Golf club head

• US 7,258,631 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Cackett, Matthew T., Hocknell, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US11/530,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 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 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00

Abstract

A golf club head (20) having optimized inertial properties and center of gravity is disclosed. The golf club head (20) preferably has a volume between 300 cubic centimeters and 500 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (20) has a center of gravity located less than 1.7 inches from an exterior surface of a front wall (30). The positioning of the center of gravity of the golf club head (20) and the optimized inertial properties provide the golf club with greater ball spin robustness and better performance.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a front wall, a sole and a ribbon, the body composed of a non-metallic material;

a crown plate attached to the ribbon and front wall of the body;

a weight piece disposed within a hollow interior formed by the body and crown plate, the weight piece comprising a striking plate insert attached to and supporting the front wall of the body, a first strip extending from a heel end of the striking plate insert to a toe end of the striking plate insert, and a second strip extending from a bottom of the striking plate insert toward a rear end of the body, the weight piece composed of a high density material having a density greater than the density of the material of the body;

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club head is located less than approximately 1.7 inches from an exterior surface of the front wall;

wherein the golf club head has a robustness efficiency parameter of less than approximately 0.410;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertial Izz about the Z-axis through the center of gravity of greater than 3000 g-cm² and a moment of inertia Iyy about the Y-axis through the center of gravity in the range from 2000 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane, PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), blends of polycarbonate and polyurethane, carbon epoxy and plies of pre-preg.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the weight piece is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, titanium, a thermoplastic material filled with metal, and a film loaded with a high density material.

4. The golf club head according to claim 3 wherein the high density material for the film loaded with a high density material is selected from the group consisting of copper, tungsten, steel, aluminum, tin, silver, golf and platinum.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body is composed of a thermoplastic urethane material, the weight piece is composed of a steel material, the crown plate is composed of aluminum, and the golf club head has a robustness efficiency parameter of 0.346.

6. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the crown plate is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium and stainless steel.

7. The golf club head according to claim 1 further comprising a hosel positioned within the hollow interior formed by the body and crown plate.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a front wall, a sole and a ribbon, the body composed of a non-metallic material;

a crown plate attached to the ribbon and front wall of the body, the crown plate composed of an aluminum material;

a weight piece disposed within a hollow interior formed by the body and crown plate, the weight piece comprising a striking plate insert attached to and supporting the front wall of the body, a first strip extending from a heel end of the striking plate insert to a toe end of the striking plate insert, and a second strip extending from a bottom of the striking plate insert toward a rear end of the body, the weight piece composed of a steel material;

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club head is located less than approximately 1.7 inches from an exterior surface of the front wall;

wherein the golf club head has a robustness efficiency parameter of less than approximately 0.410;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertial Izz about the Z-axis through the center of gravity of greater than 3000 g-cm² and a moment of inertia Iyy about the Y-axis through the center of gravity in the range from 2000 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a front wall, a sole and a ribbon, the body composed of a thermoplastic urethane material;

a crown plate attached to the ribbon and front wall of the body, the crown plate composed of an aluminum material;

a weight piece disposed within a hollow interior formed by the body and crown plate, the weight piece comprising a striking plate insert attached to and supporting the front wall of the body, a first strip extending from a heel end of the striking plate insert to a toe end of the striking plate insert, and a second strip extending from a bottom of the striking plate insert toward a rear end of the body, the weight piece composed of a steel material;

a hosel positioned within the hollow interior formed by the body and crown plate, the hosel composed of an aluminum material;

wherein a center of gravity of the golf club head is located less than approximately 1.7 inches from an exterior surface of the front wall;

wherein the golf club head has a robustness efficiency parameter of less than approximately 0.410;

wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters;

wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertial Izz about the Z-axis through the center of gravity of greater than 3000 g-cm² and a moment of inertia Iyy about the Y-axis through the center of gravity in the range from 2000 g-cm² to 4000 g-cm².