberglass, carbon and polyurethane.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the polymer material of the matrix layer is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

11. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about the Z axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head that ranges from 2700 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².

12. A Wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole and front wall, the front wall having an exterior surface, the body having a hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters, the body composed of a titanium alloy material, the front wall having a recess, the recess having a depth ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch; and

a matrix layer having an interior surface, the matrix layer disposed within the recess of the front wall with the interior surface of the matrix layer disposed on the exterior surface of the front wall, the matrix layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane material and an integrated reinforcement structure composed of interconnected hexagonal cells, each hexagonal cell having a cell size of 0.0625 inch to 0.100 inch, the matrix layer having a thickness ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the integrated reinforcement structure composed of an aluminum material;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.82 to 0.93.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole and a front wall, the front wall having an exterior surface, the body having a hollow interior, the body having a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeter, the body composed of a titanium alloy material, the front wall having a recess, the recess having a depth ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch; and

a matrix layer disposed within the recess of the front wall with the interior surface of the matrix layer disposed on the exterior surface of the front wall, the matrix layer comprising a polymer material and an integrated reinforcement structure composed of interconnected hexagonal cells, each hexagonal cell having a cell size of 0.0625 inch to 0.100 inch, the matrix layer having a thickness ranging from 0.040 inch to 0.250 inch, the integrated reinforcement structure composed of an aluminum material;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about the Z axis of the center of gravity of the golf club head ranging front 2700 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².