Golf club face with cover having roughness pattern

• US 8,628,434 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Chao, Bing-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): STANCZAK, MATTHEW BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US11/960,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20090163291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,218 Days
• Field of Search: 473/342, 473330-331, 473/324, 473/345, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/349
• 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 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• 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 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to composite articles, and in particular a composite face plate for a golf club-head, and methods for making the same. In certain embodiments, a composite face plate for a club-head is formed with a cross-sectional profile having a varying thickness. The face plate comprises a lay-up of multiple, composite prepreg plies. At least a portion of the plies comprise a plurality of elongated prepreg strips arranged in a predetermined criss-cross pattern in the lay-up. The prepreg strips create one or more areas of increased thickness where the strips overlap each other, thereby creating a desired profile for the plate. Metallic or polymer covers or cover layers can be used to define a striking surface.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a hollow body including a crown, a sole, and a skirt;

a face plate positioned at a front end of the hollow body and having a front surface; and

a cover layer situated on the front surface of the face plate and including a peripheral rim, wherein the cover layer includes a polymer layer having a striking surface, the striking surface having a textured striking surface including a pattern of surface texture peaks formed thereon, the striking surface configured to provide a ball spin of about 2500 RPM under wet conditions;

wherein a surface profile kurtosis of the surface texture peaks is greater than about 1.5,

wherein the cover layer has a thickness between about 0.1 mm and about 2.0 mm,

wherein the polymer layer is of a thickness of between about 0.3 mm and 0.6 mm, and the surface roughness of the striking surface is substantially periodic along at least one of a top-to-bottom direction and a toe-to-heel direction of the striking surface, the surface texture peaks having a periodic separation of about 0.5 mm and a height of about 20 μ

m to about 30 μ

m,

wherein the cover layer has an effective Shore D hardness of about 75 to about 90,

wherein the polymer is at least one of urethane and ionomer,

wherein the face plate includes a plurality of scorelines,

wherein at least a plurality of the face plate is formed of a composite,

wherein the composite includes a lay-up, the lay-up including overlapping regions, the overlapping regions aligned such that at least a portion of the composite fibers are angularly spaced such that the lay-up includes a maximum thickness of about 5 mm proximate to a central region and a minimum thickness of about 3 mm proximate to a peripheral region,

wherein the lay-up includes resin, the resin cross-linked throughout the lay-up.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face plate includes a metal cap, the metal cap being made of a titanium alloy.