Golf club head

• US 6,997,821 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Helmstetter, Richard C., Aguinaldo, Homer E., Hocknell, Alan, Boyce, Ronald C., Woolley, Curtis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/604,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-291
• 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 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• 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

Abstract

A golf club having a club head with a striking plate having a thickness in the range of 0.010 to 0.250 inch is disclosed herein. The club head may be composed of three pieces, a face, a sole and a crown. Each of the pieces may be composed of a titanium material. The striking plate of the club head may have an aspect ratio less than 1.7. The striking plate may also have concentric regions of thickness with the thickness portion in the center. The club head may be composed of a titanium material, have a volume in the range of 175 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters, a weight in the range of 165 grams to 300 grams, and a striking plate surface area in the range of 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches. The golf club head may also have a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.8 under test conditions such as the USGA test conditions specified pursuant to Rule 4-1e, Appendix II, of the Rules of Golf for 1998-1999.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a face member composed of a metal material, the face member including a face plate and a face extension, the face extension extending laterally rearward from a perimeter of the face plate, the face plate having an aspect ratio ranging from 1.0 to 1.7 and a face area ranging from 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches, the face plate having a plurality of scorelines thereon, wherein the face plate comprises a central circular 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; and

a body including a crown and a sole coupled to the face extension of the face member,

wherein the golf club head has a volume no greater than 400 cubic centimeters,

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of ranging from 0.80 to 0.93 under standard USGA conditions, and

wherein the golf club head has a mass ranging from 165 grams to 300 grams.

2. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown and a sole, the body composed of a metal material; and

a face member composed of a metal material, the fate member including a face plate and a face extension, the face extension extending laterally rearward from a perimeter of the face plate, the face plate having an aspect ratio ranging from 1.0 to 1.7 and a face area ranging from 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches, the face plate having a plurality of scorelines thereon, wherein the face has a plurality of concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region in the center,

wherein the golf club head has a volume no greater than 400 cubic centimeters,

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of ranging from 0.80 to 0.93 under standard USGA conditions, and

wherein the golf club head has a mass ranging from 165 grains to 300 grams.

3. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown and a sole, the body composed of a metal material; and

a face member composed of a metal material, the face member including face plate and a face extension, the face extension extending laterally rearward from a perimeter of the face plate, the face plate having an aspect ratio ranging from 1.0 to 1.7 and a face area ranging from 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches, the face plate having a plurality of scorelines thereon,

wherein the golf club head has a volume no greater than 400 cubic centimeters,

wherein the golf club bead has a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.80 to 0.93 under standard USGA conditions, and

wherein the golf club head has a mass ranging from 165 grams to 300 grams.

4. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the depth of the golf club head from the face plate to a rear of the crown ranges from 3.606 inches to 3.741 inches.

5. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the volume of the golf club head ranges from 260 cubic centimeters to 350 cubic centimeters.

6. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the face area of the face plate ranges from 4.50 square inches to 5.50 square inches.

7. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the mass of the golf club head ranges from 175 grams to 225 grams.

8. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the crown has a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.060 inch.