Golf club head with gasket

• US 7,226,366 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/709,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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

Abstract

A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60), an aft body (61) and a gasket (300) is disclosed herein. The face component (60) has a striking plate portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61) is preferably composed of a crown portion (62), a sole portion (64) and optionally a ribbon section (90). The gasket (300) provides an interface between the face (60) and the aft-body (61) that reduces corrosion and improves manufacturing costs of the club head. The club head (42) preferably 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, the face component having a striking portion and a return portion;

an aft body having a crown and sole portion, the aft body attached to the return portion of the face component, the aft body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium, and aluminum; and

a gasket positioned in a gap between the face component and the aft-body, wherein the gasket is composed of a polymer material.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the gasket is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer material.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the gasket has a width in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.200 inch.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the gasket has a “

L”

shaped cross-section.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the gasket has a wedged shaped cross-section.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the gasket has a rectangular shaped cross-section.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the gasket has a circular shaped cross-section.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the gap is positioned 0.5 inch to 2.5 inches from a perimeter of the striking plate of the face component.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having striking plate portion and a return portion, 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;

an aft body comprising an upper section and a lower section, the upper section comprising a crown portion and an upper ribbon portion and the lower section comprising a sole portion and a lower ribbon portion, the aft-body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component, the aft body having a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.100 inch; and

a gasket positioned in a gap between the face component and the aft-body;

wherein the moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity is greater than 3000 grams-centimeter squared, and the moment of inertia about the Iyy axis through the center of gravity is greater than 1900 grams-centimeter squared.

10. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the gasket is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastoiner material.

11. The golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the gasket has a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.200 inch.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material, the face component having striking plate portion and a return portion, the striking plate portion having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch;

an aft body comprising an upper section and a lower section, the upper section comprising a crown portion and an upper ribbon portion and the lower section comprising a sole portion and a lower ribbon portion, the aft-body composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of magnesium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium and aluminum, the aft-body attached to the return portion of the face component, the aft body having a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.100 inch;

a gasket positioned in a gap between the face component and the aft-body, wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 525 cubic centimeters and a mass ranging from 175 grams to 225 grams.