Golf club head

• US 6,969,326 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Burnett, Michael Scott, Vincent, Benoit, Hoffman, Joseph, Willett, Kraig, De Shiell, Drew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/634,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20040116208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-271, 273/DIG.7
• 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 2209/023 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 53/0412 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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: Y10S 273/07 Glass fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49968 Metal fusion joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49988 Metal casting

Abstract

The present invention resides in a wood-type golf club head having a body, a striking face and a crown. The body defines a front opening and an upper opening, and it includes a sole and a side section that extends rearward of the front opening. The striking plate is secured to the body, enclosing the front opening. While partially assembled, final weighting and/or other attachment of other members to the inner surface of the club head can be preformed, as desired. The crown is secured to the body portion, enclosing the upper opening. A surface veil is disposed atop a junction of the crown and body. The crown has a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the striking plate and the crown is attached to the second portion by adhesive bonding.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head having a maximum coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80 and a volume of at least 150 cm³, the golf club head comprising:

a body formed from a material having a density of at least about 4 g/cm³, the body having;

a sole;

a front opening;

a side section, the side section extending rearward of the front opening and having toe, rear, and heel regions;

an upper opening;

a shoulder disposed around a periphery of the upper opening;

a recessed support extending from the shoulder and positioned adjacent to the upper opening; and

a striking plate attached to the body and enclosing the front opening; and

a crown secured to the body and supported by the recessed support, thereby enclosing the upper opening, the crown incorporating composite material having a density between 1 g/cm³ and 2 g/cm³, the crown having;

a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm;

a first portion sized to sit on the recessed support of the body such that a side edge of the first portion is proximate to the shoulder of the body, thereby forming a junction between the first portion of the crown and the body; and

a surface veil secured atop the junction.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the body is cast from a titanium alloy;

the side section has a thickness between about 0.8 mm and about 2 mm;

the striking plate is welded to the body;

the maximum thickness of the crown is no greater than about 1.5 mm;

the side edge of the first portion of the crown and the shoulder of the body are tapered, thereby defining an angle greater than about 90 degrees and less than about 180 degrees;

the veil includes plies of composite material; and

the veil covers the junction between the first portion of the crown and the body.

3. The gulf club head of claim 2, wherein the titanium alloy is 6Al-4V Ti.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the veil is formed from two plies of the same composite material incorporated by the crown.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the surface veil covers the entire length of the junction between the first portion of the crown and the body.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the surface veil entirely covers an upper surface of the first portion of the crown.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the surface veil entirely covers the crown.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side edge of the first portion and the shoulder of the body portion has a tapered profile, thereby forming a depression about the junction, and wherein the surface veil at least partially fills the depression.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the side edge of the first portion and the shoulder of the body portion define an angle greater than about 90 degrees and less than about 180 degrees.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the surface veil is comprised of plies of composite material.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the surface veil and the crown are comprised of the same composite material.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the surface veil and the crown are comprised of different materials.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the crown is comprised of carbon fiber plies and the surface veil is comprised of a glass composite.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the striking plate and the body are comprised of different materials or different grades of the same metallic material.

15. A wood-type golf club head having a maximum coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80 and a volume of at least 150 cm³, the golf club head comprising:

a body formed from a material having a density of at least about 4 g/cm³, the body having;

a sole;

a front opening;

a side section, the side section extending rearward of the front opening and having toe, rear, and heel regions;

an upper opening;

a shoulder disposed around a periphery of the upper opening;

a recessed support extending from the shoulder and positioned adjacent to the upper opening; and

a striking plate attached to the body and enclosing the front opening; and

a crown attached to the body and supported by the recessed support, thereby enclosing the upper opening, the crown including plies of composite material having a fiber areal weight of between 20 g/m² and 200 g/m², the crown having;

a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm;

a first portion sized to sit on the recessed support of the body such that a side edge of the first portion is proximate to the shoulder of the body, thereby forming a junction between the first portion of the crown and the body; and

a surface veil secured atop the junction;

wherein the weight of the crown is less than the weight of a similar sized piece formed of the material of the body, and wherein at least one of the striking plate and the crown is attached to the body by adhesive bonding.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein:

the body is cast from a titanium alloy;

the side section has a thickness between about 0.8 mm and about 2 nun;

the striking plate is welded to the body;

the maximum thickness of the crown is no greater than about 1.5 mm;

the side edge of the first portion of the crown and the shoulder of the body are tapered, thereby defining an angle greater than about 90 degrees and less than about 180 degrees;

the veil includes plies of composite material; and

the veil covers the junction between the first portion of the crown and the body.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the titanium alloy is 6Al-4V Ti.

18. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the veil is formed from two plies of the same composite material incorporated by the crown.

19. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the surface veil covers the entire length of the junction between the first portion of the crown and the body.

20. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the surface veil entirely covers an upper surface of the first portion of the crown.

21. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the surface veil entirely covers the crown.

22. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein at least one of the side edge of the first portion and the shoulder of the body portion has a tapered profile, thereby forming a depression about the junction, and wherein the surface veil at least partially fills the depression.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the side edge of the first portion and the shoulder of the body portion define an angle greater than about 90 degrees and less than about 180 degrees.

24. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the surface veil is comprised of plies of composite material.

25. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein the surface veil and the crown are comprised of the same composite material.

26. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the surface veil and the crown are comprised of different materials.

27. The golf club head of claim 26, wherein the crown is comprised of carbon fiber plies and the surface veil is comprised of a glass composite.

28. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the striking plate and the body are comprised of different materials or different grades of the same metallic material.