Multiple material golf club head

• US 7,125,344 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• 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, Cackett, Matthew T., Evans, D. Clayton, Hocknell, Alan, Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/249,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20040014534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/330, 473/332, 473/329, 473/333, 473/340, 473/349, 473/343, 473/344
• 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 53/0408 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 53/0462 characterised by tapering 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 (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60) and an aft body (61) 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 metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum. The striking plate portion (72) preferably has an aspect ratio less than 1.7. The striking plate portion (72) preferably has concentric regions of thickness with the thickness portion in the center (102). The club head (42) has a volume in the range of 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, a weight in the range of 165 grams to 300 grams, and a striking plate portion (72) surface area in the range of 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches. The golf club head (42) has a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.81 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 golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a cast titanium alloy material and comprising a return portion, a sole extension, and a striking plate portion, the striking plate portion having concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region about the center of the striking plate portion; and

an aft body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum, the aft body having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.100 inch, the aft body comprising crown portion, a ribbon portion, a sole portion, a sole undercut extension, and an inward recessed portion, the return portion and sole extension overlapping the inward recessed portion and sole undercut extension and attached to the inward recessed portion and sole undercut extension wherein the crown portion, the sole portion, the ribbon portion and the return portion define a gap, the gap also defined by an exterior surface of the inward recessed portion, the gap having a distance from an edge of the return portion to an exposed edge of the aft-body ranging from 0.02 inch to 0.09 inch, wherein the aft-body is attached to the return riortion of the face component with an adhesive comprising a two-part liquid epoxy.

2. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a cast titanium alloy material and comprising a return portion, sole extension, and a striking plate portion, the striking plate portion having concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region about the center of the striking plate portion; and

an aft body composed of a magnesium alloy material, the aft body having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.100 inch, the aft body comprising crown portion, a ribbon portion, a sole portion, sole undercut extension, and an inward recessed portion, the return portion and sole extension overlapping the inward recessed portion and sole undercut extension and attached to the inward recessed portion and sole undercut extension wherein the crown portion, the sole portion, the ribbon portion and the return portion define a gap, the gap also defined by an exterior surface of the inward recessed portion, the gap having a distance from an edge of the return portion to an exposed edge of the aft-body ranging from 0.02 inch to 0.09 inch, wherein the aft-body is attached to the return portion of the face component with an adhesive comprising a two-part liquid epoxy.

3. The golf club head according to claim 2 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

4. The golf club head according to claim 2 wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis of the golf club head is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared.

5. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a cast titanium alloy material and comprising a return portion, sole extension, and a striking plate portion, the striking plate portion having concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region about the center of the striking plate portion; and

an aft body composed of an aluminum alloy material, the aft body having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.100 inch, the aft body comprising crown portion, a ribbon portion, a sole portion, sole undercut extension, and an inward recessed portion, the return portion and sole extension overlapping the inward recessed portion and sole undercut extension and attached to the inward recessed portion and sole undercut extension wherein the crown portion, the sole portion, the ribbon portion and the return portion define a gap, the gap also defined by an exterior surface of the inward recessed portion, the gap having a distance from an edge of the return portion to an exposed edge of the aft-body ranging from 0.02 inch to 0.09 inch, wherein the aft-body is attached to the return portion of the face component with an adhesive comprising a two-part liquid epoxy.

6. The golf club head according to claim 5 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

7. The golf club head according to claim 5 wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis of the golf club head is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared.