Golf club head with variable face thickness

• US 7,101,289 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Gibbs, Evan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/904,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-292
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing

Abstract

A face or face insert (40) for a golf club head (20) is disclosed herein. The face (40) has an interior surface (40a) with a first thickness section (200) and a second thickness region (205). The first thickness section (200) preferably has a thickness that is at least 0.025 inch greater than the thickness of the second thickness region (205). In a most preferred embodiment, the first thickness section (205) has an X shape. The face or face insert (40) with variable thickness allows for a face or face insert (40) with less mass in a golf club head (20) that conforms to the United States Golf Association regulations.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, and a hollow interior;

a face disposed on the body, the face comprising a perimeter section, a heel vertical section, a toe-vertical section and a central horizontal section connected to each of the heel vertical section and toe vertical section, the face also comprising an upper central region, a lower central region, a heel region and a toe region, wherein the each of the perimeter section, the heel vertical section, the toe-vertical section and the central horizontal section has a first thickness and each of the upper central region, the lower central region, the heel region and the toe region has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least 0.025 inch;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 385 centimeters to 475 centimeters and a mass ranging from 170 grams to 250 grams, a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.82 to 0.875.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face further comprises a transition section which transitions from the first thickness to the second thickness.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least 0.050 inch.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face is an insert attached to the body.

5. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the body is composed of a non-metallic material.

6. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein each of the heel-vertical section and the toe vertical section extend from a bottom the insert to a top of the insert.

7. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein each of the heel region and the toe region is larger than each of the upper central region and the lower central region.

8. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the insert has a mass ranging from 25 grams to 40 grams.

9. The golf club head according to claim 8 wherein the insert has a height ranging from 1.80 inches to 2.50 inches, and a width ranging from 3.50 inches to 5.00 inches.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face is formed integral with the body.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the face and body are cast together.

12. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is an aft-body having an open front, and further comprising a face component attached to the open front of the aft-body, the face component including the face of the golf club head.

13. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the aft-body is composed of a non-metallic material.

14. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is composed of a cast titanium alloy material and the face is composed of a formed titanium alloy material.

15. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertial Izz about the Z-axis through the center of gravity of greater than 3000 g-cm² and a moment of inertia Iyy about the Y-axis through the center of gravity in the range from 2000 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².

16. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the perimeter section, the heel vertical section, the toe-vertical section and the central horizontal section has a thickness ranging from 0.100 inch to 0.200 inch, and each of the upper central region, the lower central region, the heel region and the toe region has a thickness ranging from 0.030 inch to 0.090 inch.

17. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the perimeter section, the heel vertical section, the toe-vertical section and the central horizontal section has a thickness ranging from 0.125 inch to 0.165 inch, and each of the upper central region, the lower central region, the heel region and the toe region has a thickness ranging from 0.050 inch to 0.070 inch.

18. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the heel-vertical section, the toe vertical section and the central horizontal section form a X shape.

19. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the perimeter section extends around the entire perimeter of the face.

20. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein an internal surface of the face is contoured to create a smooth surface.

21. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall and a ribbon, the front wall having an opening; and

a face insert attached to the body, the face comprising a perimeter section, a heel vertical section, a toe-vertical section and a central horizontal section connected to each of the heel vertical section and toe vertical section, the face also comprising an upper central region, a lower central region, a heel region and a toe region, wherein the each of the perimeter section, the heel vertical section, the toe-vertical section and the central horizontal section has a first thickness and each of the upper central region, the lower central region, the heel region and the toe region has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least 0.025 inch;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 385 centimeters to 475 centimeters and a mass ranging from 170 grams to 250 grams, a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.82 to 0.875.

22. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane, PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), blends of polycarbonate and polyurethane, carbon epoxy and plies of pre-preg.

23. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the face further comprises a transition section which transitions from the first thickness to the second thickness.

24. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least 0.050 inch.

25. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the body is composed of a cast titanium alloy material and the face insert is composed of a formed titanium alloy material.

26. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertial Izz about the Z-axis through the center of gravity of greater than 3000 g-cm² and a moment of inertia Iyy about the Y-axis through the center of gravity in the range from 2000 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².

27. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein each of the perimeter section, the heel vertical section, the toe-vertical section and the central horizontal section has a thickness ranging from 0.100 inch to 0.200 inch, and each of the upper central region, the lower central region, the heel region and the toe region has a thickness ranging from 0.030 inch to 0.090 inch.

28. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein each of the perimeter section, the heel vertical section, the toe-vertical section and the central horizontal section has a thickness ranging 0.125 inch to 0.165 inch, and each of the upper central region, the lower central region, the heel region and the toe region has a thickness ranging from 0.050 inch to 0.070 inch.

29. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein each of the heel-vertical section and the toe vertical section extend from a bottom the face insert to a top of the face insert.

30. The golf club head according to claim 29 wherein each of the heel region and the toe region is larger in area than each of the upper central region and the lower central region.

31. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the heel-vertical section, the toe vertical section and the central horizontal section form a X shape on the interior surface of the face insert.

32. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the perimeter section extends around the entire perimeter of the face.

33. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein an internal surface of the face is contoured to create a smooth surface.

34. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the insert has a mass ranging from 25 grams to 40 grams.

35. The golf club head according to claim 21 wherein the insert has a height ranging from 1.80 inches to 2.50 inches, and a width ranging from 3.50 inches to 5.00 inches.

36. A golf club head comprising:

a face component having a return portion and a face insert;

an aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component;

wherein the face insert has an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the face insert comprising an upper extension section, a lower extension section, a heel extension section, a toe extension section, a central section, a perimeter section, an upper toe region, an upper heel region, a lower toe region and a lower heel region, wherein the each of the upper extension section, the lower extension section, the heel extension section, the toe extension section, the central section and the perimeter section has a first thickness and each of the upper toe region, the upper heel region, the lower toe region and the lower heel region has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least 0.025 inch;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 385 centimeters to 475 centimeters and a mass ranging from 170 grams to 250 grams, a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.82 to 0.875.

37. The golf club head according to claim 36 wherein the aft-body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane, PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), blends of polycarbonate and polyurethane, carbon epoxy and plies of pre-preg.

38. A golf club head comprising:

a body composed of a composite material having a front wall with an opening, a sole, a ribbon;

a crown plate attached to the body;

a face insert disposed within the opening of the front wall, the face insert composed of a material having a density greater than the composite material, the face insert having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface of the face insert comprising an upper extension section, a lower extension section, a heel extension section, a toe extension section, a central section, a perimeter section, an upper toe region, an upper heel region, a lower toe region and a lower heel region, wherein the each of the upper extension section, the lower extension section, the heel extension section, the toe extension section, the central section and the perimeter section has a first thickness and each of the upper toe region, the upper heel region, the lower toe region and the lower heel region has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness by at least 0.025 inch;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 385 centimeters to 475 centimeters and a mass ranging from 170 grams to 250 grams, a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.82 to 0.875.