Compliant polymer face golf club head

• US 6,390,932 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Kosmatka, John B., Felker, David L., Dewanjee, Pijush
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W.
• Application Number:
  US09/551,284
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/326, 473/329, 473/340, 473/342, 473/349, 473/350, 473/351
• 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 53/0458 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
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3206 aliphatic

Abstract

A golf club head having a face section with a polymer surface can provide a more efficient impact between a golf ball and the golf club head. By utilizing a polymer surface with desired material properties of stress, strain and damping levels, the face section will incur higher strain and strain rate levels than the golf ball. These lower internal stresses within the golf ball yield a more efficient impact with a golf club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head for impacting a golf ball, the golf club head comprising:

a face section having a polymer surface, wherein

the polymer surface has a storage compression modulus of less than 6000 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of less than 0.1 in/in/sec.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the polymer surface has a storage shear modulus of less than 2000 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of less than 0.1 in/in/sec.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein the polymer surface is selected from the group consisting of ionomers, polyamines, polyamides, polyetheramides, nylons, fluoroelastomers, polyurethanes, polybutadiene rubbers, and copolymers thereof.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein the polyurethane comprises para-phenylene diisocyanate.

5. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein the golf club head is a wood golf club head.

6. The golf club head of claim 2 wherein the golf club head is an iron golf club head.

7. A golf club head for impacting a golf ball, the golf club head comprising:

a face section having a polymer surface, wherein

the polymer surface has a storage compression modulus of less than 50,000 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of less than 1000 in/in/sec.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein the polymer coating has a storage shear modulus of less than 16,500 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

9. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the polymer surface is selected from the group consisting of ionomers, polyamines, polyamides, polyetheramides, nylons, fluoroelastomers, polyurethanes, polybutadiene rubbers, and copolymers thereof.

10. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the golf club head is a wood golf club head.

11. The golf club head of claim 8 wherein the golf club head is an iron golf club head.

12. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the polymer surface has a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material where the first material is distinct from the second material.

13. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the polymer surface is nonhomogeneous.

14. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the storage compression modulus is a first modulus and a storage compression modulus of the golf ball is a second modulus, where the first modulus, at 70°

F., is less than twice the second modulus, at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball so the polymer surface has a strain rate greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

15. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the storage shear modulus is a third modulus and a storage shear modulus of the golf ball is a fourth modulus, where the third modulus, at 70°

F., is less than twice the fourth modulus, at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball so the polymer surface has a strain rate greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

16. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the polymer surface has a loss compression modulus as a fifth modulus and a loss compression modulus of the golf ball is a sixth modulus, where the fifth modulus, at 70°

F., is less than twice the sixth modulus, at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball so the polymer surface has a strain rate greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

17. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the polymer surface has a loss shear modulus as a seventh modulus and a loss shear modulus of the golf ball is an eighth modulus, where the seventh modulus, at 70°

F., is less than twice the eighth modulus, at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball so the polymer surface has a strain rate greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

18. A golf club head for impacting a golf ball, the golf club head comprising:

a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a toe wall and a heel wall; and

the front wall having a backing structure, a polymer layer and an insert;

wherein

the polymer layer has a storage compression modulus of less than 6000 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of less than 0.1 in/in/sec.

19. The golf club head of claim 18 wherein the polymer layer has a storage sheer modulus of less than 2000 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of less than 0.1 in/in/sec.

20. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of ionomers, polyamines, polyamides, polyetheramides, nylons, fluoroelastomers, polyurethanes, polybutadiene rubbers, and copolymers thereof.

21. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein the golf club head is a wood golf club head.

22. The golf club head of claim 19 wherein the golf club head is an iron golf club head.

23. A golf club head for impacting a golf ball, the golf club head comprising:

a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a toe wall and a heel wall; and

the front wall having a backing structure, a polymer layer and an insert;

wherein the polymer layer has a storage compression modulus of less than 50,000 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

24. The golf club head of claim 23 wherein the polymer layer has an shear modulus of less than 16,500 lb/in², at 70°

F., when impacting the golf ball to produce a strain rate of greater than 1000 in/in/sec.

25. The golf club head of claim 24 wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of ionomers, polyamines, polyamides, polyetheramides, nylons, fluoroelastomers, polyurethanes, polybutadiene rubbers, and copolymers thereof.

26. The golf club head of claim 24 wherein the golf club head is a wood golf club head.

27. The golf club head of claim 24 wherein the golf club head is an iron golf club head.

28. The golf club head of claim 25 further comprising a liquid media located rearward of the insert.