Multiple material golf club head

• US 7,118,493 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/710,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473/224, 473/234
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/02 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60), an aft body (61), and a sound modifying component (59) is disclosed herein. The face component (60) has a striking plate portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61) is composed of a crown portion (62), a sole portion (64) and optionally a ribbon section (90). The face component (60) is composed of a metal material, and the aft-body (61) is composed of a non-metal material such as a composite material or a thermoplastic material. The sound modifying component (59), which is attached to the metallic face component (60), alters the sound of the golf club head (42) when it impacts a golf ball.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a striking plate portion and a return portion with a sole extension, the striking plate portion having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return portion having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, the return portion extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate portion, and the sole extension extending 0.05 inch to 3.0 inches from an edge of the return portion;

an aft-body composed of a non-metallic material, the aft body having a crown portion and a sole portion, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component; and

a means for modifying the sound characteristics of the golf club head, the means being attached to the face component;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics is composed of a metal material.

3. The golf club head according to claim 2 wherein the metal material for the means for modifying the sound characteristics is selected from a group consisting of a titanium alloy, amorphous metal, stainless steel and maraging steel.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics is attached to an interior surface of the face component.

5. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics is attached to the interior surface of the sole extension.

6. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the means of modifying the sound characteristics includes a ring.

7. The golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the means of modifying the sound characteristics includes a conical object.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics of the golf club head are attached using a welding or e-beam process.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein, the means for modifying the sound characteristics is attached to an exterior surface of the face component.

10. The golf club head according to a claim 9 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics includes an arcuate piece having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the return portion of the face component at a toe end, the second being attached to the return portion at a heel end.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the aft-body includes a ribbon portion located between the crown portion and the sole portion, the arcuate piece extending generally along the ribbon portion of the aft-body.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein a fastener secures the arcuate piece to a rear section of the ribbon portion, the arcuate piece being detached from the aft body except at the fastener.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a striking plate portion and a return portion with a sole extension, the striking plate portion having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return portion having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, the return portion extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate portion, and the sole extension extending 0.05 inch to 3.0 inches from an edge of the return portion, the sole extension having an interior and exterior surface;

an aft-body composed of a non-metallic material, the aft body having a crown portion and a sole portion, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component; and

means for modifying the sound characteristics of the golf club head, the means being composed of a metallic material, having a mass in the range of 1 gram to 10 grams, and being attached to the interior surface of the sole extension;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94.

14. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics includes a ring.

15. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics includes a conical object.

16. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a striking plate portion and a return portion with a sole extension, the striking plate portion having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch and the return portion having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, the return portion extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate portion, and the sole extension extending 0.05 inch to 3.0 inches from an edge of the return portion;

an aft-body composed of a composite material, the aft body having a crown portion and a sole portion, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component; and

means for modifying the sound characteristics of the golf club head, the means being composed of a metallic material, having a mass in the range of 1 gram to 10 grams, and being attached to an exterior surface of the face component;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94.

17. The golf club head according to claim 16 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics includes an arcuate piece having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the return portion of the face component at a toe end, the second end being attached to the return portion at a heel end, the arcuate piece extending around the aft-body.

18. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein a fastener secures the arcuate piece to a rear section of the aft-body, the arcuate piece being detached from the aft-body except at the fastener.

19. The golf club head according to claim 16 wherein the means for modifying the sound characteristics is welded to the exterior surface of the face component.