Golf club head

• US 7,267,620 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Ie, Citra A., Beach, Todd P., Flukers, Jabaarr A., Chao, Bing-Ling, Vincent, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US10/442,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20040235584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/329, 473/330, 473/342, 473/345, 473/347, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• 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 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a body and a face insert is provided. The body defines a front opening, and the face insert is attached at and closes the front opening. The face insert comprises prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m². The face insert further includes a layer of textured film that is co-cured with the prepreg plies to form a front surface of the face insert. The face insert may alternatively include a metallic cap on the front surface of the face insert instead of the layer of textured film. The face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a volume of at least 200 cc, comprising:

a body having a crown, a skirt, and a sole, the body defining a front opening;

a face insert having at least a portion comprising prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert closing the front opening of the body; and

a metallic cap adhesively attached to the prepreg plies;

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm, the golf club head having a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.79; and

wherein the thickness of the prepreg plies is about 3.5 mm or less and the metallic cap'"'"'s thickness is about 0.5 mm or less.

2. A golf club head having a volume of at least 200 cc, comprising:

a body having a crown, a skirt, and a sole the body defining a front opening;

a face insert having at least a portion comprising prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert closing the front opening of the body; and

a layer of textured film co-cured with the prepreg plies, the layer of textured film thereby forming a front surface of the face insert;

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm, the golf club head having a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.79.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 2, wherein the layer of textured film comprises nylon fabric.

4. A golf club head comprising:

a body defining a front opening;

a face insert comprising prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert attached at and closing the front opening of the body; and

a layer of textured film co-cured with the prepreg plies, the layer of textured film forming a front surface of the face insert;

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the layer of textured film comprises nylon fabric.

6. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening;

a face insert comprising a front surface, a side edge, and prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert attached at and closing the front opening of the body; and

a cap covering at least a portion of the face insert and extending across a substantial portion of the front surface;

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm.

7. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening;

a face insert comprising a front surface, a side edge, and prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert attached at and closing the front opening of the body; and

a cap covering at least a portion of the face insert and extending across at least a portion of the front surface;

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm; and

wherein the cap is comprised of a metallic material and has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm.

8. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening;

a face insert comprising a front surface, a side edge, and prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert attached at and closing the front opening of the body; and

a cap covering at least a portion of the face insert and extending across at least a portion of the front surface;

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm; and

wherein the cap is comprised of a metallic material and has a thickness of less than 0.3 mm.

9. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening and comprising an annular ledge extending around a periphery of the front opening; and

a face insert comprising prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², the face insert coupled to the annular ledge and closing the front opening of the body;

wherein the annular ledge has a width extending towards the center of the front opening, and wherein the width is within a range of about 3 mm to about 6 mm; and

wherein the face insert'"'"'s total thickness is within a range of about 1 mm to about 8 mm.