Golf club head having a composite crown

• US 8,096,896 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Willett, Kraig, Burnett, Michael Scott, Vincent, Benoit, Hoffman, Joseph, De Schiell, Drew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/975,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20110092311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 273/DIG.7
• US Class Current: 473/342
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The present invention resides in a golf club head having a high COR that is durable and has desirable acoustic qualities. The club head includes a body portion, a striking face and a crown forming a hollow cavity of at least 150 cc in volume. The body portion defines a front opening and an upper opening, and it includes a sole and a side section that extends rearward of the front opening. The striking plate is secured to the body portion, enclosing the front opening. While partially assembled, final weighting and/or other attachment of other members to the inner surface of the club head can be preformed, as desired. The crown is secured to the body portion, enclosing the upper opening. A surface veil may also be provided about a junction of the crown and body. The crown has a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm. The density of the crown is less than the density of the body portion. At least one of the striking plate and the crown is attached to the second portion by adhesive bonding, and the golf club head has a maximum coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body portion defining an upper opening and a front opening and having a sole and a side section, the side section extending rearward of the front opening and having toe, rear and heel regions, the body portion having a density of at least about 4 g/cc, the upper opening comprising at least about 25% of the total area of a top portion of the body portion;

a shoulder disposed around a periphery of the upper opening, and a recessed support extending from the shoulder and positioned adjacent to the upper opening, the recessed support comprising an annular lip that extends substantially continuously along a heel-to-toe direction at a forward portion of the upper opening;

a striking plate securely attached to the body portion, enclosing the front opening, the striking plate having a thickness in a range of from about 1.5 mm to about 4 mm; and

a crown secured to the body portion and supported by the recessed support, thereby enclosing the upper opening, a first portion of the crown being sized to sit on the recessed support such that a side edge of the first portion is proximate to the shoulder of the body portion, thereby forming a junction between the first portion of the crown and the body portion, the crown incorporating composite material and having a density between 1 g/cc and 2 g/cc, the crown having a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm, the golf club head having a maximum coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80 and a volume of at least 150 cc.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the recessed support is an annular lip that extends substantially continuously around the entire periphery of the upper opening.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, the crown having a first portion sized to sit on the recessed support of the body portion such that a side edge of the first portion is proximate to the shoulder of the body portion, thereby forming a junction between the first portion of the crown and the body portion, the crown further having a surface veil secured atop the junction.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 3, wherein at least one of the side edge of the first portion and the shoulder of body portion has a tapered profile thereby forming a depression about the junction, wherein the surface veil at least partially fills the depression.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 3, wherein the surface veil entirely covers an upper surface of the first portion of the crown.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 3, wherein the volume is at least 350 cc.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper opening comprises at least about 60% of the total area of the top portion of the body portion.

8. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper opening comprises at least about 75% of the total area of the top portion of the body portion.

9. A golf club head, comprising:

a body portion defining an upper opening and a front opening and having a sole and a side section, the side section extending rearward of the front opening and having toe, rear and heel regions, the body portion including a recessed support extended from a shoulder and positioned adjacent to the upper opening, the recessed support extending substantially continuously along a heel-to-toe direction at a forward portion of the upper opening, the body portion having a density of at least about 4 g/cc, the upper opening comprising at least about 25% of the total area of a top portion of the body portion;

a striking plate securely attached to the body portion, enclosing the front opening, the striking plate having a thickness in a range of from about 1.5 mm to about 4 mm; and

a crown securely attached to the body portion and supported by the recessed support, thereby enclosing the upper opening, a first portion of the crown being sized to sit on the recessed support such that a side edge of the first portion is proximate to the shoulder of the body portion, thereby forming a junction between the first portion of the crown and the body portion, the crown including plies of composite material having a fiber areal weight of between 20 g/m² and 200 g/m² and having a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm, the weight of the crown being, less than the weight of a similar sized piece formed of the material of the body portion;

wherein at least one of the striking plate and the crown is attached to the body portion by adhesive bonding, the golf club head having a maximum coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80 and a volume of at least 150 cc.

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the recessed support is an annular lip that extends substantially continuously around an entire periphery of the upper opening.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, the crown further having a surface veil secured atop the junction.

12. A golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein at least one of the side edge of the first portion and the shoulder of body portion has a tapered profile thereby forming a depression about the junction, wherein the surface veil at least partially fills the depression.

13. A golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the surface veil entirely covers an upper surface of the first portion of the crown.

14. A golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the plies of composite material include a fabric ply and at least one layer of at least four plies of uni-tape standard modulus composite.

15. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the upper opening comprises at least about 60% of the total area of the top portion of the body portion.

16. A golf club head as defined in claim 9, wherein the upper opening comprises at least about 75% of the total area of the top portion of the body portion.