Golf club head and system

• US 8,062,151 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Chia-Chyi, Tavares, Gary G., Boyd, Robert, Stites, John Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US12/192,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 473345-346, 473/334
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head system and a golf club head for inclusion into a golf club are provided. The golf club head includes a main body member and a secondary body member. The main body member has a striking surface, a sole portion, a crown portion, and a rear face substantially opposed to the striking surface. The main body member defines an at least substantially enclosed main body cavity. The secondary body member is attached to the main body member and extends at least substantially over the entire rear face of the main body member. The golf club head system includes two or more secondary body members, each configured for interchangeable attachment to a main body member. Each secondary body member defines an internal concavity, has a different external shape, and has a different combination of center-of-gravity and moment-of-inertia characteristics.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a main body member having a striking surface, a sole portion, a crown portion, and a rear face opposed to the striking surface, the main body member defining an enclosed main body cavity, and

a secondary body member attached to the main body member and extending over the entire rear face of the main body member, wherein the main body member is larger than the secondary body member,

wherein the secondary body member defines a rear edge of the club head and a majority of the secondary body member is located below the rear edge, and

wherein a secondary body member cavity is defined between the main body member and the secondary body member.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the secondary body member is detachably attached to the main body member with a plurality of mechanical elements.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the secondary body member is detachably attached to the main body member with an adhesive.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive is an epoxy adhesive having a debonding temperature less than 200°

C.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the secondary body member is mechanically and adhesively detachably attached to the main body member.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the secondary body member includes a sole portion.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the secondary body member includes a crown portion.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a main body member having a striking surface and defining an enclosed main body cavity; and

a secondary body member attached to the main body member, the secondary body member and the main body member defining an enclosed second cavity therebetween, wherein the main body member is larger than the secondary body member,

wherein the secondary body member defines a rear edge of the club head and a majority of the secondary body member is located below the rear edge.

9. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the secondary body member is detachably attached to the main body member with a plurality of mechanical fastening elements.

10. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the secondary body member is detachably attached to the main body member with an adhesive.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10, wherein the adhesive is an epoxy adhesive having a debonding temperature less than 200°

C.

12. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the secondary body member is mechanically and adhesively detachably attached to the main body member.

13. The golf club head according to claim 8, wherein the secondary body member includes a sole portion.

14. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the main body member includes a heel side and a toe side, and

wherein the secondary body member extends from the heel side to the toe side.

15. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the main body member includes a crown portion and a sole portion, and

wherein the secondary body member extends from the crown portion to the sole portion of the main body member.

16. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head including;

a main body member having a striking surface, a sole portion, a crown portion, and a rear face opposed to the striking surface, the main body member defining an enclosed main body cavity, and

a secondary body member attached to the main body member and extending over the entire rear face of the main body member, wherein the main body member is larger than the secondary body member,

wherein the secondary body member defines a rear edge of the club head and a majority of the secondary body member is located below the rear edge, and

wherein a secondary body member cavity is defined between the main body member and the secondary body member.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a main body member having a striking surface, a sole portion, a crown portion, and a rear face opposed to the striking surface, the main body member defining an enclosed main body cavity, and

a secondary body member attached to the main body member and extending over the entire rear face of the main body member, wherein the main body member is larger than the secondary body member,

wherein the secondary body member includes a crown portion and a sole portion and the sole portion of the secondary body member has a greater surface area than the crown portion of the secondary body member, and

wherein a secondary body member cavity is defined between the main body member and the secondary body member.

18. A golf club head comprising:

a main body member having a striking surface and the main body member, by itself, defining an enclosed first cavity; and

a secondary body member attached to the main body member, the secondary body member and the main body member defining an enclosed second cavity therebetween, wherein the main body member is larger than the secondary body member,

wherein the secondary body member includes a crown portion and a sole portion and the sole portion of the secondary body member has a greater surface area than the crown portion of the secondary body member.

19. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft; and

a golf club head including;

a main body member having a striking surface and the main body member, by itself, defining an enclosed first cavity; and

a secondary body member attached to the main body member, the secondary body member and the main body member defining an enclosed second cavity therebetween, wherein the main body member is larger than the secondary body member,

wherein the secondary body member defines a rear edge of the club head and a majority of the secondary body member is located below the rear edge.