Golf club head having a composite face insert

• US 7,862,452 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Ie, Citra A., Beach, Todd P., Flukers, Jabaarr A., Chao, Bing-Ling, Vincent, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US12/589,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20100096079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/342
• 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 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly

Abstract

A golf club head having a composite face insert attached to a metallic body is provided. The club head preferably has a volume of at least 200 cc and provides superior durability and club performance. The face insert includes prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight (FAW) of less than 100 g/m². The face insert preferably has a thickness less than 4 mm and a mass at least 10 grams less than an insert of equivalent volume formed of the metallic material of the body of the club head. A metallic cap with a peripheral rim is also provided to protect the ends of the composite material of the face insert. Related methods of manufacturing and alternative materials are disclosed. The resin content of the prepreg plies can be controlled through management of the timing and environment in which the resultant prepreg plies are cured and soaked.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, comprising:

forming a face insert to a thickness of about 4.5 mm or less, the face insert at least partially including prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than 100 g/m², wherein forming the face insert comprises debulking a stacked plurality of plies such that impurities are driven to the edges of the plies and cutting the stack of plies to a size substantially the same as a final desired size and not including the edges having the impurities;

forming a body having a crown, a skirt and a sole, the body defining a front opening, the body having an annular ledge recessed a depth D in the front opening;

attaching the face insert to the front opening, wherein the face insert has a thickness less than the depth D of the annular ledge in the front opening of the body;

forming a metallic cap having a peripheral rim extending around the periphery of the face insert; and

adhesively attaching the metallic cap to the face insert.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the body comprises investments casting a titanium alloy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the face insert to a thickness of less than about 3.5 mm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular ledge has a thickness of about 1.5 mm and is recessed a depth D of between about 3 mm and about 6 mm into the front opening.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the combined thickness of the prepreg plies of the face insert and the cap is no greater than the depth D of the annular ledge in the front opening of the body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral rim has a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the face insert.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the cap to the front surface of the face insert and attaching the face insert to the front opening of the body are performed in any order.

8. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, comprising:

forming a cured face insert including prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than about 100 g/m² and having a resin content, comprising the steps of;

stacking and cutting a plurality of plies of low fiber areal weight material to form an uncured face insert having substantially a final desired shape, bulge and roll;

placing the uncured face insert into a tool with an initial temperature T₁;

curing the uncured face insert at a first pressure P₁ then initiating heating the tool to a set temperature T₂ greater than the initial temperature T₁ and curing at a second pressure P₂ greater than the first pressure P₁, thus obtaining the cured face insert;

soaking the cured face insert at a third pressure P₃ less than the second pressure P₂ such that the resin content in achieved;

forming a golf club head body defining a front opening; and

coupling the face insert to the front opening.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third pressure P₃ is greater than the first pressure P₁.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the initial temperature T₁ is about 200°

F., the set temperature T₂ is about 270°

F., the first pressure P₁ is about 15 psi, the second pressure P₂ is about 200 psi and the third pressure P₃ is about 20 psi such that the final resin content of the face insert is between about 35% to about 40%.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein stacking of the plurality of plies further includes debulking at least twice for at least 2 minutes each time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein debulking includes a final debulking using a panel having a final desired bulge and roll.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the cured face insert is formed to a thickness of about 3.5 mm or less.

14. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, comprising:

forming a cured face insert including prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight of less than about 100 g/m² and having a resin content, comprising the steps of;

stacking a plurality of plies of low fiber areal weight material;

cutting the plurality of plies to a first size;

debulking the plurality of plies such that impurities are driven to the edges of the plurality of plies;

cutting the plurality of plies to a second size, the second size substantially the same as a final desired size and not including the edges having the impurities;

compressing the plurality of plies to form a desired bulge and roll in the plurality of plies;

curing the plurality of plies to form a cured face insert;

soaking the cured face insert to achieve a resin content in the cured face insert;

forming a golf club head body defining a front opening; and

coupling the cured face insert to the front opening.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein curing further comprises curing the uncured face insert at a first pressure P₁ then initiating heating the tool to a set temperature T₂ greater than the initial temperature T₁ and curing at a second pressure P₂ greater than the first pressure P₁.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein soaking further comprises soaking the cured face insert at a third pressure P₃ less than the second pressure P₂ such that the resin content in achieved.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third pressure P₃ is greater than the first pressure P₁.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the initial temperature T₁ is about 200°

F., the set temperature T₂ is about 270°

F., the first pressure P₁ is about 15 psi, the second pressure P₂ is about 200 psi and the third pressure P₃ is about 20 psi such that the final resin content of the face insert is between about 35% to about 40%.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein debulking comprises at least two compression steps.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein debulking includes a final debulking using a panel having a final desired bulge and roll.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the cured face insert is formed to a thickness of about 3.5 mm or less.