Composite metal wood club

• US 8,277,334 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Meyer, Jeffrey W., Rice, Scott A., Poynor, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/233,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/314
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/014 Resonance or resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00

Abstract

A metal wood golf club head adapted for attachment to a shaft, comprising of a body portion and a crown portion, each portion constructed of a different density material. Combining a high-density material in the body portion, with a low-density material in the crown portion, creates an ultra-low center of gravity relative to the geometric face center, resulting in higher launch angles and spin rate ratios. The material for the crown portion is preferably a composite. A vibration dampening gasket is disposed between the ledge and lip sections of the body and crown respectively.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion including a thickened inner zone, having a first thickness and an intermediate zone, having a second thickness, wherein said inner zone contains a geometric center that approximately coincides with a geometric center of said face portion, and

a body portion connected to said face portion,

wherein said first thickness is greater than said second thickness, and

wherein said face portion defines a measurement zone wherein no point within said measurement zone may have a COR that is less than 93% of a maximum COR within said measurement zone;

said measurement zone defined as a rectangle having a dimension of 0.5 inch by 1.0 inch, with the geometric center of said measurement zone coinciding with said geometric center of said face portion.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first thickness is equal to about one and a half (1.5) times of the second thickness to about four (4) times said second thickness.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said first thickness may range from about 1.5 mm to about 7.5 mm.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said second thickness may range from about 0.8 mm to about 3.0 mm.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said club head has a center of gravity located below a horizontal plane containing said geometric center of said face portion.

6. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said inner zone has a generally elliptical shape, with a major axis and a minor axis, wherein said major axis aligns in a direction that is offset from a shaft axis.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said major axis is offset from said shaft axis at an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 60 degrees.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein said angle is between about 20 degrees and about 50 degrees.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein said angle is between about 25 degrees and 45 degrees.