Multiple material golf club head with a polymer insert face

• US 6,328,661 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2000
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Catania
• Inventors: Breier, Joshua G., Guard, John G., Hettinger, Ronald K., Dewanjee, Pijush K., Helmstetter, Richard C., Hall, J. Neil, Sarkar, Kamal, Rollison, Augustin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/679,034
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/329, 473/332, 473/340, 473/341, 473/345, 473/342, 473/347, 473/348, 473/350, 473/290, 473/313, 473/131, 473/287, 273/DIG.8
• US Class Current: 473/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-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: Y10S 273/08 Urethane

Abstract

The present invention is a golf club (30) having a club head main body (34) with a recess (38), an polymer insert (40) in the recess (38), an isolation layer (52) and a weight body (50). The polymer insert (40) is composed of a thermosetting polyurethane material having a Shore D hardness in the range of 42 to 55, and a Bayshore rebound in the range of 51 to 60. The preferred thermosetting polyurethane material is formed from a p-phenylene diisocyanate prepolymer and a curing agent. The golf club (30) is preferably a putter, however, it may be a wood or an iron. The particular thermosetting polyurethane provides a soft striking face for feel and a good rebound for distance. The weight body (50) is preferably composed of a tungsten alloy, and the isolation layer (52) is preferably composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a main body having a front face with a recess therein;

an insert disposed within the recess, the insert comprising a thermosetting polyurethane having a shore D hardness in the range of 42 to 55, and a Bayshore rebound in the range of 51 to 70;

an isolation layer having a first surface and a second surface disposed on the main body opposite of the front face; and

a weight body disposed on the first surface of the isolation layer.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the thermosetting polyurethane is formed from reactants comprising p-phenylene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer and a curing agent.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the thermosetting polyurethane is formed from reactants comprising toluene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer and a curing agent.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the thermosetting polyurethane is formed from reactants comprising toluene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer, a p-phenylene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer, and a curing agent.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the thermosetting polyurethane is formed from reactants comprising toluene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer, a first p-phenylene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer, a second p-phenylene diisocyanate based polyurethane prepolymer, and a curing agent.

6. The golf club head according to claim 5 wherein the curing agent is a blend of a diamine based curative and a diol based curative.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the curing agent is selected from the group consisting of a diol, a mixture of diols, a triol, a mixture of triols, a hydroquinone, a mixture of hydroquinones, a diamine, a mixture of diamines, an oligomeric diamine, and any mixture thereof.

8. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the isolation layer is composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane.

9. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the weight body is composed of a tungsten alloy and weighs from 50 grams to 125 grams.

10. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the main body is composed of carbon steel and weighs from 200 grams to 250 grams.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a main body having a sole, a crown, a heel end a toe end and a face with a recess therein, the main body composed of carbon steel;

an insert comprising a thermosetting polyurethane formed from reactants comprising a p-phenylene disocyanate terminated polyester prepolymer in an amount up to 90 parts, a p-phenylene duisocyanate terminated polyether prepolymer in an amount up to 90 parts, 10 to 40 parts of a toluene diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer, and at least one curing agent;

an isolation layer having a first surface and a second surface disposed on the main body, the isolation layer composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane;

a weight body composed of a tungsten alloy, the weight body disposed on the first surface of the isolation layer.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the isolation layer has a thickness of 0.020 inch to 0.100 inch.

13. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the golf club head is select from the group consisting of a putter head, an iron head and a utility wood head.

14. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the Shore D hardness of the insert is approximately 42 to approximately 55.

15. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the insert has a Bayshore rebound in the range of 55-70.

16. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the thermosetting polyurethane is formed from reactants comprising 20 parts of a p-phenylene diisocyanate terminated polyester prepolymer, 50 parts of a p-phenylene diisocyanate terminated polyether prepolymer, 30 parts of a toluene diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer.

17. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the main body weighs from 200 grams to 250 grams, and the weight body weighs from 50 grams to 125 grams.

18. A putter head comprising:

a club head main body comprising a sole, a crown, a toe section, a heel section, a rear section and a front face having a recess therein;

an insert disposed within the recess, the insert composed of a polymer material, the insert having a shore D hardness in the range of 42 to 55, and a Bayshore rebound in the range of 55 to 70;

an isolation layer having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface disposed on the rear section of the main body, the isolation layer having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.100 inch and composed of a thermoplastic material; and

a weight body attached to the first surface of the isolation layer, the weight body weighing between 50 grams and 125 grams.

19. The golf club head according to claim 18 wherein the polymer material is a thermosetting polymer material.

20. The golf club head according to claim 18 wherein the club head main body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, carbon steel, tungsten, titanium, titanium alloy and brass.