Multiple material golf club head

• US 7,556,567 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2008
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/017,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473/224, 473/234
• US Class Current: 473/224
• 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 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60), an aft body (61), and a sound modifying component (59) 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 a non-metal material such as a composite material or a thermoplastic material. The sound modifying component (59), which is attached to the metallic face component (60), alters the sound of the golf club head (42) when it impacts a golf ball.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a means for modifying the sound characteristics of the golf club head, the modifying means comprising a metal conical piece having a height in the range of 0.25 inch to 1.00 inch and a width in the range of 0.25 inch to 1.50 inch, the metal conical piece having a greater radius of approximately 1.250 inches and a less radius of approximately 0.50 inch, the metal conical piece positioned within a hollow interior of the golf club head and attached to a sole of the golf club head, wherein the golf club head has a pitch ranging from 3500 Hertz to 4500 Hertz and a sound duration ranging from 4 to 8 milliseconds when striking a golf ball at a swing speed of approximately 100 miles per hour;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 510 cubic centimeters and a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the metal conical piece is composed of a titanium alloy.

3. A golf club head comprising:

a metal striking plate portion;

a body having at least a portion composed of a non-metal material;

and a means for modifying the sound characteristics of the golf club head, the modifying means being attached to the striking plate portion, wherein the modifying means is an external arcuate piece having a thickness of approximately 0.188 inch and a width of approximately 0.375 inch, wherein the golf club head has a pitch ranging from 3500 Hertz to 4500 Hertz and a sound duration ranging from 4 to 8 milliseconds when striking a golf ball at a swing speed of approximately 100 miles per hour;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 350 cubic centimeters to 510 cubic centimeters, a hollow interior, and a coefficient of restitution of 0.80 to 0.94.