U.S. patent application number 12/621391 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-10 for multiple material driver-type golf club head.
This patent application is currently assigned to CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY. Invention is credited to PATRICK DAWSON, BRADLEY C. RICE.
Application Number | 20100144463 12/621391 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42231718 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100144463 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DAWSON; PATRICK ; et
al. |
June 10, 2010 |
MULTIPLE MATERIAL DRIVER-TYPE GOLF CLUB HEAD
Abstract
A driver-type golf club head having a composite crown is
disclosed herein. The driver-type golf club head includes a
subassembly including a cast face component and a stamped sole
component, and a compression molded crown component which is bonded
to the subassembly. Each of the subassembly and the crown component
has a non-overlapping bonding flange that bonds with an interior
surface.
Inventors: |
DAWSON; PATRICK; (SAN DIEGO,
CA) ; RICE; BRADLEY C.; (CARLSBAD, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CALLAWAY GOLF C0MPANY
2180 RUTHERFORD ROAD
CARLSBAD
CA
92008-7328
US
|
Assignee: |
CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
CARLSBAD
CA
|
Family ID: |
42231718 |
Appl. No.: |
12/621391 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61119997 |
Dec 4, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/345 ;
473/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0437 20200801;
A63B 2209/023 20130101; A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 53/0466 20130101;
A63B 53/0408 20200801; A63B 2209/00 20130101; A63B 53/0433
20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/345 ;
473/349 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/04 20060101
A63B053/04 |
Claims
1. A driver-type golf club head comprising: a subassembly
comprising a face component and a sole component, the face
component section comprising a striking plate section and a return
section extending rearward from a perimeter of the striking plate
section, the return section having a bonding flange formed as an
undercut extending rearward approximately 0.200 inch from a top
rearward edge of the return section, the subassembly composed of a
titanium alloy material and comprising at least 70% of the mass of
the golf club head; a crown component composed of a compression
molded graphite material, the crown component having top section
and a bonding flanged substantially perpendicular to the top
section, the bonding formed as an undercut relative to an edge of
the top section; wherein the crown component is adhesively bonded
to the subassembly with an interior surface of a front portion of
the top section of the crown component bonded to an exterior
surface of the bonding flange of the return section of the face
component of the subassembly and an exterior surface of the bonding
flange of the crown component bonded to an interior surface of a
portion of the sole component of the subassembly.
2. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the
golf club head has a loft angle of at least thirteen degrees.
3. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the
fairway-wood type golf club head has a volume of 460 cubic
centimeters.
4. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the
subassembly further comprises a hosel.
5. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the
hosel is an exterior hosel.
6. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 4 wherein the
hosel is an interior hosel.
7. A driver-type golf club head comprising: a subassembly having a
sole component and a face component with a bonding flange formed as
an undercut extending rearward; a crown component having top
section and a bonding flanged substantially perpendicular to the
top section, the bonding formed as an undercut relative to an edge
of the top section; wherein the crown component is bonded to the
subassembly with an interior surface of a front portion of the top
section of the crown component bonded to an exterior surface of the
bonding flange of the face component of the subassembly and an
exterior surface of the bonding flange of the crown component
bonded to an interior surface of a portion of the sole component of
the subassembly.
8. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the
subassembly is composed of a titanium alloy material.
9. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the
subassembly is composed of a stainless steel material.
10. The driver-type golf club head according to claim 7 wherein the
crown component is composed of a non-metal material.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/119,997, filed on Dec. 4, 2008.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to a method for a multiple
material driver-type golf club head.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] The prior art discloses several methods for forming a golf
club head.
[0007] One method is full casting which involves casting the entire
golf club head, usually with a face pull tool. Duquette et al.,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,976 for a Magnetized Core With Pneumatic
Release System For Creating A Wax Mold For A Golf Club Head
describes certain aspects of the full casting method. Then a face
insert is welded to the golf club head.
[0008] Another method is using a full casting method, using a face
pull tool and then cutting a crown opening. A graphite crown is
then bonded to cover the opening thereby forming a multiple
material golf club head.
[0009] Yet another method is forming an entire golf club head from
multiple pieces. In this method, several pieces (crown, sole, face
and hosel) are welded together to form a precursor golf club head.
Then, an opening is cut in the crown creating an opening. A
graphite crown is then bonded to cover the opening thereby forming
a multiple material golf club head.
[0010] Yet another method is a high performance multiple piece golf
club head. This forming method involves making a multiple piece
golf club head. The crown material needs to be of high quality
expensive titanium so prior to welding the crown component to the
sole component, the crown is chemically milled to the limits of
drop tower durability. The chemical milling process is necessary to
render the crown component to be competitive with graphite strength
to weight ratio.
[0011] The current construction includes tacking a face component
to sole (called face subassembly). Manually trim and tack crown to
face subassembly. Fully weld face, crown, and sole (21 inches of
weld). Grind weld and polish head.
[0012] Each of these prior art methods have drawbacks. Both
multiple piece graphite crown and full casting require the
manufacturer to produce a complete golf club head. The crown
opening is then cut and replaced with a graphite crown. This is
obviously wasteful because of the need to fabricate an entire golf
club head and then removing a portion. The high performance
multiple piece golf club head remedies this wastefulness by
utilizing an expensive titanium material and which adds more cost
to render the crown component weight competitive to graphite
crowns.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention seeks to reduce the waste from current
blacktop manufacturing methods while achieving similar or better
performance than the high performance multiple piece golf club
heads at a price point that is similar to conventional multiple
piece golf club heads.
[0014] The process includes a face component and a stamped metal
sole component preferably welded together without a crown
component. The face component and the sole component are preferably
welded together with a high tolerance. The face components and sole
components are preferably manufactured past "desired points" and
trimmed back to match `net` CAD designs. The face component and the
sole component weld line is then polished. This weld line is
approximately six inches in length for a 460 cubic centimeter
volume driver-type golf club head. In prior art multiple piece golf
club head construction methods the weld line is typically
twenty-one inches in length or more for a 460 cubic centimeter
volume driver-type golf club head.
[0015] Thus, the present invention results in a significant
reduction in finishing costs. More specifically, the finishing
process for weld polishing requires expensive polishing belts.
There are approximately five different belts ranging from very
coarse to very fine. Each belt can usually polish around four to
five golf club heads.
[0016] In the present invention a crown is bonded to the golf club
head subassembly.
[0017] The resulting weight of the crown in carbon composite ranges
from 15 grams to 35 grams, more preferably from 20 grams to 30
grams and is most preferably 24 grams. The weight of the crown in
the high performance multi-piece of the prior art is approximately
31 grams. By using the method of construction of the present
invention, a manufacturer obtains at least an additional seven
grams of discretionary weight that can be used in other sections of
the golf club head to improve mass properties such as moment of
inertias (Izz, Iyy and Izz) through the center of gravity of the
golf club head, durability (thicker face regions or other regions
open to stress during loading), and lower positioning of the center
of gravity by shifting the mass of the golf club head.
[0018] The process for forming a driver-type golf club head
includes welding the face component to the sole component to create
a golf club head subassembly. This comprises only six inches of
welding as opposed to the prior art twenty-one inches of welding.
The golf club head subassembly is ground and polished, specifically
the six inches of weld. The crown component is glued to the golf
club head subassembly to create an unfinished golf club head. The
unfinished golf club head is cleaned and finished.
[0019] This present invention is unique from other composite crown
golf club heads or high performance multi-piece construction golf
club heads because material is not wasted beyond what is necessary
to form the golf club head. In traditional composite crown golf
club heads, the whole golf club head is formed (either by casting
or welding) and then an opening is cut from this whole golf club
head for the composite crown. In the high performance multi-piece
construction golf club heads, the crown component material is very
expensive relative to conventional stamped or cast materials, and
this high performance multi-piece construction golf club head crown
component material needs to be chemically milled to achieve its
performance. The cutting and chemical milling wastes material and
adds cost to achieve performance. The method of the present
invention achieves the same performance without adding additional
costs.
[0020] Having briefly described the present invention, the above
and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be
recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following
detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unfinished golf club
head.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a side view of an unfinished golf club head.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of an unfinished golf
club head illustrating the weld line to be polished.
[0024] FIG. 4 is an isolated top perspective view of an interior of
a subassembly of a golf club head to illustrate the bonding flange
of a face component.
[0025] FIG. 5 is an isolated front perspective view of a crown
component of a golf club head illustrating the bonding flange of
the crown component.
[0026] FIG. 6 is an enlarged isolated view of a crown component of
FIG. 5 illustrating the bonding flange and joint for bonding with
the subassembly.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a bonding joint of a
golf club head illustrating a bonding flange of the face component
and the crown component.
[0028] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a bonding joint of a
golf club head illustrating a bonding flange of a crown component
and a sole component.
[0029] FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the method of forming a
driver-type golf club head of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] The driver-type golf club head is formed by a process that
preferably includes the manufacture of a cast face component 10 and
a stamped metal sole component 18. The face component 10 and the
sole component 18 are assembled together in a welding fixture. The
welding fixture locates on the inside of the face component 10 and
inside of the sole component 18. The welding fixture also locates
on some sections of the outside surfaces of the face component 10
and the sole component 18. The crown component 16 is preferably
formed from a carbon composite. Once the face component 10 and sole
component 18 are welded into a golf club head subassembly, the golf
club head subassembly is polished and prepared for adhesive
bonding. The composite crown is bonded to the golf club head
subassembly using an adhesive. After the adhesive cures, the
unfinished golf club head is cleaned and finished (typically
painting).
[0031] Preferably the face component 10 is cast from titanium 6-4
alloy. The face component 10 has a bonding flange 11 along the top
of the face component 10 extending about 0.200 inch below the OML
parting line. Preferably the sole component 18 is a stamped
titanium alloy. The thickness of the sheet material for the sole
component 18 is determined by performance needs and
manufacturability. The sole component 18 is trimmed. Preferably the
crown component 16 is formed by compression molding a sheet molding
compound. The crown component 16 has a bonding flange 17 between
itself and the sole 18. Because of this design feature, the
compression molded manufacturing technique is a preferred
manufacturing technique. Alternative forming techniques include
continuous fiber laminate construction and plastic injection
molding.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1-8, a golf club head 20 is composed of a
face component 10 with a bonding flange 11, a sole component 18 and
a crown component 16 with a bonding flange 17 in order to construct
the golf club head 20 according to a method of the present
invention.
[0033] In one example, the face component section 10 comprises a
striking plate section 12 and a return section 14 extending
rearward from a perimeter of the striking plate section 12. The
return section 14 has a bonding flange 19 formed as an undercut
extending rearward approximately 0.200 inch from a top rearward
edge of the return section 14. The subassembly is composed of a
titanium alloy material and comprises at least 70% of the mass of
the golf club head 20.
[0034] The crown component 16 is composed of a compression molded
graphite material. The crown component 16 has a top section and a
bonding flange 17 substantially perpendicular to the top section.
The bonding forms an undercut relative to an edge of the top
section.
[0035] The crown component 16 is adhesively bonded to the
subassembly with an interior surface of a front portion of the top
section of the crown component 16 bonded to an exterior surface of
the bonding flange 19 of the return section 14 of the face
component 10 of the subassembly. An exterior surface of the bonding
flange 17 of the crown component 16 is bonded to an interior
surface of a portion of the sole component 18 of the
subassembly.
[0036] In one embodiment, the golf club head 20 has a loft angle of
at least thirteen degrees. In a preferred embodiment, the
fairway-wood type golf club head has a volume of 460 cubic
centimeters. The subassembly may further comprise a hosel 22, which
may be interior or exterior.
[0037] In another example, the subassembly comprises a sole
component 18 and a face component 10 with a bonding flange 19
formed as an undercut extending rearward. The crown component 16
has a top section and a bonding flange 17 substantially
perpendicular to the top section. The bonding is formed as an
undercut relative to an edge of the top section.
[0038] The crown component 16 is bonded to the subassembly with an
interior surface of a front portion of the top section of the crown
component 16 bonded to an exterior surface of the bonding flange 19
of the face component 10 of the subassembly. Also, the exterior
surface of the bonding flange 17 of the crown component 16 is
bonded to an interior surface of a portion of the sole component 18
of the subassembly. The subassembly may be composed of a titanium
alloy material or a stainless steel material. In one embodiment,
the crown component is composed of a non-metal material.
[0039] A method for forming a golf club head 20 is illustrated in
FIG. 9 and generally designated 100. At block 101, a face component
10 is cast. At block 102, a sole component 18 is stamped from
metal, preferably titanium. At block 103, the face component 10 and
sole component 18 are assembled, preferably through welding, into a
subassembly. At block 104, the weld line of the subassembly is
polished. At block 105, a crown component 16 is compression molded
from a graphite compound. At block 106, the crown component 16 is
adhesively bonded to the subassembly. At block 107, the golf club
head 20 is finished.
[0040] Variable face thickness patterns of the striking plate
insert are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,603, for a Contoured
Golf Club Face, U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,234 for a Golf Club Striking
Plate Having Elliptical Regions Of Thickness, U.S. Pat. No.
6,398,666 for a Golf Club Striking Plate With Variable Thickness,
U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,960, for a Golf Club Head With Face Thickness
which are all owned by Callaway Golf Company and which pertinent
parts related to the face pattern are hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0041] The present invention is directed at a golf club head that
has a high coefficient of restitution thereby enabling for greater
distance of a golf ball hit with the golf club head of the present
invention. The coefficient of restitution (also referred to herein
as "COR") is determined by the following equation:
e = v 2 - v 1 U 1 - U 2 ##EQU00001##
[0042] wherein U.sub.1 is the club head velocity prior to impact;
U.sub.2 is the golf ball velocity prior to impact which is zero;
v.sub.1 is the club head velocity just after separation of the golf
ball from the face of the club head; v.sub.2 is the golf ball
velocity just after separation of the golf ball from the face of
the club head; and e is the coefficient of restitution between the
golf ball and the club face.
[0043] The values of e are limited between zero and 1.0 for systems
with no energy addition. The coefficient of restitution, e, for a
material such as a soft clay or putty would be near zero, while for
a perfectly elastic material, where no energy is lost as a result
of deformation, the value of e would be 1.0. The present invention
provides a club head having a coefficient of restitution ranging
from 0.81 to 0.94, as measured under conventional test
conditions.
[0044] The mass of the club head of the present invention ranges
from 165 grams to 250 grams, preferably ranges from 175 grams to
230 grams, and most preferably from 190 grams to 205 grams.
Preferably, the subassembly preferably has a mass ranging from 140
grams to 200 grams, more preferably ranging from 150 grams to 180
grams, yet more preferably from 155 grams to 166 grams, and most
preferably 161 grams. The crown component has a mass preferably
ranging from 4 grams to 20 grams, more preferably from 5 grams to
15 grams, and most preferably 7 grams.
[0045] The golf club head preferably has a volume that ranges from
290 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, and more preferably
ranges from 330 cubic centimeters to 510 cubic centimeters, even
more preferably 350 cubic centimeters to 495 cubic centimeters, and
most preferably 415 cubic centimeters or 460 cubic centimeters.
[0046] The axes of inertia are designated X, Y and Z. The X axis
extends from the striking plate insert through the center of
gravity, CG, and to the rear of the golf club head. The Y axis
extends from the toe end of the golf club head through the center
of gravity, CG, and to the heel end 66 of the golf club head. The Z
axis extends from the crown section through the center of gravity,
CG, and to the sole section.
[0047] As defined in Golf Club Design, Fitting, Alteration &
Repair, 4.sup.th Edition, by Ralph Maltby, the center of gravity,
or center of mass, of the golf club head is a point inside of the
club head determined by the vertical intersection of two or more
points where the club head balances when suspended. A more thorough
explanation of this definition of the center of gravity is provided
in Golf Club Design, Fitting, Alteration & Repair.
[0048] The center of gravity and the moment of inertia of a golf
club head are preferably measured using a test frame (X.sup.T,
Y.sup.T, Z.sup.T), and then transformed to a head frame (X.sup.H,
Y.sup.H, Z.sup.H). The center of gravity of a golf club head may be
obtained using a center of gravity table having two weight scales
thereon, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,452, entitled High
Moment Of Inertia Composite Golf Club, and hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
[0049] In general, the moment of inertia, Izz, about the Z axis for
the golf club head preferably ranges from 2800 g-cm.sup.2 to 5000
g-cm.sup.2, preferably from 3000 g-cm.sup.2 to 4500 g-cm.sup.2, and
most preferably from 3750 g-cm.sup.2 to 4250 g-cm.sup.2. The moment
of inertia, Iyy, about the Y axis for the golf club head preferably
ranges from 1500 g-cm.sup.2 to 4000 g-cm.sup.2, preferably from
2000 g-cm.sup.2 to 3500 g-cm.sup.2, and most preferably from 2400
g-cm.sup.2 to 2900 g-cm.sup.2. The moment of inertia, Ixx, about
the X axis for the golf club head 40 preferably ranges from 1500
g-cm.sup.2 to 4000 g-cm.sup.2, preferably from 2000 g-cm.sup.2 to
3500 g-cm.sup.2, and most preferably from 2500 g-cm.sup.2 to 3000
g-cm.sup.2.
[0050] In general, the golf club head has products of inertia such
as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,832, and is hereby incorporated
by reference in its entirety. Preferably, each of the products of
inertia, Ixy, Ixz and Iyz, of the golf club head 40 have an
absolute value less than 100 grams-centimeter squared.
Alternatively, the golf club head 40 has a at least one or two
products of inertia, Ixy, Ixz and Iyz, with an absolute value less
than 100 grams-centimeter squared.
[0051] The width, W, preferably ranges from 4.0 inches to 5.5
inches, and most preferably from 4.75 inches to 5.0 inches. The
height, H, preferably ranges from 2.0 inches to 3.0 inches, and
most preferably ranges from 2.40 inches to 2.65 inches. The length,
L, preferably ranges from 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches, and most
preferably from 4.0 inches to 4.25 inches. The golf club head 40
may have an aspect ratio such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,338,683 for a Striking Plate For A Golf Club Head, assigned to
Callaway Golf Company, and which pertinent parts are hereby
incorporated by reference.
[0052] From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the
pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this
invention and will readily understand that while the present
invention has been described in association with a preferred
embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and
substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be
unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following
appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in
which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in
the following appended claims.
* * * * *