Multi-material golf club head

• US 8,491,412 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Roach, Ryan L., Soracco, Peter, Nardacci, Nicholas M., Rice, Scott A., Morris, Thomas C., Best, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/022,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/332
• 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 53/047 iron-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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head formed of multiple materials is disclosed. Those portions of the club head that are subject to high stresses during normal use of the golf club head are formed of a metallic material. Most of the material beyond what is required to maintain structural integrity, however, is removed and replaced with a lightweight material. This freed-up mass that can be redistributed to other, more beneficial locations of the club head. The lightweight material also damps vibrations generated during use of the golf club. This vibration damper may be retained in a state of compression to enhance the vibration damping. One or more weight members may be included to obtain desired center of gravity position, moments of inertia, and other club head attributes.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening, said body including a ledge adjacent said front opening;

a face insert coupled to said body at said ledge; and

a damping member disposed between said body and said face insert, said damping member comprising a volume that is larger than the resulting volume of its location such that the damping member is compressed and retained in a state of compression between said body and said face insert;

wherein said face insert includes one or more guides on a rear surface thereof, said guides being positioned above and below the damping member to hold the damping member in place adjacent the rear surface of the face insert, said guides being in at least partial contact with said damping member, and further wherein said face insert is isolated from said body by a backing member.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said backing member is formed of a vibration damping material.

3. A golf club head, comprising:

a body defining a front opening, said body including a ledge adjacent said front opening;

a layered face insert coupled to said body at said ledge, said layered face insert comprising a first layer having a first density and a second layer having a second density, the first density being greater than the second density, the first layer isolated from said body by said second layer, the layered face insert further comprising a protective third layer forming a pocket or cavity sized to envelop the first and second layers and comprising a material configured for preventing corrosion of the first and second layers; and

a damping member intermediate said body and said face insert.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein:

said second layer includes a textured rear surface; and

said third layer is designed to enhance said textured surface.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein:

said textured surface includes one or more indicia; and

said third layer is designed to enhance said textured surface by providing color to said indicia.