Golf club head with metal injection molded sole

• US 7,396,296 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Evans, D. Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/275,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 473/344
• 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 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A wood-type golf club head (20) with a main body (22) and a metal injection molded sole portion (26) is disclosed herein. The main body (26) has a face portion (30), a crown portion (24) a ribbon portion (28) and a bottom opening (31). The metal injection molded sole portion (26) is preferably brazed to the main body (22). The metal injection molded sole portion (26) preferably has a mass ranging from 45 grams to 110 grams. The metal injection molded sole portion (26) is preferably from 50 weight percent to 35 weight percent of the total mass of the wood-type golf club head (20).

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a main body having a face portion, a crown portion and a ribbon portion, the main body having a bottom opening, the main body composed of a stainless steel material, the main body having a mass ranging from 100 grams to 150 grams; and

a sole portion disposed over the bottom opening of the main body, the sole portion composed of a metal injection molded material, the metal injection material comprising stainless steel and tungsten, the metal injection material having a density ranging from 7.9 g/cc to 12.5 g/cc, the sole body having a mass ranging from 45 grams to 100 grams, wherein the sole portion has a material volume ranging from 6.0 cubic centimeters to 12.0 cubic centimeters.

2. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the metal injection molded material further comprises nickel.

3. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole portion is brazed to the main body.

4. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole portion has a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.080 inch.

5. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole portion comprises an exterior wall, an interior flange and an interior edge wall, wherein the main body further comprises a perimeter flange, and wherein the perimeter flange of the main body engages the interior flange of the sole portion.

6. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the wood-type golf club head has a total mass ranging from 190 grams to 225 grams.

7. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole portion is attached with threaded or non-threaded fasteners to the main body.

8. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a main body having a face portion, a crown portion and a ribbon portion, the main body having a bottom opening, the main body composed of a stainless steel material, the main body having a mass ranging from 100 grams to 150 grams; and

a sole portion disposed over the bottom opening of the main body, the sole portion composed of a metal injection molded material, the metal injection material comprising stainless steel and tungsten, the metal injection material having a density ranging from 7.9 g/cc to 12.5 g/cc, the sole body having a mass ranging from 45 grams to 100 grams, wherein the sole portion has a heel section, wherein the heel section has a thickness greater than the thickness of the entirety of the sole portion.

9. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a main body having a face portion, a crown portion and a ribbon portion, the main body having a bottom opening, the main body composed of a stainless steel material, the main body having a mass ranging from 100 grams to 150 grams; and

a sole portion disposed over the bottom opening of the main body, the sole portion composed of a metal injection molded material, the metal injection material comprising stainless steel and tungsten, the metal injection material having a density ranging from 7.9 g/cc to 12.5 g/cc, the sole body having a mass ranging from 45 grams to 100 grams, wherein the sole portion has a plurality of sharp angle elevations, wherein the sharp angle ranges from 70 degrees to 90 degrees for each plurality of sharp angle elevations relative to at least one other of the plurality of sharp angle elevations.