Golf club head or other ball striking device with discrete regions of different density

• US 7,229,362 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Tavares, Gary G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau; Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/010,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20060128500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

Ball striking devices may include: (a) a sole member; (b) at least one intermediate body member; (c) a crown member; and (d) a face member. The materials making up the sole member, the intermediate body member(s), and the crown member may be selected so that the densities of the materials generally increase as one moves in a direction from the sole member toward the crown member. Such devices may be formed as golf club heads and/or golf clubs (such as “wood-type” golf clubs and golf club heads).

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a sole member made, at least in part, from a first material having a first density;

a first intermediate body member made, at least in part, from a second material having a second density, wherein the second density is less than the first density;

a second intermediate body member made, at least in part from a third material having a third density, wherein the third density is less than the second density;

a crown member made, at least in part, from a fourth material having a fourth density, wherein the fourth density is less than the third density, wherein the first intermediate body member is located between the sole member and the crown member, and wherein the second intermediate body member is located between the first intermediate body member and the crown member; and

a face member, wherein the sole member, the first intermediate body member, and the crown member connect to the face member.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a driver head.

4. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a steel material, a titanium alloy, and a polymeric material;

wherein the second material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a polymeric material;

wherein the third material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a polymeric material; and

wherein the fourth material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a carbon fiber composite material, a glass fiber composite material, a titanium alloy material, and a polymeric material.

5. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the face member is integrally formed with at least a portion of the sole member.

6. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the face member is made, at least in part, from a titanium alloy.

7. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first material includes a titanium alloy.

8. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a steel material, a titanium alloy, and a polymeric material;

wherein the second material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a polymeric material; and

wherein the fourth material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a carbon fiber composite material, a glass fiber composite material, a titanium alloy material, and a polymeric material.

9. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the second intermediate body member is connected to the face member.

10. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, a major portion of the second intermediate body member is made from the third material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from fourth material.

11. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

12. A golf club, comprising:

a club head including;

(a) a sole member made, at least in part, from a first material having a first density;

(b) a first intermediate body member made, at least in part, from a second material having a second density, wherein the second density is less than the first density;

(c) a second intermediate body member made, at least in part, from a third material having a third density;

wherein the third density is less than the second density (d) a crown member made, at least in part, from a fourth material having a fourth density, wherein the fourth density is less than the third density, and wherein the first intermediate body member is located between the sole member and the crown member, and wherein the second intermediate body member is located between the first intermediate body member and the crown member; and

(e) a face member, wherein the sole member, the first intermediate body member, and the crown member connect to the face member; and

a shaft extending from the club head.

13. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the golf club is a wood-type golf club.

14. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the golf club is a driver.

15. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the first material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a steel material, a titanium alloy, and a polymeric material;

wherein the second material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a polymeric material;

wherein the third material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a polymeric material; and

wherein the fourth material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a carbon fiber composite material, a glass fiber composite material, a titanium alloy material, and a polymeric material.

16. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the face member is integrally formed with at least a portion of the sole member.

17. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the face member is made, at least in part, from a titanium alloy.

18. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the first material includes a titanium alloy.

19. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the first material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a steel material, a titanium alloy, and a polymeric material;

wherein the second material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a polymeric material; and

wherein the fourth material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of a carbon fiber composite material, a glass fiber composite material, a titanium alloy material, and a polymeric material.

20. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the second intermediate body member is connected to the face member.

21. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, a major portion of the second intermediate body member is made from the third material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

22. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the shaft includes a graphite based material.

23. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the shaft includes a steel material.

24. A golf club according to claim 12, further comprising:

a grip element aft ached to the shaft.

25. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

26. A ball striking device head, comprising:

a sole member made, at least in part, from a first material having a first density;

a first intermediate body member made, at least in part, from a second material having a second density, wherein the second density is less than the first density;

a second intermediate body member made, at least in part from a third material having a third density, wherein the third density is less than the second density;

a crown member made, at least in part, from a fourth material having a fourth density, wherein the fourth density is less than the third density, and wherein the first intermediate body member is located between the sole member and the crown member, and wherein the second intermediate body member is located between the first intermediate body member and the crown member; and

a face member, wherein the sole member, the first intermediate body member, and the crown member connect to the face member.

27. A ball striking device head according to claim 26,

wherein the second intermediate body member is connected to the face member.

28. A ball striking device head according to claim 26, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, a major portion of the second intermediate body member is made from the third material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

29. A ball striking device head according to claim 26, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

30. A ball striking device, comprising:

a club head including;

(a) a sole member made, at least in part, from a first material having a first density;

(b) a first intermediate body member made, at least in part, from a second material having a second density, wherein the second density is less than the first density;

(c) a second intermediate body member made, at least in part, from a third material having a third density, wherein the third density is less than the second density, (d) a crown member made, at least in part, from a fourth material having a fourth density, wherein the fourth density is less than the third density, wherein the first intermediate body member is located between the sole member and the crown member, and wherein the second intermediate body member is located between the first intermediate body member and the crown member; and

(e) a face member, wherein the sole member, the first intermediate body member, and the crown member connect to the face member; and

a shaft extending from the club head.

31. A ball striking device according to claim 30, wherein the second intermediate body member is connected to the face member.

32. A ball striking device according to claim 30, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, a major portion of the second intermediate body member is made from the third material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

33. A ball striking device according to claim 30, wherein a major portion of the sole member is made from the first material, a major portion of the first intermediate body member is made from the second material, and a major portion of the crown member is made from the fourth material.

34. A ball striking device according to claim 30, wherein the shaft includes a graphite based material.

35. A ball striking device according to claim 30, wherein the shaft includes a steel material.

36. A ball striking device according to claim 30, further comprising:

a grip element attached to the shaft.