Golf club head with a face composed of a forged material

• US 6,435,982 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Hocknell, Alan, Helmstetter, Richard C., Aguinaldo, Homer E., Boyce, Ronald C., Woolley, Curtis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARMA, SNEH K
• Application Number:
  US09/683,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20020028715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 148/421, 473/330, 473/331, 473/345, 473/349, 473/329, 473/324, 473/342
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• 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 53/0458 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 5/00 Methods for forging, hammering, or pressing for working sheet-metal or metal tubes, rods, or profiles B21D; for working wire B21F; Special equipment or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 17/00 Making sport articles, e.g. skates
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/183 of titanium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/26 for etching refractory metals

Abstract

A golf club having a club head with a striking plate having a thickness in the range of 0.010 to 0.250 inch is disclosed herein. The club head may be composed of three pieces, a face, a sole and a crown. Each of the pieces may be composed of a titanium material. The striking plate of the club head may have an aspect ratio less than 1.7. The striking plate may also have concentric regions of thickness with the thickness portion in the center. The club head may be composed of a titanium material, have a volume in the range of 175 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters, a weight in the range of 165 grams to 300 grams, and a striking plate surface area in the range of 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches. The golf club head may also have a coefficient of restitution greater than 0.8 under test conditions such as the USGA test conditions specified pursuant to Rule 4-1e, Appendix 11, of the Rules of Golf for 1998-1999.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face member composed of a forged metal material, the face member comprising a face plate for striking a golf ball having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the face plate extending from a heel section of the golf club head to a toe section of the golf club head, a face extension extending laterally inward from a perimeter of the face plate, and an interior tubing for receiving a shaft, the interior tubing engaging an upper portion of the face extension and a lower portion of the face extension;

a crown secured to the upper portion of the face extension at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate; and

a sole plate secured to the lower portion of the face extension at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate;

wherein the golf club head has a volume no greater than 400 cubic centimeters and a coefficient of restitution of ranging from 0.83 to 0.93 under standard USGA conditions.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole plate has a ribbon section that is secured to the crown.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the face plate is composed of a forged titanium material, has a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, has an aspect ratio no greater than 1.7, and has a face area ranging from 4.00 square inches to 7.50 square inches.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the sole plate further comprises a medial ridge extending from the face section rearward and dividing the sole plate into a toe section and a heel section.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the crown is composed of a titanium material and a has thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.060 inch, the sole is composed of a titanium material and has a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.060 inch, and the golf club head has a mass ranging from 175 grams to 225 grams.

6. A golf club head comprising:

a face member composed of a forged metal material, the face member comprising a stainless steel face plate for striking a golf ball having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the face plate extending from a heel section of the golf club head to a toe section of the golf club head, a face extension extending laterally inward from a perimeter of the face plate, and an interior tubing for receiving a shaft, the interior tubing engaging an upper portion of the face extension and a lower portion of the face extension;

a crown secured to the upper portion of the face extension at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate; and

a sole plate secured to the lower portion of the face extension at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate;

wherein the golf club head has a volume no greater than 400 cubic centimeters and a coefficient of restitution of ranging from 0.83 to 0.93 under standard USGA conditions.

7. A golf club head comprising:

a face member comprising

a face plate for stiking a golf ball having an exterior surface an interior surface, and a perimeter, the face plate extending from a heel section of the golf club head to a toe section of the golf club head,

a face extension extending laterally inward along the entire perimeter of the face plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion opposite the upper portion, a heel wall in the heel section of the golf club head, and a toe wall in the toe section of the golf club head, and an interior tubing for receiving a shaft, the interior tubing engaging the upper portion of the face extension and the lower portion of the face extension wherein the heel wall extends inward beyond the interior tubing;

a crown member secured to the upper portion of the face extension at a predetermined distance from the face plate; and

a sole member comprising a bottom portion and a ribbon upward from the bottom section, the bottom portion secured to the lower portion of the face extension at a predetermined distance from the face plate, and the ribbon secured to the crown member.

8. The golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the face member is composed of a forged titanium alloy material, the face plate has a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch, and the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.83.

9. The golf club head according to claim 8 wherein the face plate of the face member has a thickness in the range of 0.055 inch to 0.125 inch.

10. The golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the golf club head has a hollow interior, has a volume ranging from 175 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters, and weighs from 175 grams to 225 grams.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 further comprising at least one weight member disposed in the hollow interior of the golf club head.

12. The golf club head according to claim 11 wherein the at least one weight member is disposed in the bottom section of the sole member for controlling the center of gravity of the golf club head.

13. The golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the face plate comprises a central circular region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.

14. A golf club head comprising:

a face member composed of a forged titanium alloy material, the face member comprising

a face plate for striking a golf ball having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a perimeter, the face plate extending from a heel section of the golf club head to a toe section of the golf club head,

a face extension extending laterally inward along the entire perimeter of the face plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion opposite the upper portion, a heel wall in the heel section of the golf club head, and a toe wall in the toe section of the golf club head, and an interior tubing for receiving a shaft, the interior tubing engaging the upper portion of the face extension and the lower portion of the face extension wherein the heel wall extends inward beyond the interior tubing;

a crown member composed of a coined titanium alloy material and having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.06 inch, the crown member secured to the upper portion of the face extension along a non-planar engagement line at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate; and

a sole member composed of a coined titanium alloy material and having a thickness ranging from 0.025 inch to 0.06 inch, the sole member comprising a bottom portion and a ribbon upward from the bottom sections the bottom portion secured to the lower portion of the face extension along a non-planar engagement line at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate, and the ribbon secured to the crown member.

15. A golf club heads according to claim 14 wherein the aspect ratio of the face plate is between 1.0 and 1.2.

16. The golf club head according to claim 14 wherein the face plate has a coefficient of restitution that ranges from 0.83 to 0.93.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a face member composed of a forged titanium alloy material, the face member comprising

a face plate for striking a golf ball having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a perimeter, the face plate having concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region in the center,

a face extension extending laterally inward along the entire perimeter of the face plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion opposite the upper portion, a heel wall in the heel section of the golf club head, and a toe wall in the toe section of the golf club head, and an interior tubing for receiving a shaft, the interior tubing engaging the upper portion of the face extension and the lower portion of the face extension wherein the heel wall extends inward beyond the interior tubing;

a crown member secured to the upper portion of the face extension along a non-planar engagement line at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate; and

a sole member comprising a bottom portion and a ribbon upward from the bottom section, the bottom portion secured to tie lower portion of the face extension along a non-planar engagement line at a distance ranging from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch from the perimeter of the face plate, and the ribbon secured to the crown member.

18. The golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the face has a coefficient of restitution of 0.87 as measured according to USGA Standards.