Nanocrystalline plated golf club head

• US 7,438,647 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Hocknell, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau; Stephen L.
• Application Number:
  US11/695,924
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 473/334, 473/345, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/334
• 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 53/0408 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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) 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 an injectable polymer material such as a nylon. A plating layer (300) is disposed on at least a portion of the aft-body (61). The plating layer (300) preferably comprises a nanocrystalline material. The club head (42) preferably has a volume in the range of 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a striking plate composed of metal without a nanocrystalline plating;

a sole portion having a perimeter surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, the sole portion composed of a non-metal material;

a crown portion having a perimeter surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, the crown portion composed of a non-metal material; and

a nanocrystalline plating deposited on the perimeter surface of the sole portion, the exterior surface of the sole portion, the interior surface of the sole portion, the perimeter surface of the crown portion, the exterior surface of the crown portion, and the interior surface of the crown portion, the nanocrystalline plating comprising a nickel or nickel-based alloy material.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the nanocrystalline plating has a thickness ranging from 20 microns to 2000 microns.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the non-metal material of the sole portion and the crown portion is a nylon material.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the non-metal material of the sole portion and the crown portion is a composite material.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the non-metal material of the sole portion and the crown portion is plies of pre-preg.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising said striking plate composed of a titanium alloy material.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole portion has a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.100 inch and the crown portion has a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.100 inch.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the nanocrystalline plating is composed of a nickel-iron-molybdenum alloy.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the nanocrystalline plating is composed of a nickel-iron-chromium alloy.

10. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material without a nanocrystalline plating, 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; and

a sole portion attached to the return portion of the face component, the sole portion having a perimeter surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, the sole portion composed of a non-metal material;

a crown portion attached to the return portion of the face component, the crown portion having a perimeter surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, the crown portion composed of a non-metal material; and

a nanocrystalline plating deposited on the perimeter surface of the sole portion, the exterior surface of the sole portion, the interior surface of the sole portion, the perimeter surface of the crown portion, the exterior surface of the crown portion, and the interior surface of the crown portion, the nanocrystalline plating comprising a nickel or nickel-based alloy material.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the nanocrystalline plating has a thickness ranging from 20 microns to 2000 microns.

12. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the non-metal material of the sole portion and the crown portion is selected from the group consisting of a nylon material, a composite material, a polycarbonate material and a polyurethane material.

13. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the nanocrystalline plating is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel-iron-molybdenum alloy and a nickel-iron-chromium alloy.

14. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters.

15. The golf club head according to claim 10 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 10 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.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a face component composed of a metal material without a nanocrystalline plating, the face component having a 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, the return portion extending a distance ranging 0.25 inch to 1.5 inches; and

a sole portion attached to the return portion of the face component, the sole portion having a perimeter surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, the sole portion composed of a nylon material, the sole portion having a plurality of weight pockets;

a crown portion attached to the return portion of the face component, the crown portion having a perimeter surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, the crown portion composed of a nylon material;

a nanocrystalline plating deposited on the perimeter surface of the sole portion, the exterior surface of the sole portion, the interior surface of the sole portion, the perimeter surface of the crown portion, the exterior surface of the crown portion, and the interior surface of the crown portion, the nanocrystalline plating composed of a nickel material and having a thickness ranging from 20 microns to 2000 microns;

a plurality of weight members, each of the plurality of weight members positioned within a weight pocket of the plurality of weight pockets, each of the plurality of weight members having a mass ranging from 5 grams to 50 grams.

18. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution ranging from 0.81 to 0.94, a volume ranging from 420 cubic centimeters to 475 cubic centimeters, and a mass ranging from 175 grams to 225 grams.

19. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the golf club head the plurality of weight pockets are positioned on the internal surface of the sole portion.

20. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the golf club head the plurality of weight pockets are positioned on the external surface of the sole portion.