Golf club head with composite titanium-graphite head

• US 7,008,332 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2004
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trophy Sports, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trophy Sports, Inc.
• Inventors: Liou, Jethro
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/766,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A metal wood golf club head having a metallic assembly including an opening in at least a top plate and a composite cover bonded to the metallic assembly to cover the opening.

Claims

1. A golf club head formed by the method comprising:

forming a metallic assembly including a sole plate, a faceplate, a top plate, and a hosel, said metallic assembly including at least one opening formed in said top plate and at least one opening formed in a rear portion of said sole plate, said top plate being continuously and directly connected to said rear portion of said sole plate;

forming a composite cover to fit over said top plate and said sole plate to cover metallic portions of said top plate and said rear portion of said sole plate as well as to cover said at least one opening in said top plate and said at least one opening in said rear portion of said sole plate; and

bonding said composite cover to said metallic assembly.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said metallic assembly includes at least two openings formed in said top plate and two openings formed in a rear portion of said sole plate.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said composite cover is formed from a woven graphite mesh bonded with an epoxy.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said faceplate is welded to said sole plate, said hosel is welded to said sole plate and faceplate and said top plate is welded to said sole plate, faceplate and hosel.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein said metallic assembly is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and other steel alloy materials.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sole plate, said faceplate and said top plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and other steel alloy materials.

7. A golf club head comprising:

a metallic assembly including a sole plate, a faceplate, a top plate, and a hosel, said metallic assembly including at least one opening formed in said top plate and at least one opening formed in a rear portion of said sole plate, said top plate being continuously and directly connected to said rear portion of said sole plate; and

a composite cover formed to fit over said top plate and said sole plate to cover metallic portions of said top plate and said rear portion of said sole plate as well as said openings therein, said composite cover bonded to said metallic assembly by a bonding agent.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein said metallic assembly includes an opening formed in said top plate and two openings formed in a rear portion of said sole plate.

9. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein said composite cover is formed from a woven graphite mesh bonded with an epoxy.

10. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein said metallic assembly is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and other steel alloy materials.

11. The golf club head of claim 9 wherein said metallic assembly is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and other steel alloy materials.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a metallic assembly including a sole plate, a face plate, a top plate, and a hosel, the metallic assembly including at least one opening in the top plate and at least one opening in an upward extending portion of the sole plate, the metallic assembly formed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, titanium, and other steel alloy materials, said top plate being continuously and directly connected to said upward extending portion of said sole plate; and

a composite cover formed from a woven graphite mesh bonded with an epoxy, the composite cover substantially covering metallic portions of said top plate as well as the at least one opening of the top plate and the upward extending portion of the sole plate, the composite cover bonded to the metallic assembly by a bonding agent.