Multiple material golf club head

• US 7,128,661 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Rollinson, Augustin W., Soracco, Peter L., Galloway, J. Andrew, Cackett, Matthew T., Hocknell, Alan, Reyes, Herbert, Murphy, James M., Helmstetter, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/709,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 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 2209/00 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• 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 60/46 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 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 non-metal material The striking plate portion (72) preferably has concentric regions of thickness. 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.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material; and

an aft-body connected to the face component, the aft-body composed of a non-metal material;

wherein the golf club head has an exterior surface area ranging from 30.0 square inches to 60.0 square inches and a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, and wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 27% to 75% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 35% to 70% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 40% to 65% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 50% to 60% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the aft-body is composed of plies of pre-preg material.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face component has a striking plate portion and a return portion.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 510 cubic centimeters.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face component is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy, amorphous metal, stainless steel and maraging steel.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 40% to 65% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

11. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 50% to 60% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

8. The golf club head according to 1 wherein the face component has an exterior surface area ranging from 15 square inches to 25 square inches.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a mass ranging from 50 grams to 110 grams;

an aft-body connected to the face component, the aft-body having a mass ranging from 10 grams to 60 grams;

at least one weight member attached to the aft-body, the at least one weight member having a mass ranging from 30 grams to 120 grams;

wherein the golf club head has a mass ranging from 165 grams to 225 grams, a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, and an exterior surface area ranging from 30.0 square inches to 60.0 square inches.

13. The golf club head according to claim 12 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 27% to 75% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

14. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 510 cubic centimeters.

15. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis of the golf club head is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared.

16. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the face component is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy, amorphous metal, stainless steel and maraging steel.

18. The golf club head according to claim 13 wherein the aft-body comprises a crown portion and a sole portion.

19. The golf club head according to claim 18 wherein the sole portion of the aft-body comprises a bottom section and a ribbon section.

24. The golf club head according to claim 12 the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 35% to 70% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

17. The golf club head according to 13 wherein the face component comprises a striking plate portion and a return portion.

20. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the return portion comprises an upper lateral section and a lower lateral section.

21. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the return portion comprises a heel lateral section and a toe lateral section.

22. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the return portion comprises an upper lateral section.

23. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the return portion comprises a lower lateral section.

25. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having a mass ranging from 50 grams to 110 grams; and

an aft-body connected to the face component, the aft-body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion;

wherein the golf club head has an exterior surface area ranging from 30.0 square inches to 60.0 square inches, a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters and a mass ranging from 165 grams to 225 grams, and wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 27% to 75% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

26. The golf club head according to claim 25 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 35% to 70% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

27. The golf club head according to claim 25 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 40% to 65% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

28. The golf club head according to claim 25 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 50% to 60% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

29. The golf club head according to claim 25 wherein the aft-body is composed of plies of pre-preg material.

30. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a titanium alloy material, the face component comprising a striking plate portion and a return portion; and

an aft-body connected to the face component, the aft-body composed of a non-metal material, the aft-body comprising a crown portion and a sole portion;

wherein the golf club head has an exterior surface area ranging from 30.0 square inches to 60.0 square inches, a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, the moment of inertia about the Izz axis of the golf club head is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared, and the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.81 to 0.94;

wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 27% to 75% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

31. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 40% to 65% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

32. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the aft body has an exterior surface area ranging from 50% to 60% of the total exterior surface area of the golf club head.

33. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the aft-body is composed of plies of pre-preg material.

34. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the sole portion of the aft-body comprises a bottom section and a ribbon section.

35. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the return portion comprises an upper lateral section and a lower lateral section.

36. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the return portion comprises a heel lateral section and a toe lateral section.

37. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the return portion comprises an upper lateral section.

38. The golf club head according to claim 30 wherein the return portion comprises a lower lateral section.