Composite metal wood club

• US 7,850,544 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rice, Scott A., Meyer, Jeffrey W., Poynor, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/469,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20090227391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 2209/02 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/014 Resonance or resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00

Abstract

A metal wood golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft, comprising of a body portion and a crown portion, each portion constructed of a different density material. Combining a high-density material in the body portion, with a low-density material in the crown portion, creates an ultra-low center of gravity relative to the geometric face center, resulting in higher launch angles and spin rate ratios. The material for the crown portion is preferably a composite. A vibration dampening gasket is disposed between the ledge and lip sections of the body and crown respectively.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion including an inner zone and an intermediate zone surrounding said inner zone, said inner zone including a relatively high flexural stiffness when compared to said intermediate zone; and

a body portion connected to said face portion;

wherein said inner zone is generally elliptical in shape having a major axis and a minor axis, and wherein a ratio of said length of said major axis to said length of said minor axis is greater than about 1.5, and

wherein said face portion includes a measurement zone, defined by a rectangle having the dimensions of 0.5 inch by 1.0 inch with a geometric center that coincides with a geometric center of said face portion, and wherein said measurement zone has a lowest COR that is at least 93 percent of said maximum COR.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said ratio of said length of said major axis to said length of said minor axis is greater than about 2.0.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said ratio of said length of said major axis to said length of said minor axis is greater than about 3.0.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said ratio of said length of said major axis to said length of said minor axis is greater than about 4.0.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said major axis aligns substantially in a direction of high heel to low toe and said minor axis is orthogonal to said major axis at or near its midpoint.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said high flexural stiffness of said inner zone is greater than about twice the flexural stiffness of said intermediate zone.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said high flexural stiffness of said inner zone is greater than about three times the flexural stiffness of said intermediate zone.

8. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said intermediate zone is concentric with said inner zone.

9. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said central zone contains a geometric center that approximately coincides with a geometric center of said face portion.

10. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein a location of a maximum COR is offset from a geometric center of said face portion.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion including an inner zone having a first thickness, an intermediate zone having a second thickness surrounding said inner zone, and a perimeter zone having a third thickness; and

a body portion connected to said face portion;

wherein said first thickness is greater than said second thickness; and

wherein said intermediate zone and said perimeter zone have an area greater than about 40 percent of a total exterior surface area and less than about 85 percent of the total exterior surface area, and

wherein said face portion includes a measurement zone, defined by a rectangle having the dimensions of 0.5 inch by 1.0 inch with a geometric center that coincides with a geometric center of said face portion, and wherein said measurement zone has a lowest COR that is at least 93 percent of said maximum COR.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said inner zone is generally elliptical in shape having a major axis and a minor axis, and wherein said ratio of said length of said major axis to said length of said minor axis is greater than about 2.0.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said major axis aligns substantially in the direction of high heel to low toe and said minor axis is orthogonal to the major axis at or near its midpoint.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein said intermediate zone is concentric with said inner zone.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein said central zone contains a geometric center that approximately coincides with a geometric center of said face portion.