Golf club head with metal injection molded sole

• US 7,648,426 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• 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:
  US12/164,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 fairway 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 material volume ranging from 12.0 cubic centimeters to 20.0 cubic centimeters, 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 material having a density ranging from 7.9 g/cc to 12.5 g/cc, the sole portion having a material volume ranging from 6.0 cubic centimeters to 12.0 cubic centimeters, the sole body having a mass ranging from 45 grams to 100 grams, the sole portion having a heel section, wherein the heel section has a thickness greater than the thickness of the entirety of the sole portion, 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;

wherein the fairway-type golf club head has a volume ranging from 150 cubic centimeters to 275 cubic centimeters and wherein the fairway wood-type golf club head has a total mass ranging from 150 grams to 230 grams;

wherein the fairway-type golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a Z axis through a center of gravity of the fairway-type golf club head ranging from 1990 g-cm² to 2600 g-cm² and a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a Y axis through a center of gravity of the fairway-type golf club head ranging from 950 g-cm² to 1500 g-cm².

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

3. The fairway 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.

4. The fairway 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.

5. A fairway 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 material volume ranging from 12.0 cubic centimeters to 20.0 cubic centimeters, 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 material having a density ranging from 7.9 g/cc to 12.5 g/cc, the sole portion having a material volume ranging from 6.0 cubic centimeters to 12.0 cubic centimeters, the sole body having a mass ranging from 45 grams to 100 grams, the sole portion having 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;

wherein the fairway-type golf club head has a volume ranging from 150 cubic centimeters to 275 cubic centimeters and wherein the fairway wood-type golf club head has a total mass ranging from 150 grams to 230 grams;

wherein the fairway-type golf club head has a moment of inertia, Izz, about a Z axis through a center of gravity of the fairway-type golf club head ranging from 1990 g-cm² to 2600 g-cm², and a moment of inertia, Iyy, about a Y axis through a center of gravity of the fairway-type golf club head ranging from 950 g-cm² to 1500 g-cm².

6. The fairway wood-type golf club head according to claim 5 wherein the sole portion is brazed to the main body.

7. The fairway wood-type golf club head according to claim 5 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.

8. The fairway wood-type golf club head according to claim 5 wherein the sole portion is attached with threaded or non-threaded fasteners to the main body.