Multi-component golf club head

• US 8,678,950 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNIS, MICHAEL DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/730,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 473/345
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/00 Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49993 Filling of opening

Abstract

A golf club head having multiple components is provided. The golf club head includes a plurality of components wherein at least one component exhibits a different modulus of elasticity than the other components. In some structures, one or more of the plurality of components that comprise the golf club head is titanium or titanium alloy component provided in the heel and/or toe areas of the club head structure immediately adjacent the ball striking face, wherein that titanium or titanium alloy component has a lower modulus of elasticity than the material making up the club face and/or other club head body components.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a club face extending from a toe area to a heel area;

a first body portion engaged at the heel area of the club face, wherein the first body portion extends in a front-to-rear direction at least 10% of an overall club head breadth dimension and less than 60% of the overall club head breadth dimension, and wherein the first body portion has a first modulus of elasticity;

wherein the first body portion comprises a titanium alloy that contains, by weight, from 2.5 to 3.5% aluminum;

from 2.5 to 3.5% chromium;

from 2.5-3.5% tin;

from 14-16% aluminum;

optionally minor amounts of hydrogen, iron, nitrogen, oxygen, or impurities; and

the balance titanium;

a second body portion engaged at the toe area of the club face, wherein the second body portion extends in the front-to-rear direction at least 10% of the overall club head breadth dimension and less than 60% of the overall club head breadth dimension, wherein the second body portion has a second modulus of elasticity that may be the same as or different from the first modulus of elasticity; and

a third body portion having a higher modulus of elasticity than the first and second body portions, wherein the third body portion is engaged with the club face at about a center of the club face in a heel-to-toe direction and extends away from the club face toward the rear of the club head.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the third body portion and the club face surround the first body portion and the second body portion and wherein the second body portion and third body portion are made of KS 120.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first body portion extends in the front-to-rear direction at least 25% of the overall club head breadth dimension, and wherein the second body portion extends in the front-to-rear direction at least 25% of the overall club head breadth dimension.

4. A golf club head comprising:

a face component including a ball striking face extending between a toe end and a heel end of the golf club head; and

a club head body extending rearward from the face component, wherein the club head body includes;

a toe body portion adjacent the toe end of the face component, wherein the toe body portion has a first modulus of elasticity,

a heel body portion adjacent the heel end of the face component, wherein the heel body portion has a second modulus of elasticity, wherein at least one of the toe and heel comprises a first titanium component;

a major body portion including one or more portions extending rearward from the toe body portion and the heel body portion, wherein the major body portion has a third modulus of elasticity that is greater than the first modulus of elasticity and the second modulus of elasticity,

wherein the golf club head has a COR response at a location spaced horizontally one-half inch from a geometric center of the face component that is higher than a COR response at a location spaced horizontally one-half inch from the geometric center of a face component of a similarly structured golf club head in which the toe body portion and the heel body portion are replaced with corresponding body portions made of a material having the third modulus of elasticity or higher, wherein the COR responses are measured under standard USGA testing conditions.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first titanium component is a titanium alloy that contains, by weight, from 2.5 to 3.5% aluminum;

from 2.5 to 3.5% chromium;

from 2.5-3.5% tin;

from 14-16% aluminum;

optionally minor amounts of hydrogen, iron, nitrogen, oxygen, or impurities; and

the balance titanium.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the heel portion is a second titanium component.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the second titanium component comprises KS 120.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the major body portion is a third titanium component.

9. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein a return portion of the club face extends rearward a greater distance at a center crown portion of the club face than at each of the heel area and toe area.