Metal wood club with improved hitting face

• US 7,931,545 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• 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., Soracco, Peter L., Nardacci, Nicholas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/729,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20100173725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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 hitting face of a golf club head having improved flexural stiffness properties. In one embodiment, the hitting face is made from multiple materials. Each material has a different tensile modulus of elasticity, where the center of the hitting face has a much higher tensile modulus of elasticity than the surrounding portions of the hitting face. This creates a stiff center and a more easily deflected concentric portion. In another embodiment, the materials have different yield strengths, where the center of the hitting face has a very high yield strength compared to the surrounding portions of the hitting face. The hitting face may then plastically deform around its periphery, while the center retains its original shape.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a hitting face having a face insert coupled around a perimeter thereof to the golf club head, the hitting face comprising a central zone insert comprising a first material, and a second zone,

wherein the second zone is concentric with the central zone insert and attached to the central zone insert around a perimeter thereof,

wherein the second zone comprises a second material different than the first material, and

wherein the second material has a lower yield strength than the first material and the dimensions of the central zone insert and the second zone are selected such that the second zone plastically deforms while the central zone insert elastically deforms due to the impact force of striking a golf ball.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central zone is homogeneous.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the second zone is homogeneous.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the hitting face further comprises an intermediate zone surrounding the central zone insert.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the intermediate zone is constructed from the first material.

6. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the intermediate zone is constructed from the second material.

7. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the intermediate zone is constructed from a third material that is different than the first material and the second material.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central zone insert provides a central zone area that is between about 15% and about 60% of a total face area.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the central zone insert provides a central zone area that is between about 20% and about 50% of the total face area.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face insert is welded to the club head.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the central zone insert is welded to the second zone.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face insert further comprises a crown extension.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face insert further comprises a sole extension.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first and second materials comprise alloys of the same material.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the same material is titanium.